| Revision as of 01:23, 24 January 2007 view sourceVeinor (talk | contribs)19,743 editsm Removed inappropriate links added by Toonarific per the external link guidelines← Previous edit | Revision as of 19:47, 24 January 2007 view source RealDealRacer (talk | contribs)19 edits ←Replaced page with 'We all Livein a pokemon world......POKEMON!!!!!!'Next edit → | ||
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| {{nihongo|'''''Pokémon'''''|ポケモン|Pokemon|extra={{IPA2|ˈpoʊ.keɪ.mɑn}}, sometimes pronounced {{IPA|}}}}, is a multi-billion dollar ]<ref>"," ''PR Newswire'' (]).</ref> controlled by video game giant ], and created by ] around 1995 (it celebrated its ] on ], ], although the franchise was copyrighted in the USA as Pokémon by 1995). The original ] ] have since been ] into ], ], ], toys, books, and other media. The name, ''Pokémon'', is the ] ] of the Japanese brand, {{nihongo|"'''Pocke'''t '''Mon'''sters" |'''ポケ'''ット'''モン'''スター|'''Poke'''tto '''Mon'''sutā}}, as such contractions are very common in Japan. Nintendo originally literally translated Poketto Monsutā – indeed, a "Pocket Monsters" game was created in early 1995. A naming conflict with the ] toy range caused Nintendo to rebrand the franchise as "Pokémon" in early 1996. The game's ], in the ] versions of the franchise is "ポケモンGETだぜ! (Pokémon Getto Daze! - Let's Get Pokémon!)"; in ] versions of the franchise, it used to be "Gotta catch 'em all!," although it is now no longer officially used except in the spin-off series '']''. | |||
| The concept of the Pokémon saga stems from the hobby of ], a popular ] which ''Pokémon'''s creator ] had enjoyed as a child. Tajiri's formula took off in Japan and was adapted (and translated) in 1998 for the American market, with the release of '']'' and '']''. These games allowed players to catch, collect, and train hundreds of creatures, known as Pokémon; and battle them against each other to build their strength. These Pokémon could then "]" into more powerful Pokémon and learn new and stronger techniques. Pokémon never bleed or die in battle, only faint – this was a very touchy subject to Tajiri, as he didn't want to further fill the gaming world with "pointless violence."<ref> "," ''TimeAsia'' (]).</ref> | |||
| ''Pokémon'' is also the collective name for all of the ] (currently 493) within the ''Pokémon'' universe. The word ''Pokémon'' remains unchanged whether referring to the singular or plural, as is the case with ] or ], and the same applies to each species name. | |||
| In December 2005, ], which had managed the non-game related licensing of Pokémon, announced that it had agreed not to renew the Pokémon representation agreement. Pokémon USA Inc., a subsidiary of Japan's Pokémon Co., now oversees all Pokémon licensing outside of Asia.<ref>"," ''Gamasutra''.</ref> | |||
| ==Generations==<!--Please don't delete/rename this header as it is linked to from a number of places.--> | |||
| {{main|Pokémon (video games)}} | |||
| The original Pokémon games were Japanese ] with an element of strategy, and were created by Satoshi Tajiri for the ''Game Boy''. These role-playing games, and their sequels, remakes, and English language translations, are still considered the "main" Pokémon games, and the games which most fans of the series are referring to when they use the term "Pokémon games." As of December 1, 2006, cumulative sold units (including home console versions) have reached more than 155 million copies.<ref name="sales release 12 01 2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.n-sider.com/newsview.php?type=story&storyid=2543 |title=Nintendo sales through end of November revealed |accessdate=2006-12-01 |last=Behrens |first=Matt |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=] |year= |month= |format= |work=N-Sider |publisher=N-Sider Media |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> This makes it the second biggest-selling games franchise ever, after Nintendo's ] series. | |||
| All of the licensed Pokémon properties overseen by ] are divided roughly by generation. There have been four generations, defined by the Pokémon which appear therein. Each of these generations has been first introduced in a pair of Pokémon video games for the ] or its successors (including the ]), beginning (in most countries) with '']'' and their remake, '']'', followed by '']'' and their remake, '']'', which were later released. Then came '']'', followed by '']'', the remakes of the first generation games, as well as '']'', the remake of the third generation games. The fourth generation games, '']'', were released in Japan on ], ]. In every generation, the last version to be released has a slightly different storyline from the preceding versions. Each generation introduces a slew of new Pokémon and a handful of new general concepts. | |||
| These generations are roughly ] divisions by release; a handful of Pokémon from a subsequent generation appear in the ], manga, or ] before the main Game Boy games which demarcate the generation are released, but the anime, manga, and even (of late) the card game divides itself into sagas or generations by the same scheme as the games. | |||
| ===First generation=== | |||
| ] | |||
| This first generation started with '']''. The first generation introduced the original 151 Pokémon (] to ], not counting the glitch Pokémon ]), as well as the basic concepts of trading and battling Pokémon. In Japan, the first generation included ''Pokémon Red'', '']'', and later ''Blue'' (with changes to the artwork and dungeon layout), while other regions started with ''Red'' and ''Blue'' (both featuring the updated elements), but never got a ''Green''. | |||
| ] involved in a battle with another Level 5 ] in ].<ref> MacDonald, Mark; Brokaw, Brian; Arnold; J. Douglas; Elies, Mark. Pokémon Trainer's Guide. Sandwich Islands Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9. (pg73)</ref>]] | |||
| This generation was completed by the game '']'', loosely based on the anime, in which the player started with a ] who refused to go into its ] and instead followed the player's character around. By turning around to face the Pikachu, players could get an approximate notion of how much their Pikachu "liked" them. This and other elements of ''Pokémon Yellow'' were similar to the anime. It also altered the progress of the game to more accurately reflect trainers and Pokémon seen in the animé, including the addition of Jessie and James, who are well-known members of ] to the storyline. Jessie and James bring along their signature Pokémon (], ], and ]). Koffing and Ekans evolve later on, but Meowth does not. | |||
| These versions of the games revolved around the ] ], though it was not known as such until the second generation. This generation also introduced the idea of a ] whom the ] faced a number of times, as well as a team of evil Pokémon trainers. | |||
| These games were compatible with the N64 game '']'' and its sequel, '']''. Remakes of the first two games, called ''Pokémon FireRed'' and ''Pokémon LeafGreen'', were released in the third "Advance" generation. | |||
| {{-}} | |||
| ===Second generation=== | |||
| ] | |||
| Beginning with '']'', the second generation introduced the next one hundred Pokémon (] to ]), bringing the total number up to 251; it also introduced the new ] of ]. Innovations included use of the ]'s ] port for receiving a "Mystery Gift" item, a day and night system, the concept of growing and holding ] (items with special healing properties), Apricorns (for creating custom ]s with enhanced effects), the separation of the "Special" stat into Special Attack and Special Defense, decorative items to customize the player character's bedroom, and ], the latter of which allowed the player to obtain ] (a new class of Pokémon). Also, two new ], the ] and ] types, were introduced. Even the Pokémon themselves had some different properties, most notably being assigned ]s. Previously, the only Pokémon to be specifically gendered was ], which has an unusually high level of ]. Another notable, though minor change, is that ] were given names and sometimes genders in addition to their basic title. | |||
| ]'', portraying a player's Level 18 ] battling a Level 13 ].]] | |||
| The games also featured a new tool, the ], a device which served as a ], ], ], and ]. The mobile phone function was used to communicate with in-game ]s for conversation or a potential battle. The radio station chosen could influence the rate at which wild Pokémon could be found. Several radio stations had specific in-game effects. The watch included the time and day of the week and the ]'s mother could change it from Standard Time to ] (Summer) Time (and vice versa); keeping track of time was important because different Pokémon appeared or evolved at different times of day, and some events revolved around the time and the day of the week. The sun would shine from 4 a.m. until 6 p.m. (with a morning phase from 4 a.m. until 10 a.m.), and the rest of the time it would be night. | |||
| This generation of the games was completed by '']'', which was most notably the only GBC-exclusive Pokémon RPG and the first which allowed the player to choose the protagonist's gender. It was also the first to feature Pokémon animations (the Pokémon would do its animation when encountered or sent out) and on-screen text to announce when the protagonist entered a new location. ''Crystal'' also featured a slight alteration of the encounter with the three ] ], ] and ], in which the player would eventually encounter and capture Suicune in a battle from which it would not escape. However, the other two still had to be found in the normal way (random wild encounters). | |||
| These games were compatible with '']''. | |||
| {{-}} | |||
| ===Third generation=== | |||
| ] | |||
| Starting over by hearkening back to ''Red'' and ''Blue'', '']'' added another loss of the overt night and day system and the calendar, although the time mechanic did exist to the extent that a clock appeared and that certain Pokémon would only evolve at specific times of the day or night. These versions also introduced the ability to grow berries in certain places, each which had set lengths of time for their flowering, and the ability to make "Secret Bases" in trees, bushes, or caves in which dolls, tables, chairs, plants, and other objects could be placed, much like decoration of the bedroom in ]. | |||
| These new Pokémon seem to be based on the legendary ] of ancient mythology, and ]. | |||
| The third game in this series was '']'', which updated the ]'s Trainers Eyes feature for a return to the mobile phone system of the previous generation (but modified, with no storage limit and informing players of NPC trainers awaiting rematches). ''Emerald'' version also saw a return of the Pokémon battle animation when encountering an enemy Pokémon. It was also possible to visit a special zone, the ], which gave the game good replay value along with the possibility of catching monsters that were unavailable in ''Ruby and Sapphire'' (specifically, ] and ]). Pokémon Contest centers, formerly spread throughout all of Hoenn, were now concentrated in one single building in fictional location ]. These three 3rd generation versions all appeared on the ]. | |||
| ] screenshot featuring an enemy ] and ] fighting in a double battle against a player's ] and ].]] | |||
| This generation was rounded out on the ] by '']'', which were ]s of the first two Pokémon games, including: a playable female character (based on concept art for a playable female which was originally considered but unable to be implemented); new items and regions; move tutors; and all the features of the 2nd and 3rd generations, excluding the day/night system and (except in Japan) ] compatibility. ''FireRed'' and ''LeafGreen'' also shipped with the ] for wireless battles and trading. | |||
| All five Game Boy Advance role playing games are compatible with the storage program '']'' for ], as well as '']'' and '']''. The first Pokémon RPGs for home consoles, these titles introduced the desert country of ], as well as corrupted ], and "Snagging," the ability to steal/rescue them from their trainers and eventually "purify" them. | |||
| Unlike games in the second generation, third generation games cannot trade with previous games in the series, due to hardware limitations. | |||
| {{-}} | |||
| ===Fourth generation=== | |||
| ] | |||
| The fourth generation was introduced in '']'' for the ]. Leading up to the games' release were a couple of side games - '']'' and '']'' are currently out for the DS in Japan since autumn of 2005 and early 2006 respectively. '']'' has since then arrived in North America, and '']'' was released on October 30, 2006. A handful of new Pokémon from this generation, such as ], ] and ], have made cameo appearances in the seventh and eighth Pokémon movies ('']'' and '']'', respectively), as well as '']'' and the aforementioned side games. Many Pokémon were given evolutions or baby forms. The Pokémon ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] were all given new evolutions, while ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] were given baby forms. A total of 107 new Pokémon were added in Pokémon ''Diamond and Pearl'', 25 of which being related to past Pokémon. | |||
| ] and ].]] | |||
| The criminal organization antagonist to the player's character is called ]. In the summer of 2006, four additional new Pokémon (which made appearances in the ninth movie, ('']'') were revealed by '']'' magazine and the . As for ''Diamond'' and ''Pearl'', the day and night system made a return, with two new times (sunset and late-night); and genders were even more different, with slightly edited sprites depending on gender (a few examples are female ] have an extra black marking on their lower wings, female ] have shorter antennae than males, and female ] have larger abdomens compared to their male counterparts).<ref> ''thepikaclub.com''.. URL Accessed ], ].</ref> They are also compatible with the Advance Generation. | |||
| ''Pokémon Diamond'' and ''Pokémon Pearl'' were released in Japan on ], ]. In North America, they are to be released on ], ]. <ref> ''Nintendo.com''. URL Accessed ], ].</ref> | |||
| {{-}} | |||
| ===Spin-offs=== | |||
| The series has also diversified into various spin-offs, such as ] games, ], simulated ], and ]. A handful of these spin-offs are remade in subsequent "generations"; for example, '']'' is very similar to '']'' but with newer Pokémon, and '']'' is largely identical to '']'' but for the compatibility with ''], and ]''. '']'' is a Pokémon-based racing game for the '']'', featuring a Pokémon from the fourth generation, ]. The second Pokémon game to be released for the ''Nintendo DS'' was '']'' (also known as ''Pokémon Link!''), which came out on ], ]. Other Pokémon games that came out are '']'', for the ] and ], respectively. The Most Recent Pokémon game that came out is ] | |||
| Nintendo produced a demo for ] (exclusively for gaming news outlets such as ] and ]) known as "Big Pokémon Hunter," wherein the goal was to zoom with the controller and find different Pokémon in a '']''-esque scenario. The review of this demo is currently available at among many other sites.{{fact}} Nintendo President Satoru Iwata confirmed, on June 7, that the Wii installment in the Pokémon franchise will be sub-titled '']''. This game will feature online chat provided by the ]. It is expected to debut a few months after the release of DS installments, ''Pokémon Diamond'' and ''Pearl''.<ref>"" ''Cubed3.com''. URL Accessed ], ].</ref> | |||
| ], ], ] and ] in the bottom row, left to right, respectively.]] | |||
| Two Pokémon, ] and ], were picked to appear as two of the 12 characters in Nintendo's fighter game '']'',<ref> ''Amazon.co.uk'' URL Accessed April 19, 2006.</ref> the popular Nintendo fighting game which was released in 1999 for the ]. Pikachu appeared as an initially available character while Jigglypuff was an unlockable one. | |||
| The pair returned in the 2001 ] sequel, '']''. They kept their positions, Pikachu was still an initial character while Jigglypuff was still an unlockable character, but two new Pokémon also appeared, joining Jigglypuff as unlockable characters: ] and ].<ref> ''Nintendo.com''. URL Accessed April 19, 2006.</ref> | |||
| In both games, many different Pokémon can be used in a match by throwing the Pokéball item. A randomly-chosen Pokémon is released from the Pokéball, using one of its attacks to affect other players. The Pokémon released are only from the first and Second generation. (Third generation Pokémon were not included in the game.) | |||
| In ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', the player can collect many different trophies of a variety of characters from numerous Nintendo games, including several Pokémon characters.<ref>"," ''IGN.com''. URL accessed on December 29, 2005.</ref> Nintendo has also announced that a version of ''Super Smash Bros.'' will appear on the ], '']''. The only Pokémon character that has been explicitly confirmed so far is ].<ref> ''Ign.com''. URL Accessed ], ].</ref> | |||
| ==Game mechanics== | |||
| {{main|Pokémon game mechanics}} | |||
| The original ''Pokémon'' games were Japanese ]s with an element of ], and were created by ] for the '']'' consoles. These role-playing games (and their sequels, remakes, and English language translations) are still considered the "main" Pokémon games, and the games which most fans of the series are referring to when they use the term "Pokémon games." These games have sold over 100 million copies to date. Accumulative sold units (including home console versions) reach 143 million copies.<ref> "" ''Palgn.com''. URL Accessed May 24, 2006.</ref> This makes it the second biggest-selling games franchise ever, after Nintendo's ] series. | |||
| The first games in the series were ] and ] (''Red'' and ''Green'' in Japan, followed by a ''Blue'', and a special edition ''Yellow'' version). These games were nearly identical, save for the fact that each version had a select group of Pokémon that the other version did not. The ultimate goal of these games was to catch at least one member of all the 151 different species of Pokémon, though the 151st could only be caught through special promotions (or through a glitch in all first-generation games). While battling monsters is nothing new to RPGs, many players found themselves nearly addicted to finding, fighting, and capturing every Pokémon in the game. Another, perhaps easier, goal was to finish the game's storyline by becoming the ] Champion. A few Pokémon, like ], could only be caught after doing so. This was done by collecting eight ] badges by beating the eight ] and then defeating the ], and the Champion. | |||
| ===Starter Pokémon=== | |||
| One of the consistent aspects of most ] – spanning from ] on the ] to the ] game, ] – is the choice of three different Pokémon at the start of the player's adventures; these three are often labelled ''Starter Pokémon''. Players can choose a ], a ],<ref name=spy> ''Gamespy.com''. URL Accessed ], ].</ref> or a ] Pokémon indigenous to that particular region; the exception to this rule is ''Pokémon Yellow'' (a remake of the original games that follows the story of the '']''), where players are given a ], an ] mouse, famous for being the mascot of the Pokémon media franchise; in this game, however, the three Red and Blue starter Pokémon can be obtained during the quest by a single player, something that is not possible in other installments of the franchise.<ref> ''Ign.com''. URL accessed on ], ].</ref> | |||
| ;Generation 1 | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] (Yellow version only) | |||
| *] (chosen by rival in the Yellow version) | |||
| ;Generation 2 | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ;Generation 3 | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ;Generation 4 | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ===Pokédex=== | |||
| {{Main|Pokédex}} | |||
| The ] is a fictional electronic device featured in the popular ''Pokémon'' ] and ] series. In the games, whenever a Pokémon is first captured, its data will be added to a player's Pokédex, but in the anime or ], the Pokédex is a comprehensive electronic reference encyclopedia, usually referred to in order to deliver ]. Of the fictional Pokémon world, Pokédex is used to refer to a list of Pokémon, usually a list of Pokémon by number. | |||
| In the video games, a ] is issued a blank device at the start of their journey. A trainer must then attempt to fill the Pokédex by encountering and at least briefly obtaining each of the various different species of Pokémon. A player will receive the name and image of a Pokémon after encountering one that was not previously in the Pokédex, typically after battling said Pokémon, either in the wild or in a trainer battle (with the exceptions of link battles and tournament battles, such as ]). More detailed information is typically available after the player obtains a member of the species, either through capturing the Pokémon in the wild, evolving a previously captured Pokémon, hatching a Pokémon egg (from the Second Generation onwards), or through a trade with another trainer (with a NPC or with another player). This detailed information includes height, weight, species type, and a short description of the Pokémon. Later versions of the Pokédex have more detailed information, like the size of a certain Pokémon compared to the player, or Pokémon being sorted by their habitat (so far, the latter feature is only in the ''FireRed'' and ''LeafGreen'' and Emerald versions). The ] games have a P*DA which is similar to the Pokédex, but tells you what types are effective against it and gives a description of their abilities. | |||
| ===Trading and Battling=== | |||
| In all of the Pokémon games, including the games for the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii, trading Pokémon and battling other trainers is an important part of the game. These trades and battles can take place solely in the single-player game or as an aspect of the multiplayer game. In order to trade a Pokémon, both trainers have to agree on which Pokémon will be traded. This can backfire, as some unscrupulous will claim to be sending one Pokémon and send another, more common one instead. Once the Pokémon are decided upon, both trainers enter a "trading hall" (in the multiplayer trading; in single player, the trade happens where ever the player initiates contact with the NPC who is interested in trading). The transfer is made shortly and both trainers are shown their new Pokémon. Once a Pokémon has been traded, it will gain additional battle experience. | |||
| Another common aspect of every Pokémon game is battling. As a rule of thumb, when two trainers make eye contact, they must battle Pokémon. In the single player game, this "eye contact" rule is strictly enforced, but some NPC trainers have very poor eyesight, meaning the player has to be right next to them before they challenge him/her, while some others will challenge the player as soon as they appear on the screen. The battles in the games are turn-based, concurrent. This means that both players are telling their Pokémon which move to use or are using an item at the same time, but the actual attacks take place in turns, depending on which Pokémon is the faster of the two. A new battle-type added in the GBA games, ''Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire'', is the two-on-two battle. In a two-on-two battle, each side of the battle has two Pokémon out. This can be two players with one each against two players with one each or one player with two against one player with two or a combination of those. | |||
| Trading and battling between the original Gameboy games was accomplished with a Gameboy link cable between the two Gameboys. The two players would each go to a Pokémon center and select to make a trade or to battle. This also held true for the Gameboy Advance games with the exception that the Gameboy Advance games could not connect to the original Gameboy games. '']'' also introduced the ability to use a Wireless Link device to make connections wirelessly across a small room. This removed the need for the link cable but was only applicable to ''Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen'' and Emerald. The '']'' game takes advantage of Nintendo's Wi-Fi connection inside the Nintendo DS to allow trading and battling against other players anywhere through the ]. | |||
| ==In other media == | |||
| {{main|Pokémon in other media}} | |||
| ===Anime series=== | |||
| {{Main|Pokémon (anime)}} | |||
| ] | |||
| The ] ] and ]s are a meta-series of adventures separate from the ] that most of the ''Pokémon'' video games follow (with the exception of '']'', a game based on the anime storyline). The anime follows the quest of the main character, ]<ref name=ash> ''Psypokes.com''. URL Accessed ], ].</ref>—an in-training Pokémon Master—as he and a small group of friends<ref name=ash/> travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their various Pokémon partners. | |||
| The original series, titled ''Pocket Monsters'', or simply ''Pokémon'' in western countries, followed the storyline of the original games, ] and ], in the region of ]. The protagonist of the series, Ash Ketchum, began his adventure from his home, ], where he received a ], differing from the games, where only ], ] or ] could be chosen.<ref> ''Pokémon 10th Anniversary, Vol. 1 - Pikachu'', Viz Video., ], ]. ASIN: B000F4PDE4.</ref> | |||
| Ash continued through Kanto, accompanied by ], an aspiring Pokémon breeder, and ], an up and coming Water Pokémon master,<ref> ''Pokémon - The Mystery of Mount Moon (Vol .2)'' Viz Video., ], ]. ASIN 6305319367.</ref> catching and battling with various Pokémon, including ],<ref> ''Pokémon - Psychic Surprise (Vol. 7)'', Viz Video., ], ]. ASIN 6305466882.</ref> ], ], ] and ]. After defeating eight of Kanto's gym leaders, Ash entered the Indigo League, a tournament of the best trainers in the region.<!-- Ash reached the final sixteen, losing to ], a fellow trainer also with a Pikachu in their control.<ref> ''Pokémon - Friends and Rivals (Vol. 26)'' Viz Video., ], ]. ASIN B0000541UG.</ref> --> | |||
| ] ]] | |||
| After exiting the tournament, Ash, and his companions, proceeded to the Orange Archipelego, a group of exotic islands, to collect an ancient Poké Ball, dubbed the GS Ball, being studied by ], to be returned to ]. After collecting the GS Ball, Brock decided to stay at Professor Ivy's lab, and Ash, accompanied by Misty, and ], an avid Pokémon watcher, continued through the various Orange Islands, battling the gym leaders, collectively known as the Orange Crew, and obtaining Pokémon, such as ], and ]. Ash finally battled the undefeated leader of the Orange Crew, ], defeating his strongest Pokémon, ], with his Pikachu, winning the tournament. | |||
| The first, and the most familiar, is ''Pocket Monsters'' or simply ''Pokémon'' (often referred to as ''Pokémon: Gotta Catch Em All'' to distinguish it from the later series), which details the adventures of ] as he travels through Kanto. ''Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands'' followed his adventures in the Orange Islands, a place not accessible in the games, and ''Pokémon: Johto Journeys'', ''Pokémon: Johto league champions'', and ''Pokémon: Master Quest'' following him in Johto. These series are based on the first and second generation games. Accompanying Ash on his journeys were ], the ] Gym Leader; ], the youngest of the Gym Leaders sisters from ]; and later on, ], an artist and "Pokémon watcher" who accompanied them in the Orange Islands in the second saga. | |||
| The saga continued in ''Pokémon: Advanced, Pokémon: Advanced Challenge, and Pokémon: Advanced Battle'' where Ash and company travel to ], a southern region in the Pokémon World. Ash takes on the role of a teacher and mentor for a novice Pokémon trainer in this series named ]. Her brother ] accompanies them, and though he isn't a trainer, he knows massive amounts of handy information. Brock (from the original series) soon catches up with Ash, but Misty has returned to ] to tend to her duties as a gym leader. This series is based on the third generation games. Eventually, the Advanced Generation was continued with the ''Battle Frontier'' saga, which was based off the ''Emerald'' version and had some aspects of ''FireRed'' and ''LeafGreen''. | |||
| The most recent series is the ''Diamond and Pearl'' series, with Max leaving to pick his starter, and May going to the Grand Festival in Johto. Ash, Brock and a new companion named Hikari then go through the region of ]. | |||
| {{endspoiler}} | |||
| ===Pokémon Trading Card Game=== | |||
| {{main|Pokémon Trading Card Game}} | |||
| ]) shown.]] | |||
| The '']'' is a ] similar in goal to a Pokémon battle in the video game series; players must use cards (with individual strengths and weaknesses) in an attempt to defeat their opponent by "knocking out" all of his or her cards.<ref> ''Pokemon-tcg.com''. URL Accessed ], ].</ref> The game was first published in ] by ] in 1999.<ref name=wiz> ''Wizards.com''. URL Accessed ], ].</ref> | |||
| However, with the release of '']'' and '']'' ] ], ] took back the card game from Wizards of the Coast and started publishing the cards themselves.<ref name=wiz/> The Expedition expansion introduced the ''Pokémon-e Trading Card Game'', the cards in which (for the most part) were compatible with the Nintendo ]. Nintendo discontinued its production of e-Reader compatible cards with the release of EX FireRed & LeafGreen. | |||
| In 1998, Nintendo released a ] version of the trading card game in Japan. It was also released in the US and Europe in 2000. This game included digital versions cards from the original set of cards and the first two expansions (Jungle and Fossil), but also included several cards exclusive to the game. A sequel to this game exists, but was not released outside of Japan. | |||
| ==Cultural Influence== | |||
| {{main|List of Pokémon references or spoofs}} | |||
| A live action show called ] toured the United States in late ]. It was based on the popular ], but had some continuity errors relating to it. In late ], it was scheduled to tour Europe, but was canceled for unknown reasons, possibly due to lack of interest. | |||
| ''Pokémon'', being a popular franchise, has undoubtedly left its mark on ]. The ''Pokémon'' characters themselves have become pop-culture icons; examples include not one, but two different ] balloons in the ], a ] ], thousands of merchandise items, and a ] in ] in 2005 and ] in 2006. Pokémon also appeared on the cover of ] in 1999. The Comedy Central show '']'' has a character named ] which is a direct parody of Pikachu. Several other shows such as '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'' have made references and spoofs of ''Pokémon'', among other series. | |||
| ==Controversy and criticism== | |||
| {{main|Criticism of Pokémon}} | |||
| ===Racism=== | |||
| ] | |||
| This original design of the Pokémon ] (seen to the right) bore a striking, but possibly coincidental, resemblance to entertainers in ]. A strong case can be made for Jynx being a ] of or ] to the Japanese ] and ] fashion trends, which were extremely popular when Pokémon was first released, but it can't be denied that blackface-influenced characters have appeared elsewhere in anime and manga - examples can be found near the beginning of ]'s early ], ''Metropolis'' and also can be found with ]'s ]. | |||
| As Pokémon became more popular in the US, this perceived similarity to a racist image from America's past offended some. In particular, it had offended children's book author ], who accused Jynx of being a racist stereotype in an article titled ''Politically Incorrect Pokémon'' in the magazine ''Black World Today'', shortly after the anime episode ''Holiday Hi-Jynx'' aired. Episodes later on are also either banned or cut in USA. (see anime) | |||
| In response to this controversy, in 2002, Nintendo changed Jynx's face from black to purple and its hands from blue to purple in Pokémon games, a change which would be reflected in the anime three years later in '']''. | |||
| ===Animal cruelty=== | |||
| The primary mechanism of Pokémon has been compared to the generally-outlawed practice of ]ing.<ref>"," ''Pocket Gamer''. Review dated June 13, 2006.</ref> Seen from this point of view, the game consists primarily of Pokémon trainers capturing and bartering in wild animals, coercing them to fight one another. It also sees various performance-enhancing drugs to give them an edge in the fight. Some people believe that this may encourage children towards acts of animal cruelty and illegal gambling.<ref>"," ''Screen It!''. URL last accessed April 21, 2006.</ref> | |||
| However, Pokémon maintains a fan base that views the battling as a friendly competition between two teams of Pokémon and their trainers. Seen in this light, Pokémon are not being coerced to battle by their trainers. There are references to some Pokémon being territorial (e.g. ]<ref>"," ''DLTK-Kids''. URL last accessed April 21, 2006.</ref>), but it is vastly different to the aggressively territorial nature of roosters, who will maim the 'enemy' rooster until it or the other dies. Furthermore, trainers do not relish the idea of allowing two animals (or in this case Pokémon) to fight to the death, while they merely view from the edge of the ‘ring'. In both the games and the television show, the audience is taught that fighting is not necessarily a means to an end. In addition to all of the above, Pokémon do not actually die from battle; they either faint or are in other ways unable to battle. It is also brought up in the animated series that Pokémon trainers are fighting alongside their Pokémon, as opposed to simply issuing commands for them to follow. Team Rocket is often depicted using Pokémon for personal gain with no affection for them. In both the anime and the games, using Pokémon for "evil" purposes is looked down upon. | |||
| ===Health===<!-- THE SEIZURES WERE CAUSED BY '''FLASHING''' RED IMAGES, STILLS WILL NOT BLIND PEOPLE!--> | |||
| {{main|Banned episodes of Pokémon#Electric Soldier Porygon|l1=Banned episodes of Pokémon}} | |||
| ] | |||
| On ], ], more than 635 Japanese children were admitted to hospitals with convulsive ]. It was determined that the seizures were caused by watching an episode of Pokémon, "''Dennō Senshi Porygon''," or "]" (known as Electric Soldier Porygon in the United States, season 1, episode 43) and subsequently this episode has not been aired since. In this particular episode, there were bright explosions with rapidly-alternating blue and red color patterns.<ref> URL accessed ], ].</ref> It was determined in subsequent research that these strobing light effects cause some individuals to have epileptic seizures, even if they haven't had any previous history of ]. As a consequence, many video game makers (including ]) added warning labels to their ] products (or made pre-existing labels more prominent), warning that exposure to video games may trigger seizures in individuals vulnerable to ]. Detailed research of the alleged incident is detailed at and attributes it to mass hysteria. The incident was also parodied by '']'' in the episode "]"<ref> "," ''ScienceDaily'' (], ] missing).</ref> and in the '']'' episode "]." | |||
| ===Americanization=== | |||
| 4Kids Entertainment faced criticism for apparently Americanizing its translated Japanese anime programs. One of the main examples of this is when the names of American food are put in place of the Japanese food, such as calling ] "]" when it is clear that they are not really doughnuts. Several episodes were edited or removed from the American run completely for potential objectional content including "Beauty and the Beach" which was severely cut in America due to the portrayal of Team Rocket's James with breasts, and "The Legend of Dratini" which never aired outside Asia because of the use of guns in the episode. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| {{col-begin}} | |||
| {{col-2}} | |||
| ;Sub-articles | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ;Pokémon general | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
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| *] | |||
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| ;Pokémon (creatures) | |||
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| ;Games | |||
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| {{col-2}} | |||
| ;Television | |||
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| ;Manga | |||
| {{Main|List of Pokémon Manga chapters}} | |||
| *''] | |||
| *'']'' | |||
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| ;Miscellaneous | |||
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| {{col-end}} | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{portal}} | |||
| {{Wikiquote}} | |||
| {{Wiktionary}} | |||
| <div class="references-small"> | |||
| ;Books | |||
| *Tobin, Joseph, ed. ''Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon.'' Duke University Press., February, 2004. ISBN 0-8223-3287-6. | |||
| ;Notes | |||
| <references /> | |||
| </div> | |||
| ==External links== | |||
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| {{Pokémon media}} | |||
| {{Pokémon films}} | |||
| {{Pokémon cards}} | |||
| {{PokémonGames}} | |||
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Revision as of 19:47, 24 January 2007
We all Livein a pokemon world......POKEMON!!!!!!