10 Things You Didn’t Know about Lucario
Lucario was created to be a popular Pokemon. Considering the sheer amount of Lucario merchandise that can be found out there, it seems safe to say that The Pokemon Company succeeded in this regard. Even now, Lucario remains one of the faces of the Pokemon franchise. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Lucario:
1. Has the Same Name in Other Languages
There are some Pokemon that have different names in different languages. Lucario is not one of them. Instead, the species’s name is the same in Japanese, English, French, German, Spanish, Korean, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, and so on and so forth.
2. Name Chosen for Appeal to Both Japanese and American Audiences
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl director Junichi Masuda has stated that Lucario was one of the most difficult species to name because it was supposed to appeal to both Japanese and American audiences.
3. Uncertain Inspiration for Name
The exact source of inspiration for the name Lucario is uncertain. There are some people who think that it might be based on the Japanese transliteration of orichalcum, which is a mythical Greek metal that has seen use in a lot of fantasy works. Other suggestions include but are not limited to the Greek lykos meaning “wolf,” the Spanish luchar for “fight,” and even the Canis anthus lupaster, which is a subspecies of the African golden wolf called the Egyptian wolf.
4. Some People See Egyptian Influences
There are some people who see Egyptian influences in Lucario. For example, some believe that it is based on Anubis, both because of Lucario’s appearance and because of Lucario’s interest in justice. Furthermore, there are those who suspect that Lucario might be based on an ancient Egyptian boxer because the ancient Egyptians were one of the first civilizations to take up the practice.
5. Evolves from Riolu Via Friendship
Lucario was introduced in Generation IV, which was the same one that saw its pre-evolution Riolu’s introduction. Like a lot of baby Pokemon, Riolu looks like a smaller, more huggable version of its evolved form that evolves when it levels up with high friendship.
6. Can Read Thoughts and Movements of Opponents
One of Lucario’s most interesting capabilities is the power to see a living being’s aura. Apparently, this makes it possible for the species to read their opponent’s thoughts and movements, which is a huge advantage in combat.
7. Can Sense Invisible Beings
The same power that enables Lucario to read thoughts and movements enables them to sense invisible beings. Considering the sheer number of Ghost Pokemon as well as other entities capable of incredible stealth in the Pokemon setting, this can be very useful to say the least.
8. They Have Been Known to Hunt in Packs
Generally speaking, Lucario isn’t known for being a particularly gregarious species, not least because it isn’t a particularly common species. However, there have been cases of Lucarios hunting in full packs, which must be rather terrifying considering that the members of the species are capable of sensing their prey from more than half a mile away.
9. Being Able to Sense Auras Has Its Downsides
With that said, the ability to sense auras has its downsides as well. In short, Lucarios get a lot more information than what they want to know when they read their opponents. As a result, it is common for the members of the species to get stressed out.
10. The Mega Evolution Is Merciless
Lucario is one of the Pokemon with a Mega Evolution. In its case, its Mega Evolution comes with a notable shift in personality. Essentially, Mega Lucario is much more ruled by their combat instincts than their standard form. As a result, they are much more merciless than their standard form, which is combined with a huge boost to both their speed and their strength. In other words, Mega Lucario is a faster, stronger, and meaner version of a Pokemon that was already notable for their speed, strength, and serious approach to combat, meaning that it is a potent threat that Pokemon trainers need to keep a watchful eye out for.
