Climate Change is So Bad That There’s a New Pokemon Based Off It

The new Pokémon, a Galarian version of Corsola, debuted on “Pokémon Sword” and “Pokémon Shield,” two roleplaying games released for the Nintendo Switch last month.

 

A type of “ghost” Pokémon, the new Corsola is the latest version of the pink, coral Pokémon of the same name, which first appeared in the 1999 generation of the flagship games.

The new Pokémon, which thrives in the Galar region, is pale, translucent and goes through its day with a characteristic frown, an apparent expression born out of its home’s destruction.

The environmental warning comes in its Pokédex entry for “Shield,” which states that “sudden climate change wiped out this ancient kind of Corsola.” The entry also notes that it “absorbs other’s life-force through its branches.”

Meanwhile, its “Sword” entry warns players to “watch your step when wandering areas oceans once covered.” As it turns out, “what looks like a stone could be this Pokémon, and it will curse you if you kick it.”

The horror does not end there, however, as the Galarian Corsola evolves into a form known as Cursola, which comes with a shell overflowing with “heightened otherworldly energy.” This shell serves to safeguard its core spirit.

“Be cautious of the ectoplasmic body surrounding its soul. You’ll become stiff as stone if you touch it,” its Pokédex entry warns.

While The Pokémon Company has not acknowledged it, the Galarian Corsola’s bleached appearance mirrors a disturbing phenomenon occurring in the real world known as coral bleaching.

Coral bleaching takes place when algae living in coral tissues are distressed by high sea temperatures, one of the devastating consequences of persistent carbon pollution.

In the presence of unnaturally hot waters, algae depart from affected corals, depriving them of color and food.

One example of extensive coral bleaching takes place in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, where half of all corals have died since 2016, according to the National Geographic.

Feature Images via The Pokémon Company