Requesting Umeko (left) or Takeru (right) with the starter you think is the best fit for them.

The pseudo legendary line of the dex will be turtles with a hihi'irokane motif.

As for more planned concepts:
Psychic/Grass mushroom with an evo themed after komuso monks
Steel-type waniguchi gong that bites
Ground/Ghost Haniwa warrior
Bug-type spider that evolves into a Bug/Dark jorogumo mon when it's female.
Electric/Normal tanuki line that generates electricity by belly drumming
Water/Fairy Amefuri-kozo
Regnoc -> Yarom (Water-type eels)
Grass Camellia bud that evolves into a Grass/Ghost furutsubaki no rei
Bug-type cicada line (regional bug line)
Electric-type Japanese serow that evolves into a pronghorn
Ice/Fairy yuki usagi
Wyrmowisp (Dragon-type ryuto)
Normal/Flying Warbler themed around singing
Fighting-type centaur line with a Mongolian armor motif