Pokémon in Greater China: Difference between revisions

|EP001=November 16, 1998 {{tt|*|Hong Kong}}<br>November 28, 1998 {{tt|*|Taiwan (CTV)}}<br>December 1998 {{tt|*|mainland China}}

|AG001=December 13, 2003 {{tt|*|Taiwan (CTV)}}<br>March 4, 2007 {{tt|*|Hong Kong}}

|DP001=October 28, 2007 {{tt|*|Taiwan (CTV)}}<br>June 20, 2010 {{tt|*|Hong Kong (Jade)}}<br>July 3, 2011 {{tt|*|Mainland China (CCTV6)}}

|BW001=January 28, 2011 {{tt|*|Taiwan (MOD)}}<!--br>July 7, 2011 {{tt|*|Taiwan (YoYo)}}--><br>November 19, 2011 {{tt|*|Hong Kong (Jade)}}<br>December <!--26(?), -->2012 {{tt|*|Mainland China (iQiyi)}}

|XY001=July 13, 2014 {{tt|*|Hong Kong (Jade)}}<br>August 3, 2014 {{tt|*|Taiwan (YoYo)}}

|SM001=January 28, 2017 {{tt|*|Taiwan (MOMO Kids)}}

The [[Pokémon]] ('''{{tt|精靈寶可夢 / 精灵宝可梦|Jīnglíng Pokémon / Jēnglìhng Pokémon}}''') franchise first reached '''{{wp|Greater China}}''' in 1998.

Since the release of {{g|Sun and Moon}} in 2016, the official Chinese translation of Pokémon has been unified under the name {{tt|精靈寶可夢 / 精灵宝可梦|Jīnglíng Pokémon / Jēnglìhng Pokémon}}, a combination of the words {{tt|精靈 / 精灵|Jīnglíng / Jēnglìhng}} (creature) and {{tt|寶可夢 / 宝可梦|Bǎokěmèng / Bóuhómuhng}} (approximate transliteration of Pokémon). According to [[Tsunekazu Ishihara]], the intention of the rename is to keep the pronunciation of "Pokémon" consistent throughout the world. However, the new name still takes its former translations into account by incorporating parts from the two into it<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWSCYwGkCkY February 2016 Pokémon Direct]</ref>.

The current name was first introduced in Mainland China on December 2010. Following the announcement of the rename, Pokémon Adventures received a reprint with updated translations, while iQiyi gradually uploaded the anime series for streaming under the new title. In addition, Takara Tomy had also released a new line of Pokémon toys from the ''Best Wishes'' series. On July 10, 2015, a special event was also held during the premiere of [[M17]] in Shanghai to promote the new name<ref>[https://52poke.com/post/3461/ 精灵宝可梦大陆地区正式名称发表会]</ref>.  

Prior to Sun and Moon, Pokémon was officially translated as {{tt|神奇寶貝|Shénqí Bǎobèi (''magical creatures'')}} in Taiwan and {{tt|寵物小精靈|Chúngmaht Síujīnglīng (''pet creatures'')}} (commonly abbreviated as {{tt|小精靈|Síujīnglīng}}) in Hong Kong. According to the opening text and narrations in the Taiwanese dub, the term 神奇寶貝 is a contraction of the phrase 「{{tt|神奇的口袋中的寶貝|Shénqí-de kǒudài zhōng de bǎobèi}}」 ("the magical creatures in the pocket"). Nintendo had previously used both translations on its official website prior to X and Y. The [[Pokémon.com]] page for Hong Kong used the former Hong Kong name in early 2016, while the Japanese {{OBP|Pokémon Center|store}} website used the former Taiwanese name in its FAQ page before 2014 and the Chinese-langauge [[Pokémon Store]] page continues to use it. However, since the announcement of the new Chinese translation of Pokémon (精靈寶可夢 / 精灵宝可梦), the ''[[XY series|Pocket Monsters XY&Z]]'' season, [[M19]] and Adventures manga distributed in Taiwan and Hong Kong remains translated under their respective former translation. In 2017, the  ''[[Sun & Moon series|Pocket Monsters Sun & Moon]]'' anime released in Taiwan finally used the new Chinese translation of Pokémon (精靈寶可夢), along with the other official translations that are used in {{g|Sun and Moon}} provided by Nintendo HK.

In Mainland China, from 1998 to 2000, the Cantonese name {{tt|宠物小精灵|Chǒngwù Xiǎojīnglíng}} was used; from 2000 to 2010, starting when Jilin acquired the rights to publish [[Pokémon Adventures]], the Taiwanese name {{tt|神奇宝贝|Shénqí Bǎobèi}} was used; in 2010, the name was changed to the current name, {{tt|精灵宝可梦|Jīnglíng Pokémon}}.

The rename of the series has met some criticism among the fanbase, particularly in Hong Kong where it became a topic of socio-cultural and political controversy<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-36414978 BBC: Why the plan to rename Pikachu has made Hong Kong angry

]</ref>. Fans have taken complaints the name change to Nintendo HK's Facebook page, pointing out that its Cantonese translation did not match local pronunciation and citing examples of other franchise where various regions received its own localization. On May 31, 2016, members of a radical political group named {{wp|Civic Passion}} protested {{p|Pikachu}}'s name change outside the Japanese consulate in Central, Hong Kong, as its original Cantonese name {{tt|比卡超|Béikāchīu}} was changed to its Mandarin name {{tt|皮卡丘|Pèihkāyāu, pronounced Píkǎqiū in Mandarin}}.

[[Pokémon Sun and Moon]] are the only set of games to be officially translated into Chinese, available in both {{wp|Traditional Chinese characters|Traditional}} and {{wp|Simplified Chinese characters|Simplified}} characters. In the years prior to the release of the Chinese localizations, only the Japanese and English versions of the video games were made available in Taiwan and Hong Kong, while video games were banned in Mainland China around that period<ref>[http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2000/content_60240.htm 电子游戏经营场所专项治理意见的通知]</ref>.<!-- Two subsidiaries of Nintendo, Nintendo Phuten and Nintendo (Hong Kong), distributes the Japanese and English versions of the video games in their respective region. The video games were originally distributed by MANI Limited in Hong Kong until 2012. Nintendo Phuten was later merged with Nintendo HK--> The release came two years after the lifting of the 14-year ban of video games in Mainland China<ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/china-lifts-14-year-ban-on-gaming-consoles-2015-7 China has finally lifted its 14-year ban on video games]</ref>.

The Mandarin (Taiwan) dub of the [[Pokémon anime]] and [[Pokémon movie]] is currently distributed by Mighty Media ({{tt|曼迪傳播|Màndí Chuánbò}}), with the Cantonese {{tt|translation|dubbed by TV station}} of the anime distributed by its subsidiary, Mighty Media Hong Kong ({{tt|曼迪香港|Maahndihk Hēunggóng}}). The Cantonese dub of the movie is distributed by Universe International Financial Holdings Limited ({{tt|寰宇國際金融控股有限公司|Wàahnyúh Gwokjai Gāmyùhng Hunggú Yáuhhaahngūngsī}}). Previously, the Cantonese {{tt|translation|dubbed by TV station}} of the anime and the Mandarin (Taiwan) dub of both the anime and movie were distributed by Top Insight ({{tt|群英社|Qúnyīng Shè / Kwàhnyīng Séh}}). Moreover, the Cantonese {{tt|translation|dubbed by TV station}} was initially handled by Medialink Animation International Ltd. ({{tt|羚邦國際|Lìhngbōng Gwokjai}}), but had already lost the rights to distribute the anime after [[EP076]]. The most recent Mandarin (Mainland China) dubs are recorded and produced by Beijing DynamicMedia Co., Ltd. ({{tt|北京迪美文化发展有限公司|Běijīng Díměiwénhuà Fāzhǎn Yǒuxiàngōngsī}}). <!--The first three season was also dubbed by 辽艺--> All dubs of the anime are mainly based on the original Japanese version. The anime has aired in several different channels, such as {{wp|China Television}}, {{wp|EBC Yoyo|YoYoTV}}, MOMO Kids, {{wp|Cartoon Network}}, and {{wp|Chunghwa Telecom|MOD}} in Taiwan, {{wp|TVB Jade}}, TVB Kids, {{wp|Asia Television|aTV}} and {{wp|Cable TV Hong Kong|Hong Kong Cable}} in Hong Kong, and {{wp|CCTV-6}} in mainland China.

With the exception of summarizing episodes, [[side story episodes]], the infamous [[EP038]], ''[[The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon]]'', and the [[clip show]]s, all episodes and the first nineteen {{pkmn|movie}}s have been dubbed into both Mandarin and Cantonese.

In Taiwan, all episodes prior to the ''[[Sun & Moon series|Pocket Monsters Sun & Moon]]'' season have been aired, with the ''Pocket Monsters Sun & Moon'' season currently on air. Nineteen [[Pokémon movie]]s have also been released, with [[M13|the thirteenth movie]] released just 20 days after the Japanese premiere. Subsequent films were released within a few months after the Japanese premiere.

In Hong Kong, all episodes prior to the ''[[XY series|Pocket Monser XY&Z]]'' season have been aired, with the ''Pocket Monser XY&Z'' season currently on air. The [[BW001|first episode]] of the Best Wishes series premiered on November 19, 2011, while the first episode of the XY series has premiered on July 13, 2014. Nineteen [[Pokémon movie]]s have also been released.

 

In mainland China, Pokémon anime returned after three years of hiatus when the {{series|Diamond & Pearl}} (精灵宝可梦 DP：钻石与珍珠) premiered on July 3, 2011. The show went on an indefinite hiatus after airing only 27 episodes. On December 2012, iQiyi put the first 84 episodes of the Taiwanese dub of Best Wishes up for online legal viewing, with episodes from the BW Season 2 and the original series added in the subsequent months. The series is released under the title 精灵宝可梦 超级愿望. Episodes of the original series, ''Advanced Generation'' series, and ''Diamond and Pearl'' series were later added.

|黃玉娟 ''Wòhng Yuhkgyūn'' (Xenia Wong){{tt|*|BW025 - present (TVB)}}<br>陳凱婷 ''Chàhn Hóitìhng'' (Joyce Chan){{tt|*|EP260 - BW024 (TVB) & M10}}<br>盧素娟 ''Lòuh Sougyūn'' (Doris Lo){{tt|*|EP001 - EP259 (TVB) & M01 - M03}}<br>吳小藝 ''Ngh Síungaih''{{tt|*|EP053 - EP155 (aTV/Cable) & M04 - M09, M11- M16}}<br>陳安瑩 ''Chàhn Ōnyìhng''{{tt|*|Original series (DVD/VCD)}}

|王小燕 ''Wáng Xiǎoyàn''{{tt|*|DP series}}

|

|

|

|

| style="background:#FFF" |  

Mighty Media Co., Ltd. currently holds the license to distribute the Pokémon anime and movies in Taiwan.

In mainland China, Pokémon Pocket Monsters and its sequel [[Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire]] have also been translated. [[Ash & Pikachu]], Pokémon Getto da Ze!, and [[Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys]] have also been translated as well. Pokémon Adventures was also previously translated by China Light Industry Press (轻工业出版社) under its Cantonese name before 2000. While the Cantonese term of Pokémon is used in that translation, all other names and terminologies were based on the Taiwanese translation. As Jilin took over in 2000, it was renamed to the Taiwanese translation for consistency. As of 2011, it was renamed to its current name.  

In Hong Kong, most of the manga sold in Taiwan are also sold there, as Ching Win Publishing Group also owns the distribution rights of the manga in Hong Kong. However, the names are given some changes due to difference in the dialect and terminologies between the two regions, and is translated completely seperately by its Hong Kong subsidiary, Hong Kong Ching Win Publishing Co., Ltd., with {{tt|神奇寶貝|Pokémon}} changed to {{tt|寵物小精靈|Pokémon}} being one of the major changes. [[Pokémon Pocket Monsters]], [[Magical Pokémon Journey]], [[The Electric Tale of Pikachu]], and [[Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All]] were all translated by Da Ran Culture (Hong Kong) (大然文化（香港）). As the company had become defunct since 2003, the sequels of Pokémon Pocket Monsters such as Pocket Monsters Ruby and Sapphire were taken over by Ching Win Publishing Group. The [[Pocket Monsters Film Comic]] series of books was translated into Cantonese by Viz Communication China (H.K.) Ltd.

| {{tt|精灵宝可梦特别篇|2011 - current}}<br>{{tt|神奇宝贝特别篇|2000 - 2010}}<br>{{tt|宠物小精灵特别篇|1998 - 1999}}

The Pokémon Trading Card Games (集換式卡片遊戲) are available in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Mainland China with most of the cards, boosters, and theme decks nearly identical to the ones that were released internationally. Cards released in Hong Kong and Taiwan are printed in Traditional Chinese characters with minor grammatical and naming differences, while the mainland versions are printed in Simplified characters. In addition to the Hong Kong releases, English versions of the cards have also been released in Hong Kong as well, and are often displayed on Hong Kong's official Pokémon website. Although the Trading Card Games exist in all three areas, only Hong Kong actually takes part in the worldwide tournaments.

[[Pokémon Tretta]] (PokémonTRETTA) was released in Taiwan on April 2016.

===Pokémon===

* [http://www.pokemon-sunmoon-cn.com/tc/ Pokémon Sun and Moon website (Traditional Chinese)]

* [http://www.pokemon-sunmoon-cn.com/sc/ Pokémon Sun and Moon website (Simplified Chinese)]