Pokémon Nicknames: Mareanie and Toxapex

“Alola cousins! Do you have time for one more walk down to the fishing hole? Just watch where you step.”

Mareanie (in Japanese: ヒドイデ “Hidoide”) is a Poison and Water dual-type Pokémon introduced in the Alola Region (Generation VII). Mareanie was one of the hardest Pokémon to catch in Sun and Moon. You had to fish for Corsola, then wait for the coral Pokémon to call for help.

Mareanie evolves into Toxapex (in Japanese: ドヒドイデ  “Dohidoide” ) starting at level 38, where it remains a Poison and Water dual-type. (Reference: Bulbapedia.)

Mareanie and Toxapex are modeled after poisonous sea urchins or spiny starfish. These echinoderms* are sea animals common in rocky inter-tidal pools.

My favorite name for Mareanie is “Poison Pen” after the phrase “poison pen letter”. Once upon a time (before the Internet) people would write and send letters to each other through the mail. A poison pen letter is a type of malicious hate mail sent to a recipient for the specific purpose of upsetting them. These letters were always sent anonymously. Sometimes a letter would be sent to a third party detailing how terrible another person is. No one writes anonymous poison pen letters anymore — as trolls have the anonymity of the Internet to malicious harass another. On that note, “Malicious” might be a good name for this poison-type.

Some Sea Urchins have venom, and many have sharp, prickly spines. Thus, “Spiny Norman” (after the Monty Python reference) may be a good name for a male.

Other, “prickly” names could be used, such as “Pin Cushion”. “AccuPuncher” after the Chinese “acupuncture” medical technique (which is actually supposed to rid you of toxins).

“Blue-Meanie” after the characters in the Yellow Submarine movie.

“Mean Gene” after the sports name given to anyone named Eugene.

After evolution, then … um … Toxapex?  (Denny scoffs) It sounds like a feminine hygiene product!

(insert cricket noises here)

Aw, come on … Don’t you get it – the name sounds like “Tampax” or “Kotex” … only toxic.

Nice.

You could probably just name it “Kotex” or perhaps “Toxic Shock” after the medical condition linked to super absorbent tampons.

If you want to make a snarky comment on the ongoing “Battle of the Sexes” you could name your male Toxapex “Masculinity” after that “toxic masculinity” phrase that sophomore sociology majors use to blame their own failures on. Conversely, you could name a female Toxapex “Feminism” after the “toxic feminism” encountered so often by frustrated STEM majors.

 

What is the name of your toxic little sticker? Please comment!

*See my post about the other echinoderm Pokemon Pyukumuku is linked here.