Pokémon (anime)
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Pokémon (ポケモン Pokemon), abbreviated from Pocket Monsters (ポケットモンスター Poketto Monsutā), is an ongoing Japanese animated series, which has since been adapted for the North American and European television market. It is somewhat based on the Pokémon video game series and a part of the Pokémon franchise. Originally a single series, Pokémon, it has since been made into three series, including Pokémon: Advanced Generation and subsequently Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, which sequentially continue the story of Pokémon, while its spin-off Pokémon Chronicles or, as it is known in Japan, Pokémon Sunday (formerly Shūkan Pokémon Hōsōkyoku) is a series of stories revolving around some of the recurring characters. The original main characters are Satoshi (Ash), Takeshi (Brock), Kasumi (Misty), and Pikachu.
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[edit] Plot
Ash Ketchum (Satoshi in the original Japanese series) has just become a Pokémon trainer. He starts off in the Kanto Region. He is stuck with Pikachu because he overslept and missed the standard 3 starter Pokémon. He has a childhood rival named Gary. Ash accidentally destroys a bike belonging to a girl named Misty, who starts to follow him to get her bike back and later becomes a close friend.
In the Johto League, Ash is defeated by a Pokémon trainer from the Hoenn region, thus beginning his new journey into the region. Misty leaves Ash's side to take care of the gym along with her sisters, and Brock, who also returns home to resolve some family issues. Ash changes his outfit before heading to the Hoenn region with only Pikachu, now his best friend.
In Hoenn, Ash gets to know May (Haruka in the original Japanese) and her younger brother Max (Masato in the original Japanese), who join in his journey. May is excited by the Pokémon Contests that take place in Kanto and Hoenn, while Max joins the group to gain experience so that one day he will have his own Pokémon and become a Gym Leader like his father Norman, the Gym Leader of Petalburg City. Having solved his problems, Brock who also changed his attire, is back with Ash and new friends to continue his dream of becoming Pokémon Breeder. This season, Gary leaves his promising career as a Pokémon Trainer to become a Pokémon researcher.
After Ash becomes champion of the Kanto Battle Frontier, May as well as Drew, Solidad and Harley travel to the Johto region to participate in Pokémon Grand festival held there. Max returns to Petalburg City to get ready for his own pokemon journey and Brock returns to Pewter City. Ash learns of a new region called Sinnoh, where he embarks on a new journey. Ash planned to bring only Pikachu, but Aipom snuck on the boat. Brock comes back a few days later in Sinnoh and they both meet Dawn, a new trainer who hopes to become a great Pokémon Coordinator, like her mother. Ash meets a new rival, Paul who prefers to capture the strongest Pokémon, leaving the weak who are released, in strong contrast to Ash's methods. Ash also meets Gary several of times throughout Sinnoh, and May during the Wallace cup.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Current main characters
- Ash Ketchum, known in Japan as Satoshi (サトシ Satoshi)
- The main character, or protagonist, of the series, Ash dreams of being the greatest Pokémon Master in the world.
Pikachu (ピカチュウ Pikachū): Ash’s very first Pokémon and best friend. He has always stuck with Ash through thick and thin.
- Dawn, known in Japan as Hikari (ヒカリ Hikari)
- New heroine of the series when Ash comes to Sinnoh, dreams of being a great coordinator like her mother.
- Brock, known in Japan as Takeshi (タケシ Takeshi)
- Former Pewter Gym leader, he dreams of being the world’s best Pokémon breeder. He also falls in love with most girls he sees.
[edit] Former main characters
- Misty, known in Japan as Kasumi (カスミ Kasumi)
- Is Ash’s first travelling friends through Kanto, the Orange Islands and Johto. Misty loves water Pokémon, hates bug Pokémon, and is currently the Cerulean City gym leader. She was the first female protagonist on the show. Her dream is to be the world's greatest Water Pokémon Master. She will make an appearance in the later season Pokemon DP: Galactic Battles.
- Tracey Sketchit, known in Japan as Kenji (ケンジ Kenji)
- One of Ash’s traveling friends through the Orange Islands, Tracey is a Pokémon watcher, and is currently at Pallet Town studying as Professor Oak’s assistant. Tracey is shown to have great interest in drawing rare and unique Pokemon, as well as any Pokemon he hasn't drawn before, ergo his great drawing skills.
- May, known in Japan as Haruka (ハルカ Haruka)
- One of Ash’s travelling friends through Hoenn and the Kanto Battle Frontier, is currently in Johto competing in the contests there alongside Drew, Harley and Solidad. She appears in several Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl Battle Dimension episodes as a minor character. She will make another appearance in Pokemon DP: Galactic Battles.
- Max, known in Japan as Masato (マサト Masato)
- May’s little brother, Max is a very smart (and often annoying) little boy, and is now back with his parents in Petalburg City, where he will begin his own Pokemon journey.
[edit] Villains
Team Rocket (ロケット団 Roketto Dan) is an evil organization led by Giovanni. They have operations in Kanto and Johto. However, they have not set up permanent operations in Hoenn and Sinnoh, meaning Jessie, James and Meowth are the only operatives there. They have been present in nearly every episode of the Pokémon saga. Their leader focuses on obtaining the strongest Pokémon ever but the series' main operatives, Jessie, James and Meowth never seem to obtain any at all, and are therefore considered outcasts to the rest of Team Rocket.
Team Galactic is an organization who focuses on creating a new world by using the powers of the Pokémon of time, Dialga, and space, Palkia, and powers from ruins and meteorites.
Team Magma/Aqua is a group of vilians/heroes in the saphire/ruby edtions whose plans involve flooding the earth and drying it up.
[edit] Media
[edit] Series outline
Throughout the run of the show the subject matter changes. In the original series, the show is more comical and whimsical (light and airy). It uses "goofy" humor (or "cute" humor when it comes to Pikachu, who does wacky things in between important scenes). In the Advanced Generation series as Ash becomes more of a mature and leader-type character, the main course of the show becomes more serious, as it deals with love and death, and its previous comical nature (for the most part) changes into comic relief, attributed mostly to Team Rocket and Brock's love of girls, though the Diamond and Pearl series seems to have returned to using the original comical nature (mostly Ash being the straight man to his Pokémon's antics and Dawn taking the role of the naive beginner).
[edit] Series episodes
Like many anime metaseries, Pokémon: The Original Series, Pokémon: Advanced Generation Series And Pokémon: Diamond And Pearl Series episodes are split up into smaller series for the English release, usually to denote the areas and adventures going on. Because of this, series are identified by the opening animation used for the episode, rather than a run of a fixed number of episodes. In certain places, the different series are considered different shows altogether, although they involve the same storylines and characters. To date there are 12 total seasons completed, eleven of which have aired in the United States. The twelfth season is currently airing, and will finish the confirmed trilogy of Sinnoh.
| Season Name | Series ID# | Episodes | Region Covered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indigo League | Original Series | 80 (83 in Japan) | Kanto | ||
| Adventures on the Orange Islands | 36 | Orange Islands | |||
| The Johto Journeys | 41 | Johto/Whirl Islands | |||
| Johto League Champions | 52 | ||||
| Master Quest | 64 (65 in Japan) | ||||
| Advanced | Advanced Generation | 40 | Hoenn | ||
| Advanced Challenge | 52 | ||||
| Advanced Battle | 52 (43 in Japan)[note 1] | ||||
| Battle Frontier | 47 (57 in Japan)[note 2] | Kanto Battle Frontier | |||
| Diamond and Pearl | Diamond and Pearl | 51 (52 in Japan) | Sinnoh | ||
| Diamond and Pearl: Battle Dimension | 52[note 3] | ||||
| Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles | Current Status (as of July 11, 2009)
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[edit] Series films
During each season of the main series, a Pokémon feature film (劇場版ポケットモンスター Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā , Pocket Monsters the Movie), starring the main characters from the TV series has been released. As of 2009[update], there have been eleven movies and one feature length TV broadcast (released outside Japan as a direct-to-video movie titled "Mewtwo Returns"), the twelfth is scheduled to be released in July 2009 in Japan. The plot of every movie has involved an encounter with a Legendary Pokémon, although some (such as Lucario) may not conform to a strict definition of the word. The movies are also used to promote new Pokémon that appear in new versions of the game.
The Pokémon movies are also coupled with a short movie starring Ash and Co. and their Pokémon. Each movie until the seventh is preceded by the animated shorts. The shorts are: Pikachu's Summer Vacation, Pikachu's Rescue Adventure, Pikachu and Pichu, Pikachu's Pikaboo, Camp Pikachu, and Gotta Dance.
| Movie | Japanese Title | English Title | Release Date (JP/US) | Legendary Pokémon | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mewtwo's Counterattack ミュウツーの逆襲 |
Mewtwo Strikes Back | July 18, 1998 November 10, 1999 |
Mewtwo Mew |
[2] |
| 2 | Revelation Lugia 幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕 (Mirage Pokémon: Lugia's Explosive Birth) |
The Power of One | July 17, 1999 July 21, 2000 |
Articuno Zapdos Moltres Lugia |
[3] |
| 3 | Lord of the 'UNKNOWN' Tower: Entei (Emperor of The Crystal Tower: ENTEI) 結晶塔の帝王 ENTEI |
Spell of the Unown | July 8, 2000 April 6, 2001 |
Entei Unown |
[4] |
| 4 | Celebi: A Timeless Encounter (Celebi: A Time-Crossing encounter) セレビィ 時を超えた遭遇 |
Celebi: Voice of the Forest | July 7, 2001 October 11, 2002 |
Suicune Celebi |
[5] |
| 5 | The Guardians of Altomare (Guardian Gods of the Capital of Water: Ratiasu and Ratiosu) 水の都の護神 ラティアスとラティオス |
Heroes: Latios and Latias | July 13, 2002 May 16, 2003 |
Latias Latios |
[6] |
| 6 | Wishing Star of the Seven Nights: Jirachi 七夜の願い星 ジラーチ |
Jirachi Wish Maker | July 19, 2003 June 1, 2004 |
Groudon Jirachi |
[7] |
| 7 | Visitor from a Fissure in the Sky: Deoxys (Sky-splitting visitor) 裂空の訪問者 デオキシス |
Destiny Deoxys | July 22, 2004 January 22, 2005 |
Rayquaza Deoxys |
[8] |
| 8 | Mew and the Wave Guiding Hero: Lucario ミュウと波導の勇者 ルカリオ |
Lucario and the Mystery of Mew | July 16, 2005 September 19, 2006 |
Mew Regirock Regice Registeel |
[9] |
| 9 | Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子 マナフィ |
Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea | July 15, 2006 March 23, 2007 |
Kyogre Manaphy |
[10] |
| 10 | Dialga VS. Palkia VS. Darkrai ディアルガVSパルキアVSダークライ |
The Rise of Darkrai | July 14, 2007 February 24, 2008 |
Dialga Palkia Darkrai |
[11] |
| 11 | Giratina and the Sky Bouquet: Shaymin ギラティナと氷空の花束 シェイミ |
Giratina and the Sky Warrior | July 19, 2008 February 13, 2009 |
Dialga Regigigas Giratina Shaymin |
[12][13] |
| 12 | Arceus To the Conquering of Space-Time アルセウス超克の時空へ |
July 18, 2009 April, 2010 |
Dialga Palkia Giratina Arceus Heatran |
[14] |
[edit] Pokémon specials
- The Birth of Mewtwo/The Origin of Mewtwo
- An animated adaptation of the "Birth of Mewtwo" radio drama, which was later attached to the beginning of the first movie for the Japanese video release. A small 3 minute heavily edited version was released on the US version DVDs, while the full uncut version was made available on the Mewtwo Returns DVD
- Slowking's Day
- A short featuring Slowking. It was never released outside of Japan, most likely due to it only being a few minutes long.
- Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns
- A made for television special that followed up on Mewtwo after the events of the first movie.
- Raikou: Legend of Thunder
- A made for television special that showcased the legendary Raikou, as well as brand new trainers. It became the first three episodes of Pokémon Chronicles. This was based on the release of Pokémon Crystal and is called as such in the Japanese title.
- Pikachu's Winter Vacation
- A series of winter themed Pikachu-centered shorts that went directly to video. The first two were part of the Pokémon Chronicles series. This was the only Pokémon DVD not released by Viz Video but rather 4Kids' normal way of releasing DVDs, being released by 4Kids and Funimation.
- Pikachu's Summer Festival
- A short that premiered on ANA flights.
- Pikachu's Ghost Carnival
- The second short premiered on ANA flights.
- Pikachu's Mischievous Island (a/k/a "Pikachu's Island Adventure")
- The third short premiered on ANA flights, and was released in the Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea DVD in the USA.
- Pikachu's Exploration Club
- Pikachu's Great Ice Adventure
- Pikachu's Great Sparking Search
- Pokémon 3D Adventure: Find Mew!
- A Pokémon 3D short that was shown as the PokéPark in Japan in 2005.
- Pokémon 3D Adventure: Pikachu's Big Undersea Adventure
- The second Pokémon 3D short, shown when PokéPark was in Taiwan in 2006.
- The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
- An hour-long TV special commemorating the tenth-anniversary of Pokémon in the United States. It features a variety of Pokémon as artificial and stronger "mirages", including a supposedly "most powerful" Pokémon creation. Pokémon shown to be mirages were Mew, Kabutops, Omastar, Armaldo, Aggron, Aerodactyl, Houndoom, Absol, Mightyena, Machoke, Machamp, Ursaring, Magnemite, Entei, Articuno, Zapdos, and Mewtwo.
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out Of The Gate!
- A special anime based on the new video games which was shown on Cartoon Network in the USA September 8, 2006. The main characters in this special are a boy who was turned into a Squirtle, who formed a team with a naturally born Charmander and Chikorita.
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness
- A sequel to the anime special based on the new video games prior to the Japanese release. The English version was shown on Action Stations! in the UK on July 18, 2008. The USA airing was on September 1, 2008 (Labor Day in the U.S.) on Cartoon Network. This special opens with Grovyle stealing a Time Gear - a circular object that can stop time. The story then switches to the main characters Piplup (who is really a boy turned Pokemon) and Chimchar. Together with Chimchar, they become the exploration group Poképals and work at helping Pokémon who are in need of rescue along with exploring dungeons for treasure. After completing their first mission, to help a Shinx's sister who is very sick, the show ends with an announcement that the Time Gear has been stolen again. Piplup decides to stay with the team in order to help rescue other Pokemon; recover the Time Gear; and find out why he has been turned into a Pokémon. The last scene includes the message "to be continued".
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of the Sky
- A follow-up to Explorers of Time & Darkness, this anime special sees the Poképals teaming with Grovyle to battle with Dusknoir in the Hidden Land to save the world.
[edit] Pokémon Chronicles
Pokémon Chronicles, known in Japan as Shūkan Pokémon Hōsōkyoku (週間ポケモン放送局 "Weekly Pokémon broadcast"), is a closely related spin-off series that airs concurrently with the beginning part of Pokémon: Advanced Generation. The main episodes are stories that star various recurring characters that appeared in Pokémon, some of which account for discontinuities of the plot of Pokémon: Advanced Generation. However, instead of new episodes each week, as is the case with Pokémon: Advanced Generation, other things may air during Pokémon Chronicles, such as reruns of Pokémon episodes, television airings of the Pokémon movies, cast interviews, and live action footage.
[edit] Pokémon Sunday
Pokémon Sunday (Japanese: ポケモン☆サンデー) debuted on TV Tokyo on October 3, 2004. The show is the successor to the Pocket Monsters Encore and the Weekly Pokémon Broadcasting Station. Like the shows before it, Pokémon Sunday is a sort of variety show featuring reruns of old episodes as well as a number of 'Research' episodes involving live-action elements.
[edit] Airing and production
The English adaptation of the series was produced by 4Kids Entertainment and video distribution of the series was handled by Viz Media for the TV series, Warner Bros. and Nintendo for the first three movies and the first television special, Miramax Films, and Buena Vista Home Entertainment for the fourth movie through the seventh, Viz Media for movies eight to ten, and Universal Studios for the eleventh and forthcoming twelfth film. The series and all feature films are directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, with English adaptations originally written by Norman J. Grossfeld and Michael Haigney for the first eight seasons. However, starting with the ninth season, the American branch of The Pokémon Company, Pokémon USA, and TAJ Productions, who worked with 4Kids on the show before taking leave after Season 5, replaced 4Kids as the show's non-Japanese producers and distributors. Most of the original voice cast was also replaced, causing controversy among fans who admired the original voice actors. TAJ was replaced by DuArt Film and Video for the tenth movie and Season 11 of the anime series. In the UK, Pokémon first aired on Sky One, followed by the Saturday morning show SMTV Live and proved to be extraordinarily popular, to the point were segments and sketches of the show itself were based around Pokémon (e.g. the Pokérap).
The show (as of November 8, 2007 in Japan and April 12, 2008 in the United States) started its second season of Diamond and Pearl, subtitled "Pokémon DP Battle Dimension" in the English dub. An English version of Shūkan Pokémon Hōsōkyoku has now been made, titled Pokémon Chronicles which premiered in the UK on Toonami on May 11, 2005 at 4:30 p.m. BST, and is currently airing the 11th season on YTV in Canada. Each season also brings forth a Pokémon feature-length film, and each film up until the seventh is preceded by a Pokémon animated short. Pokémon CD's have been released in conjunction with the anime. The tracks feature songs that have been shown in the English dubbed version of the anime. However, some CDs have been released to promote and profit the anime. Currently in Japan and the United States, the third season of Diamond and Pearl, titled "DP Galatic Battles" is airing in the USA (as of May 9, 2009).
In Japan, both series are shown on TV Tokyo, with Diamond and Pearl airing on Thursday nights (previously Tuesdays) and Pokémon Sunday on Sunday mornings, the former airing in high definition starting April 2009.[15] In the United States, Advanced Generation could previously be seen on the air on the now-defunct Kids' WB! cartoon block on Saturdays, but in April 2006, Kids WB, which continued on the CW Network until 2008, announced the fall schedule and Pokémon was nowhere to be seen, replaced by the WB-created series Legion of Super-Heroes. The rights for Battle Frontier were picked up by TimeWarner's corporate sibling Cartoon Network instead,[16][17] and aired on CN starting September 9, 2006 at 9 a.m. US ET/PT, with a special prime-time episode having been aired the night before (September 8 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, following the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon special. The fourth season of the Advanced Generation series, titled Battle Frontier has been airing in the United Kingdom from February 5, 2007, the show also airs in Canada. In addition, the series is also seen as such on the International Satellite Network.
Cartoon Network's India service, along with their Toonami UK service, also carries Pokémon episodes. As of October 9, 2006, Cartoon Network's online service, Toonami Jetstream, featured Pokémon episodes starting at the Orange League episode "The Pokémon Water War".
The newest series of Pokémon began airing in Japan on September 28, 2006 with a three-episode arc introducing the new series' main female character Dawn (known as Hikari in Japan), based on the playable female player in the Diamond and Pearl games. The new series aired with a sneak preview on April 20, 2007 in the USA. The sneak preview aired on May 5 in Canada. A dubbed version of the 90-minute preview done in Japan, Diamond and Pearl takes place in the Sinnoh region, based on the new Pokémon Diamond and Pearl games. The new series aired in prime time on Cartoon Network starting June 4 at 7:30 PM ET/PT as part of the Cartoon Network Summer 2007 programming promotion. Currently, it airs on Saturday mornings with newer episodes airing at 9:30 AM ET/PT. The summer run was confirmed in the Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea DVD released on April 2 of 2007. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl has also been airing on YTV in Canada since September 8, 2007. May will appear in the 76th episode for Wallace's contest. Max and Misty's statuses are still unknown (Though the latter's Seiyū did hint at one point in her blog that Misty might be appearing in D/P). Dawn is taking their place, while a new rival for Ash, Paul, is also featured along with new villains such as the Pokémon Hunter J and Team Galactic.
In the UK, the first eight series were aired on multiple channels, including ITV1, ITV2, 5 and Sky1. Battle Frontier and Diamond and Pearl were aired on Cartoon Network. The CITV Channel and ITV4 recently showed Battle Frontier episodes for the first time on free TV, on everyday as part of Action Stations!. Battle Dimension started airing in the UK on September 6, 2008, on Jetix, which is advertised confusingly as "the new home for Pokémon in the UK", however episodes airing on Jetix have also aired on CITV and ITV4, with ITV4 sometimes premiering new episodes. Jetix's various European channels also started including Pokemon in their schedules from late 2008, making it the only channel to air the newest Pokemon series in some regions.
[edit] Controversy
Pokémon has had several anime episodes removed from the rotation in Japan, the Western World, or the entire world. The most infamous of these episodes was "Dennou Senshi Porigon" (translates into "Electric Soldier Porygon"). The episode made headlines worldwide when it caused 685 children to experience seizures and seizure-like symptoms caused by a repetitive flash of light. Although the offending sequence was caused by Pikachu's actions, the episode's featured Pokémon, Porygon, has never been seen again in the anime except for one brief cameo appearance in the movie, Pokémon Heroes. Its evolutions Porygon2 and Porygon-Z have never appeared either. On September 1, 2006, China banned the series from prime time broadcasting (from 17:00 to 20:00), similarly to western animated series such as The Simpsons, to protect its struggling animation studios.[18] The ban was later extended by one hour.[19]
[edit] See also
- List of Pokémon characters
- List of Pokémon episodes
- List of Pokémon special episodes
- List of Pokémon theme songs
- Pokémon Chronicles
- Banned episodes of Pokémon
- List of television shows based on video games
[edit] Notes
- ^ The first 12 episodes of the Battle Frontier Saga are fitted into the ending of this season, it is also the last season to be dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment.
- ^ This is first season to contain a new cast and the first to be dubbed by TAJ Productions, until the ending of the next season.
- ^ This is the first season to have voice actors, who have guest staring roles in the 4Kids dub, return, and the first season dubbed by DuArt Film and Video.
[edit] References
- ^ CoroCoro Comic
- ^ Mewtwo Strikes Back
- ^ Revelation Lugia
- ^ Lord of the Unknown Tower
- ^ Celebi: A Timeless Encounter
- ^ Guardians of the Water Capital: Latias and Latios
- ^ Wishing Star of Seven Nights
- ^ Sky-Splitting Visitor: Deoxys
- ^ Mew and the Wave Guiding Hero: Lucario
- ^ Pokémon Ranger and Prince of the Sea
- ^ Dialga VS Palkia VS Darkrai
- ^ Giratina and the Bouquet of the Sky: Shaymin
- ^ Sarah's Resume reveals Movie 11 title
- ^ Arceus Chōkoku no Jikū e
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Pokémon: Battle Frontier" Coming to Cartoon Network This Fall, Toon Zone. URL last accessed March 4, 2007.
- ^ Mailbag: A Very Special Episode!, Pokémon.com. URL last accessed March 4, 2007.
- ^ China Bans 'Simpsons' From Prime-Time TV
- ^ China Extends Prime-time Ban on Foreign Cartoons
[edit] External links
[edit] Japan
- Pokémon Japanese website
- TV Tokyo Pokémon anime webpage
- TV Tokyo Diamond and Pearl website
- TV Tokyo Pokémon AG anime webpage
[edit] United States
- Official Pokémon USA website
- Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl on Cartoon Network
- Archive of the 4Kids corporate page about Pokémon anime
- Bulbapedia: The Pokémon Encyclopedia
- Pokémon at the Open Directory Project
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