Venonat evolves into Butterfree?

Spire · Sep 2, 2009

I wouldn't be surprised if a number of you have seen this theory before, but from the obvious similarities, it is inferred that Butterfree (Venomoth) was originally designed to be the evolution to Venonat, with Venomoth (Butterfree) being the final evolution of Caterpie. I've cooked up a couple of diagrams for you guys to look at:

Makes sense, doesn't it?

Wave⁂ · Sep 2, 2009

I can see the Venonat - Butterfree connection, though the Caterpie - Metapod - Venomoth chain makes just as much sense as if it ended with Butterfree.

deepseadiva · Sep 2, 2009

Excuse me while I remove the bricks I'm suddenly sitting on.

UltiMario · Sep 2, 2009

Conspiracy!

We must go send 1,000,000,000,000andalotmorezeros Emails to Nintendo about this!

Zomg Unseen64 will love this too :OOOOOO

Mewter · Sep 2, 2009

Nice discovery, Spire, though I don't see the "Original?" Caterpie line, except for maybe he eyes.
The answer is probably yes, though. That's...
Awesome. I would have loved it to be like that. But it's fine as it is, now, too.

Spire · Sep 2, 2009

Some fun facts!

In the original, original Sugimori artwork of Caterpie, it actually had six legs. The last pair was dropped before creation of the game in which it has four legs.

Just to point out, Venonat and Butterfree share these similarities:
- Same eyes, mouth, and teeth
- Same antennae
- Same hands
- Both are the only out of all five of these Pokemon to have pronounced feet
- Both are the same purple

Caterpie and Venomoth have the following similarities:
- Both originally had six legs
- Both have the closest resembling eyes out of these five Pokemon
- Venomoth actually resembles an insect far more than Butterfree, particularly Caterpie's general shape (Metapod actually moreso)
- Both share an antennae-crest atop their heads

zrky · Sep 2, 2009

This is great, but Venonat has the "fuzz" that Caterpi lacks, and Venomoth has the moth 'fuzz' on the body that isn't as prevalent in a butterfly.

Venomoth has the wing structure of a moth, Caterpi doesn't seem to have the structure of a moth larvae. Butterfree has the wing and body structure of a butterfly, and venonat, if extended and segmented, looks more like a moth larvae than butterfly larvae.

Did that make sense?

Spire · Sep 2, 2009

Yeah, of course it did.

But Venonat's and Butterfree's similarities are far more outstanding than anything else.

Like, they're Charmander-Charmeleon-Charizard worthy.

PsychoIncarnate · Sep 2, 2009

I'd believe Caterpie to Venomoth more if Venomoth was green. ...Other than that, I don't see a real similarity

I've known Venonat looked like Butterfree for a while...A little too much

zrky · Sep 2, 2009

Spire III said:
But Venonat's and Butterfree's similarities are far more outstanding than anything else.

True, but only when comparing Venonat with Venomoth/Butterfree. If you put Metapod and Caterpi into it, Venomoth loses it's place, and Butterfree now has similarities to two "possible" evolutions.

Maybe Sugimori intended to make Butterfree an evolution to Venonat, but then kind of decided to go with a butterfly structure.

Pink Reaper · Sep 2, 2009

Lol, this was posted on Digg a few days back.

Zook · Sep 3, 2009

This is insanely amazing.

Wrath` · Sep 3, 2009

I see it, but only in the 1st Gen JPN sprites.

Hobobloke · Sep 3, 2009

What has been seen cannot be unseen.

zaneebaslave · Sep 3, 2009

Spire, do you just sit there at your computer, staring at stuff, until you figure something out?

i mean, this entire idea seems like you sat there looking at pictures of pokemon for hours and all of the sudden said "Venomat looks like Butterfree!"

Zook · Sep 3, 2009

zaneebaslave said:
Spire, do you just sit there at your computer, staring at stuff, until you figure something out?

i mean, this entire idea seems like you sat there looking at pictures of pokemon for hours and all of the sudden said "Venomat looks like Butterfree!"

He implied in the OP that he didn't create this theory.

XACE-K · Sep 3, 2009

*sees charts*

Conclusion: Game Freak screwed up years ago and it's figured out now.

sammy p · Sep 3, 2009

.... hahahh wow cool!!!!
this is amazing!!!

Metal~Mario · Sep 3, 2009

I have known about this for several years now.
Good find nonetheless.

CT Chia · Sep 3, 2009

The main problem with this is the natural evolution of a caterpillar to a cocoon to a butterfly, which Venomoth doesn't look anything like. Venonat and Butterfree do share some eerily close similarities, but it makes a lot more sense the way it is now.

UltiMario · Sep 4, 2009

Because of the evolution change, "Venofly" probably was given more distinct moth features, giving us today's Venomoth. Butterfree probably was completely unchanged.

Terywj [태리] · Sep 5, 2009

This makes me laugh, as I did when I first saw it on Smogon.

-Terywj

Pink Reaper · Sep 5, 2009

ChiboSempai said:
The main problem with this is the natural evolution of a caterpillar to a cocoon to a butterfly, which Venomoth doesn't look anything like. Venonat and Butterfree do share some eerily close similarities, but it makes a lot more sense the way it is now.

Actually caterpillars become both butterfly and moth so it wouldn't be that farfetch'd(lol) to have a worm evolve into a moth(See wurmpul) I think it was mostly because pokemon was targeted to such a young demographic at the time that it wouldn't have made sense to kids to see caterpillar->cocoon->moth. Plus Gnats don't become butterflies ever.

Spire · Sep 5, 2009

Venonat is not based on any particular animal. Its name in various languages means entirely different things.

English and Japanese: Venonat's name is likely a combination of venom and gnat, a small insect. Its Japanese name is possibly a combination of こんちゅう konchū, meaning insect, and the word pang, which is the sound that a radar makes, referring to its radar-like eyes. It could also be a shortening of コンパウンド　アイ, compound eye, both referring to its eyes and its ability.

German: Bluzuk: from "Blut" (blood) and and a form of "zutschen" (to sip)
French: Mimitoss - From mignon (cute), mite (moth), and English toss.
Korean: 콘팡 Konpang
Chinese (Taiwan): 毛球 Mao Chio - "Hair/fluff ball".

Therefore, it could evolve into any type of insect (just about).

M.K · Sep 5, 2009

Oh snap, they do look alike! O.O'
That's really strange, great find Spire.
I've always thought of Venonat as....ahem.....a dust bunny. >.>

Spire · Sep 5, 2009

Meta-Kirby said:
Oh snap, they do look alike! O.O'
That's really strange, great find Spire.
I've always thought of Venonat as....ahem.....a dust bunny. >.>

It's certainly more like a Dust Bunny than anything else.

Perhaps it's sort of based on the "mothball", but in a larvae form.

zrky · Sep 6, 2009

Spire III said:
It's certainly more like a Dust Bunny than anything else.

Perhaps it's sort of based on the "mothball", but in a larvae form.

A larval moth ball? I would hate to smell that thing...

Mclena45 · Sep 10, 2009

They probably did this:
Nintendo made the Venonat - Butterfree line.
Nintendo also made a Venomoth but decided to give it some pre evos.
Nintendo made Caterpie and Metapod.
Nintendo screwed up and but Caterpie and Metapod with Butterfree and Venomoth with Venonat.
Nintendo decided to be cheap and didn't send a fixed version of R/G/B in Japan so in followed us here.
4 generations down the line Nintendo is still going "Aw ****".

CRASHiC · Sep 10, 2009

I think it more along the line of Nat evolves into butterfly!
Other guy: Uhhh, no it doesn't, buterflies come from caterpillar and cacoons.
Really? Aw ****. We'll, I got to give this thing something to evolve into.
Thus, venomouth was born.

Neo Exdeath · Sep 11, 2009

Either someone made an awesome discovery, or Game Freak screwed up. Big time.

xLeafybug =D · Oct 8, 2009

Yeah, Venonat does look similar to Butterfree, but Caterpie>Metapod>Venomoth would just be stupid.

Caleb Wolfbrand · Oct 8, 2009

Do nats even evolve into moths? hmm

... my brain just tried to force cascoon / dustox / beautifly into this and then it exploded

NJzFinest · Oct 9, 2009

I remember reading something about Nintendo messing up with the pokedex or something and they just tried to cover it up at the end.

As a child, I was always wondering why Venonat looked like Butterfree, so I'd always evolve my Venonaut pokemon card into a Butterfree when I played with my friends.

marshal · Oct 20, 2009

This Butterfree/Venomoth peculiarity actually appears to be a mistake. While there are plenty of different species that look similar, it's clear that Butterfree and Venomoth had their sprites switched somehow (Personally, I like to imagine it happening like those old Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercials). First, compare the appearances of Venonat and Butterfree: Butterfree shares Venonat's feet, hands, mouth, eyes, antennae, and body colour - especially notable considering the fact that Venonat is nothing more than a purple puffball with said features. Venomoth, on the other hand, has absolutely nothing in common with Venonat. Next, compare Venomoth to Caterpie and Metapod. Again, they have a suspicious amount in common.
-----------------------
spiritual enlightenment
Virtual PBX

Venonat evolves into Butterfree?

III

Smash Legend

Bodybuilding Magical Girl

Out of Obscurity

Smash Master

III

Smash Lol'd

III

The Eternal Will of the Swarm

Smash Lol'd

Real Name No Gimmicks

Perpetual Lazy Bum

Smash Master

Atemon Game

Smash Journeyman

Perpetual Lazy Bum

Smash Master

Smash Lord

Smash Lord

Smash Obsessed

Out of Obscurity

Charismatic Maknae~

Real Name No Gimmicks

III

Level 55

III

Smash Lol'd

Smash Apprentice

Smash Hero

Smash Ace

Smash Master

Smash Master

Smash Hero

Smash Rookie

Information

Network