By Jo
The elemental monkeys were never really favorites of mine when the games first came out. They were advertised and had merchandise, though that never really helped improve my opinion of them. It wasn’t until I received my own Pansear in the Dreamyard and used my sister’s Pansage when level grinding in her game, that I realized how useful they little monkeys could be.
Pansear, the High Temp Pokemon, appears to be based off from a monkey, though also holds physical similarities to fire and flames. It seems to be wearing red ‘pants’, the waist zigzagging with its cream colored torso. Its arms and lower half of its face match its torso and its tail, upper half of its face, ears, and ‘hair’ are the same red as its ‘pants’. The very tip of Pansear’s tail is in the shape of a small flame, and its ‘hair’ appears to be sculpted in the same flame-like pattern. Pansear is the only non-starter Pokemon to have the starter-exclusive ability, Blaze. It is also the only member of the three elemental monkeys that doesn’t learn a move that is otherwise only available through TM (Pansage learns Grass Knot, and Panpour learns Scald). According to its pokedex entries, Pansear live in caves and volcanoes. When Pansear is angered the temperature of its head tuft reaches 600 degrees F. It uses that tuft of hair to roast berries. Pansear’s name seems to be a combination of the words ‘pan’ (most-likely a reference to chimpanzees) and ‘sear’. The ‘ear’ in its name could also be a reference to the three wise monkeys, Pansear being the representation of “hear no evil”. Pansear’s name could also be taken as a pun of pan searing.
Pansear can only evolve into its final form, Simisear, when exposed to a Fire Stone. It is the only Pokemon not to be introduced in the first generation games to be able to evolve via Fire Stone. Simisear, like its pre-evolution, has features of both monkeys and flames. Simisear appears to be wearing a pair of red pants as well, the edges zigzagging. Simisear’s tail is fluffy and resembles a puffy cloud of smoke as well as cottony-like, white shoulder pads. Its arms are the same shade red as its ‘pants’, ‘hair’, tail, upper half of its face, and outer ears. Its fingers, though, are the same crème color as its torso, lower half of its face, and toes – and it looks as if it is wearing fingerless gloves. According to its pokedex entries, it loves sweets because they become the fuel that it burns for energy. It apparently has a flame inside its body and scatters the embers from its head and tail to burn its foes. Simisear’s name most-likely comes from the words ‘simian’ (which are often referred to as being “higher primates” and are known as Old World monkeys and apes) and ‘sear’.