Latias and Latios

Latios (ラティオス, Ratiosu) and Latias (ラティアス, Ratiasu) are Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Latios and Latias first appeared as central characters in the film Pokémon Heroes, and later appeared in the video games Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, also appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise. They are voiced in Japan by Masashi Ebara and Megumi Hayashibara respectively.

Known as the Eon Pokémon, Latios and Latias are two legendary Pokémon originating from the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald series of games. They are male and female respectively, and the first legendary Pokémon to have genders. While Latias is red and white, Latios is blue and grey, as well as being larger and more angular. While Latios and Latias have received significant criticism for their role in the film Pokémon Heroes, critics citing their voices as well as Latias' human transformation, they have received positive reception for their role in the video games. In the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire releases, Latios and Latias are given Mega forms.

Design and characteristics

As with all the characters introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Latios and Latias were designed by Ken Sugimori with the help of Ruby and Sapphire's development team. Latios and Latias are bird-like dragon Pokémon vaguely resembling Lugia. Latios has mostly the same body shape as Latias, but he is larger. The lower halves of Latios and Latias are blue and red, respectively, and they each have jet-plane wings and short arms. Their arms have three small claws at the end. Latios has a red triangular ring on his chest while Latias has a blue ring. The upper half of Latias's body is white, while Latios's is darker. Latias has a red face with a pentagon-shaped white spot in the middle, while, Latios has a blue face with a white teardrop-shaped spot. They have ears that ends in two points. Latias's ear points are separated but Latios's are close together.

Latios

Latios is able to fold in his arms and fly faster than a jet.^[1] He can make foes see images he has seen or what he imagines in his head. He can understand human speech.^[2] Even if he is hiding, Latios can detect the locations and emotions of others using telepathy.^[3] Latios has a very protective nature, especially towards his relative, Latias. He has a docile temperament and dislikes fighting.^[4] He will open his heart if he finds a Trainer with a compassionate spirit.^[1]

Latias

Latias is highly intelligent and can understand human speech.^[5] She can telepathically communicate with others.^[6][7][7] If Latias senses hostility towards herself, she will ruffle the feathers all over her body and cry shrilly to intimidate her foe.^[8] However, she will usually disappear if she senses an enemy,^[7] as they are able to use a form of active camouflage by enfolding their bodies with their glass-like coat of down and refracting light in unique ways, allowing them to become invisible or even take on the appearance of a human or another Pokémon.^[5]

Appearances

In the video games

Latios and Latias first appear in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire respectively, after completing the Pokémon League. They are found on a random-encounter basis, similar to that of Raikou, Entei, and Suicune in Gold, Silver, and Crystal. They can also be found in Pokémon Emerald, a remake of Ruby and Sapphire, after completing the Pokémon League. In Emerald, the player's mother tells him or her to watch a TV news story, which explains that a Pokémon has been seen; the player may answer that the Pokémon was red or blue, which chooses which one will appear. They can also be obtained in their partner's respective version via the Eon Ticket, an e-Card given to the player after attending a Nintendo promotional event or in an issue of Nintendo Power. In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Latias or Latios will roam Kanto, after receiving the National Pokédex. The other can be obtained through a Wi-Fi event or trade. In Black 2 and White 2, Latias (White 2) or Latios (Black 2) will appear in the Dreamyard. After chasing Latias/Latios around the area, the Pokémon will attack the player. After it has been defeated or captured, a Soul Dew will appear. It's also possible to recruit Latias and Latios in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team, due to an event that occurs after the completion of the main storyline. In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, they are now part of the main story in order to unlock Mega Evolution and, through the new Eon Flute item, can use Soar to return the player to locations visited previously (similar to Fly).

In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, if the ball drops out of the field while the "Ball Saver" is active, Latios or Latias will rescue it and place it on Spoink without the ball being lost. Latias also appears in the non-Pokémon-exclusive video game Super Smash Bros. Brawl and for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U appearing in tandem with Latios as Pokémon appearing from Poké Ball items, alternately using Steel Wing, damaging any opponent that collides with them. They both appear as NPCs in PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure. In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, they make a brief appearance, in which Latios suggested that Latias and him are in a relationship, but they are quickly interrupted and don't appear after that.

In other media

Latios and Latias have a starring role in the movie Pokémon Heroes as guardians of Altomare, a city modeled after Venice, Italy. Latios and his sister, Latias were the targets of Annie and Oakley. Latias assisted Ash in the mission to save Latios. Latios did not trust humans as his sister did, but at the end of the film, Latios sacrifices himself to protect Altomare from a tremendous tsunami showing his loyalty and love to his friends there, marking the first actual Pokémon death in the anime series. After his death Latios becomes a new Soul Dew and is placed as the new guardian of Altomare. Latios sacrificed his life to save Altomore and reincarnated as the Soul Dew. Latios and Latias also appeared in Pikachu's Island Adventure where, they used their powers to help Pikachu, Meowth and the other Pokémon search for the legendary 'Wailord's Tear' beneath the ocean. They are voiced in Japan by Megumi Hayashibara and Masashi Ebara respectively. Latios also appears in the Diamond and Pearl series at the Pokémon League belonging to a Trainer called Tobias.

In Hoopa and the Clash of the Ages, Latias and Latios help Ash and his friends stop Hoopa Unbound. Both, along with Rayquaza, mega evolve.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Latios, along with Latias, was befriended by Emerald and took the young Trainer to the Battle Frontier. She appeared in a human a few times by using her ability to reflect light. Latios helped Todd watch the events going on on top of the Battle Pyramid.

In the spin-off title, Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Latios or Latias can be summoned by the player (Latios if the male character is selected and Latias if the female character is selected) to fly between locations faster, and play a major role in the campaign by allowing access to the otherwise closed off Mt. Latolato.

Promotion and reception

Since appearing in the Pokémon series, Latios and Latias have received mixed reception. They have been featured in several forms of merchandise, including figures, plush toys, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, and others. Latios and Latias have been featured in a number of promotional items, including figurines and plush toys.^[9][10][11] A Game Boy Advance model was created to promote the release of the film Pokémon Heroes, featuring white silhouettes of Latias and Latios on it.^[12]

Austin Chronicle editor Marc Savlov described the two of them as "vaguely equine", as well as looking similar to "poorly realized Ultraman foes". He also describes the transformation of Latias into a "sexy, short-skirted schoolgirl" as both creepy and "straight out of the popular Japanese hentai series La Blue Girl."^[13] Critic Doctor editor Peter Sobczynski described the befriending of Latias and series protagonist Ash Ketchum as a "moppet version of Mandingo."^[14] While reception for their role in the film was mostly negative, San Francisco Gate editor Mick LaSelle stated that the improved animation of the film worked best with the two of them.^[15] The Cincinnati Enquirer editor Chris Hewitt criticized their voices as "squeaky", jokingly describing them as sound like "Melanie Griffith giving birth to twin sea gulls".^[16] Seattle Times editor Doug Knoop similarly criticized their voices, describing it as "seagull-like cawing".^[17] In its review of Pokémon Heroes, Screenit.com compared their noises to "wounded dolphins."^[18] Mountainx.com editor Ken Hanke stated that neither were appealing to look at, as well as comparing the "grating, high-pitched voices" to Saturday Night Live character Mr. Bill.^[19] Amongst the legendary Pokémon found in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, IGN's Pokémon of the Day Chick describes Latias as being her favourite of them, due in part to Latias being the first female legendary as well as being a "cuddly clairvoyant cutie."^[20]

References

External links

• Latias on Bulbapedia
• Latios on Bulbapedia
• Latias at the Internet Movie Database
• Latios at the Internet Movie Database