Science Fiction and Fantasy Stack Exchange
Science Fiction and Fantasy Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [pokemon]

Pokémon is a media franchise published and owned by Japanese video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996, focused on the titular creatures.

Pokémon is a media franchise published and owned by Japanese video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996, focused on the titular creatures. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second-most successful and lucrative video game-based media franchise in the world, behind only Nintendo's own Mario franchise. Pokémon properties have since been merchandised into anime, manga, trading cards, toys, books, and other media.

Tag usage

Use this tag for

  • Questions about in-world aspects of the Pokémon universe or any specific Pokémon setting (e.g. video games, anime, comics, etc.)
  • Out-of-universe questions about the development or authorship of Pokémon works.

Example appropriate questions

  • What happens inside a Pokémon when it evolves?
  • Does the process of becoming a Pokémon trainer differ between the anime and video games?
  • In the Pokémon anime, is there a minimum age to become a Pokémon trainer?
  • In Pokémon Red and Blue, how is Team Rocket financed?

Do not use this tag for

  • Questions about specific game mechanics. Such questions are likely on-topic at Arqade.
  • "Shopping" questions.

Example inappropriate questions

  • How do I evolve my Bulbasaur in Pokémon Red for Game Boy?
  • Where can I download Pokémon GO for iPhone?
  • Why do I get this error message when I try to load Pokémon Moon on my Nintendo 3DS?
  • What's the best episode of Pokémon?
  • What's your favorite Pokémon and why?
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Are Pokemon farmed and eaten?

Meat seems common in Pokemon. Does meat come only from real-world animals or are Pokemon also hunted and farmed for meat? In the real world, some animals are designated as pets and eating them is criticized. Is there a "pets and food" ethical…
Jesvin Jose
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How can every Cubone be wearing its dead mothers' skull?

The Pokédex entry for Pokémon Yellow says that Cubone wears its mother's skull: Wears the skull of its deceased mother. Its cries echo inside the skull and come out as a sad melody. This might seem like a reference to the Marowak that was the…
Thunderforge
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Why do Pokemon obey their trainers?

Most of a Pokemon's life is spent fighting, hurting others and getting hurt in return. That sounds like a terrible life to me. Is there some in-universe reason that Pokemon willingly allow themselves to be used and abused by their trainers in such a…
Twilight Sparkle
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What's life like inside a Poké Ball?

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?
Daft
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Where do new Pokemon come from?

Each new TV series and each new game seems to introduce new Pokemon, so many I've lost count. Where do these new Pokemon come from? Are they newly discovered? Or are they 'regional'?
AncientSwordRage
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Has a Poké Ball ever captured anything other than a Pokémon?

It seems such a handy device: a small ball which you throw and somehow captures (or imprisons) a sentient being, almost always much larger than the ball, inside. Has a Poké ball ever been used to (try to) capture anything other than a Pokémon? Does…
SQB
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What other newer Pokémon could be answers to the infamous Jigglypuff exam question?

In EP056 - Pokémon Certification Test in the original Pokémon anime series, there's an infamous scene where the main characters are asked a trick question. In the scene, the characters are taking a Pokémon test where they are challenged to recognize…
toroid
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4 answers

Why doesn't Ash keep Pikachu in a Poké Ball?

Ash keeps all of his Pokémon except Pikachu in Poké Ball. Why does he give Pikachu special treatment? Can't it be dangerous? Talking about friendship with Pikachu (so maybe he doesn't find locking up his friend pleasant), when Ash first met Pikachu,…
user931
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4 answers

Can a Ditto impersonate a human?

In Pokémon, Ditto is a pink blob that you can use to transform into enemy Pokémon during battle. But can a Ditto transform into other things? For instance, can it transform into a person and impersonate them? Full comic on creator's website
Thunderforge
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3 answers

Has MissingNo ever been acknowledged by the Pokemon company or Nintendo in any form?

MissingNo is a pretty famous glitch Pokemon from the first generation. Has MissingNo ever been acknowledged by the Pokemon company or Nintendo in any form? Such as a wink to it, a reference in an official guide, or cameo reference?
TheAsh
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Why doesn't Ash try to catch 'em all?

The tag line for Pokémon (at least the first two generation of games) is "gotta catch 'em all". In the animé, Ash makes it clear from his first appearance that he wants to be a Pokémon Master and it certainly sounds like catching them all is the way…
Thunderforge
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2 answers

When Pokémon hatch from their egg, are they full size?

If someone were to have a Chansey egg (for example), would it be around 3" tall (as tall as Chansey)? Would it weigh as much? Would a full-sized Chansey hatch from the egg, or would it be smaller than normal and grow to full size?
Piccolo
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1 answer

Why was Pikachu chosen to be the mascot for Pokémon?

Pikachu has a very minor role in Pokémon Red and Blue (Red and Green in Japan), yet became the mascot for Pokémon. Why did that Pokémon become the mascot and not one somebody else, like the starter Pokémon or Clefairy (the main Pokémon in the…
Thunderforge
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Why do all the Joys and Jennys look the same?

I recall mention in the anime that all of the Nurse Joys are cousins, and that all the Officer Jenny's are cousins. I have also read mention that Joy and Jenny are their family names, explaining the matched names. Has there ever been an explanation…
phantom42
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Do regular animals exist in the Pokémon universe?

I've never really played the games, but I catch a lot of the cartoons when my kids watch them. I've noticed that I never see any regular animals in the cartoons; only pokémon. So my question is, do regular animals even exist in the Pokémon…
SQB
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