What are some type specialists whose specialist types don't make sense?

[Kathylikestoread]

So, people constantly talk about Pokemon whose type doesn't make sense, so I was wondering.

• Personally, I think that Lenora being a normal type specialist doesn't make much sense, she should have been a rock type specialist, considering how she's a museum curator and archaeologist. And I know what that Cheren came after Lenora, but there already is a normal type specialist in Unova, and rock is the only type in Unova that doesn't have a type specialist yet.
• Crasher Wake doesn't make sense either, I saw a meme asking why is Crasher Wake a water type specialist, wrestling has nothing to do with water.
• Katy, I know that her apron has a spider web, but what do bugs have to do with baking, fairy would make a lot more sense, considering how she makes sweets, even though Ortega exists.
• Either Roark or Byron should be ground type, yes, I know that Bertha exists.
• There is Giacomo, but, Atticus specializing in dark types would make more sense, because he's a ninja, Greninja is a ninja Pokemon, and it's dark type.

 

[Pigrider09]

• Personally, I think that Lenora being a normal type specialist doesn't make much sense, she should have been a rock type specialist, considering how she's a museum curator and archaeologist. And I know what that Cheren came after Lenora, but there already is a normal type specialist in Unova, and rock is the only type in Unova that doesn't have a type specialist yet.
• Crasher Wake doesn't make sense either, I saw a meme asking why is Crasher Wake a water type specialist, wrestling has nothing to do with water.
• Katy, I know that her apron has a spider web, but what do bugs have to do with baking, fairy would make a lot more sense, considering how she makes sweets, even though Ortega exists.

Part of the novelty of gym leaders, especially in later generations, is seeing how their type specialty can mesh with their archetype in fun ways. To use an example that was already brought up, Katy has novelty when compared to other chef trainers (namely the striaton trio) because of her bug pokemon. It’s not something you would expect, but her design sells it so it is able to make sense. Plus, she uses two cute bugs and a cute bear. If we kept type specialists in their own boxes of archetypes we get what is expected, and there would be a lot less intrigue into what the gym leader is going to be like.

Either Roark or Byron should be ground type, yes, I know that Bertha exists.

Hmmm… the rock and ground types have had a confusing history of how the two are differentiated. I could see Roark being a ground specialist if he wasn’t associated with the underground which has fossils… which do firmly make him associated with the rock type.

There is Giacomo, but, Atticus specializing in dark types would make more sense, because he's a ninja, Greninja is a ninja Pokemon, and it's dark type.

I mean, koga as a poison ninja came first, so maybe they’re just going off of that?

As for my own takes, the early generations kinda suck at making some of the younger gym leaders distinct. Like, what about Roxanes personality screams rock type? Same with Candice, and falkner, and so on.

Also chuck. Chuck should’ve been water type. Yes, the johto gyms were set as the types that Kanto missed, but as is, chuck feels like Bruno’s goofy cousin. He’s under a waterfall and uses poliwrath, so water makes a decent amount of sense.

 

[Dougbro1]

My main thought on this is that I don't believe that the Gym Leaders need necessarily have the most obvious job for their occupation.
- Lenora: I see your point, but to be a Rock specialist with an extreme interest in Fossils? That's basically Roxanne all over again.
- Crasher Wake: I believe that based on his design, Fighting and Water make equal sense. In wrestling, metaphors are common. Wrestling has nothing to do with rocks, but we have had Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, creating a correlation. Similarly, Crasher Wake in his matches has been compared with waves, a rolling sea, etc. Crasher Wake has established a connection via metaphor, which makes for an interesting parallel.
- Katy: Perhaps Fairy would make sense, but I like the idea that she specializes in making small treats for small Bug-types, as she is seen doing with Vivillon pre-Gym fight.
- Byron and Roark seem to strongly parallel the version-exclusive Fossil Pokémon Cranidos/Rampardos and Shieldon/Bastiodon, AKA their aces. To make one of them Ground-type specialists would lose that parallel of the relation between the two of them, which is more relevant to them than their mining career imo.
- Do not forget that the first ninjas in the Pokémon series were Poison specialists. Atticus is not a proper ninja, but is more inspired by the ninja aesthetic (probably from the precedent of Koga's family). His attire is even primarily fuschia in color... like Fuschia City in Kanto, where Koga's gym is. That may be coincidence, but I think there is more to that than meets the eyes. Atticus's fascination with ninja does not necessarily come from Pokémon, though he does like poisonous techniques. Plus, I love how he says "a taste of mine own poison" with the Shakespearean dialect.

At the end of the day, the fact that type specialties aren't always the obvious choice for the Gym Leader's designs and careers is actually a good reason to think more carefully about other cool factors that can go into the decision of type specialty (though it's possible that this decision came first, before the design and background info were made). And I don't claim that these takes are authoritative either, but I at least think that one should wait to consider all possible avenues of reasoning before writing off decisions like these as "making no sense."

 

[Dougbro1]

As for my own takes, the early generations kinda suck at making some of the younger gym leaders distinct. Like, what about Roxanes personality screams rock type?

Tbh some early Gym Leaders...don't have as much of a fleshed out personality in their debut games at all. I was about to point to her obsession with rocks as something that could "scream Rock type" but that wasn't really fleshed out until ORAS when she's seen begging a Fossil Maniac for one.

I will push back in the case of Candice, though, because her demeanor not matching what one would expect from an Ice user is kind of the point of her character. She's warm and approachable rather than cold and distant, and this dichotomy is explicitly brought up in-game.

Falkner struck me as a Flying specialist immediately if I'm being honest. His hair always gave me the vibe of feathers, and the color scheme of his attire fits as well.

Chuck should’ve been water type. Yes, the johto gyms were set as the types that Kanto missed, but as is, chuck feels like Bruno’s goofy cousin. He’s under a waterfall and uses poliwrath, so water makes a decent amount of sense.

Point taken lol. Perhaps he and Crasher Wake made some kind of bet. Though honestly, I find that Pokémon LOVES to parallel Fighting and Water. Not just with the two Gym Leaders mentioned, but also with Brawly being a surfer, Grapploct being a pure-Fighting water-dweller, and of course Rapid Strike Urshifu. Maybe it's all connected to Bruce Lee's "Be Like Water" poem/quote.

 

[bugfacts]

Lenora

I agree that this one feels a little bit less connected but, echoing what’s been said, I kinda like when there’s some unexpected angles or conceptual/presentational dissonance! It’s fun and gives the characters some extra dimension!

I like to think of Lenora’s Normal specialty signifying that she is probably a field biologist turned paleobiologist. Maybe she’s a leading expert on extinct Normal Type Poké-mammals, a group we rarely see represented in Fossil mons!

Crasher Wake

I think they wanted a Water Gym leader who represented the explosive, powerful aspects of water. Tidal waves, white water rapids, the thunder of a waterfall. They hadn’t really ever run with that angle before.

Katy

I’m so obviously biased here but I LOVE that Katy doesn’t have a stereotypical bug catcher theme. She’s so cute!! If I had to guess it’s because there’s been a bit of a running theme of Bug Gym Leaders being based around a creative, artistic hobby. There’s Burgh and Viola, who are both also artists. Confection bakers feel like they slot right in!

Roark or Byron

This one I totally agree with. I think it should have been Byron.

Giacomo + Atticus

I think Dark type suits Giacomo a little better because of his outcast delinquent vibe! I know everyone in Team Star is this, but, Atticus seeing the beauty in the Poison type, often described as repulsive, feels fitting for his character.