Shiinotic illuminating their bodies and releasing glowing spores
Shiinotic is a Pokémon that resembles a large mushroom. It has a slim, white body, similar to a stalk, and a large purple mushroom cap on its head. It has black eyes with pale green half-circle markings on the outer sides and a thick, black mouth. The ends of its long, thin arms split into three pale green filaments that act as fingers. The lower part of its body and stubby feet are covered in a fluffy pink substance. The mushroom cap on its head has a fluffy pink rim, pale green bumps on top, and a pale green, gilled underside.
This Pokémon lives in dark forests and competes with Parasect over territory; their fights often leave the area coated in spores. In the anime, Shiinotic has been shown illuminating the spot and gills on its mushroom. This strange light can confuse people who enter its habitat, causing them to lose their way. Additionally, the flickering spore it releases can cause drowsiness. It takes advantage of sleeping prey by sucking their energy through the tips of its arms. It can also transmit energy to weakened Shiinotic through the same method.
Shiinotic can be seen as a counterpart to Parasect. Both share the Grass type, the same base stat total of 405, evolve at Level 24, both are mushroom-based Pokémon and thus can learn Spore, and both appeared as trial Pokémon of the Lush Jungle in Pokémon Sun and Moon depending on the game version, with Shiinotic being found in Pokémon Moon and Parasect in Pokémon Sun.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Shiinotic is defined internally as a Mythical Pokémon instead of Marshadow. This is likely due to a typo between their internal names, with マシェードMASHEEDO (Shiinotic / Mashēdo) being mistaken for マーシャドーMAASYADOO (Marshadow / Māshadō).[1]
Origin
Shiinotic may be based on bioluminescent mushrooms such as those of the genus Mycena. It also features a volval sac and wide-brimmed warty cap, which are trademarks of the Amanita family. Its Fairy type may be due to the fact that both families are known to grow in fairy rings, or it may possibly be a reference to fairy fire. From its name, Shiinotic may have some aspects of the shiitake mushroom as well.
Due to its emphasis on shining light, and some of its foreign names including it, Shiinotic may also intentionally resemble a lamp, especially a bedside lamp with a lampshade. It may also be based on the supernatural interpretation of will-o'-the-wisps, due to its habits of confusing people in the woods with its lights. The connection between fungi and lights may be a pun on the homophonous Japanese words 発酵 hakkō (fermentation) and 発光 hakkō (luminescence) — Morelull and Shiinotic's Japanese category is はっこうポケモン Hakkō Pokémon.
Name origin
Shiinotic may be a combination of shiitake, shine, and hypnotic.
Mashade may be a combination of mushroom and shade (as in lampshade).