>>34464653It's a coincidence in the sense that the endemic plant he's named after is called Sophora Chrysophylla, (Sopho Chrys sounds like Sophocles or Chris) and it has a lot of qualities that lead to his character design and trainer typing. For example, it kills birds, has bright yellow flower, it grows short and shrubby on the mountain with the observatory, and it can survive at the high altitude just below the summit.
This probably lead up to how they designed the character. Short, works at the observatory, being the tech guy, and an electric type trainer. Giving him a hedgehog pika clone could've been an intentional reference, but it could've just happened regardless. This could just be a case of the stars aligning.
