Why isn't Charizard a Dragon type when it looks like a dragon?

Question

I looked at Charizard in the games and anime. Charizard looks like a dragon Pokemon, but everyone says "Charizard is not a Dragon Pokemon." That's weird. Why does everyone say "Charizard is not a Dragon Pokemon." When its design looks like a dragon?

Comments

That's like saying 'why is Altaria a dragon?'

GameFreaking logic

---

well, okay.

---

More grammar improvement

Answer 1

• At this time was made, GameFreak wanted to be the rarest and special type. In Generation 1, Dratini line were the only dragon. There was only one dragon move, Dragon Rage. It always deal 40 damage. Dratini and Dragonair had no weakness, Since the only Dragon move was Dragon Rage (It isn't affected by type weaknesses). While Mewtwo had the highest base stats (590), The only Dragon Dragonite and Legendary Pokemon Mew were second, with a base stats of 500.

• Japanese dragons are mostly connected with Sea, Wind, Storms in Mythology. So a fire breathing dragon would be weird in point of a Japanese view.
  Charmander's Japanese name Hitokage comes from 火蜥蜴 (salamander): 火 hi (fire) and 蜥蜴 tokage (lizard). Literally meaning 'Fire Lizard'.
  Salamander is an European mythology creature of fire, and it was commonly called fire lizard. Not a fire Dragon.
  Charizard's Japanese name Lizardon(リザードン) is a combination of lizard and either dragon or don (Ancient Greek for tooth, commonly used in dinosaur names).
  There is no mention about dragon.

Source: My friend told me it.

Its origin:

Charizard's draconic design may be a reference to how various types of lizards are named after dragons, most notably Komodo dragons and flying dragons -- two categories of lizards with which Charizard shares loose physical similarities.

And yes, flying dragons can fly.

• Do you think this Pokemon is a dragon? (It's Red sprite)
  

It looks like a Fire/Flying Pokemon to me. (Only me maybe)

Sorry if i'm wrong. The best answer is "GameFreak Logic".

Answer of Nuivo' s question: Because Charizard has wings.

Comments

Would you care to explain how?

---

Okay so everything in his first bullet I put more specifically in my answer, which got downvotes for no reason, and the second bullet doesn't explain anything, saying its a lizard doesn't even explain why it's part flying, because lizards, can't fly, also dragons and lizards are both reptiles.

---

I did not downvote you.
Of course, the best answer is GameFreak Logic.

---

Mostly, Reptile Are weak to Cold as possible living?

---

Yeah, old post by the time I joined this, but I think your second point doesn't make any sense.

"Japanese dragons are mostly connected with Sea, Wind, Storms in Mythology. So a fire breathing dragon would be weird in point of a Japanese view"

You are thinking of Asian dragons, not European dragons. Asian dragons are more serpent-like, like Gyarados and Dragonair, while European Dragons or more like dinosaurs and breathe fire, like Salamence and Dragonite. To say that GameFreak only took inspiration from Asian sources is really closed minded. If so, Sandshrew's Japanese name wouldn't literally be "Sand".

Answer 2

I know it is an old post, but here is my answer.

There is a much clear reason for Charizard not being the dragon type. Charizard's original Japanese name is Lizadon. It got that name because Lizadon's design was inspired by Radon(ラドン), a giant monster from Japanese Monster movie franchise.

Radon is a giant flying lizardlike monster which lives near a volcano. Since Lizadon(Charizard) took after its characteristics, it became fire type(volcano) and flying type since Radon's trait was all about flying with extreme speed. So since Radon, which inspired Charizard's design, was not a dragon at all, Charizard is also not a dragon. The mega evolution did add dragon type, but that is because many fans wanted Charizard to be a dragon type so Gamefreak granted that wish for a moment.

So the conclusion is, Charizard was not meant to be a dragon. Instead it was meant to be a giant flying volcanic lizard monster just like Radon. That is why it is fire flying type.

Answer 3

I know it’s an old post, but I honestly feel like I need to get this out there. I think it’s because prior to Generation VI, the Dragon type was way too OP. In fact, if you paired it with the Water type, it was practically unkillable. And because Dragon Rage was the only Dragon move in Gen I, if Charizard was made a dragon from the get-go, then it would only be weak to Rock and Ground. So to balance the game, the only Dragon types in Generation I was the Dragonite line. That was IT. So, Game Freak refrained from giving Charizard the Dragon type until X & Y came out almost a decade later.