They have nothing to stand on outside of the art if that is true, Else they would have shut down things that are very much closer in scope to pokemon (i.e. digimon, which they tried, and it was dropped, they cant own a art style or game play cycle.), this one doesnt even ape the idea wholesale there is no evolution but the breeding mixes types. And Arc and Zelda would have a few words but again, you cant own a gameplay loop, I mean ask PUBG how that went for them.