Although many Pokémon Red and Blue RPGs in 1998, Game Freak set out to create an even more ambitious sequel two years later. In 2000, Pokémon Gold and Silver made its worldwide debut and introduced fans to the Johto region. Despite being a favorite in the franchise, many fans have been mislabeling the game's Legendary trio Entei Raikou and Ente for decades.
Players first encounter the Legendary trio in Pokémon Gold and Silver after reaching the Burned Tower and in Ecruteak City. Following a brief cutscene, the Legendaries randomly scatter across the Johto region's map, and can only be caught in the wild. Although the Gen 2 Pokédex has always categorized Entei, Raikou, and Suicune as "Legendary Beasts", many fans began referring to them as the "Legendary Dog Trio" after the game was released in 2000.
Over twenty-five years later, the popular categorization has stuck, and players still refer to the popular Pokémon Gold and Silver Legendary Beasts as dogs even in 2022. While the term has become accepted by many fans as the official title for Johto roaming Pokémon, it's actually not correct. According to multiple interviews given by Game Freak developers over the years, the Gen 2 Legendaries were inspired by a completely different animal.
Johto Legendaries Entei, Raikou, And Suicune Were Not Inspired By Dogs
Entei, Raikou, and Suicune were originally designed by Pokémon manga artist Muneo Saito. In interviews about Pokémon Gold and Silver Saito revealed that the Legendary trio was actually inspired by feline cats and not dogs. Specifically, Entei was based on a lion, while Raikou was influenced by a tiger. Suicune's design concept took inspiration from jungle cats such as leopards and panthers. The Gen 2 Johto Region Pokémon were also heavily influenced by mythical deities Raiju, and Chinese guardian lions.
The term "Legendary Dogs" actually originated from fans who perceived the trio to look like canine-inspired animals. The mix-up was likely the result of Game Freak giving Entei, Raikou, and Suicune the same dog sprite that Growlithe had in Pokémon Gold and Silver. Despite The Pokémon Company officially labeling them as "Beasts" instead of dogs, some players have continued to stick with the canine categorization. This isn't the first time that fans have mistakenly gotten Pokémon lore wrong, as for decades many have used the wrong name pronunciation for Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Hoenn Legendary Rayquaza. With Pokémon Gold and Silver now viewed as beloved classic games, the categorization debate surrounding Entei, Raikou, and Suicune will likely continue to be a hot topic among the fandom.
