Katos are small cat monsters that look very old, exclusive to Monster Rancher 2. Although not very strong in power, their intelligence and accuracy are very high. Katos also like to drink oil and smoke a pipe. They have the power to breath fire after they drink their bottle of oil (which is actually sake in the Japanese version). They also use attacks involving their long, razor sharp claws.
The Kato has been subjected to several censors in the American versions. Its two favorite items, "Cigarette" and "Sake" were changed due to America targeting younger audiences. The cigarette item was edited out completely while the sake item was renamed "Olive Oil." In addition to this, the move "Flame" used as the Kato's special attack was taken out of the game's normal learning methods. The move can be learned through extensive combination. This was most likely done to keep the illusion of Kato preferring oil to alcohol.
Etymology[]
Kato could possibly be a reference to the Greek philosopher Plato or one of a few different Roman historical figures named Cato, reflecting the monster's old, sage-like character. It may also be from the English word cat or the word gato, which means "cat" in several languages. There are also several famous Asian fighters named Kato.
Kato appears to be based on the concept of the sen'nin, or "mountain sage". In Taoism and similar traditions, there were legends of people disciplining and training themselves to transcend normal human limits and become "immortals" with supernatural powers. However, over time, these stories became filtered through skepticism on whether they were actually possible, and at some point, this gave rise to a Japanese media trope of an incompetent sen'nin character who claims to be training to be an immortal but does nothing but drinking and other irresponsible things. (One of the most famous instances appears in NARUTO.) Kato appears to be something of a compromise between these two different ideas of the sen'nin.
Its Japanese name is Ākero.
Data[]
| Game | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Monster Rancher 2 | "It looks like an old cat, and loves to drink olive oil." |  
|
| Collector's Cards | "A monster with a lot of nasty habits, he lives as if he is a legendary wizard. He is very gentle and calm in his everyday life, but once he begins to fight he moves very quickly." | |
| Anime Series | For the character, see Kato (Anime). |
Obtaining[]
- To obtain a Kato in Monster Rancher 2, use
Techniques[]
See here for a complete list of Kato Techniques.
Gallery[]
- For more pictures and screenshots of Kato, click here.