#0643 · Generation V
What Animal Is Reshiram Based On?
Reshiram is mostly a fantasy design, but its closest real animal is the Southern Cassowary.
Closest animal
Southern CassowaryConfidence
Broad or mixed-animal match
How Reshiram compares to the real Southern Cassowary
Reshiram's official category is the Vast White Pokémon. AnimalDex rates its resemblance to the Southern Cassowary as a broad match, meaning the animal is one influence in a largely fantasy design. Reshiram is a white feathered dragon, mostly a mythic design. Its feathered, dinosaur-like body is loosely matched by the cassowary, a living bird that looks prehistoric.
The comparison covers looks and behavior cues, not biology: Reshiram is a fictional Pokémon, while the Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a real bird. On AnimalDex the real Southern Cassowary scores 74 for dominance, 62 for speed, 58 for size and 44 for intelligence, out of 100, so its strongest trait is dominance. AnimalDex also links Reshiram to the Mute Swan, covered below.
Official category: Vast White Pokemon. This page is an AnimalDex comparison for real-animal resemblance, not an official design-origin claim.
Meet the real Southern Cassowary
Casuarius casuarius
The southern cassowary is a large flightless rainforest bird known for its helmet-like casque, powerful legs, and major role in moving large forest seeds.
How to recognize it
- Tall black-bodied bird with blue neck and red wattles
- Casque on top of the head and heavy three-toed feet
- Flightless but capable of fast sudden movement through dense cover
Real Southern Cassowary facts
- Cassowaries are among the most important large-seed dispersers in some tropical forests.
- Their body plan makes them unforgettable and not to be underestimated.
- Diet
- Southern Cassowary feeds on fallen fruit, fungi, insects, and small animals, with fruit shaping its forest role.
- Lifespan
- Wild lifespan is poorly known but thought to be about 40 years; captive birds have lived past 40 and reportedly beyond 60.
- Predators and threats
- Adults have few natural predators, but dogs kill chicks and sometimes adults, feral pigs destroy nests, and road traffic is a leading recorded cause of death in Queensland. In New Guinea people hunt it. A cornered bird kicks forwards, striking with a dagger-like inner claw about 12 centimetres long.
| Dominance | Speed | Size | Intelligence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74/100 | 62/100 | 58/100 | 44/100 |
Meet the real Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
One of the heaviest flying birds, with adult males commonly around 10 to 12 kg. Despite the name it is not silent: it hisses, snorts and grunts, and its wings make a loud, rhythmic throbbing in flight.
How to recognize it
- Orange-red bill with a black base and knob
- Neck held in a gentle S-curve, bill angled down
- Wings often raised in an arch over the back while swimming
Real Mute Swan facts
- In England, unmarked mute swans on open water have long been claimed by the Crown, and an annual Swan Upping census still counts birds on parts of the Thames.
- It feeds by dipping its long neck or up-ending, reaching plants up to about a metre below the surface.
- Diet
- Aquatic plants, submerged vegetation, grasses, and grains.
- Lifespan
- They can live many years, sometimes decades, making pair bonds and territory long-term.
- Predators and threats
- Foxes, mink, large birds, dogs, and humans threaten eggs or young; adults defend strongly. Grace is soft until the boundary is crossed.
| Dominance | Speed | Size | Intelligence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54/100 | 56/100 | 46/100 | 38/100 |
Reshiram animal FAQ
- What animal is Reshiram based on?
- Reshiram is mostly a fantasy design, but its closest real animal is the Southern Cassowary. Reshiram is a white feathered dragon, mostly a mythic design. Its feathered, dinosaur-like body is loosely matched by the cassowary, a living bird that looks prehistoric.
- Is Reshiram a real animal?
- No. Reshiram is a fictional Pokémon. Its closest real counterpart is the Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), which AnimalDex covers with real field-guide facts.
- What is the real Southern Cassowary like?
- The southern cassowary is a large flightless rainforest bird known for its helmet-like casque, powerful legs, and major role in moving large forest seeds.
- Which other Pokémon are based on the Southern Cassowary?
- AnimalDex also pairs Dracozolt with the Southern Cassowary.