''Pokémon'' universe

The Pokémon universe is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories and works of fiction by video game company Game Freak. The concept of the Pokémon universe, in both the video games and the general nonfictional world of Pokémon, stems from the hobby of insect collecting, a popular pastime which Pokémon executive director Satoshi Tajiri enjoyed as a child.[1] Players of the games are designated as Pokémon Trainers, and the two general goals (in most Pokémon games) for such Trainers are: to complete the Pokédex by collecting all of the available Pokémon species found in the fictional region where that game takes place; and to train a team of powerful Pokémon to compete against teams owned by other Trainers, and eventually become the strongest Trainer: the Pokémon Master. These themes of collecting, training, and battling are present in almost every version of the Pokémon franchise, including the video games, the anime and manga series, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Locations

The Pokémon universe takes place in four different locations: the Pokémon world, Deoxys' Unnamed world, Ultra space, and Unknown Dimensions.

Pokémon World

The Pokémon World is the main planet of Pokémon that consists of various landforms and bodies of water and is populated by at least 4,052 people when the populations of every region are combined. The Pokémon World is split into large regions that resemble continents: Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, and other small islands. The Pokémon World has areas with different biomes like forests, deserts, jungles, and coastal beaches. Hoenn and Sinnoh boast many dramatic environments ranging from rainforests to deserts. The Pokémon World is mainly green and lush, and many wild Pokémon live in grass.

Deoxys' Unnamed World

Deoxys' unnamed world is a world that exists in another dimension. It was shown in the Pokémon anime episode "Pokémon Ranger - Deoxys' Crisis! (Part 1)". In this episode, Deoxys, a Pokémon, arrived on the Pokémon world in a meteor whose powerful geomagnetic forces hurt Deoxys and forced it to hide in the Pokémon world. To convince Max to help him, Deoxys takes Max to its dimension. After Ash, Brock, May and Solana fight Deoxys to get Max back, Solana use Miltank's Heal Bell to heal him. Afterward. Deoxys flew away.


The Other Dimensions

Alternate dimensions in the Pokémon universe were first introduced in the fourth generation of Pokémon. Sinnoh mythology states that Sinnoh's legendary Pokémon can access these alternate dimensions.

Unown Dimension

The Unown dimension is an alternate space that Unown lives in. This dimension made its debut in Spell of the Unknown: Entei. This dimension appears two more times in episode Address Unown! and The Rise of Darkrai. One could transport between Unown Dimension and the real Pokémon Earth through a puzzle box and a portal.

Ghost World

Also known as the Spirit World, this dimension emits electrical and radio waves and is a shelter of ghost-type Pokémons as well as actual ghosts of Pokémons and people. It first appeared on anime in Ghoul Daze! and reappeared in Scare at the Litwick Mansion. The Reaper Cloth, a held item introduced in Generation IV (4), is from the Ghost World.

Mirror World

Mirror World is a dimension connected to the Reflection Cave that debuted in the Pokémon XY anime episode The Cave of Mirrors!. In this dimension identical to the Pokémon world, humans and Pokémon are physically and characteristically opposite. In the Mirror World, portals to other worlds in the Cave is considered to be a myth. After sunset, people from different dimensions will be trapped in Mirror World forever.

Ultra Space

Ultra Space is where Ultra Beasts live. It is connected with Pokémon Earth through Ultra Wormholes, which are unstable portals that the Legendary Pokémon Solgaleo and Lunala can manipulate and create. Cosmog can create Ultra Wormholes as well, but it will most likely die if forced to use this power. Because of this power, it is theorized by the Aether Foundation and the Dimensional Research Lab to be an Ultra Beast. It made its debut in Pokémon Sun and Moon.

Regions

There are several regions that have appeared in the various media of the Pokémon franchise. Each of the seven generations of the main series releases focuses on a new region. Moreover, several regions have been introduced in spin-off games, and one in the Pokémon anime, though most of these are still within the same fictional universe. Usually, the different regions are not accessible from one another via land (or at all within a single game). However, Kanto can be accessed from Johto and vice versa via the sea in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver versions.

Every region consists of several cities and towns that the player must explore in order to overcome many waiting challenges such as Gyms, Contests, and villainous teams. At different locations within each region, the player can find different types of Pokémon, as well as helpful items and characters. Many regions are on separate continents, though many are based on parts of the real-world country of Japan (and the United States/France in the cases of Unova/Kalos). Most regions feature locations that have some significance to the story and are unique in that they have unique properties and usually involve myths.

Kanto

The Kanto Region is the setting of the first generation of Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Blue, Pokémon Yellow and their remakes, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. Based on the real life Kantō region of Japan, this setting started the precedent of basing the geography and culture of the game's region on a real world setting. This region is also visited in Pokémon Gold and Silver, Pokémon Crystal, and their remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

This region served as the home of the original 151 Pokémon and the antagonists of this region were Team Rocket.

The three starters of this region were Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur, staying with the trend of each starter being the Fire, Grass, and Water types.

The legendary and mythical Pokémon of this region are Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo and Mew.

Johto

The Johto Region is the setting of the second generation of Pokémon games, which includes Pokémon Gold and Silver, Pokémon Crystal, and their remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Again based on an area of Japan, this game's geography is based upon the Kansai, Tokai and eastern Shikoku areas of the country. The game setting draws upon the Kansai region's abundance of temples, the architectural design of the Kansai region and its geographical sights, such as Mount Fuji and the Naruto whirlpools.

The Johto Region introduced 100 new Pokémon, but kept Team Rocket as the antagonists. This generation of the series also started the tradition of having the region's legendary Pokémon on the box art. It also introduced two new Pokémon types, Steel and Dark.

The three starters in this region were Cyndaquil, Chikorita, and Totodile, staying with the trend of each starter being the Fire, Grass, and Water types.

The legendary and mythical Pokémon of this region are Entei, Raikou, Suicune, Lugia, Ho-Oh and Celebi.

Hoenn

The Hoenn Region is the setting of the third generation of Pokémon games, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and Pokémon Emerald as well as their remakes Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. This time being based on the Japanese island of Kyushu, the real world and game region share an abundance of smaller islands around the main one and a subtropical climate.

Along with 135 new Pokémon species, this setting also introduced two new teams of antagonists; in Ruby and Sapphire, only one of the teams appears as an antagonist. The teams were Team Magma and Team Aqua, respectively, for each game. In Emerald, both teams are antagonists. Along with Sinnoh, this region is known to have the biggest range of various natural environments, such as rainforests and deserts.

The three starters in this region were Treecko, Torchic and Mudkip, staying with the trend of each starter being the Fire, Grass, and Water types.

The legendary and mythical Pokémon of this region are Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Latios, Latias, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi and Deoxys.

Sinnoh

The Sinnoh Region is the setting of the fourth generation of Pokémon games, which encompasses the setting of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, and Pokémon Platinum. It is based on the northernmost island of Japan, Hokkaidō. The region was meant to have a 'northern' feel, with some routes being entirely covered in snow.

The Sinnoh region introduced 107 new Pokémon and the antagonists of this region were Team Galactic. The game also introduced Arceus, a secret Pokémon who serves as the creator deity of the Pokémon universe. Along with Hoenn, this region is known to have the biggest range of various natural environments such as rainforests and deserts.

The three starters in this region were Turtwig, Chimchar and Piplup staying with the trend of each starter being the Fire, Grass, and Water types.

The legendary and mythical Pokémon of this region are Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Dialga, Palkia, Heatran, Regigigas, Giratina, Cresselia, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin and Arceus.

Unova

The Unova Region is the setting of the fifth generation of Pokémon games, which encompassed the setting of Pokémon Black and White, with their sequels Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. For the first time in the main series, the region was based on a region outside Japan, with Unova taking inspiration from the island of Manhattan.

The antagonists, Team Plasma, were slightly based on the Knights Templar, though in Black 2 and White 2 they have a pirate motif. The Unova region introduced 156 new Pokémon, the most of any previous region.

The three starters in this region were Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott staying with the trend of each starter being the Fire, Grass, and Water types.

The legendary and mythical Pokémon of this region are Victini, Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Thundurus, Tornadus, Reshiram, Zekrom, Landorus, Kuyrem, Keldeo, Meloetta and Genesect.

Kalos

The Kalos Region is the setting of the sixth generation of Pokémon games, which is where the games Pokémon X and Y take place. Like generation five, this sixth generation of Pokémon is based on a region not within Japan, being inspired almost entirely by France, with landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower having their own representations here, along with a French style of music and fashion.

This time, the antagonists were Team Flare, and the games also shed some light on the Pokémon Earth history. The region introduced the fewest new Pokémon, totaling about 72. This generation introduced the Fairy type and Mega Evolution, which allows certain fully evolved Pokémon to temporarily transform to their full potential.

For the first time in the main series, the games, both the over-world and the Pokémon battles, were in fully-fledged 3D.

The three starters in this region were Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie, staying with the trend of each starter being the Fire, Grass, and Water types.

The legendary and mythical Pokémon of this region are Xerenas, Yveltal, Zygarde, Diancie, Hoopa and Volcanion.

Alola

The Alola Region is the setting of the seventh generation of Pokémon games in Pokémon Sun and Moon and in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. This region is based on Hawaii, marking the second time a main entry Pokémon game setting has been inspired by a U.S. state. The name itself is a play on the word "aloha," the Hawaiian word for both "hello" and "goodbye."

Some Pokémon from generation one were reintroduced with new typings and designs, such as Fire types Vulpix and Ninetales now being Ice types. These are known as Alolan variants. This generation introduced 86 new Pokémon.

In Pokémon Sun and Moon, the antagonists are Team Skull, sporting a punk gang aesthetic. In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Team Rainbow Rocket are introduced as additional antagonists alongside Team Skull, and they are a sort of reboot of the original Team Rocket from the first Pokémon games. Various villainous team leaders from previous generations in the series also made appearances in this sequel.

The three starters in this region were Rowlet, Litten and Popplio, staying with the trend of each starter being the Fire, Grass, and Water types.

The legendary and mythical Pokémon of this region are Type: Null, Silvally, Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Lunala, Solgaleo, Necrozma, Magearna, Marshadow and Zeraora.

Chronology

Creation

According to Sinnoh legends, in the beginning, there was nothing but chaos. Then, at the center of the chaos, an egg appeared, from which hatched Arceus. Arceus then created Dialga, the embodiment of time, Palkia, the embodiment of space, and Giratina, who was banished to another dimension as the embodiment of antimatter. Arceus then created Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie; the spirits of willpower, emotion and knowledge respectively. At this early time, Mew the ancestor of Pokémon, appeared in the universe. After creating the Pokémon Earth, Arceus went into an eternal sleep.

After Arceus' creation, Groudon, embodiment of the land, Kyogre, embodiment of the sea, and Rayquaza, the sky high Pokémon, were born. They are sometimes unofficially known as "the weather trio", as each of these Pokémon possess weather-changing abilities. The clash of these three Pokémon was said to have created much of the Earth's surface. Mountain Coronet, the mountain that the Sinnoh region surrounds, was created at this point of time as Regigigas moved landmass to form continents and regions. Stark Mountain and Heatran were also created at this time.

Many years after, the prehistoric era began and the first prehistoric Pokémon came into being. The games state that scientists proved that prehistoric Pokémon roamed the land, as Fossils and other archaeological remains have been found to contain the DNA of Pokémon. It is possible that the Mew population on the planet may have decreased at this stage, as they slowly gave way to other Pokémon species.

Evolution

According to myths of Sinnoh, Pokémon and people were originally the same species. This theory has not been proven, but it has reappeared many times in Pokémon. Mew is the ancestor of all Pokémon, and the first human recording was in the Stone Age, millions of years before the modern era. There is also scientific evidence that Pokémon are a single species, and the different creatures are subspecies, explaining their ability to interbreed.


Modern History

In modern history, the temperature in Sinnoh has dropped dramatically. Team Galactic summons Dialga, Palkia and Giratina to create a portal to the Distortion World, a timespace dimension indicated by the Time-Space Axis in Michina Town.

Works

Anime, films and specials

Board games

Video games

Books

Manga

References

  1. ↑ "The Ultimate Game Freak: Interview with Satoshi Tajiri". Time. November 22, 1999. Archived from the original on March 14, 2005. Retrieved May 22, 2010. , TimeAsia (Waybacked).
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.