List of references to popular culture in Pokémon

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

References to other franchises in the Pokémon franchise are occasionally made.

Pokémon

• Snorlax's Japanese name, カビゴン Kabigon, is derived from Kōji Nishino's nickname of "Kirby" (Japanese: カービィ Kābī), which in turn is derived from the video game character of the same name. According to an interview by Game Informer, Junichi Masuda stated that Nishino, the main inspiration for Snorlax, used to be called "Kirby" during the development of Pokémon Red and Green because of his large appetite.
• According to James Turner in a series of now-deleted tweets, Vanilluxe's design is based on American food mascots such as the Pillsbury Doughboy or Grimace, as well as the "Stay-Puft" Marshmallow Man from the 1984 supernatural comedy film Ghostbusters.
• According to Ken Sugimori, the Swords of Justice are based on the main characters of the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: Cobalion represents Athos, Terrakion represents Porthos, and Virizion represents Aramis. Additionally, while not explicitly stated, Keldeo may be based on d'Artagnan, which, like Keldeo, is the youngest and most recent member of the group.
• Celesteela may be based on Princess Kaguya from The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, which was said to have been discovered as a baby inside a bamboo stalk, and was revealed to hail from the Moon. This may be referenced with Celesteela's design, which seems to visually combine bamboo shoots and trunks with elements of a space shuttle, and a depiction of Princess Kaguya as a woman with long hair wearing a multilayered kimono. It may also be referenced with the fact that Celesteela is exclusive to Pokémon Moon and Ultra Moon.
• Boltund's Japanese name, パルスワン Pulsewan, may be a reference to Pulseman, a video game developed by Game Freak.
• Mr. Rime's design seems to reference silent film actor Charlie Chaplin's iconic Tramp character. Like the Tramp, Mr. Rime seems to wear a bowler hat, a black suit jacket, baggy trousers, and large dress shoes, along with carrying a cane and sporting a mustache. Mr. Rime is native to the Galar region, which is inspired by Charlie Chaplin's home country, the United Kingdom.
• The Loyal Three (Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti), Ogerpon, and Pecharunt all appear to reference the Japanese folktale of Momotarō. Pecharunt represents Momotarō; the Loyal Three represents the dog, monkey, and pheasant companions Momotarō befriended on his journey; and Ogerpon represents the oni that Momotarō fought against.

In the games

In the core series games

• In the Generation I games, the television in the player's house says, "There's a movie on TV. Four boys are walking on railroad tracks. …I'd better go, too.", which is a reference to the film Stand by Me. This carries over to Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! if the player chose male for their character's gender. The reference is also present in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, where upon player interaction with the television in the player's house, it will say "They are showing a movie on TV. The scene is showing four boys walking down a set of railroad tracks… But it's time you get going!"
  • In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, if the player chose female, the TV says, "There's a movie on TV. A girl with her hair in pigtails is walking up a brick road. …I'd better go, too.", which is a reference to the film The Wizard of Oz. This reference is carried over into Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! if the player chose female.
• In the Generation I games and FireRed and LeafGreen:
  • The Team Rocket Grunt on Route 25 says, "I'll make you an offer you can't refuse." which may be a reference to the film The Godfather.
  • In the Copycat's room in Saffron City, there is a television connected to a Super Nintendo Entertainment System running "A game with Mario wearing a bucket on his head!", referring to the Japan-exclusive game Mario & Wario, also developed by Game Freak.
  • Hiker Eric in the Rock Tunnel makes a reference to the song Hit Me with Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar, saying "Hit me with your best shot!" prior to battle, and "Fired away!" after being defeated.
  • PokéManiac Ashton in the Rock Tunnel makes a reference to Mobile Fighter G Gundam, saying "Pokémon Fight! Ready, Go!" prior to battle. Official Gundam Fights in the series began with both participants declaring "Gundam Fight! Ready, Go!"
• In the Generation II games:
  • The television in the player's house says "There's a movie on TV: Stars dot the sky as two boys ride on a train... I'd better get rolling too!", which is a reference to the 1985 anime film Night on the Galactic Railroad, which was based on the 1927 Japanese novel with the same name.
  • The design of the Viridian Gym's interior is possibly a reference to Nintendo's discontinued N&B Blocks, which are also featured in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins.
• In the French localization of Pokémon Crystal, the Wise Trio are named Ken, Shuu, and Raoh, referencing the manga Fist of the North Star.
• In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, upon player interaction, the television in the player's house says "There is a movie on TV. Two men are dancing on a big piano keyboard. Better get going!", which is a reference to the movie Big.
• In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl:
  • Before the battle with Team Galactic in Jubilife City, a Galactic Grunt threatens to "cause massive damage" to Professor Rowan's assistant, Lucas or Dawn.
  • During the Gym battle against Fantina, she exclaims "Never give up, never surrender!", the catchphrase from the 1999 science fiction comedy movie Galaxy Quest.
• In Pokémon Platinum, at Victory Road, Ace Trainer Omar says, "One day, people will run to the other side of the road when I walk by 'em." This may be a reference to Omar Little from the series The Wire where people often run away when they see him walking down the street.
• In Pokémon Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, Dahlia's Japanese catchphrase is "Que Sera, Sera", a reference to a popular song by the same name.
• In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, during the battle against Silver in the Goldenrod Tunnel, he can say "Why so serious?" This could be a reference to the Joker's catchphrase from the 2008 movie The Dark Knight.
• In Pokémon White, when the player reaches 6F of Dragonspiral Tower for the first time, Reshiram's cry is heard followed by an unknown person yelling "Burn, baby, burn!", which are key lyrics in the song Disco Inferno by The Trammps.
  • Similarly, in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, the announcer's introduction of Flannery in the Pokémon World Tournament also includes the line "Burn, baby, burn!".
• In the English versions of Pokémon Black and White, two Driftveil Gym Pokémon Trainers (Clerk Isaac and Worker Felix) who use Ground-type Pokémon share their names with main characters from the first two games of the Golden Sun series, who are both associated with the element of earth.
• In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2:
  • During the flashback Taking it to The Next Level, Elesa says, "You bet! And don't call me Shirley." This is a possible reference to a line in the movie Airplane!.
  • Some movie series of the Pokéstar Studios contain references to various movies and games:
    • The Giant Monster Series movies are likely a reference to the Godzilla movies. Also, the Mecha Tyranitar, MT for short, is likely a reference to Godzilla's mechanical counterpart, Mechagodzilla. The antagonist of the final movie, Serizawa, could be a reference to Daisuke Serizawa, a character from the 1954 Godzilla movie.
    • The Full Metal Cop Series movies in Pokéstar Studios are a reference to the RoboCop films. The premise of several of them, in which the titular character battles a villainous ninja, is likely a reference to RoboCop 3.
      • In the third movie of this series, the ninja played by the player character battles a character named Pollyanna, whose name is likely a reference to the song from the Mother video game series, developed by Creatures, Inc., then known as Ape Inc.
    • The Timegate Traveler Series movies borrow elements from both the Planet of the Apes and Back to the Future film series.
    • The basic premise of The Giant Woman! Series movies are a reference to Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.
    • In the Everlasting Memories Series movies, the things F-00 says, such as "It hurts..." or the repetitive calling of the player character's name might be a reference to Giygas from EarthBound, which some of the same people from Pokémon worked on as well. F-00 itself is also a possible reference to Clumsy Robot from the same game.
    • The Ghost Eraser Series is likely named after the Ghostbusters movies.
• In Pokémon X and Y:
  • After being defeated by the player, Preschooler Mia on Route 4 says "Hey! Hey! Listen!" before battle, referencing Navi from The Legend of Zelda series.
  • A non-player character in Lumiose City mentions the play Beauty and the Beast, with the titular Beast as a Pokémon.
  • After being defeated by the player, Psychic Robert on Route 10 references the famous "over 9000" meme spawned from Dragon Ball Z, commenting "Wow. You and your Pokémon's power levels are amazing! They're over 9000 for sure!"
  • A Punk Guy in the Shalour City Pokémon Center mentions a game where the player character is "some cool dude, who runs around and whacks enemies to the beat of the music". This is reference to HarmoKnight.
  • One of the patrons in Café Woof in Lumiose City mentions owning 101 Furfrou, referencing One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
  • A Team Flare Grunt found at the Poké Ball Factory says "Don't worry, be happy!", referring to Bobby McFerrin's song Don't Worry, Be Happy.
  • While the ultimate weapon is present in Geosenge Town, a Team Flare Grunt in front of a house in the west of the town comments "Only Team Flare's stayin' alive, stayin' alive.", referencing the Bee Gees song Stayin' Alive.
  • Veteran Timeo in Victory Road will say "my body is ready" before battling the player, a reference to the meme spawned from a statement made by Nintendo of America's President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime at the unveiling of the Wii Balance Board at E3 2007, "My body… my body is ready!"
  • After being defeated by the player, Wikstrom will say "My will, which even shakes spears, trembles at so fine a battle as this!", referencing William Shakespeare.
  • When playing the game in French, Swimmer Romy in Azure Bay sings a variation to R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" before the player battles her.
  • In the Battle Maison, Waitress Catla makes reference to the lolcatz brand of memes with "Meow, meow, I can haz battle, meow? (Ugh, I really sound like a fool, don't I?)" before battle and "Meowww... I haz lost, meowww. (This job is sooo embarrassing.)" after being defeated.
  • In the Battle Maison, Roller Skater Clio makes reference to So You Think You Can Dance?, saying "Man, I'm so speedy and smooth! I should be on So You Think You Can Skate!" after being defeated.
  • The final chapter of The Looker Detective Agency is named "Here's lookin' at you, kid", a reference to Humphrey Bogart's quote in Casablanca.
  • At the Santalune Gym, whose Gym puzzle is based on a spider web, there is a Lass named Charlotte, which could be a reference to the titular character from Charlotte's Web.
  • On Route 16, there is a Fairy Tale Girl named Alice, which could be a reference to Alice in Wonderland.
• In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire:
  • The fictional franchise Hoenn Rangers is a reference to Power Rangers, or possibly the Japanese show that it's based on, Super Sentai.
  • When the language is set to French, Brawly says, "J'ai découvert le secret de la vraie puissance en fixant un Nautile pendant des jours et des jours…" before being battled, a reference to Twitch Plays Pokémon.
  • An old man in Pacifidlog Town says "One does not simply walk into a Mirage spot.", referencing the famous quote from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, "One does not simply walk into Mordor."
  • An Ace Trainer on Sea Mauville mentions that she found a "Hi Skitty" doll on the facility, a reference to Hello Kitty.
  • There is a Young Couple in Sea Mauville named Lois and Hal, a reference to Malcolm in the Middle.
• In Pokémon Sun and Moon:
  • Samson Oak tells the player to follow the "black brick road" to find him, a reference to the yellow brick road in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
  • If the player takes a picture of water while using the Poké Finder, one of the possible comments is "7.8/10 Too much water ¯\_('-- ')_/¯", a reference to the meme spawned by IGN's infamous review of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
    • In 2020, former IGN reviewer Charalanahzard explained that the review was not about the region having a lot of water, but rather that the game felt oversaturated with too many Water-type Pokémon and Water-type Pokémon trainers.
  • A man riding a Mudsdale on Route 13 says, "Hi-yo, Mudsdale! Away!", telling the player that he's pretending to be a hero he loved as a child. This is a reference to the Lone Ranger.
  • A woman with a Rockruff in the Poni Wilds says "We're going on a Berry hunt. We're going to find a big one! ♪" This is a reference to the popular children's book "We're Going on a Bear Hunt", which has similar lyrics.
  • Lillie talks about how she was watching a movie about a man going outside to sing in the rain, a reference to Singin' in the Rain.
  • Hala mentions the Dr. Seuss book Oh, the Places You'll Go! while talking to the player at Route 1 Hau'oli Outskirts.
• In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the player can help a woman on Hano Beach to rejoin a love-smitten Pyukumuku called Mukeo with its loved one, another Pyukumuku named Mukiet. The player is able to recognize Mukiet from it saying "O Mukeo, Mukeo". These are direct references to William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
• In Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon:
  • The Fossil Restoration Center on Route 8 could be a reference to the Jurassic Park movies. This is further supported by the fact that these movies were filmed in Hawaii, which Alola is based on.
  • An outfit resembling Mario's shirt and overalls can be seen on the wall on the right side of Konikoni City's apparel shop.

• In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!:
  • If Snorlax is the player's walking Pokémon, the player and their partner Pokémon will ride it by clinging on to its chest. This is a reference to My Neighbor Totoro.
  • Two Master Scientists that use Zubat and Golbat are named West and Keaton, who share their names with Adam West and Michael Keaton, respectively, actors who have played the superhero Batman. There is also a Master Psychic named Danny who uses a Haunter, which could be a reference to Danny Phantom, a cartoon about a half ghost boy named Danny Fenton, who fights ghosts with his ghost powers under his superhero codename, Danny Phantom.
• The Crown Tundra's fourth adventure's English title is "They Came From The Ultra Beyond!", which is a reference to the 1967 science fiction film They Came from Beyond Space.
• In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet:
  • A woman next to a fountain in Mesagoza says "Rain in Paldea", a reference to "The Rain in Spain" from My Fair Lady. The Paldea region is based on real-life Spain.
  • Iono renames her Gym Test challenge "Where in Levincia Is Mr. Walksabout?", possibly a reference to the edutainment series Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?.
  • The player can buy the "Cool Helmet" item by visiting the Seguro Style shop in Cascarrafa. The helmet heavily resembles that of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, one half of the former French house music duo, Daft Punk.
  • Question five of the history midterm exam asks the player "Those seeking ______ need look no further than the oranges^S/grapes^V of Paldea." The three answer choices are "power", "courage", and "knowledge", a reference to the three pieces of the Triforce from The Legend of Zelda series.
  • Blueberry Academy's Savanna Biome features a cliff-like rock formation with a male Pyroar standing on its ledge, referencing The Lion King.
• In Pokémon Legends: Z-A:
  • Some of the paintings in Lumiose Museum appear to reference real-world art by European artists:
    • The painting "The Mythical Pokémon Diancie" resembles Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer.
    • The painting "Gothitelle with Pokémon" resembles Madame Georges Charpentier and Her Children by Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
    • The painting "Tsareena and Cacturne" resembles Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son by Claude Monet.
  • The Mystery Gift-distributed side mission featuring the diamond-based Pokémon Diancie is titled "Shine Bright like a Gemstone". This may be a reference to the song "Diamonds" by Rihanna, which contains the lyric "shine bright like a diamond".

In the side series games

• In Pokémon Stadium 2, when the player views their whole room, if a game system other than the Virtual Boy is set up, screenshots from several games for that system (such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the N64) will appear on the player's TV.
• In Pokémon Colosseum, before he is battled, Fein will say, "You are me, and I am you, and we are all together here", making a reference to the line "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together" from The Beatles song "I Am the Walrus."

In the spin-off games

• In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, after the player's first meeting with Swanna, she says "You can call me Swanna if you want. Just don't call me maybe.", referencing the Carly Rae Jepsen song "Call Me Maybe."
• In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon:
  • In Chapter 5, Farfetch'd tells the tale of the Three Little Spoink and the Mightyena, a reference to the fairy tale of The Three Little Pigs.
  • The Hawlucha that operates Hawlucha's Slam School calls his followers "Hawlucha maniacs", a reference to Hulk Hogan.
  • All Meowth Theater dungeons are named after real life movies: Meowth in Black is a reference to Men in Black, My Fair Misdreavus is a reference to My Fair Lady, For a Few Boldores More is a reference to For a Few Dollars More, Casameownca is a reference to Casablanca, and It's a Meownderful Life is a reference to It's a Wonderful Life.
• In Detective Pikachu, the names of the Baker Detective Agency and its director, Mike Baker, are references to Baker Street, where the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes's home is located.
• In Pokkén Tournament, one of the dialogue options for the player's Trainer is "Show me your moves!", in reference to Captain Falcon's recurring taunt in Super Smash Bros.
• In Pokémon Masters EX, the Curious Tea Party costume event makes multiple references to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with the story's iconic tea party scene being referenced through the main premise of the event, Lillie dressing up as Alice, Ingo and Emmet both dressing up as the Hatter, and Sonia's costume being based on the Queen of Hearts.
• In New Pokémon Snap, before the player reaches the poison swamp in Barren Badlands, a Shinx, a Torchic, and a Tepig can be seen dancing on an archway, a reference to a scene in The Lion King.
• In Pokémon GO, a Special Research released during the Max Out season is titled "Galar Calling". Given the fact that the Galar region is based on the United Kingdom, the title "Galar Calling" may be a reference to the song and album "London Calling" by British rock band The Clash.

In animation

Pokémon the Series

The Team Rocket trio in their Morning Musume-inspired disguises

Pokémon the Series: The Beginning

• The plot of Mystery at the Lighthouse seems to be based on the events of Ray Bradbury's short story The Fog Horn.
• The dub titles of Beauty and the Beach and Beauty and the Breeder are references to the fairytale Beauty and the Beast.
• In Tentacool and Tentacruel, there is a noticeable similarity between the scene where Tentacruel speaks through Meowth, and a scene from the film Independence Day, in which a captive alien speaks through the body of a scientist. In both cases, a voiceless creature covered in tentacles telepathically speaks through another being in order to make its objectives known to humans.
• In the dubs of both The Flame Pokémon-athon and Grass Hysteria, Meowth shouts "James! Stop this crazy thing!", a reference to George's famous "Jane! Stop this crazy thing!" from The Jetsons.
• In EP035, Kaiser's appearance, demeanor and handgun bear a resemblance to a character portrayed by Clint Eastwood in the Spaghetti Western Man with No Name.
• The plot of Showdown at Dark City is based on the events of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo.
• In Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back, when Team Rocket are disguised as Vikings, Brock says he was not aware that they existed anymore. Ash replies that they mostly live in Minnesota, a reference to the Minnesota Vikings NFL team.
  • In the Danish dub, Brock says Jeg vidste ikke at vikingerne stadig fandtes., and Ash replies Jo, men de turnere mest i Sverige. and in the Norwegian dub, Brock says Jeg visste ikke at vikinger fantes ennå., and Ash replies Jo, men de turnerer mest i Sverige. This makes it likely that both the Norwegian and Danish dubs reference the Swedish band, Vikingarna.
  • In the Swedish dub, Brock says Jag visste inte att vikingar fortfarande existerade., and Ash replies Jo, men de hänger mest i Norge.. Real Vikings existed in both Sweden and Norway.
• The Indiana Jones franchise is referred in several episodes, Gary's outfit in Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon is very similar to the titular's and the giant boulder scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark is reenacted in Battling the Enemy Within! and Explorers of the Hero's Ruin!.
• In Lights, Camera, Quack-tion, Brock mentions that Cleavon Schpielbunk directed I Saw What You Ate Last Tuesday, a reference to I Know What You Did Last Summer.
• The plot of Pokémon in Love, which was first mentioned in Lights, Camera, Quack-tion, is based on Romeo and Juliet.
• In Go West Young Meowth, the movie That Darn Meowth! is shown at Camp Pokéhearst, a reference to That Darn Cat!.
• The dub title of Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon? is a reference to the line "Wherefore art thou Romeo?" from Romeo and Juliet. The names of the two Nidoran in love, Tony and Maria, are references to West Side Story, which was based on Romeo and Juliet. In the dub, at the end of the episode the narrator makes reference to All's Well That Ends Well, another Shakespeare play.

Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver

• In The Superhero Secret, Gligarman is based on Batman. His civilian name, Mr. Parker, is likely based on Peter Parker, the alter ego of the superhero Spider-Man. When the video of Gligarman is shown, "Look up in the sky, is it a Pidgeotto, a Charizard, a Dragonite? No, it's the crime fighting superhero Gligarman!" is heard, a reference to the famous Superman line "Look, up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman!" He is also a parody of the Kamen Rider series. Much like the Kamen Riders, he does extravagant poses, rides a motorcycle, and has a signature move in which he kicks his opponent (known as the Rider Kick in Kamen Rider, whereas Gligarman's is known as the Gligar Kick).
• The dub title of Machoke, Machoke Man! is a reference to the Village People song Macho Man.
• The disguises of the Team Rocket trio in Same Old Song and Dance were inspired by Morning Musume and their sub-groups Tanpopo and Mini-Moni. James wears a sailor outfit, a reference to Morning Musume's song The Peace!, Meowth wears an outfit that is similar to the ones worn by Mari Yaguchi in the early days of Mini-Moni, and Jessie wears an outfit inspired by Tanpopo's costumes for their song Ōjisama to Yuki no Yoru. Also, in the Japanese version of the episode, Jessie saying "Evening Three Musumue" is a parody of Morning Musume's name.

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

• In the Finnish dub of The Princess and the Togepi, "May's Expeditions" is translated as "Indiana May", making a reference to Indiana Jones. When the blimp the group is riding is about enter a sandstorm, May also makes a reference to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
• In Lights, Camerupt, Action!, May describes a movie about a luxurious spaceship with a Natu and Xatu in love who are separated because of an ice asteroid, which is a parody of the movie Titanic, while the ship displayed in the film is similar in design to the titular spaceship from Space Battleship Yamato.
  • In the same episode, Max describes a movie about a giant Meowth destroying a city and battling against Pichu fighter pilots and a giant Marshtomp, which is based on the Japanese television show Ultraman.
• Tyson's Meowth, who debuted in Like a Meowth to a Flame, is loosely based on the fairytale character Puss in Boots. Team Rocket's Meowth highlights this by occasionally calling it "Meowth in Boots".

Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

• In Ya See We Want An Evolution!, Meowth's remote is similar to a Wii remote, and he says "whee" once he pushes it.
• In Staging a Heroes' Welcome!, two girls near the beginning look like Sakura Kinomoto and Tomoyo Daidōji from Cardcaptor Sakura. This is most likely a joke on how their hats resemble the one Wallace wears.
• Hamilton, a character of the day in Cream of the Croagunk Crop! is based on a character named Hiroshi from the anime and manga Dokonjō Gaeru. His Croagunk, Craig, is a reference to the frog known as Pyonkichi, as it spent a lot of time on the front of his shirt.
  • Hamilton's appearance and even the Japanese names of both himself and Craig were changed shortly after the episode's initial airing in Japan, possibly to avoid a lawsuit from the producers of Dokonjō Gaeru.
• In Stealing the Conversation!, there is one shot of Officer Jenny whipping her bike sideways and braking, which may be a reference to the 1988 Japanese anime classic Akira.
  • In the Brazilian dub of the same episode, Chatot calls Jessie "Lassie." When Jessie tries to correct it, Chatot says "Lassie ran away."
• In Uncrushing Defeat!, before the group attack, the way Ash and his Sinnoh team (Pikachu, Staraptor, Grotle, Monferno, Buizel, and Gliscor) pose, strongly resembles the Super Sentai pose.

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Zorua mimicking MGM's logo

• The plot of A Venipede Stampede! references the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin when Burgh uses his bug flute to lead the Venipede out the city at the request of the mayor.
• In Movie Time! Zorua in "The Legend of the Pokémon Knight"!, Cilan mentions Yamask of the Opera, a reference to The Phantom of the Opera.
• In Purrloin: Sweet or Sneaky?, when Meowth tries to ask Purrloin out for a date, he says "Come on baby, don't say maybe!", referencing Jackson Browne's song Take It Easy.
• In The Mighty Accelguard to the Rescue!, Charles has the alter ego of The Mighty Accelguard (Japanese: 快傑ア☆ギルダー Kaiketsu A☆Gilder), which most likely draws inspiration from Kaiketsu Zubat. Certain other aspects of his alter ego, like his A☆Gilder Kick attack, draw inspiration from the titular characters of the Kamen Rider Series.
• In A Call for Brotherly Love, during Pansear's training montage, it is seen running up a flight of stairs and throwing its arms into the air in victory. This is a reference to the film Rocky where Sylvester Stallone's character does exactly the same thing.
• The plot of Battling the Bully! is a tribute to Doraemon, with Mick, Glenn and Sean having similar roles to that of Nobita, Gian and Suneo.
• In A Restoration Confrontation! Part 2, when Team Rocket attacks Ash and the group under a tree, Jessie has a communication device over her eye. After Ash and Ferris refuse to give up Tirtouga, Jessie says "Resistance is futile." This line is the catchphrase of the Borg from Star Trek: The Next Generation, who commonly wore similar devices.
• In An Epic Defense Force, the MGM logo is referenced, with Luke's Zorua taking the place of Leo the Lion.
• In Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief!, the character Leon's design and mannerisms, are based on the character Iyami from the manga and anime Osomatsu-kun. He even adds "zansu" to his speech and does Iyami's trademark "Sheeh" pose.
• In Team Eevee and the Pokémon Rescue Squad!, Virgil and his Eevee, along with the Pokémon Rescue Squad run by his father Jeff, are likely a reference to the 1960s TV series Thunderbirds, which features a group of brothers using specialized equipment and rescue crafts to save people in trouble in the same way as Virgil uses different Eevee Evolutions to help those in need. One of the brothers was also named Virgil, and the rescue organization was run by their father, Jeff, much like the Pokémon Rescue Squad.

Pokémon the Series: XY

• The MGM logo was also referenced a couple of times in Pokémon the Series: XY;
  • In A PokéVision of Things to Come!, with Meowth in Leo's place.
  • In Lights! Camera! Pika!, with Pikachu in Leo's place.
• In The Legend of the Ninja Hero!, Shinobu of the Ninja Village is introduced as an old woman capable of hiding her elderly appearance behind a youthful facade, which could be a reference to Tsunade Senju from the Naruto series, who also uses a ninjutsu to make herself look young despite in reality being an elderly person.

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

• In To Top a Totem!, a fantasy depicts a Gumshoos and some Yungoos scaring away Alolan Rattata and Raticate in a similar fashion to the title card for the anime series Gamba no Bōken.
• The inside of the mecha Meowth pilots in Alola, Kanto appears to resemble the controls of the mobile suits that appear in Mobile Fighter G Gundam, specifically the head and wrist attachments resembling the Mobile Trace System.
• In A Mission of Ultra Urgency!, just before he prepares to capture Buzzwole, Ash's face briefly changes to resemble the titular character of the long-running manga series Golgo 13. Also, the way that the Alolan Exeggutor move their heads as the Ultra Guardians prepare to launch is a reference to the way the palm trees move during the launch of Thunderbird 2 in the 1960s TV series Thunderbirds.
• In Acting True to Form!, when demonstrating how to perform Z-Moves, Alolan Meowth briefly does the transformation pose of Kamen Rider 1 before switching to the pose for Breakneck Blitz.
• In SM064, the scene in which one of the Passimian jumps on the back of another one and the second Passimian appears to be hurt is a reference to a scene from the television series Mobile Suit Gundam.
• In Smashing with Sketch!, Ikari acts as a homage to Ryūichi Kazama of the manga Ping Pong. In addition, Kiawe's pose when mentioning Ikari's nickname "Ikari the Dragon" is the same pose of Gendo Ikari from the series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
• In Sours for the Sweet!, after Jessie's scolding of James and Meowth, Jessie's face momentarily turns into that of a Kewpie doll.
• In Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?, in one scene, James pulls a face that resembles the character of Iyami from Osomatsu-kun.
• In The Prism Between Light and Darkness, James references the series Dragon Ball Z by appearing as a pseudo-Super Saiyan, emanating the typical yellow Super Saiyan aura with his hair spiked upwards while still retaining his hair color.

Rotom's reference to a Star Wars poster

• In Lillier and the Staff!, there are multiple references to other anime.
  • Near the beginning of the episode, Jessie is seen dressed as Chigusa Tsukikage from Glass Mask.
  • Jessie's outfit choices when she introduces her fake persona are references to some of her voice actress Megumi Hayashibara's roles throughout her career, including female Ranma Saotome from Ranma ½, Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Lina Inverse from Slayers.
    • In the English dub, when Jessie is dressed as Lina Inverse from Slayers, she is voiced by Lisa Ortiz, who had voiced Lina in the English dub of Slayers.
  • Lillie and Mallow's embrace during the play is a reference to the series Revolutionary Girl Utena.
  • The clash between Team Rocket's mecha and Sophocles's Charjabug in a mechanized suit is a reference to Tetsujin 28-go.
  • During the episode's Poké Problem extra scene, Rotom shows a picture that is a reference to a poster for the first Star Wars film.
• In Alola, Alola!, the Robo-Meowth mecha from Alola, Kanto! returns with a red-colored appearance. This is a possible reference to the antagonist of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Char Aznable, known for his custom, red-colored Mobile Suits.
• In Heart of Fire! Heart of Stone!, the pose Brock and Olivia make when using Continental Crush is a reference to the Erupting Burning Finger Sekiha Love-Love Tenkyoken from the anime series Mobile Fighter G Gundam. The mecha Team Rocket uses is a reference to the Dark Gundam from the same series.
• The Japanese title and premise of Run, Heroes, Run! is a reference to the 1940 short story Run, Melos!, while its English title possibly comes from the 1994 comedy-drama film Forrest Gump with the tagline Run, Forrest, Run!.
• In This Magik Moment!, Refreshing Trio: Alola Idols, the show Mallow, Lana, and Lillie appear in, takes cues from magical girl anime and manga, such as the Sailor Moon, Pretty Cure, and Wedding Peach franchises, the latter of which was animated by OLM. The sequence of Mallow, Lana, and Lillie drinking their beverages is a direct reference to a scene of the heroines from Wedding Peach drinking from wine glasses together when they say their "group motto".
  • In the same episode, the man surrounded by Fighting-type Pokémon and wearing a yellow jumpsuit is a reference to actor Bruce Lee and the jumpsuit he wore in the incomplete martial arts film Game of Death.
  • The episode ends with Team Rocket playing the roles of an anti-kaiju defense force typical of the Ultraman franchise, with Meowth dressed up as the friendly monster Pigmon.
• In Aiming for the Top Floor!, Togedemaru briefly wears a face mark similar to that of Paul Stanley, vocalist and lead guitarist for the rock band Kiss.
• In Living on the Cutting Edge!, Kartana speaks fragmented human language in reverse throughout the episode, most commonly repeating random fragments of the phrase "また、つまらぬものを斬ってしまった" ("Once again, I have cut a worthless object"). This phrase is often said by samurai in old samurai movies, as well as by Goemon Ishikawa XIII, a character from the long-running manga and anime series Lupin the Third. The English dub translates this line as "Once again, I cut a worthless object."
• In Z-Move Showdown!, when Team Rocket tries to sneak away from Guzzlord, in the English dub, they say, "Slowly we turn... step by step, inch by inch." This may be a reference to a popular vaudeville sketch titled "Slowly I Turned".

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

• In Raid Battle in The Ruins!, the shot of Goh's Golurk at the Cerise Laboratory is a reference to a scene involving the rusted robot in Castle in the Sky.
• In A Chilling Curse!, James uses a vacuum cleaner to suck up and contain a Gengar. This is likely a reference to the Luigi's Mansion video game series, which uses a similar concept to capture ghosts.
• Visquez from Destination: Coronation! appears to be based on the character Vasquez from the Alien franchise, given her name and military look.
• The Japanese title of Sobble Spies a Stealthy Strategy!, メッソン・イン・ポッシブル！ Messon in Possible!, is a reference to the Mission: Impossible franchise. Furthermore, while not used as the spoken title, the episode's Hindi and Telugu titles are listed as Mission ImpoSobble, incorporating the pun from the Japanese title.

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

• In Transform! Hero of the Seas, Palafin, when Hero Form Palafin first appears, Liko asks if it is a boat or a submarine, which seems to be a reference to the iconic quote from 1940's The Adventures of Superman: "It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!"
  • In the same episode, Ludlow is revealed to have a superhero alter ego called "Mighty G", whose design seems to be based on All Might from My Hero Academia, while his regular alter ego appears to be based on Master Roshi from the Dragon Ball franchise. The aforementioned apparent reference to The Adventures of Superman occurs again when Roy and one of the Snap Boys spot "Mighty G" emerging from the sea, with them respectively asking if it is a boat or a ship.
• In Ice Battle! Cold-Eyed Grusha, a magazine held in a bobsledding center near the Glaseado Gym features a cover with two Cubchoo in poses parodying the Grady sisters from the 1980 film, The Shining.
• In The Pillar of Fire, the scene where Gouging Fire slides back after being hit by Crocalor's Stomping Tantrum may be a reference to the popular "Akira slide".

GOTCHA!

• The animated short opens with a scene of four characters resembling the protagonists of Stand by Me walking along a railroad, a reference to the film which played on the television in the Generation I games.

In other animated media

POKÉMON Detective Pikachu

• A promotional video for the movie POKÉMON Detective Pikachu has the titular character performing a dance in a fitness gym. This references a Key & Peele comedy skit that performs the same motions and uses a similar fitness gym setting.

In the manga

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

• Brock sings a line of the Sesame Street song "Rubber Duckie" in the hot springs in To Evolve or Not to Evolve, That Is the Question!.

Pokémon Adventures

• Jet, a competitor in the Pokéathlon, is based on Jet Link (or Cyborg 002) from Cyborg 009, having a near identical resemblance and his reputation for being fast.
• In Speeding! Paldea's Prince of Speed!!, Violet performs the iconic motorbike slide from the movie Akira using Miraidon.
• Scarlet's design is based on Wednesday Addams from the TV series Wednesday.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

• Professor Oak's Laboratory resembles to the Capsule Corp. building from Dragon Ball franchise.

In the TCG

• A ruling on Dark Pokémon from Wizards of the Coast indicating that a Dark Stage 1 Pokémon cannot evolve into a non-Dark Stage 2 Pokémon was concluded with a statement from "Yoda the non-Pokémon". It reads, "Once you walk down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny". This in reference to the character Yoda from Star Wars, with the quote written in their style of speaking.
• The Darkness Ablaze expansion introduces four cards that interact with each other through their shared "Mad Party" attack: Galarian Mr. Rime, Dedenne, Bunnelby, and Polteageist. All four cards ultimately allude to the novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, specifically the seventh chapter, "A Mad Tea-Party". Each Pokémon card represents a character attending the tea party, with Mr. Rime as the Mad Hatter, Dedenne as the Dormouse, Bunnelby as the March Hare, and Polteageist as the tea party itself.
• The numbers of damage counters put by Mimikyu VMAX's "Ominous Numbers" attack, 4 and 13, are considered superstitious in certain cultures: 4 is feared in East Asian cultures, while 13 is feared mainly in European culture.

Related articles

• List of references to Pokémon in popular culture
• List of background references to Pokémon
• List of Pokémon parodies
• List of references to Pulseman
• Pokémon world in relation to the real world

References

This article is a part of Project Fandom, a Bulbapedia Project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every aspect of the Pokémon Fandom.