If you want to get TECHNICAL, Pokémon has a very wide variety of inspirations from a great deal of cultures internationally. Which, is one of the things I have loved about the series since I was old enough to understand it.
This can be seen the clearest with the Legenedary Pokémon. Most of them are based off of religious figures or concepts across the world. The one that has been made clear here so far, would be Groudon/Behemoth, Kyogre/Leviathan, Rayquaza/Ziz. This was actually something I centered and entire research paoer and speech over back in high school. Actual (ly, most of Gen III's mythology in general is Hebrew/Jewish inspired. Regirock, Registeel, and Regirock are all Golems.
Zekrom, Reshiram, and Kyurem are all rooted in Taosim. And of course, my absolute favourite...
Yveltal, Xerneas, and Zygarde are all based off of Norse Mythology. Actually, that revelation made me go off on to a total tangent of fanboyism my friends didn't think I was capable of. Yveltal is based off of Hræsvelgr (Hresvelgr), the corpse eater/swallower. Xerneas is based off of Eikþyrnir (Eikthyrnir,), a stag of Valhalla. Zygarde has two central bases, Níðhöggr (Nidhogg) and Jörmungandr (Jormungand.) Níðhöggr is a dragon that gnaws at Yggdrasil's (The World Tree) roots. Its actual role is a bit battled over, a lot say the tree's roots keep it from the world while others say it also eats the corpses of Náströnd; or basically a part of Hel. Náströnd is basically where those who commited adultery, murder, and oath-breaking wound up. Aka, the nastiest part of Norse Hell. Jörmungandr is a sea serpent, and one of Loki's sons. Think of Jörmungandr as the apocalypse clock, a giant serpent that circles the world; grasping its own tail. When it lets go, the world ends. Which, according to researchers Ragnarok was supposedly supposed to be Yesterday.
I could go on for hours, especially about Jörmungandr. But... I'll settle for ending this here. Basically, one of my favourite things about Pokémon is its mythology and how it's rooted in modern day mythology.