The beloved Pokémon Diglett, and its evolution Dugtrio, have a much darker identity in the Russian Pokédex.
A report from ComicBook.com recently broke down the Russian take on the iconic Pocket Monsters, as seen in the country’s unofficial Pokédex. This index claims that Diglett and Dugtrio have explosive powers, likening them to landmines that explode upon contact but grow back afterward thanks to their deep roots. According to the Pokédex, this makes them perfect weapons of war, and their explosive powers have even caught the eye of the military.
What You Never Knew About Diglett and Dugtrio
The description further stated that this unexpected power has led to a massive wave of exploitation outside military control. As per the Pokédex, Dugtrio — the stronger of the pair — is often tricked into taking part in jobs by robbers and thieves, who promise them payment for the use of their explosive abilities. However, in most cases, the criminals escape before the Pokémon has grown back, leaving them with no compensation. The Pokédex also claims that owners with domesticated Digletts/Dugtrios keep them in windowsill pots and feed them with Sprite or Fanta.
The fan-made Russian Pokédex is an unofficial version of the licensed Pokémon guide, made in response to the country’s lack of an official one. It was created by the father of a Pokémon fan, who cobbled together the information from a compilation of official sources in different languages. This led to a slew of non-canon interpretations, including the concept of Diglett being capable of explosions. The entire Pokédex was shown to the world in a 2-hour video from the YouTube channel Did You Know Gaming.
The unofficial Pokédex features an alternate description of every Pokémon from the original lineup of 151. For instance, the beloved Pikachu is described as being so famous that presidents and kings come from all over the world to meet them. Poliwhirl is written as capable of firing submachine guns and often joins into large armies that overthrow governments from small countries “like Haiti.” Psyduck is described as the “wisest Pokémon,” who choose to hide their intelligence, writing books in attics and burying them in the sand, hoping that people will one day uncover them.
The latest installment in the long-running Pocket Monster franchise is Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, released in Nov. 2022. These titles act as the first installment of the ninth generation and initially received a lukewarm reception thanks to some technical issues, but have slowly built up a good reputation in the months since their release. The franchise also began a new anime called Pokémon Horizons: The Series in April 2023.
Source: ComicBook.com