>>49305919No it really doesn't, if this was under english rules it'd literally infer cyndaquil is a mouse and automatically fit in. But since nezumi can just infer a small and cute rodent, it becomes a much more vague descriptor.(And really, it comes off moreso as a reference to Hedgehogs(The needle mouse))
I find it really bemusing that people unironically think that gamefreak went in with a solid theme that relies on outside factors to go anywhere; and then didn't really follow it in multiple gens.
If they wanted a zodiac theme from the start, they'd reflect their parts much better; a fox has too much cultural significance to not be messy in the role of "dog". And a hedgehog with a name linking it to a porcupine is utterly out there to be the "rat".
While the sheer number at this point make it blatant, I really don't think it was intentional until Incineroar(which very much seems like a design trapped to an animal).
