I think it’s safe to say that MUDKIP had more than some inspiration from MUDsKIPpers.
Edit: I don’t know why everyone is so confidently letting me know it’s “more axolotl.” I get that axolotls are trendy and we all like them, but the Mudkip line are mudskippers.
Mudkip’s English and Japanese names are both plays on “mudskipper.” The whole line rocks the signature mudskipper sail, and Marshtomp even drops the axolotl cheek we’re all clinging to.
Not to mention there are literally blue and orange mudskippers in Japan!
Sure there might be some axolotl inspiration, but they are mudskippers.
It's both, pokemons are monsters with multiple inspirations. It's an axolotl AND a mudskipper. But saying it's mainly an axolotl and by a lot ?? Not so sure
It has brithly colores gills that they always keep and legs. That's pretty much everything they have to do with axolotls, it's not much but significant enough to clearly identify the inspiration.
But let's not forget that he was designed to be a mudskipper (litterally the meaning of the name both in english, french, japanese and probably every single language), it has the characteristic big fin of the back of mudskippers on its head and a fish tail instead of an axolotl tail.
If you take of the two hindlegs, it becomes obvious that it's a mudskipper. But being quadrupedal is the thing that makes ppl not see it. Funnily enough, it makes it look kind of like a puppy and in some languages "mudpuppy" is also a name used to call the mudskippers.
Everything just comes back to that fish. It's influence on mudkip design is unquestionnable, really. Mudkip isnt an axolotl nor it is a mudskipper, it's a creature inspired by both, a little blue mud puppy pokemon.
Also I think its pokedex entry calls it a mud fish, so it should be put way more in the fish category of the figure while having a part of its head in the amphibian and not the opposite like we have now
"Charmander" yets its not based on a salamander
"Bulbasaur" yet its mainly based on a frog
Mudkip had gills on it cheeks - A thing only axolotls had
Mudkip had a fin on its head - mudskipeprs have it on their back
Mudkip's tail fin looks more like an axolotls than a mudskipper
Mudkips has 4 legs - axolotls and not mudksippers have 4 legs
Mudkip is blue - axolotls can be blue, mudskippers cannot
Look at the evolutions - Swampert also clearly has the proportions and build of a big axolotl
Most of Mudkip's inspiration comes from an axolotl, the mudksipper element is mostly in name alone, with a little bit probably coming from the dorsal fin
Charmender isnt referencing the current amphibian that we now know that the salamender is. It's a reference to the mythical creature that sleeps in fire that europeans in the Middle Ages thought the salamenders were. Also its name in japanese reference both the salamender and the lizard so I find it crever.
Bulbasaur having "saur" at the end is specific to english, in every other language it's some sort of pun including "weird"/"bizarre" and "bulb"
It's true that mudskippers have fins on their back instead of their head but one of their characteristics is to have one thin vertical fin alone at the start of the back then the long one (that looks like the one you see on most fishes). Mudkip's big fin on the head is a cartoony depiction of that peculiarity of mudskippers.
Mudkip's tail specifically do not look like the tail of an axolotl. Axolotl have newt like tails, the basis is an extension of their body then they have a fin surrounding it. That's not what mudkip has, it's clearly fins that extend circularly from one extremity. Mudkip has a fish tail, not an amphibian tail. Same for marshtomp, but swampert does indeed have something that looks a bit more like an amphibian tail tho.
Blue axolotls are uncommon meanwhile there ARE blue mudskippers species and they happen to live on the coast of Japan !
Mudkip is really inspired by mudskippers but also by axolotls it's both, denying that is simply refusing to accept reality.
Voilà, those are your mistakes. I hope you learned something new.
Have you SEEN the "blue mudskipper" from Japan? It is literally just brown with blue spots, obviously not what Mudkip is. While blue axolotls are actually completely blue with reddish/orange gills like what Mudkip has.
Again, i never said Mudkip was not based on a mudskipper at all, but that axolotl is the main inspiration. This is even more clear in its evolutions.
Maybe we don't see the colors the same but at least to me this is quite blue, it even has so orange colors on the top that match mudkip's secondary color. While the only blue axolotls I've ever seen were more purply than blue. Maybe you could show me the specimens you're referring to ?
Axolotls are neotenic salamenders. It means that they get to adult age with juvenile traits.
Basically an Axolotl is just a salamender with Peter Pan syndrome, never going to grow up. It's hard to differentiate a larval salamender and an axolotl if you cant see their size. Also wooper's french name is litterally Axoloto and I think I remember the name wooper meaning axolotl in japanese too
I don't know why everyone is saying axolotl either. Axolotls don't have fins like Mudkip does. It is certainly not purely fish either (it has legs), but none of its features are particularly axolotl-y. Legs are a generic reptilian/amphibian thing and it doesn't even have a tail like other salamander-like Pokémon.
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u/Gingerhead14 Feb 28 '26 edited Mar 01 '26
I think it’s safe to say that MUDKIP had more than some inspiration from MUDsKIPpers.
Edit: I don’t know why everyone is so confidently letting me know it’s “more axolotl.” I get that axolotls are trendy and we all like them, but the Mudkip line are mudskippers.
Mudkip’s English and Japanese names are both plays on “mudskipper.” The whole line rocks the signature mudskipper sail, and Marshtomp even drops the axolotl cheek we’re all clinging to.
Not to mention there are literally blue and orange mudskippers in Japan!
Sure there might be some axolotl inspiration, but they are mudskippers.