For many younger millennials, the words of the opening lines of the original Pokémon theme — “I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was” — can send waves of nostalgia. This powerful force reminds them of a world where the Twin Towers still stood, the housing bubble had not yet burst and Donald Trump had yet to become a reality TV star. With eight generations, around 901 creatures and a multitude of merchandise, this famous role-playing-game (RPG) series is still going strong today. Despite living in a vastly different world, the Pokémon franchise continues releasing a plethora of merchandise, along with their newest games of “Pokémon Brilliant Diamond” and “Pokémon Shining Pearl” to be released on Nov. 19.
It all started in 1989, when Japanese bug collector, video game designer and Game Freak Co. President Satoshi Tajiri had an idea for a game known as “Capsule Monsters.” After six years of programming, trademarks and announcements, the game was finally released as “Pocket Monsters: Red and Green” on Feb. 27, 1996. Despite its numerous glitches, off-looking monsters and release on an ailing system, the Game Boy, the games were a massive success. Soon after, trading cards, anime and manga spawned during this “Pokémania.” Two and a half years later, on Sept. 28, 1998, the games were released in North America amid a huge marketing blitz, with all of the aforementioned products released almost simultaneously.
Even though the series is popular, all of the game’s plots are basically the same. It takes place in a fictionalized version of the real world filled with magical creatures known as Pokémon who engage in turn-based battles. The main character is a young kid who must leave his or her hometown in order to become a Pokémon master. In order to accomplish this, they must obtain a starter Pokémon to use in battle and a set of capsule-like balls known as Pokéballs, which can capture wild Pokémon found in forests, caves and oceans. Along the way, they gain a rival who usually provides their first Pokémon battle and meet an evil team bent on world domination. In order to progress in the game, the player must complete a series of challenges known as Gyms/Trials, depending on which version one plays. These are dungeon-like areas with many puzzles and Pokémon Trainers to battle. Once the player completes the challenge by beating the head trainer, known as a Gym Leader, they gain a reward known as a Gym Badge or a Z-Crystal that allows them to use more powerful Pokémon. Toward the end of the game, players usually encounter a Legendary Pokeḿon, a powerful creature who serves as a formidable opponent and ally. Eventually, the player must face a group of tough trainers known as the Elite Four and the Champion. Only when they beat them can a player become the strongest trainer in existence: a Pokémon master.
In addition to the mainline games, the Pokémon franchise also has many spin-offs, allowing for Nintendo and The Pokémon Company to experiment with gameplay, combat and storyline. These include Pokémon Ranger, which has real-time combat; Pokeḿon Mystery Dungeon, where the player character is a Pokémon themselves; and, arguably the most famous spinoff, Pokémon Go, an augmented reality game. The most recent spin-off game, Pokeḿon Unite, is a multiplayer online battle arena game produced in partnership with Chinese company Tencent.
The franchise has also gained prominence through its anime adaption. The show follows the adventures of Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu as they travel through the current generation’s region with their friends, catching Pokémon and earning gym badges along the way. During most episodes, the group encounters Jessie, James and Meowth — members of an evil organization known as Team Rocket. They usually attempt to capture Pikachu and the Pokémon that the episode focuses on based on their boss Giovanni’s request — a man who Team Rocket is always trying to please. However, the Pokémon usually ends up defeating them as it usually has some powers that their capture system fails to anticipate. To celebrate the 25th anniversary, the anime premiered a new season called “Pokémon Master Journeys,” which features Ash traveling across all eight regions with his friend Goh, a new character who wants to catch one of every Pokémon.
Another aspect of the Pokémon franchise is its trading card game. While the cards can be used to play a game, they are most famous for their collector’s market. The cards come in varying rarities, from common to rainbow rare; sought-out cards — especially rares from earlier sets — can fetch high prices at auction sites like eBay. To celebrate the 25th anniversary, the Pokeḿon Company revealed a new set, “Celebrations,” that reprints popular cards from the game’s long history. These include five variants of franchise mascot Pikachu, as well as various legendary Pokémon and fan-favorite characters.
With a multitude of merchandise, high-quality games and a loyal fanbase, the Pokémon franchise continues its popularity even in its second decade. Hopefully it will continue to succeed in future generations, as both an introduction to RPGs and to the wider world of Otaku, or Japanese nerd, culture in general.
Bailey Kanthatham is an Entertainment Contributing Writer for the fall 2021 quarter. He can be reached at bkanthat@uci.edu.
