Facts about the Squirtle Family
1. Squirtle is based on the minogame
Squirtle is based on the Japanese legend of the minogame, which was a turtle that lived for 10,000 years and grew a tail made of seaweed. This may be the reference for Squirtle’s tail.
2. Wartortle breathes through its butthole
Okay, we don’t know that for sure, but Wartortle is stated in its Pokedex to store air in its tail before taking long dives, and its tail resembles wind waves as well. This is a reference to the fact that certain species of turtles breathe through their cloacae, which is also where they defecate from.
3. Gigantamax Blastoise is based on one of Leonardo da Vinci’s designs
The shell on Gigantamaxed Blastoise’s shell is based on an armored fighting vehicle designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The cone-shaped cover on this design was inspired by a turtle’s shell.
4. The inside of Squirtle’s shell in Pokemon Snap
Credit to Shesez on Youtube for this one. In the original Pokemon Snap for the Nintendo 64, if one takes control of the camera and zooms in on Squirtle after it withdraws into its shell, it’s four limbs and head can be seen inside of it. Here is a Youtube video if you want to learn more.
5. Blastoise is alone in being a single type Pokemon
Blastoise is the only fully-evolved Pokemon in the first generation to not gain a typing by its final evolution. Mega Blastoise is also the only mega of a starter to not have a second typing.
6. Wartortle’s ears used to be blue and not white
As seen in this picture, Wartortle’s ears were first depicted as being the same color as its face. Some early sprites seem to show this as well.
7. Blastoise was almost called Karabajio in Japanese and did not have cannons
The Japanese name of Blastoise is Kamex, but early artwork shows a similar-looking Pokemon called Karabajio, minus the cannons. It was thought that name was inspired by Italian painter Caravaggio, which in turn references the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which are all named after Italian artists.
