Summary
ThePokemonfranchise is one of the biggest entertainment properties in the world. Although the property started with the release ofPokemon RedandBluefor the Game Boy in 1996, the franchise has gone on to include toys, a manga series, clothing, movies, and anime.
The anime began in 1997 and is still ongoing, featuring almost everything new that the games include. However, sometimes this relationship works the other way around. Just because thePokemonvideo games came out first doesn’t mean that they have not included references or beeninspired by thePokemonanime throughout the years.
One of the tropes that thePokemongames set up early on is that every gym leader wouldonly use one type of Pokemon.This is a great way to feature boss fights in the game, but it can be quite limiting when adding these characters, and their teams, to the anime. When the anime started, Brock was exclusively a rock-type trainer, and the villain in the show was also the leader of the ground-type gym. However, both characters pick up Pokemon of other types on their journey.
Brock is seen using a fire-type, Vulpix, and Giovanni’s main Pokemon is a Persian. To honor this,the firstPokemon Stadiumgame gave these gym leaders those Pokemon on their teams for their respective gym battles. It doesn’t make sense to those who do not watch the anime, but it is a nice nod to those who did.
In each newPokemongame, every Pokemon gets a brand-new entry in the Pokédex. This happens even if the Pokemon has appeared in a previous game. Each Pokédex entry is a brief description of the creature, detailing its habits and how it behaves in the wild.
However, Kangaskan’s Pokédex entry inPokemon: Sword and Shieldis a little strange and does not line up withwhat players know about the Pokemon.It states that Kangaskan has even adopted a human child once and treated it like its own. This is a reference to the episode of thePokemonanime, “The Kangaskan Kid,” where Ash and the gang encounter a small boy being raised by a Kangaskan.
In the firstRedandBluegames, Brock is presented as a tough, no-nonsense opponent. He is a hardened man who uses rock-type Pokemon as they match his tough exterior. That is why some fans might be taken aback when the gym leader mentions that he wants to become a breeder in the subsequentPokemon Yellow.
The third video game from Generation 1 is loosely based on events from thePokemonanime. The show softened up Brock as he became a main character, and his life’s dream was changed to match the series by having Brock strive to become a Pokemon breeder. That is why Brock’s dispositionchanged inPokemonYellow.
Jigglypuff wasone of the standout charactersin the first season of thePokemonanime. This Pokemon would follow the group around and sing to them at the most inopportune times. When the gang fell asleep to the song, Jigglypuff would then angrily draw on their faces with a marker pen.
While it is normal for some Pokemon to carry everyday items, Jigglypuff is not one of these Pokemon. However, it does show up inPokemon Snapwith a marker pen as a nod to its anime counterpart. It will even use the marker as a microphone when singing.
When the first season of thePokemonanime came to a close, there wasn’t a second generation of games out yet to steer the next part of the journey. Therefore, the writers came up with the idea of the GS Ball as a story maguffin that the characters had to investigate in another part of the world. The origins of the ball were never discovered, and the show quickly moved on to Johto when the next games were released.
While the show seemed to forget about the GS Ball, the game developers did not. The strange Pokéball does show up inPokemon Crystalas a key item that can be used to obtain the mythical Pokemon, Celebi.
One of the most recognizable elements of thePokemonanime is the hat worn by the show’s main protagonist, Ash. It changes throughout the series, but he always has a broad-brimmed baseball cap. Most fans also associate the franchise’s mascot, Pikachu, with the character of Ash as well. ThePokemoncompany has been able to use this relationship for marketing purposes, but it has never been done as well as whenPokemon: Ultra Sun and Ultra Moonwere released.
Anyone who owned a copy of these games could receive a special event Pikachu wearing one of Ash’s signature hats. All they had to do was scan a QR code, and players could add some iconic imagery from thePokemonanime to their team.
1Jessie And James
The Anime Villains Always Show Up Somewhere
When the first games were released,Team Rocketwere conceived as an evil team for the player to battle. Their goal was to steal powerful Pokemon from other trainers, and there were dozens of goons to fight in the game. However, the anime needed to make this evil organization more personal to the show’s protagonist. As such, the evil team is reduced to the bumblingJessie, James, and the talking Meowth,who show up every episode to steal Ash’s Pikachu.
These characters are not powerful and are supposed to be easy to defeat. However, it is always fun to see them pop up for a battle in games likePokemon YellowandLet’s Go. They will even have teams of Pokemon accurate to the TV show, with a Meowth always being part of their roster.
