I’m Luke Summerhayes and I love Kriketot.
I always talk a little about the visual design of Pokemon on this show. What I don’t mention enough is the audio design. Every Pokemon has its own unique set of sounds, from scrambled electronic screeching on an original Game Boy, to the human voices and sometimes animal roars of the anime, through to some pretty great unique calls from the DS games onwards.
Ikue Otani’s voice for Pikachu is undeniably iconic the world over, and the roars of Charizard were always cool, but for the most part I don’t like the “saying their name” thing from the anime, and I’m glad that apart from pikachu and eevee it hasn’t crept into the games. I love the sounds of birds and wildlife in the real world, and would much rather imagine hearing that as I journey through the Pokemon world.
Kriketot is all about sound. A small bug Pokemon, like a beetle or indeed a cricket, it has a collar and patterned tummy like the suit worn by an orchestra conductor. Meanwhile its big eyebrow-like antennae make the overall body shape resemble some kind of string instrument.
Diamond
It shakes its head back to front, causing its antennae to hit each other and sound like a xylophone.
Kriketot does have a delightfully musical cry in game, an early sign that Diamond and Pearl’s sounds would be making great use of the DS’ superior audio compared to the Game Boy.
Pearl
It chats with others using the sounds of its colliding antennae. These sounds are fall hallmarks.
Real life crickets make a sound which is amazingly loud for their small bodies, and as I record this podcast it is early October and my evenings are indeed filled with this hallmark sound.
Legends: Arceus
When the trees take on new hues, more of these Pokémon appear. The tone they create by striking their antennae together resembles that of the marimba, an instrument of foreign lands.
I personally find these kinds of sounds relaxing, but I’m a little deaf in my left ear so by lying my right ear on the pillow I can sleep through anything.
The name Kriketot combines cricket, the bug, with tot, because this one is a little baby.
Platinum
Its legs are short. Whenever it stumbles, its stiff antennae clack with a xylophone-like sound.
Visually, though, Kricketot looks much less like a cricket than a leaf beetle, certain species of which have bright red bodies and long black antenna that make them look exactly like kricketot. In Japanese, these beetles are called kuroboshi. The Japanese name for Kricketot is Korobohshi, which of course is similar to kuroboshi while also taking koorogi, the Japanese name for a cricket, and kobōshi, a traditional Japanese doll, for a similar effect.
It may be a baby or a doll, but it doesn’t stay that way for long. Kriketot can evolve at the incredibly low level of ten, becoming Kriketune.
While Kriketot had a musical motif and a fun little cry, Kriketune’s sound is downright iconic.
The bug is bigger and taller, with an exaggerated antenna and moustache. Rather than a conductor, this is a maestro, and rather than a dainty little fiddle this is a dominant cello.
Diamond
It crosses its knifelike arms in front of its chest when it cries. It can compose melodies ad lib.
Kriketune doesn’t have any particular usefulness in battle, so rather than blades like a Scyther, those arms should be seen more like a bow to play a string instrument.
The name, of course, just combines cricket this time with tune, as it do be pumping them out. The Japanese name is Korotock, combining cricket with tokkuri, the wide-bodied and thin-necked bottles often used to pour Japanese sake or soy sauce. Kricketune’s body shape does vaguely resemble such a bottle, and this name is sometimes given to other beetles – including all the bulbous fire and water breathing bugs in the Pikmin games.
Pearl
It signals its emotions with its melodies. Scientists are studying these melodic patterns.
HeartGold
By allowing its cry to resonate in the hollow of its belly, it produces a captivating sound.
SoulSilver

Kriketune and its amazing sound have become the stuff of meme legend; remixed into songs from Opera to mariah Carey, slapping your girls butt or letting your parents know you’re awake when you’re playing DS in bed, Kriketune is never far away on any kind of Pokemon social media page.
It’s popular in the Pokemon world too:
Platinum
There is a village that hosts a contest based on the amazingly variable cries of this Pokémon.
Legends: Arceus
It uses its cutlass-like arms to produce sound, the melody of which varies from individual to individual. It is a worthwhile endeavor to seek out one's favorite tunes.

Kricketune is a bit of a meme Pokemon, for sure, and although it isn’t an especially useful combatant its an incredibly memorable encounter. I remember it well and can only imagine how large it must loom in the minds of Pokemon fans a little younger than me for whom Diamond and Pearl was their first game.
Music for Luke Loves Pokemon was composed by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork for the show is by Katie Groves. Writing, Producing and Editing is by me, Luke Summerhayes. And funding is provided by you lovely listeners on patreon. Head on over to patreon.com/podcastiopodcastius to find links to the other shows I make, and if you want please throw a dollar a month our way to help keep things online and to listen to shows early.
I love hearing from you guys about why you love these Pokemon too! I was already 16 when I got my hands on Diamond and Pearl, so I’d love to hear nostalgia from younger listeners or thoughts and feelings from any of you guys. Hit me up on twitter or facebook @LukeLovesPKMN about our next two monsters, Shinx and then Cranidos, or about any Pokemon you want to share your love for.
Even if you don’t feel like doing any of what I just said, thank you so much for listening.
I love Kriketot. And remember, I love you too.