Galarian Corsola, known in Japan as Galarian Sunnygo (Japanese: サニーゴ) is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon media franchise. First introduced in the video games Pokémon Sword and Shield, it is based off of coral, particularly bleached coral. It is a regional variant; a version of a Pokémon that is biologically unique to an in-game region of the Pokémon Corsola, which was introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver. Classified as a Ghost-type Pokémon, in the games' lore this variation of Corsola went extinct in the Galar region, the main setting of Sword and Shield.
Since its debut, Galarian Corsola has received widespread attention, primarily due to being considered an allegory for climate change and coral bleaching. Many considered it to be an effective message at communicating awareness towards climate change in the real world.
Concept and design
Corsola (middle) is based off of red coral (left), unlike Galarian Corsola, which has similarities to Acropora (right).
Galarian Corsola is a species of fictional creatures called Pokémon created for the Pokémon media franchise. Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the Japanese franchise began in 1996 with the video games Pokémon Red and Green for the Game Boy, which were later released in North America as Pokémon Red and Blue in 1998.[1] In these games and their sequels, the player assumes the role of a Trainer whose goal is to capture and use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon. Some Pokémon can transform into stronger species through a process called evolution via various means, such as exposure to specific items.[2] Each Pokémon have one or two elemental types, which define its advantages and disadvantages when battling other Pokémon.[3] A major goal in each game is to complete the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading with other Trainers to obtain individuals from all Pokémon species.[2]
Galarian Corsola is a variation of Corsola exclusive to the Galar region, the location of the 2019 video games Pokémon Sword and Shield. Corsola is a coral-like Pokémon, first appearing in the series in Pokémon Gold and Silver.[4] Galarian Corsola is based around the concept of coral bleaching. Its inspirations have also been considered similar to several other species of coral which are colorless in nature.[5] Unlike Corsola, which have similarities to red coral, Galarian Corsola instead has stronger similarities to coral such as Acropora, which are among the more fragile coral types in regards to real world climate change.[4]
Corsola in the Galar region are stated to have become the way they are for multiple reasons, with one account stating it was due to a meteorite impact,[5] while its Pokedex entries state it was due to sudden climate change.[4] The Pokedex considers Galarian Corsola to be an extinct species as a result.[6] While Corsola is normally classified as a Water and Rock-type Pokémon, Galarian Corsola is instead classified as a Ghost-type,[7] and are stated in-game to suck the life force of those who touch it.[8][9] Unlike regular Corsola, it can evolve into a Pokémon named Cursola when it gains enough experience points.[10]
Appearances
Galarian Corsola first appeared in Pokémon Sword and Shield, where it is available to capture in the wild. It is only obtainable in Pokémon Shield, and needs to be traded by another player in order to obtain it in Pokémon Sword.[10][11] Galarian Corsola was distributed in 2020 to players as a gift to celebrate the release of the games' DLC expansion The Isle of Armor.[12][13] A special event released earlier that year featured Galarian Corsola in a Max Raid Battle event, which allowed players in Pokémon Sword to encounter and defeat the Pokémon in special boss battles.[14] Galarian Corsola briefly appeared in the Pokémon anime in the episode The Winding Path to Greatness! where it is captured by one of the main protagonists, Goh.[15]
Reception
Galarian Corsola's design was noted for its evocative imagery, most notably in regards to bleached coral, such as the coral that exists in Australia'sGreat Barrier Reef (pictured above.)
Galarian Corsola has been noted as an allegory and message for climate change and coral bleaching since its debut,[16][7][17][18] with Justin Smith of TheGamer noting that its inclusion in the games helped emphasize the reality of climate change.[19] Jennifer Bisset of CNET noted the allegory of bleached coral in its design, noting the heavy, real-world territory the design entered, and how it directly evoked imagery of the coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef.[8]CBR's Noelle Corbett noted how Sword and Shield's story and its focus around an energy crisis in Galar acted as a real world allegory for climate change. She described Corsola and Cursola as actively illustrating the effects of such, and criticized the games' developers for taking the stance that players did not need to actively do anything about climate change despite its effects actively occurring around them.[20] with many others noting how Galarian Corsola helped to raise awareness towards coral bleaching.[21][22][23] Dale Bashir of IGN noted it as one of the series' most important designs, believing that it tied the Pokémon series into the real world, further stating that "It truly makes the world of Pokemon more lived in and shows that Pokemon are deeply affected by human actions."[24] Christian Hoffer, writing for ComicBook.com, noted how Galarian Corsola helped put a spotlight on real-world issues, further stating that "Hopefully, seeing the creepy version of Corsola will inspire some people to look up the real threat of global warming and take some action."[9]
Camden Jones of Game Rant discussed its design, noting how unlike other Pokémon with "dark" backstories in the series, Galarian Corsola is able to effectively communicate its backstory through visuals alone, utilizing the imagery of bleached coral. He additionally noted how it tackled the climate change issue in a direct way, unlike another Sword and Shield regional variant, Galarian Weezing, which he stated instead contributed to "whitewashing climate change". Jones also analyzed how Galarian Corsola's design acted as a springboard to effectively communicate with children about climate change and its long-lasting effects.[25] Rodrigo B. Salvador of the Journal of Geek Studies noted that due to the Pokémon series' usual dismissal of real-world biology in designs, he hadn't expected a design to acknowledge topical issues such as coral bleaching, stating that "...The Galarian form of Corsola was a slap to the face and a brilliant addition to the game." He further analyzed Galarian Corsola's design, discussing its association with the Galar region's heavy industrialization in regards to both its real world counterpart, the United Kingdom, and Corsola.[4]
