Pokémon world in relation to the real world: Difference between revisions

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This article contains fan speculation. There is no solid evidence for or against some parts of this article.

The map of Japan showing the four main Japanese Pokémon regions.

The designs of five of the major Pokémon regions—Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova—are strikingly similar in geography and demographics to regions in the real world, and sometimes even officially stated to be based on certain locations. The first four regions are based on smaller regions in Japan, while Unova is based on the New York metropolitan area.

Main regions

Kanto

The Kantō region of Japan is not only identical in name to Kanto in the Pokémon world, it is also very similar geographically; however, the western part of the game map corresponds to eastern Chūbu.

Sevii Islands

The Sevii Islands are based on two archipelagos off the coast of Tokyo: the Izu Islands (伊豆諸島) and the Bonin Islands (小笠原諸島).

Johto

In Japan, the Kanto region is often contrasted with Kansai, which is like Johto, to the west. However, Johto is geographically more similar to Kansai and western Chubu combined.

Hoenn

Hoenn is based on the southernmost parts of Japan - Kyūshū and surrounding islands.

Sinnoh

Sinnoh has been said to be an island like Hoenn, rather than a peninsula. It is based on the northernmost major island of Japan, Hokkaido. Part of Sakhalin (Japanese: 樺太 Karafuto) and Kunashir Island (Japanese: 国後島 Kunashiri Island), territories which are in dispute between Russia and Japan, are also included.

Unova

Unova has been said to be significantly distant from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Instead of being based on an area of Japan, Unova is based on the Manhattan area of New York City.

Side regions

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.

The city of Phoenix in the U.S. state of Arizona has been confirmed as the basis for Orre.^[1]

Almia appears to be based on the Matsumae Peninsula, Kameda Peninsula, and Oshima Peninsula of Hokkaido, Japan.

Landscape

While the above locations are meant to correspond to the different regions of Japan, great liberties were taken with the design of their landscape. Some of the designers have admitted to drawing inspiration from real-world locations outside Japan, especially with locations shown in Pokémon movies.

Pokémon world		Inspiration		Notes
	Alto Mare	Venice	Italy
	Forina	Wulingyuan	China
LaRousse City	LaRousse City	Vancouver	British Columbia, Canada
	Sootopolis City	Santorini	Greece
Porta Vista	Porta Vista	Acapulco	Mexico
	Pastoria City	Boston	Massachusetts, United States	While not mentioned specifically, Pastoria has some similarities with Boston and the surrounding area. A good portion of the city is built on fens, there are multiple national parks in the suburbs of outside the city, specifically in towns like Duxbury, Massachusetts and Marshfield, Massachusetts.
	Alamos Town	Barcelona	Spain	The Space-Time Towers are based on the uncompleted church of Sagrada Familia.
	Hollywood	Hollywood	California, United States	Hollywood, as most would suggest upon first seeing it, is based on Hollywood, the most well-known district of Los Angeles, California. In the dub, it is directly stated that it is located in California.
	Ten'i Village	Geiranger	Norway	A village in the eleventh movie Giratina and the Sky Warrior, which was nearly destroyed by a glacier, is based on a town in Norway, which is threatened by the possibility of the mountain eroding into the fjord.
	Michina Town	Meteora	Greece	Its landscape, which is filled with huge pillar shaped rock formations, resembles Meteora. Also, the architecture of the temples resembles that of ancient Greek temples.
	Crown City	Amsterdam	The Netherlands	Its modern buildings are based on the many new and modern buildings in parts of the city, and the Pokémon Baccer stadium is based on the ArenA, the city's local football stadium.
	Eindoak Town	Gourdon, Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Mont Saint-Michel	France

Real-world locations mentioned

Chinese noodles

Mewtwo overlooking a "far away city" at the end of Mewtwo Returns

• Lt. Surge is known as "The Lightning American!"
• Game Freak's offices are present in the Celadon Condominiums, the equivalent location of their real-world office in Carrot Tower. Likewise, they have a building in Castelia City, and are found on 22F, the same floor that their offices are on in Carrot Tower.
• Mew was originally discovered in the jungles of the South American country Guyana. This is mentioned in logs inside of Cinnabar Island's Pokémon Mansion.
• Both Articuno and Beartic's names are derived from a real-world location, the Arctic.
• Arcanine's Yellow, Stadium, Gold, FireRed, and HeartGold Pokédex entries state that it is mentioned in Chinese legends.
• Parasect's Stadium, and FireRed Pokédex entries mention that its spores are used in medicine in China.
• Ponyta's Stadium Pokédex entry mention that it can clear the Eiffel Tower (Tokyo Tower in the original Japanese version) in one leap. Also, its FireRed entry says that it can clear Ayers Rock in one leap.
• In School of Hard Knocks, Misty fantasizes about Paris and the Eiffel Tower.
• In The Ninja Poké-Showdown, James says that the Fuchsia Gym looks like a Japanese restaurant.
• In the English version of The March of the Exeggutor Squad, Melvin says he wanted to make it to Las Vegas. In the Japanese version, he said that he wanted to make it to Broadway.
• In The Evolution Solution, Meowth says, "Keep digging till you hit China!" to Jessie and James, who were digging for clam shells.
• In Mewtwo Strikes Back, Team Rocket are disguised as Vikings. In the English dub, Brock says that he didn't know that Vikings still existed and Ash replies that they "mostly live in Minnesota." This is clearly a reference to the Minnesota Vikings football team.

• In the Swedish dub of the movie, Ash says that they come from Norway, a reference to the Norse Vikings who lived from the 8th to the 11th century.
• In the Danish dub of the movie, Ash tells Brock that the Vikings are mostly on trips in Sweden, again referring to the Norse Vikings.

• In the first movie, Meowth mentioned that they lived on the same Earth (though he may have been referring to the soil rather than the literal planet Earth).
• In the William Shakespeare-inspired episode Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?, Misty described the town as like being in "merry old England."
• In Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, Webster, the guard in the gate north of Goldenrod City, will give the player a Spearow holding mail to deliver. The Spearow is nicknamed Kenya, the name of a country in Africa.
• Poliwrath's Gold, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, Black, and White Pokédex entries mention its ability to swim the Pacific Ocean. Also, the direction of a Poliwrath's spirals depends on its geographical location.
• Xatu's Silver, FireRed, and SoulSilver Pokédex entries mention that South Americans say that it can see both the future and past.
• In the TCG Lucky Stadium (Neo Destiny 100) card, there is a promotional New York City print with a Pichu and a Pikachu flying on a Charizard in New York City, with the Empire State Building visible in the background.
• At the end of Mewtwo Returns, Mewtwo is shown overlooking a "far away city" that greatly resembles New York City. Buildings similar to the Chrysler Building and the MetLife Building are visible in the distance.
• In Can't Beat the Heat, Ash's Charizard uses Seismic Toss. Normally, a cloudy globe can be seen, but this time the Pacific Ocean and Australia are prominent. This also happens in Volcanic Panic and the introduction to Mewtwo Strikes Back.
• In the Generation III games, Blaine refers to Kyoto in the original Japanese version.
• Delibird's Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald Pokédex entries explain that a Delibird helped a famous explorer reach the top of Mt. Everest.
• According to a Scientist in FireRed and LeafGreen, Silph Co. has a branch in Tiksi, Russia.
• Regice's Emerald Pokédex entry mentions Antarctic ice.
• In the English dub of The Scheme Team, Jessie talks about Antarctica, the place where their next assignment is located.
• In the movie Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, Kidd's boss's office is in a city that resembles New York City.
• In Pasta La Vista!, an ad in May's food guidebook mentions "Chinese Noodles."
• In Pokémon Heroes, Misty makes a direct reference to the Earth, saying "the Earth is so pretty."
• A Guitarist that can be battled in the Battle Frontier mentions that his guitar is actually a Japanese instrument.
• Upon defeating Fisherman Bronson in the Sinnoh Battle Tower, he will say, "Why the emperor of fishing? It's an ancient Chinese legend..."
• In Movie Time! Zorua in "The Legend of the Pokémon Knight"!, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe were seen on a movie poster.

Real-world people and cultures mentioned

• The main series games have featured staff members of Game Freak that typically reward the player for completing the National Pokédex, or occasionally through alternative methods. Shigeki Morimoto can actually be battled in the Generation V games.
• In Pokémon Shipwreck, Brock directly refers to the tale of Noah who sent a dove to find dry land after a great flood, according to most Abrahamic religions.
• The Japanese version of the song Team Rocket Forever includes the lines 「ムサシ!/コジロウ!/関門海峡/門司/下関」"Musashi!/Kojirō!/Kanmon Straits.../Moji.../Shimonoseki...", referencing the famous duel that Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojirō (the name basis for Jessie and James's Japanese names, Musashi and Kojirō) fought on an island in the Kanmon Straits, which is located between Moji and Shimonoseki.
• A Team Rocket Grunt mentions the hula dance to a Kimono Girl while in the Ecruteak Dance Theater.
• In Celebi: Voice of the Forest, Meowth asks if they saw the Iron-Masked Marauder in a Mexican wrestling movie.
• In A Bite to Remember, Jessie says that Albert Einstein created the light bulb. Max corrects her, saying that Thomas Edison was the creator.
• NPCs in the main series games are regularly named after real-world people, one of the less ambiguous examples being Guitarist Iggy, who can be fought at the Generation IV Battle Frontier.

Other mentions to the real world

• In all of the main series games, and some side series games, there is a Nintendo gaming console in the player's bedroom. This is a reference to the real-world gaming company that owns the franchise.
• In Generation I-IV games, getting a triple seven on a slot machine gets the player a jackpot, just like in the real world.
• Raichu and Gastly's [[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions|FireRed Pokédex entries mention both Pokémon being able to easily knock out an Indian Elephant, an actual animal.
• The Arceus event that takes place in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver includes real life pictures in the game.
• In Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief!, a painting within the resort created by Beheeyem bears a striking resemblance to Relativity by M. C. Escher.

References