I still have no idea how Hanamogura was supposed to fit between Chikorita and Meganium design-wise. Like what even was the original intention here?

Part of me thinks it was supposed to be a cocoon stage like Swadloon or something, but it's still pretty wild.

Chikorita's line being some type of mole is interesting though

Blue_Stuff said:

I still have no idea how Hanamogura was supposed to fit between Chikorita and Meganium design-wise. Like what even was the original intention here?

We always saw Chikorita as a pear with legs, but what if we looked it from other viewpoint? Like the leaf part in its head was actually stem and the body was a flower bud?

Yes, that's how this evolution came to be. Chikorita's body turned upside-down and split from head to tail, opening to show the little yellow creature. That's probably why they don't use it-children would be terrified as heck.

Rathurue said:

We always saw Chikorita as a pear with legs, but what if we looked it from other viewpoint? Like the leaf part in its head was actually stem and the body was a flower bud?

Yes, that's how this evolution came to be. Chikorita's body turned upside-down and split from head to tail, opening to show the little yellow creature. That's probably why they don't use it-children would be terrified as heck.

That makes a scary amount of sense. It would also explain where exactly Meganium’s petals around the neck came from.

Someone linked me a fanart that shows Chikorita's evolution in all of its glory