By Jo
When the games first came out, I wasn’t particularly fond of the elemental monkeys. There was something to their design that just struck me as wrong. Though now, after having used them in the games, I’ve come to the conclusion that they are really useful and come in handy when trying to advance in the beginning of the game’s plot.
Pansage is known as the Grass Monkey Pokemon. Like its name would suggest, it is based off from monkeys, though also holds some physical resemblance to plants. It has green ‘pants’ and its tail has two leaves. Its upper torso, arms, and lower half of its face is a sandy, yellow color. The upper half of its face and the outside of its ears are the same shade of green as its tail and ‘pants’. Atop its head, though, appears to be a sort of broccoli-like plant. Its hands resemble mittens, and lack actual fingers. According to its pokedex entries, Pansage dwell deep in the forest. It shares the leaves on its head with weary-looking Pokemon. By eating them, the leaves are known to relieve stress and whisk weariness away as if done by magic. Pansage and its evolution are the only non-starter Pokemon to have the starter-exclusive ability, Overgrow. It is also the only Pokemon able to learn the move Grass Knot by leveling up. The ‘pan’ in Pansage’s name comes from “chimpanzee” the ‘sage’ in it most-likely refers to the sage plant. Because it is also a part of a trio, it may be a reference to the “three wise monkeys” tale.
Pansage is only able to evolve into its final form, Simisage, if exposed to a Leaf Stone. Simisage, like Pansage, appears to have characteristics of both monkeys and plants. Also like Pansage, it appears to be wearing green pants. Simisage is about a foot taller than it’s pre-evolution, though appears to be much more ‘aged’. It has fluffy white eyebrows and its features are much more defined. It has fingers and toes, as well as white shoulder pads. Its arms, ‘hair’ and outside of its ears are the same shade green as its tail and ‘pants’. According to its pokedex entries, Simisage tends to be ill tempered. It attacks and defends itself by swinging its thorn-covered tail wildly about (that’s probably why Simisage is known as the Thorn Monkey Pokemon). The leaves on its head are said to be very bitter. Simisage appears to be based off from a monkey and a tree. Because of this, it could be based off from legends of monkey trees, or a pun on leaf monkeys. Its name may be a combination of the words ‘simian’ (considered “higher primates” and are known to most as being Old World monkeys and apes) and ‘sage’.