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Is a Pokémon aware it is in a Poké Ball?

Is it conscious?

Is it comfortable?

Do we know any canon explanation of what a Pokémon experiences when it is stuck inside one of these devices?

Robert Columbia
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Daft
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1 Answers1

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According to Junichi Masuda, developer for the original Pokemon games and a founder of Game Freak, in an interview with Kotaku, it's "comfortable".

Masuda: I think it’s safe to say that it’s very comfortable inside inside of a Pokeball, it’s a very comfortable environment.

Maybe the equivalent of a high-end suite room in a fancy hotel.

This of course only applies to the games. The Anime and Manga portray Pokéballs differently.

In the Pokemon Adventures Manga, the upper Red half of a Pokéball can turn transparent, revealing the minituarised Pokemon inside. This, along with the episode "Hypno's Naptime" in the anime, where Misty captures Psyduck, seems to indicate that a Pokéball is nothing but an empty sphere.


(source: bulbagarden.net)


(source: bulbagarden.net)

A popular depiction of Pokéballs by fans is that they are effectively fully-furnished rooms for the Pokémon to live in, keeping them entertained and, as Masuda says, comfortable. This could be similar to how the game designers originally intended them, but we don't know for sure.

At the very least, I personally hope it's not like the boring, empty sphere depicted in the Anime & Manga, since Pokémon are also portrayed in those media as being completely aware of their surroundings at all times, even while inside a Pokéball. Some of them come out without being ordered to, and they occasionally follow commands given to them by their trainer prior to being released from their Pokéball.

Glorfindel
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DisturbedNeo
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    IIRC (for your last point) in the Manga, there's the time where Red battles Giovanni and his Pikachu is aware of the battle and starts charging Thunderbolt, whilst inside its Pokeball. Not sure how canon the Manga is though. – Voronwé Aug 17 '17 at 14:18
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    @Olorin, more canon than the anime, at least :P – DisturbedNeo Aug 17 '17 at 14:43
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    So comfortable, that they want to enter the Pokéball without any sort of outside encouragement. Then why do they keep breaking out!? – KSmarts Aug 17 '17 at 16:01
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    @KSmarts - A caged animal may be very comfortable with their cage once they get used to it, while a wild animal hates the concept of being caged. – BlueBuddy Aug 17 '17 at 16:07
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    @KSmarts - my apartment is very comfortable and I enter it without any sort of outside encouragement. It has everything I need and with food delivery services, I could stay there all the time. Yet I can't stay in there too long without breaking out. – Johnny Aug 17 '17 at 17:32
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    In X&Y episode 79, Ash and company are given a tour to find out what it is like inside a Poké Ball, but unfortunately, the tourgivers were Team Rocket who just led them in a closet to trap them. Also, Meowth is briefly inside a Luxury Ball and says that it felt really nice in there, suggesting that it is more comfortable than regular Poké Balls. – Thunderforge Aug 17 '17 at 22:39
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    I then wonder how Pokemon feel about being yanked out of there to fight at random times with no prior warning, regardless of what they're doing at the moment. I feel like that puts quite a caveat on all that luxury. – Misha R Aug 14 '19 at 17:35
  • @MishaR Maybe an alarm or some sort of signal starts blaring as soon as Ash touches it that way the Pokemon is ready for action – JMERICKS Apr 18 '22 at 18:42