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)}}

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 and Hong Kong 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}}. To avoid public backlash, the ''[[Sun & Moon series|Pocket Monsters Sun & Moon]]'' anime released in Hong Kong uses the English pronounciation of 'Pikachu' instead of its Mandarin name 'Pèihkāyāu'.

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 twenty {{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. Twenty [[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, the anime is currently distributed by Fantastic TV ({{tt|奇妙電視|Kèihmiuh Dihnsih}}). Prior to the ''[[Sun & Moon series|Pocket Monsters Sun & Moon]]'' season, the Cantonese {{tt|translation|dubbed by TV station}} of the anime was distributed by Mighty Media Hong Kong ({{tt|曼迪香港|Maahndihk Hēunggóng}}). Between [[BW123]] to [[BW143]] and [[SS027]], the anime was distributed by {{wp|TVB}}. Prior to [[BW123]], the Cantonese {{tt|translation|dubbed by TV station}} of the anime was distributed by Top Insight ({{tt|群英社|Kwàhnyīng Séh}}).  Moreover, the Cantonese {{tt|translation|dubbed by TV station}} was initially distributed 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 anime has aired in several different channels, such as {{wp|TVB Jade}}, TVB Kids, Fantastic TV, {{wp|Asia Television|aTV}} and {{wp|Cable TV Hong Kong|Hong Kong Cable}}.

Prior to [[M20]], the Cantonese dub of the movie was 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}}). Universe Films Distribution Co., Limted held the license to distribute the Pokémon movies in cinemas, while Universe Digital Entertainment Co., Limited holds the license to distribute DVDs for the Pokémon movies prior to [[M20]] and the [[Pikachu short]]s. Currently the Cantonese dub of the movie is distributed by {{wp|Sundream Motion Pictures}} ({{tt|驕陽電影|Gīuyèuhng Dihnyíng}}), a subsidiary of Fantastic TV.

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. and published by Ching Win Publishing Group.

* [http://www.fantv.hk Fantastic HK]