I’m Luke Summerhayes and I love Pumpkaboo.
When I was a young lad growing up in England in the early 90s, Halloween wasn’t a very big holiday. Some years I maybe went to a costume party hosted at the school or a friend’s house, and as I got older I might watch a horror movie or two. Slowly, the American vision became more prominent in the UK until trick or treaters were common and the carved Pumpkin, the Jack-o-lantern, was ubiquitous.
Though its origins are in the carved root vegetables of the British pagan folk traditions, the modern Jack-O-Lantern is, like modern Halloween, an American invention. A big orange pumpkin, hollowed out with a face carved in the front and a candle lit inside. It may be tied to old will-o-the-wisp myths and tales of the devil, but today its just a fun decoration for an extremely commercial event.
Pumpkaboo is a Ghost and Grass type Pokemon which resembles a pumpkin with glowing eyes carved into the front, though the actual eyes and mouth of the monster are in the black leafage atop the orange vegetable.
X
The pumpkin body is inhabited by a spirit trapped in this world. As the sun sets, it becomes restless and active.
Y
It is said to carry wandering spirits to the place where they belong so they can move on.

The Japanese name is Bakecha, combining Kubucha, or pumpkin, with Obake, or ghost. The name Pumpkaboo combines pumpkin with peekaboo, the traditional game for making children jump. This Pokemon has powers a little beyond merely giving a little fright.
Shield
The light that streams out from the holes in the pumpkin can hypnotize and control the people and Pokémon that see it.

Just as real-life pumpkins are often grown to enormous size for competitive purposes, Pumpkaboo can be found in four sizes, ranging from Small to Super, supposedly dependent on how many souls were lingering in the area.
Shield
Small Pumpkaboo are said to be the product of areas where few lost souls lingered.
Shield
Massive Pumpkaboo are said to be the product of areas where a great number of lost souls lingered.
Regardless of how big or small it is, a pumpkaboo can grow even larger if it is traded to another trainer, at which point it will evolve into Gourgeist.
Gourgeist has grown upwards into a slightly humanoid form, a face on its stalk and the pumpkin body forming a kind of dress with little feet. The leaves make something like hair or even limbs, overall creating a ghostly appearance in the classic Japanese style of a female spirit with disheveled hair.
X
Singing in eerie voices, they wander town streets on the night of the new moon. Anyone who hears their song is cursed.
Y
It enwraps its prey in its hairlike arms. It sings joyfully as it observes the suffering of its prey.

The name Gourgeist combines gourd, the type of vegetable, with geist, a spirit. The Japanese name is Pumpjin, combining pumpkin with djinn, the trickster spirits of Arabic folklore. Appropriately, it does lean more into the trick than the treat of Halloween.
Sword
Eerie cries emanate from its body in the dead of night. The sounds are said to be the wails of spirits who are suffering in the afterlife.
Shield
In the darkness of a new-moon night, Gourgeist will come knocking. Whoever answers the door will be swept off to the afterlife.

Just as Pumpkaboo come in a variety of sizes, they carry these size classes over when they evolve to Gourgeist.
Small Size
Sword
Small Gourgeist pretend to be children to fool adults. Anyone who falls for the act gets carried away to the hereafter.

Large Size
Sword
Large Gourgeist put on the guise of adults, taking the hands of children to lead them to the afterlife.

Last week we talked about the counterpart to this Pokemon, Trevenant. Trevenant looks like a terrifying monster, and it is dangerous, but it is ultimately a guardian of the forests. Gourgeists looks cute, silly, maybe even beautiful – but it can be a real menace. I’m sure there’s a lesson in there.
Music for Luke Loves Pokemon is by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork for the show is by Katie Groves. If you enjoy the podcast, find out about my other shows at podcastiopodcastius.org, get in touch on bluesky @podcastpodcast, or support the show at patreon.com/podcastiopodcastius.
I love hearing from Listeners! Up next are Bergmite and Noibat, so hit me up about those or any other Pokemon. Even if you don’t feel like doing any of that, thank you so much for listening.
I love Pumpkaboo. And remember, I love you too