Pokémon anime

Revision as of 21:53, 15 January 2013 by Torpoleon (talk | contribs) (→‎Best Wishes series: Very minor thing I just realized)

The Pokémon anime, often referred to as just "the anime" by Pokémon fans, is a collective term referring to currently 263 main series episodes, 29 movies, and a number of side-story episodes, all focusing on Pokémon. The great majority of these focus on Ash Ketchum, a Pokémon Trainer from Pallet Town, and his journey toward his ultimate goal of being a Pokémon Master, his many friends, and most especially his Pokémon, who he considers his partners and friends.

Early anime frame from EP093

Though the anime is ultimately based upon the games and draws heavily from them, many concepts which are only touched on the games are spun in a unique way, and expanded on.

The anime is now broadcasted in 74[1] different countries, many times being dubbed into other languages for different locales.

Overview

From the very first episode, Ash has been the central character, making his goal of becoming a Pokémon Master known to all he meets. Though initially, he only became a Pokémon Trainer with the goal of beating his rival, Gary Oak, the many Pokémon Ash has met over his journey have shown him what being a Pokémon Master really is. Unlike most Trainers from Pallet, and indeed, unlike players of Pokémon Red, Green, and Blue and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Ash did not start his journey with Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle, as he arrived late to Professor Oak's lab to receive his starter Pokémon. Instead, Ash was given the only Pokémon Oak had left to give, a Pikachu that did not enjoy being inside its Poké Ball, and from there Ash learned to treat his Pokémon as partners, earning Pikachu's trust by keeping it safe from a flock of Spearow he angered.

Since then, Ash has journeyed across all five of the regions that appear in the main series games, as well as the Orange Archipelago, a region he visited before beginning his journey in Johto until it was closer in time to the real world release of Pokémon Gold and Silver. In each, he battles against the native Gym Leaders for their Badges, as do Trainers in the main series games, to compete in the regional Pokémon League, a tournament, rather than five battles straight against the Elite Four and Champion. While his initial strategy was to continue using the same party over the course of his journey, letting some Pokémon go when they were required to do something or wanted to train, he has, since his journey in Hoenn, changed strategy, and now uses only those Pokémon which he has caught in the region, alongside Pikachu, to battle against Gym Leaders, with his explanation to Dawn being that he wants to prove to the young, unevolved Pokémon he meets in each new region that they can win if they try.

Over the course of the series, Ash has had several friends who travel with him, typically across one region, who assist him in his journey as much as he assists in theirs. Misty, the Gym Leader from Cerulean City in the games, joins him in the original series, as does Brock, Pewter City's Gym Leader, in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Tracey Sketchit, an amateur Pokémon Watcher, joins Ash during his Orange Archipelago journey, but leaves him on Ash's return to Pallet to become an assistant to Professor Oak, his hero. May and Dawn, rookie Coordinators, join Ash for the duration of the Advanced Generation and Diamond & Pearl series, respectively; in these he mentors them much as Brock and Misty did him, while Max, May's brother, who is too young to own Pokémon, looks up to Ash for the duration of the Advanced Generation series. Iris and Cilan travel with Ash in the Best Wishes series.

The anime is produced in Japan, and airs on TV Tokyo nearly every Thursday at 7 PM, as it has since the Porygon incident was resolved. It aired on Tuesdays at the same time prior to this. Many fans consider the dialog and events mentioned in the Japanese version to be the "true canon", while the various dubs are regarded to be overridden if something stated in them differs from something said in a Japanese episode.

In Japan, the anime is divided into four series: Pocket Monsters, Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation, Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl and Pocket Monsters Best Wishes. Outside of it, these four have always been further divided into seasons spanning roughly 52 episodes, and currently numbering fifteen. This concept of a television season was first embraced by the Japanese source with the inclusion of an explicitly second season to Best Wishes. The show is mainly aimed at children, and as such, mature topics such as death are not often brought up, though sometimes they appear in movies. There are generally some references meant for adults, though these are kept to a minimum especially outside of Japan.

Television series

Original series

Japan US
Theme song First episode Season Theme song First episode
 
Aim to Be a Pokémon Master
 
EP001
 
Indigo League
 
Pokémon Theme
 
EP001
 
The Rivals
 
EP081
 
Adventures in the Orange Islands
 
Pokémon World
 
EP082
 
OK!
 
EP117
 
The Johto Journeys
 
Pokémon Johto
 
EP117
 
ATBAPM Whiteberry
 
EP192
 
Johto League Champions
 
Born to Be a Winner
 
EP158
 
Ready Go!
 
EP239
 
Master Quest
 
Believe in Me
 
EP210

Advanced Generation series

Japan US
Theme song First episode Season Theme song First episode
 
Advance Adventure
 
AG001
 
Advanced
 
I Wanna Be a Hero
 
AG001
 
Challenger!!
 
AG070
 
Advanced Challenge
 
This Dream
 
AG041
 
Pokémon Symphonic Medley
 
AG105
 
Advanced Battle
 
Unbeatable
 
AG093
 
Battle Frontier
 
AG135
 
Spurt!
 
AG166
 
Battle Frontier
 
Battle Frontier
 
AG146

Diamond & Pearl series

Japan US
Theme song First episode Season Theme song First episode
 
Together
 
DP001
 
Diamond and Pearl
 
Diamond and Pearl
 
DP001
 
Battle Dimension
 
We Will Be Heroes
 
DP053
 
High Touch!
 
DP096
 
Galactic Battles
 
Battle Cry - (Stand Up!)
 
DP105
 
The Greatest - Everyday!
 
DP158
 
Sinnoh League Victors
 
We Will Carry On!
 
DP158

Best Wishes series

Japan US
Season Theme song First episode Season Theme song First episode
 
Best Wishes!
 
Best Wishes!
 
BW001
 
Black & White
 
Black and White
 
BW001
 
Rival Destinies
 
Rival Destinies
 
BW049
 
Best Wishes! Season 2
 
Be an Arrow!
 
BW085
 
Best Wishes! Season 2: Episode N
 
TBA
 
BW109
 
Adventures in Unova
 
TBA
 
BW098

Side series

Japanese name Japanese run English name English run
ポケットモンスター アンコール
Pocket Monsters Encore
October 19, 1999 — September 17, 2002
週刊ポケモン放送局
Weekly Pokémon Broadcasting Station
October 15, 2002 — September 28, 2004 Pokémon Chronicles June 3, 2006 — September 30, 2006
ポケモン☆サンデー
Pokémon Sunday
October 3, 2004 — September 26, 2010
ポケモンスマッシュ!
Pokémon Smash
October 3, 2010 — present

Movies

Main article: Pokémon movie

Since 1998 in Japan, and since 1999 in the US, a Pokémon movie has been released annually, most often focusing on a legendary Pokémon. These movies are almost always a large success in Japan, and remain at least somewhat successful in the US and other countries, having been aired on Cartoon Network as a special since the ninth movie, and having theatrical releases during the first five seasons.

The movies are not considered by all Pokémon fans to be canon to the show, with some preferring to think of them occurring in an alternate timeline. This theory comes from the fact that Ash and his friends do not seem to be profoundly affected in the show by the events of the movies, which tend to have a lot of peril and drama. Others, however, see the movies as being akin to filler episodes, as none of their parties change, and no Gym Leaders are defeated nor Contests won. This is presumably the correct interpretation, as not only have most of the events of the movies been referenced at least peripherally in the show, but also, several of the events of even major episodes have been forgotten by the writers of later episodes.

Original series

Japan Pikachu Project US
Japanese title Release date English title Release date
 
ミュウツーの逆襲
Mewtwo's Counterattack
July 18, 1998  
Pikachu Project 1998
 
Mewtwo Strikes Back
November 12, 1999
 
幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕
Phantom Pokémon: Lugia's Explosive Birth
July 17, 1999  
Pikachu Project 1999
 
The Power of One
July 21, 2000
 
結晶塔の帝王爆誕
Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei
July 8, 2000  
Pikachu Project 2000
 
Spell of the Unown
April 6, 2001
 
セレビィ時を超えた遭遇
Celebi: An Encounter Through Time
July 7, 2001  
Pikachu Project 2001
 
Celebi: Voice of the Forest
October 11, 2002
 
水の都の護神 ラティアスとラティオス
Guardian Gods of the City of Water: Latias and Latios
July 13, 2002  
Pikachu Project 2002
 
Pokémon Heroes
May 16, 2003

Advanced Generation series

Japan Pikachu Project US
Japanese title Release date English title Release date
 
七夜の願い星 ジラーチ
Wishing Star of the Seven Nights: Jirachi
July 19, 2003  
Pikachu Project 2003
 
Jirachi: Wish Maker
June 1, 2004
 
裂空の訪問者 デオキシス
Sky-Splitting Visitor: Deoxys
July 17, 2004  
Pikachu Project 2004
 
Destiny Deoxys
January 22, 2005
 
ミュウと波導の勇者 ルカリオ
Mew and the Wave-Guiding Hero: Lucario
July 16, 2005  
Pikachu Project 2005
 
Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
September 19, 2006
 
ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子 マナフィ
Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy
July 15, 2006  
Pikachu Project 2006
 
Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
March 23, 2007

Diamond & Pearl series

Japan Pikachu Project US
Japanese title Release date English title Release date
 
ディアルガVSパルキアVSダークライ
Dialga VS Palkia VS Darkrai
July 14, 2007 Pikachu the Movie
Pikachu Project 2007
 
The Rise of Darkrai
February 24, 2008
 
ギラティナと氷空の花束 シェイミ
Giratina and the Sky's Bouquet: Shaymin
July 19, 2008  
Pikachu Project 2008
 
Giratina and the Sky Warrior
March 31, 2009
 
アルセウス 超克の時空へ
Arceus: To a Conquering Spacetime
July 18, 2009 Pikachu the Movie
Pikachu Project 2009
 

Arceus and the Jewel of Life

November 20, 2009
 
幻影の覇者ゾロアーク
Ruler of Illusions: Zoroark
July 10, 2010 Pikachu the Movie
Pikachu Project 2010
 
Zoroark: Master of Illusions
February 5, 2011

Best Wishes series

Japan Pikachu Project US
Japanese title Release date English title Release date
 
ビクティニと黒き英雄ゼクロム
Victini and the Black Hero: Zekrom
July 16, 2011 Pikachu the Movie
Pikachu Project 2011
 

White—Victini and Zekrom

December 3, 2011 *
December 10, 2011*
 
ビクティニと白き英雄レシラム
Victini and the White Hero: Reshiram
 

Black—Victini and Reshiram

 
キュレムVS聖剣士ケルディオ
Kyurem VS the Sacred Swordsman: Keldeo
July 14, 2012 Pikachu the Movie
Pikachu Project 2012
 

Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice

December 8, 2012
 
キュレムVS聖剣士ケルディオ
Extreme Speed Genesect
July 13, 2013 Pikachu the Movie
Pikachu Project 2013
TBA

Trivia

  • Animator Masāki Iwane 岩根正明 once stated that the series was originally slated for a 1½-year run, which corresponds approximately to the length of the Kanto region saga (had it not been delayed due to the Porygon incident). Due to its popularity during the run, however, the show was extended and continues to be one of the longest running video game-based anime series.
  • During the early episodes of the anime, Japanese text was seen quite frequently on signs and buildings as well as objects. This usually resulted in the dubbed versions painting out the text or converting it to their respective languages. In more recent episodes, the animators have replaced the Japanese text with made-up symbols that would be universal to all languages so that it would not have to be edited for each country it aired in.

Related articles

References

External links

On Bulbagarden forums

  This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.