Pokmon

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For other uses, see Pokmon (disambiguation).
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The official logo of Pokmon for its international release; "Pokmon" is short for t
he original Japanese title of "Pocket Monsters".
Pokmon (???? Pokemon?, /'po?ke?m?n/ poh-kay-mon)[1][2] is a media franchise owned
by The Pokmon Company,[3] and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. It is centered
around fictional creatures called "Pokmon", which humans capture and train to fig
ht each other for sport.
The franchise began as a pair of video games for the original Game Boy, develope
d by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. The franchise now spans video games,
trading card games, animated television shows and movies, comic books, and toys.
Pokmon is the second-most successful and lucrative video game-based media franch
ise in the world, behind only Nintendo's Mario franchise.[4]
The franchise celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2006.[5] Cumulative sales of t
he video games (including home console versions, such as "Hey You, Pikachu!" for
the Nintendo 64) have reached more than 200 million copies.[6] In November 2005
, 4Kids Entertainment, which had managed the non-game related licensing of Pokmon
, announced that it had agreed not to renew the Pokmon representation agreement.
Pokmon USA Inc. (now The Pokmon Company International), a subsidiary of Japan's Po
kmon Co., now oversees all Pokmon licensing outside of Asia.[7]
Contents [hide]
1 Name
2 Concept
3 List of Pokmon
4 Video games
4.1 Generations
4.2 Game mechanics
4.2.1 Starter Pokmon
4.2.2 Pokdex
5 In other media
5.1 Anime series
5.2 Films
5.3 Soundtracks
5.4 Pokmon Trading Card Game
5.5 Manga
6 Criticism and controversy
6.1 Morality and religious beliefs
6.2 Health
6.3 Monster in My Pocket
7 Cultural influence
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Name
The name Pokmon is the romanized contraction of the Japanese brand Pocket Monster
s (????????? Poketto Monsuta?).[8] The term Pokmon, in addition to referring to t
he Pokmon franchise itself, also collectively refers to the 720 known fictional s
pecies that have made appearances in Pokmon media as of the release of the sixth
generation titles Pokmon X and Y. "Pokmon" is identical in both the singular and p
lural, as is each individual species name; it is grammatically correct to say "o
ne Pokmon" and "many Pokmon", as well as "one Pikachu" and "many Pikachu".[9] (How
ever, Pokmon Red, Blue, and Yellow feature NPCs referring to the plurals of Clefa
iry and Diglett with an "s" at the end, shown "CLEFAIRYs" and "DIGLETTs", respec
tively. This was fixed in FireRed and LeafGreen.)
Concept
Tajiri first thought of Pokmon around 1989, when the Game Boy was first released.

[10] The concept of the Pokmon universe, in both the video games and the general
fictional world of Pokmon, stems from the hobby of insect collecting, a popular p
astime which Pokmon executive director Satoshi Tajiri enjoyed as a child.[11] Pla
yers of the games are designated as Pokmon Trainers, and the two general goals (i
n most Pokmon games) for such Trainers are: to complete the Pokdex by collecting a
ll of the available Pokmon species found in the fictional region where that game
takes place; and to train a team of powerful Pokmon from those they have caught t
o compete against teams owned by other Trainers, and eventually become the stron
gest Trainer: the Pokmon Master. These themes of collecting, training, and battli
ng are present in almost every version of the Pokmon franchise, including the vid
eo games, the anime and manga series, and the Pokmon Trading Card Game.
In most incarnations of the fictional Pokmon universe, a Trainer that encounters
a wild Pokmon is able to capture that Pokmon by throwing a specially designed, mas
s-producible spherical tool called a Pok Ball at it. If the Pokmon is unable to es
cape the confines of the Pok Ball, it is officially considered to be under the ow
nership of that Trainer. Afterwards, it will obey whatever its new master comman
ds, unless the Trainer demonstrates such a lack of experience that the Pokmon wou
ld rather act on its own accord. Trainers can send out any of their Pokmon to wag
e non-lethal battles against other Pokmon; if the opposing Pokmon is wild, the Tra
iner can capture that Pokmon with a Pok Ball, increasing his or her collection of
creatures. Pokmon already owned by other Trainers cannot be captured, except unde
r special circumstances in certain games. If a Pokmon fully defeats an opponent i
n battle so that the opponent is knocked out (i.e., "faints"), the winning Pokmon
gains experience points and may level up. When leveling up, the Pokmon's statist
ics ("stats") of battling aptitude increase, such as Attack and Speed. From time
to time the Pokmon may also learn new moves, which are techniques used in battle
. In addition, many species of Pokmon possess the ability to undergo a form of me
tamorphosis and transform into a similar but stronger species of Pokmon, a proces
s called evolution.
In the main series, each game's single-player mode requires the Trainer to raise
a team of Pokmon to defeat many non-player character (NPC) Trainers and their Po
kmon. Each game lays out a somewhat linear path through a specific region of the
Pokmon world for the Trainer to journey through, completing events and battling o
pponents along the way. Each game features eight especially powerful Trainers, r
eferred to as Gym Leaders, that the Trainer must defeat in order to progress. As
a reward, the Trainer receives a Gym Badge, and once all eight badges are colle
cted, that Trainer is eligible to challenge the region's Pokmon League, where fou
r immensely talented trainers (referred to collectively as the "Elite Four") cha
llenge the Trainer to four Pokmon battles in succession. If the trainer can overc
ome this gauntlet, he or she must then challenge the Regional Champion, the mast
er Trainer who had previously defeated the Elite Four. Any Trainer who wins this
last battle becomes the new champion.
List of Pokmon
Main article: List of Pokmon
Video games
Main article: Pokmon (video game series)
Generations
The original Pokmon games were role-playing games (RPGs) with an element of strat
egy, and were created by Satoshi Tajiri for the Game Boy. These RPGs, and their
sequels, remakes, and English language translations, are still considered the "m
ain" Pokmon games, and the games which most fans of the series are referring to w
hen they use the term "Pokmon games". All of the licensed Pokmon properties overse
en by The Pokmon Company International are divided roughly by generation. These g
enerations are roughly chronological divisions by release; every several years,
when an official sequel in the main RPG series is released that features new Pokm
on, characters, and gameplay concepts, that sequel is considered the start of a
new generation of the franchise. The main games and their spin-offs, the anime,
manga, and trading card game are all updated with the new Pokmon properties each
time a new generation begins. The franchise began the sixth generation on Octobe
r 12, 2013.

A battle between a level 5 Bulbasaur and a level 5 Charmander in Pokmon Yellow[12

]
The Pokmon franchise started off in its first generation with its initial release
of Pocket Monsters Aka and Midori ("Red" and "Green", respectively) for the Gam
e Boy in Japan. When these games proved extremely popular, an enhanced Ao ("Blue
") version was released sometime after, and the Ao version was reprogrammed as P
okmon Red and Blue for international release. The games launched in the United St
ates on September 30, 1998. The original Aka and Midori versions were never rele
ased outside of Japan.[13] Afterwards, a further enhanced version titled Pokmon Y
ellow: Special Pikachu Edition was released to partially take advantage of the c
olor palette of the Game Boy Color, as well as to feature more elements from the
popular Pokmon anime. This first generation of games introduced the original 151
species of Pokmon, in National Pokdex order, encompassing all Pokmon from Bulbasau
r to Mew. It also introduced the basic game concepts of capturing, training, bat
tling, and trading Pokmon with both computer and human players. These versions of
the games take place within the fictional Kanto region, inspired by the real wo
rld Kanto region of Japan, though the name "Kanto" was not used until the second
generation.
The second generation of Pokmon began in 1999 with the release of Pokmon Gold and
Silver for Game Boy Color. Like the previous generation, an enhanced version tit
led Pokmon Crystal was later released. The second generation introduced 100 new s
pecies of Pokmon, starting with Chikorita and ending with Celebi. It totaled 251
Pokmon to collect, train, and battle, set in Johto, inspired by Japan's Kansai re
gion. The Pokmon mini is a handheld game console released in November 2001 in Nor
th America, December 2001 in Japan, and 2002 in Europe.
Pokmon entered its third generation with the 2002 release of Pokmon Ruby and Sapph
ire for Game Boy Advance and continued with the Game Boy Advance remakes of Pokmo
n Red and Blue, Pokmon FireRed and LeafGreen, and an enhanced version of Pokmon Ru
by and Sapphire titled Pokmon Emerald. The third generation introduced 135 new Po
kmon, starting with Treecko and ending with Deoxys, for a total of 386 species. I
t is set in Hoenn, inspired by Japan's Kyushu region. However, this generation a
lso garnered some criticism for leaving out several gameplay features, including
the day-and-night system introduced in the previous generation. It was also the
first installment that encouraged the player to collect merely a selected assor
tment of the total number of Pokmon rather than every existing species. By contra
st, 202 out of 386 species are catchable in the Ruby and Sapphire versions.
In 2006, Japan began the fourth generation of the franchise with the release of
Pokmon Diamond and Pearl for Nintendo DS. The fourth generation introduced anothe
r 107 new species of Pokmon, starting with Turtwig and ending with Arceus, bringi
ng the total of Pokmon species to 493.[14] The Nintendo DS "touch screen" allows
new features to the game such as cooking poffins with the stylus and using the "
Poktch". New gameplay concepts include a restructured move-classification system,
online multiplayer trading and battling via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, the retu
rn and expansion of the second generation's day-and-night system, the expansion
of the third generation's Pokmon Contests into "Super Contests", and the new regi
on of Sinnoh. This region was inspired by Japan's Hokkaido region and part of Ru
ssia's Sakhalin, and has an underground component for multiplayer gameplay in ad
dition to the main overworld. Pokmon Platinum, the enhanced version of Diamond an
d Pearl much like Pokmon Yellow, Crystal, and Emerald was released in September 2008
in Japan, March 2009 in North America, and May 2009 in Australia and Europe. Spi
n-off titles in the fourth generation include the Pokmon Stadium follow-up Pokmon
Battle Revolution for Wii, which has Wi-Fi connectivity as well.[15] Nintendo an
nounced in May 2009 that enhanced remakes of Pokmon Gold and Silver, entitled Pokm
on HeartGold and SoulSilver, would be released for the Nintendo DS system. Heart
Gold and SoulSilver are set in the Johto region and were released in September 2
009 in Japan.[16]
The fifth generation of Pokmon began on September 18, 2010, with the release of P
okmon Black and White in Japan for Nintendo DS.[17] The games were originally ann
ounced by the Pokmon Company on January 29, 2010, with a tentative release later

that year.[18][19] The final release date of September 18 was announced on June
27, 2010.[20] This version is set in the Unova region (?????? Isshu-chiho?, Issh
u region), inspired by New York City, and utilizes the Nintendo DS's 3-D renderi
ng capabilities to a greater extent than Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, as
shown in game footage of the player walking through the Castelia City (?????? H
iun Shiti?) metropolis. A total of 156 new Pokmon were introduced, starting with
Victini and ending with Genesect, bringing the franchise's total to 649.[21] It
also deployed new game mechanics such as the C Gear (C?? C Gia?) wireless intera
ctivity features[22] and the ability to upload game data to the Internet and to
the player's own computer.[23] Pokmon Black and White was released in Europe on M
arch 4, 2011, in North America on March 6, 2011, and in Australia on March 10, 2
011. On June 23, 2012, Nintendo released Pokmon Black 2 and Pokmon White 2 in Japa
n for Nintendo DS, with early October releases in North America and Europe. Blac
k 2 and White 2 are sequels to Black and White, with several events in the secon
d games referencing events in the first; they also allow players to link their p
revious Black or White with their Black 2 or White 2, introducing several events
based on how they played their previous game.
Officially announced on January 8, 2013, and released simultaneously worldwide o
n October 12, 2013, Pokmon X and Y for the Nintendo 3DS are part of the sixth gen
eration of games.[24] Introducing the France-inspired Kalos region, these are th
e first Pokmon games rendered in 3D, and the first released worldwide together.[2
5] On May 7, 2014, Nintendo announced remakes of the third generation games Pokmo
n Ruby and Sapphire titled Pokmon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire which were releas
ed in Japan, North America, Australia, and South Korea on November 21, 2014, and
in Europe on November 28, 2014.
Game mechanics
Main article: Gameplay of Pokmon
The main staple of the Pokmon video game series revolves around the catching and
battling of Pokmon. Starting with a starter Pokmon, the player can catch wild Pokmo
n by weakening them and catching them with Pok Balls. Conversely, they can choose
to defeat them in battle in order to gain experience for their Pokmon, raising t
heir levels and teaching them new moves. Certain Pokmon can evolve into more powe
rful forms by raising their levels or using certain items. Throughout the game,
players will have to battle other trainers in order to progress, with the main g
oal to defeat various Gym Leaders and earn the right to become a tournament cham
pion. Subsequent games in the series have introduced various side games and side
quests, including the Battle Frontiers that display unique battle types and the
Pokmon Contests where visual appearance is put on display.
Starter Pokmon
One of the consistent aspects of the Pokmon games spanning from Pokmon Red and Blue
on the Game Boy to the Nintendo 3DS games Pokmon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is t
he choice of one of three different Pokmon at the start of the player's adventure
s; these three are often labeled "starter Pokmon". Players can choose a Grass-typ
e, a Fire-type, or a Water-type.[26] For example, in Pokmon Red and Blue (and the
ir respective remakes, Pokmon FireRed and Pokmon LeafGreen), the player has the ch
oice of starting with Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. The exception to this
rule is Pokmon Yellow (a remake of the original games that follows the story of t
he Pokmon anime), where players are given a Pikachu, an Electric-type mouse Pokmon
, famous for being the mascot of the Pokmon media franchise; in this game, howeve
r, the three starter Pokmon from Red and Blue can be obtained during the quest by
a single player, something that is not possible in any other installment of the
franchise.[27] Another consistent aspect is that the player's rival will always
choose as his or her starter Pokmon the one that has a type advantage over the p
layer's Pokmon. For instance, if the player picks a Grass-type Pokmon, the rival w
ill always pick the Fire-type starter. An exception to this is again Pokmon Yello
w, in which the rival picks an Eevee, but whether this Eevee evolves into Jolteo
n, Vaporeon, or Flareon is decided by when the player wins and loses to the riva
l through the journey. The GameCube games Pokmon Colosseum and Pokmon XD: Gale of
Darkness also contain an exception; whereas in most games the player's initial P
okmon starts at Level 5, in these two games the player's initial Pokmon starts at

Levels 10 and 25, respectively. In Colosseum the player's starter Pokmon are Espe
on and Umbreon, while in Gale of Darkness the player's starter is Eevee.
Pokdex
The Pokdex is a fictional electronic device featured in the Pokmon video game and
anime series. In the games, whenever a Pokmon is first captured, its data will be
added to a player's Pokdex, but in the anime or manga, the Pokdex is a comprehens
ive electronic reference encyclopedia, usually referred to in order to deliver e
xposition. "Pokdex" is also used to refer to a list of Pokmon, usually a list of P
okmon by number. In the video games, a Pokmon Trainer is issued a blank device at
the start of the journey. A trainer must then attempt to fill the Pokdex by encou
ntering and at least briefly obtaining each of the different species of Pokmon. A
player will receive the name and image of a Pokmon after encountering one that w
as not previously in the Pokdex, typically after battling said Pokmon either in th
e wild or in a trainer battle (with the exceptions of link battles and tournamen
t battles, such as in the Battle Frontier). In Pokmon Red and Blue, some Pokmon's
data is added to the Pokdex simply by viewing the Pokmon, such as in the zoo outsi
de of the Safari Zone. Also, certain NPC characters may add to the Pokdex by expl
aining what a Pokmon looks like during conversation. More detailed information is
available after the player obtains a member of the species, either through capt
uring the Pokmon in the wild, evolving a previously captured Pokmon, hatching a Po
kmon egg (from the second generation onwards), or through a trade with another tr
ainer (either an NPC or another player). This information includes height, weigh
t, species type, and a short description of the Pokmon. Later versions of the Pokd
ex have more detailed information, like the size of a certain Pokmon compared to
the player character, or Pokmon being sorted by their habitat (so far, the latter
feature is only in the FireRed and LeafGreen versions). The most current forms
of Pokdex are capable of containing information on all Pokmon currently known. The
GameCube games, Pokmon Colosseum and Pokmon XD: Gale of Darkness, have a Pokmon Di
gital Assistant (P?DA) which is similar to the Pokdex, but also tells what types
are effective against a Pokmon and gives a description of its abilities.[28]
In other media
Ash Ketchum and Pikachu together in the pilot episode, "Pokmon, I Choose You!"
Anime series
Main article: Pokmon (anime)
The Pokmon anime series and films are a meta-series of adventures separate from t
he canon that most of the Pokmon video games follow (with the exception of Pokmon
Yellow, a game based loosely on the anime storyline). The anime follows the ques
t of the main character, Ash Ketchum[29] (known as Satoshi in Japan) a Pokmon Mas
ter in training, as he and a small group of friends[29] travel around the fictit
ious world of Pokmon along with their Pokmon partners. The original series, titled
Pocket Monsters, or simply Pokmon in Western countries (often referred to as Pokm
on: Gotta Catch 'Em All to distinguish it from the later series), begins with As
h's first day as a Pokmon trainer. His first (and signature) Pokmon is a Pikachu,
differing from the games, where only Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle could be
chosen.[30] The series follows the storyline of the original games, Pokmon Red a
nd Blue, in the region of Kanto. Accompanying Ash on his journeys are Brock, the
Pewter City Gym Leader, and Misty, the youngest of the Gym Leader sisters from
Cerulean City. Pokmon: Adventures in the Orange Islands follows Ash's adventures
in the Orange Islands, a place unique to the anime, and replaces Brock with Trac
ey Sketchit, an artist and "Pokmon watcher". The next series, based on the second
generation of games, include Pokmon: Johto Journeys, Pokmon: Johto League Champio
ns, and Pokmon: Master Quest, following the original trio of Ash, Brock, and Mist
y in the western Johto region.
The saga continues in Pokmon: Advanced Battle, based on the third generation game
s. Ash and company travel to Hoenn, a southern region in the Pokmon World. Ash ta
kes on the role of a teacher and mentor for a novice Pokmon trainer named May. He
r brother Max accompanies them, and though he isn't a trainer, he knows large am
ounts of handy information. Brock (from the original series) soon catches up wit
h Ash, but Misty has returned to Cerulean City to tend to her duties as a gym le

ader (Misty, along with other recurring characters, appears in the spin-off seri
es Pokmon Chronicles). The Advanced Battle series concludes with the Battle Front
ier saga, based on the Emerald version and including aspects of FireRed and Leaf
Green. The Advanced Generation series ended with Max leaving to pick his starter
Pokmon and May going to the Grand Festival in Johto.
In the Diamond and Pearl series, based on the fourth generation games, Ash, Broc
k, and a new companion, an aspiring Pokmon coordinator named Dawn, travel through
the region of Sinnoh. At the end of the series, Ash and Brock return to Kanto w
here Brock begins to follow his newfound dream of becoming a Pokmon doctor himsel
f.
Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes!, based on the fifth generation games, features Ash
and Pikachu traveling through the region of Unova (Isshu in Japan) alongside tw
o new companions, Iris and Cilan (Dent in Japan) who part ways with them after r
eturning to Kanto.
Pocket Monsters: XY (?????????XY Poketo Monsuta Ekkusu Wai?), is the current air
ing series based on the sixth generation games, following Ash and Pikachu's jour
ney through the region of Kalos, accompanied by Ash's childhood friend Serena an
d the siblings Clemont and Bonnie.[31][32][33]
In addition to the TV series, seventeen Pokmon films have been made, with the pai
r of films, Pokmon the Movie: Black Victini and Reshiram and White Victini and Zekrom
considered together as one. Collectible bonuses, such as promotional trading ca
rds, have been available with some of the films. Various children's books, colle
ctively known as Pokmon Junior, are also based on the anime.[34]
Films
Given release years are the original Japanese release years.
Pokmon: The First Movie Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)
Pokmon: The Movie 2000 The Power of One (1999)
Pokmon 3: The Movie Spell of the Unown (2000)
Pokmon 4Ever Celebi: Voice of the Forest (2001)
Pokmon Heroes (2002)
Pokmon: Jirachi Wish Maker (2003)
Pokmon: Destiny Deoxys (2004)
Pokmon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)
Pokmon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006)
Pokmon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007)
Pokmon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior (2008)
Pokmon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)
Pokmon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions (2010)
Pokmon the Movie: Black Victini and Reshiram &
Pokmon the Movie: White Victini and Zekrom (2011)
Pokmon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice (2012)
Pokmon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened (2013)
Pokmon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction (2014)
Soundtracks
Pokmon CDs have been released in North America, most of them in conjunction with
the theatrical releases of the first three Pokmon films. These releases were comm
onplace until late 2001. On March 27, 2007, a tenth anniversary CD was released
containing 18 tracks from the English dub; this was the first English-language r
elease in over five years. Soundtracks of the Pokmon feature films have been rele
ased in Japan each year in conjunction with the theatrical releases.
Year
Title
June 29, 1999[35]
Pokmon 2.B.A. Master
November 9, 1999[36]
Pokmon: The First Movie
February 8, 2000
Pokmon World
May 9, 2000
Pokmon: The First Movie Original Motion Picture Score
July 18, 2000 Pokmon: The Movie 2000
2001[when?]
Pokmon: The Movie 2000 Original Motion Picture Score
January 23, 2001
Totally Pokmon
April 3, 2001 Pokmon 3: The Ultimate Soundtrack
October 9, 2001 Pokmon Christmas Bash

March 27, 2007 Pokmon X: Ten Years of Pokmon

November 12, 2013
Pokmon X & Pokmon Y: Super Music Collection
December 10, 2013
Pokmon FireRed & Pokmon LeafGreen: Super Music Collection
January 14, 2014
Pokmon HeartGold & Pokmon SoulSilver: Super Music Collecti
on
February 11, 2014
Pokmon Ruby & Pokmon Sapphire: Super Music Collection
Pokmon Trading Card Game
Main article: Pokmon Trading Card Game
Palkia, the Spacial Pokmon Trading Card Game card from Pokmon TCG Diamond and Pear
l
The Pokmon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game with a goal similar to a
Pokmon battle in the video game series. Players use Pokmon cards, with individual
strengths and weaknesses, in an attempt to defeat their opponent by "knocking ou
t" his or her Pokmon cards.[37] The game was first published in North America by
Wizards of the Coast in 1999.[38] However, with the release of Pokmon Ruby and Sa
pphire Game Boy Advance video games, The Pokmon Company took back the card game f
rom Wizards of the Coast and started publishing the cards themselves.[38] The Ex
pedition expansion introduced the Pokmon-e Trading Card Game, where the cards (fo
r the most part) were compatible with the Nintendo e-Reader. Nintendo discontinu
ed its production of e-Reader compatible cards with the release of EX FireRed &
LeafGreen. In 1998, Nintendo released a Game Boy Color version of the trading ca
rd game in Japan; Pokmon Trading Card Game was subsequently released to the US an
d Europe in 2000. The game included digital versions cards from the original set
of cards and the first two expansions (Jungle and Fossil), as well as several c
ards exclusive to the game. A Japan-exclusive sequel was released in 2001.[39]
Manga
Main article: Pokmon (manga)
There are various Pokmon manga series, four of which were released in English by
Viz Media, and seven of them released in English by Chuang Yi. The manga series
vary from game-based series to being based on the anime and the TCG. Original st
ories have also been published. As there are several series created by different
authors most Pokmon manga series differ greatly from each other and other media,
such as the anime.
Manga released in English
The Electric Tale of Pikachu (a.k.a. Dengeki Pikachu), a shonen manga created by
Toshihiro Ono. It was divided into four tankobon, each given a separate title i
n the North American and English Singapore versions: The Electric Tale of Pikach
u, Pikachu Shocks Back, Electric Pikachu Boogaloo, and Surf's Up, Pikachu. The s
eries is based loosely on the anime.
Pokmon Adventures (Pocket Monsters SPECIAL in Japan), a shonen manga based on the
video games.
Magical Pokmon Journey (a.k.a. Pocket Monsters PiPiPi ? Adventures), a shojo mang
a
Pikachu Meets the Press (newspaper style comics, not released by Chuang Yi)
Ash & Pikachu (a.k.a. Satoshi to Pikachu, not released by Viz)
Pokmon Gold & Silver (not released by Viz)
Pokmon Ruby-Sapphire and Pokmon Pocket Monsters (not released by Viz)
Pokmon: Jirachi Wish Maker (not released by Viz)
Pokmon: Destiny Deoxys (not released by Viz)
Pokmon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (the third movie-to-comic adaptation)
Pokmon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea[40] (the fourth movie-to-comic adaption)
Pokmon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!
Pokmon Adventures: Diamond and Pearl / Platinum[41]
Pokmon: The Rise of Darkrai[42] (the fifth movie-to-comic adaption)
Pokmon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior[43] (the sixth movie-to-comic adaption)
Pokmon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life[44] (the seventh movie-to-comic adaption)
Pokmon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions[45] (the eighth movie-to-comic adaption)
Pokmon The Movie: White: Victini and Zekrom[46] (the ninth movie-to-comic adaptio
n)

Pokmon Black and White[47][48][49][50][51][52][53]

Manga not released in English
Pokmon Card ni Natta Wake (How I Became a Pokmon Card) by Kagemaru Himeno, an arti
st for the TCG. There are six volumes and each includes a special promotional ca
rd. The stories tell the tales of the art behind some of Himeno's cards.
Pokmon Get aa ze! by Miho Asada
Pocket Monsters Chamo-Chamo ? Pretty ? by Yumi Tsukirino, who also made Magical
Pokmon Journey.
Pokmon Card Master
Pocket Monsters Emerald Chosen!! Battle Frontier by Ihara Shigekatsu
Pocket Monsters Zensho by Satomi Nakamura
Criticism and controversy
Morality and religious beliefs
Pokmon has been criticized by some Christians over perceived occult and violent t
hemes and the concept of "Pokmon evolution", which they feel goes against the Bib
lical creation account in Genesis.[54] However, Sat2000, a satellite TV station
based in Vatican City, has countered that the Pokmon Trading Card Game and video
games are "full of inventive imagination" and have no "harmful moral side effect
s".[55][56] In the United Kingdom, the "Christian Power Cards" game was introduc
ed in 1999 by David Tate who stated, "Some people aren't happy with Pokmon and wa
nt an alternative, others just want Christian games." The game was similar to th
e Pokmon TCG but used Biblical figures.[57]
In 1999, Nintendo stopped manufacturing the Japanese version of the "Koga's Ninj
a Trick" trading card because it depicted a manji, a traditionally Buddhist symb
ol with no negative connotations. The Jewish civil rights group Anti-Defamation
League complained because the symbol is the reverse of a swastika, which is cons
idered offensive to Jewish people. The cards were intended for sale in Japan onl
y, but the popularity of Pokmon led to importation into the United States with ap
proval from Nintendo. The Anti-Defamation League understood that the issue symbo
l was not intended to offend and acknowledged the sensitivity that Nintendo show
ed by removing the product.[58]
In 1999, two nine-year-old boys sued Nintendo because they claimed the Pokmon Tra
ding Card Game caused their problematic gambling.[59]
In 2001, Saudi Arabia banned Pokmon games and cards, alleging that the franchise
promoted Zionism by displaying the Star of David in the trading cards (a six-poi
nted star is featured in the card game) as well as other religious symbols such
as crosses they associated with Christianity and triangles they associated with
Freemasonry; the games also involved gambling, which is in violation of Muslim d
octrine.[60][61]
Pokmon has also been accused of promoting materialism.[62]
Health
Main article: Denno Senshi Porygon
On December 16, 1997, more than 635 Japanese children were admitted to hospitals
with epileptic seizures.[63] It was determined the seizures were caused by watc
hing an episode of Pokmon "Denno Senshi Porygon", (most commonly translated "Elec
tric Soldier Porygon", season 1, episode 38); as a result, this episode has not
been aired since. In this particular episode, there were bright explosions with
rapidly alternating blue and red color patterns.[64] It was determined in subseq
uent research that these strobing light effects cause some individuals to have e
pileptic seizures, even if the person had no previous history of epilepsy.[65] T
his incident is a common focus of Pokmon-related parodies in other media, and was
lampooned by the Simpsons episode "Thirty Minutes over Tokyo"[66] and the South
Park episode "Chinpokomon",[67] among others.
Monster in My Pocket
In March 2000, Morrison Entertainment Group, a small toy developer based at Manh
attan Beach, California, sued Nintendo over claims that Pokmon infringed on its o
wn Monster in My Pocket characters. A judge ruled there was no infringement, so
Morrison appealed the ruling in November 2001.[68]
Cultural influence

All Nippon Airways Boeing 747 400 in Pokmon livery, dubbed a Pokmon Jet.
Pokmon, being a popular franchise, has undoubtedly left its mark on pop culture.
The Pokmon characters themselves have become pop culture icons; examples include
two different Pikachu balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Pokmon Jets
operated by All Nippon Airways, thousands of merchandise items, and a traveling
theme park that was in Nagoya, Japan in 2005 and in Taipei in 2006. Pokmon also
appeared on the cover of the U.S. magazine Time in 1999. The Comedy Central show
Drawn Together has a character named Ling-Ling who is a direct parody of Pikach
u.[69] Several other shows such as ReBoot, The Simpsons, South Park, The Grim Ad
ventures of Billy & Mandy, Robot Chicken, All Grown Up! and Johnny Test have mad
e references and spoofs of Pokmon, among other series. Pokmon was also featured on
VH1's I Love the '90s: Part Deux. A live action show called Pokmon Live! toured
the United States in late 2000. It was based on the popular Pokmon anime, but had
some continuity errors relating to it. Jim Butcher cites Pokmon as one of the in
spirations for the Codex Alera series of novels.
In November 2001, Nintendo opened a store called the Pokmon Center in New York, i
n New York's Rockefeller Center,[70] modeled after the two other Pokmon Center st
ores in Tokyo and Osaka and named after a staple of the videogame series; Pokmon
Centers are fictional buildings where Trainers take their injured Pokmon to be he
aled after combat.[71] The store sold Pokmon merchandise on a total of two floors
, with items ranging from collectible shirts to stuffed Pokmon plushies.[72] The
store also featured a Pokmon Distributing Machine in which players would place th
eir game to receive an egg of a Pokmon that was being given out at that time. The
store also had tables that were open for players of the Pokmon Trading Card Game
to duel each other or an employee. The store was closed and replaced by the Nin
tendo World Store on May 14, 2005.[73]
Meitetsu 2200 series train Giratina & Shaymin
Joseph Jay Tobin theorizes that the success of the franchise was mainly due to t
he long list of names that could be learned by children and repeated in their pe
er groups. The rich fictional universe provided a lot of opportunities for discu
ssion and demonstration of knowledge in front of their peers. In the French vers
ion Nintendo took care to translate the name of the creatures so that they refle
cted the French culture and language. In all cases the names of the creatures we
re linked to its characteristics, which converged with the children's belief tha
t names have symbolic power. Children could pick their favourite Pokmon and affir
m their individuality while at the same time affirming their conformance to the
values of the group, and they could distinguish themselves from other kids by as
serting what they liked and what they didn't like from every chapter. Pokmon gain
ed popularity because it provided a sense of identity to a wide variety of child
ren, and lost it quickly when many of those children found that the identity gro
ups were too big and searched for identities that would distinguish them into sm
aller groups.[74]
In December 2009, a "Pokmon profile picture month" on popular social networking w
ebsite Facebook started, with over 100,000 (by some estimates) Facebook users ch
anging the image displayed on their profile webpages to that of a Pokmon. In 2010
, more than 252,000 people replied as "attending", or taking part in, the event,
at least double the previous year.[75]
Shinkansen E3 Series train in Pokmon livery
Pokmon?'?s history has been marked at times by rivalry with the Digimon media fra
nchise that debuted at a similar time. Described as "the other 'mon'" by IGN's J
uan Castro, Digimon has not enjoyed Pokmon?'?s level of international popularity
or success, but has maintained a dedicated fanbase.[76] IGN's Lucas M. Thomas st
ated that Pokmon is Digimon?'?s "constant competition and comparison", attributin
g the former's relative success to the simplicity of its evolution mechanic as o
pposed to Digivolution.[77] The two have been noted for conceptual and stylistic
similarities by sources such as GameZone.[78] A debate among fans exists over w
hich of the two franchises came first.[79] In actuality, the first Pokmon media,
Pokmon Red and Green, were released initially on February 27, 1996;[80] whereas t

he Digimon virtual pet was released on June 26, 1997.

In early 2014, an anonymous video streamer on Twitch launched Twitch Plays Pokmon
, an experiment trying to crowdsource playing subsequent Pokmon games starting wi
th Pokmon Red.[81][82]
See also
Portal icon
Pokmon portal
List of Pokmon chapters
List of Pokmon characters
List of Pokmon episodes
List of Pokmon video games
Pokmon episodes removed from rotation
References
Books
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External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Pokmon

Look up pokmon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pokmon.
Official Japanese website of Pokmon (Japanese)
Official US website of Pokmon
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