#562

Yamask

Spirit Pokémon

Ghost

Height: 0.5 m
Weight: 1.5 kg
Generation: 5
Region: Unova

Yamask is a Ghost-type Pokémon, No. 562 in the National Pokédex, introduced in Generation 5 (Unova region).

Description

« The spirit of a person from a bygone age became this Pokémon. It rambles through ruins, searching for someone who knows its face. »

Its story

Appearance

Yamask is a small shadow creature with large red eyes, nearly in tears. Its tendril-like arms have three fingers, and its tail holds a golden mask: its former human face.

Lifestyle

Born from buried humans, it keeps their memories and wanders ruins. Losing its mask drives it into a fury. It evolves into Cofagrigus; the Galarian form, into Runerigus.

In the anime

James catches a male, which he must later give to Giovanni. At the Nacrene museum, a Yamask causes trouble: its mask, lost while sleeping, was on display. They give it back.

Name origin

Its body suggests the Egyptian ba or a soul's shadow, and the mask is likely funerary. Yamask may blend yami (darkness) or Yama, lord of the dead, with mask.

Did you know?

Placed on a human face, the mask lets Yamask possess someone and speak through their mouth.
Its feelings can make the mask itself shed tears.
The Galarian tablet suggests a runestone or the Deildegast, a Norwegian spirit condemned to haul a boundary stone.