Is there a known reason the Eelektross line does not learn Leech Life while Incineroar does?

Question

I'm not really looking for an answer but when you look at all the Pokemon that learn Leech Life, it's mostly Bug Pokemon and bat Pokemon which is understandable. Eelektross is based partially on the lamprey and leeches to a lesser extent, which that is their whole schtick. This has annoyed me for a while, but I lost it when I learned that Incineroar learns it via TM.

Comments

Wow you're right. I'll try to think of some sort of reason to explain this...

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Your first go-to should be the Japanese translation.

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Leech life's Japanese name translates to "suck blood", so it would definitely make sense for Eelektross to learn it. I guess the game designers just forgot about leech life when making Eelektross's movepool.

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Mimikyu can learn Leech Life by TM too. This makes no sense!

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I really don't see the point of making it a TM in the first place when over half of the few Pokemon that can use it are Gen 7 Pokemon, or ones that could already learn it. Why not just have those Gen 7 Pokemon just learn it naturally via Level-Up instead of wasting a TM slot on it?

Answer 1

Well Eelektross could be based off of a non-parasitic lamprey since only 18 out of the 38 species are parasitic. As for Incineroar, it is most likely based on a Japanese manga called "Tiger Mask" whose main character, also named Tiger Mask, was a heel wrestler and wears a tiger mask. Tiger mask was once a member of an organization called Tiger's Den. The reason I bring this up is that when Tiger Mask was still a pupil of Tiger's Den, there was another pupil at the time whose gymmick consisted in biting and drinking his opponent's blood while injecting him with a narcotic, which is probably why Incineroar can learn leech life while Eelektross cannot. Hope this clears this up.