“As it eats the seeds stored up in its pocket-like pouches, this Pokémon is not just satisfying its constant hunger. It's also generating electricity.”
Morpeko is a short, chubby rodent Pokémon who can change forms via its Hunger Switch Ability, which alters its appearance. The features shared between the two forms are short, stubby arms and feet, a pair of pink circular cheek pouches, a very tiny nose, two almond-shaped ears with a single fur tuft under each, and a primary body color separating two areas of fur which cover the arms, ears, cheeks, and eyes, and zigzag inward towards its face, stopping at the waist line. These fur patches form pockets in which it is seen storing seeds. One the back of its body is a pattern outward from the bottom half of its fur that resembles a Pikachu tail. In its Full Belly mode, its body is a creamy yellow in color, its eyes are circular and black with large white pupils, the fur on the left side of its body is black, and on the right side, it is brown. A single bucktooth can be seen protruding from its smiling mouth. While in its Hangry Mode, Morpeko's primary body color turns purple, its eyes become downward-slanting red semi-circles, and the right-hand patch of fur turns from brown to black so that it matches the other side. Its mouth is also constantly formed into an angry snarl.
Morpeko carries around Berry seeds that have been electrically roasted in its pockets. It treats the seeds with care as if they were precious treasures until it eats them as a snack. The seeds it stores keep Morpeko's hunger at bay due to its small stomach. Unless Morpeko continues to eat its stored seeds, it will become instantly hungry. Morpeko generates electricity with its cheek sacs; this process consumes a lot of energy and causes it to become hungry no matter how much it eats. By experiencing prolonged hunger, the hormones in Morpeko shift in balance, and its fur color changes. As a result of intense hunger, Morpeko becomes aggressive, driven into committing all kinds of evil deeds and enacting extreme violence until their hunger is satisfied. The energy within its cheeks also changes from Electric-type to Dark-type. Hangry Mode Morpeko has a wild, brute-like nature while in this form. However, as seen in the anime, once Morpeko is fully fed, it will refuse to eat more food and attack anyone who tries to feed it.
Morpeko may be based on the golden hamster with some elements of a guinea pig. Like Morpeko, hamsters are known for biting and exhibiting violent territorial behavior, hoarding food, and having incredibly high metabolisms, hence its Dark-type and Hangry Mode. On top of that, its signature move Aura Wheel may be a reference to hamster wheels. Its color scheme may be inspired on the broken color pattern found in many guinea pig breeds.
It carries electrically roasted seeds with it as if they're precious treasures. No matter how much it eats, it always gets hungry again in short order.
