Slogan
Generation II
The Town Where Winds of a New Beginning Blow (Japanese: はじまりを つげる かぜがふく まち The town where winds of a new beginning blow.)
Generation IV
Winds of a New Beginning (Japanese: はじまり つげる かぜのまち The town of winds of a new beginning.)
Places of interest
Player's house
- Main article: Player's house → Johto
The player begins the game in the bedroom
In Generations II and IV, this house is where the player lives before beginning their journey. The player's mother lives here, and after the player has left town for the first time, she will save money if the player wishes and occasionally buys decorations for the bedroom, or items such as Super Potions.
The player's bedroom is a bit fancier than Red's bedroom in Red, Blue, and Yellow. In Generation II, unlike Red's room, it can also be customized to include several Pokémon dolls, as well as other decorations like beds, game systems, and carpets. The Town Map hanging on the wall can also be replaced with one of several posters of different Pokémon. However, in Generation IV, this feature is not included.
The player starts the game in their bedroom, in front of their PC and radio. The PC in the top-left corner of the room in Generation II has a few important purposes, but unlike in the Generation I bedroom's computer, it does not contain an item. In Generation IV, the PC is restricted to viewing the player's mail, and the mailbox in the beginning of the game contains a single letter composed by Lyra/Ethan (if the player is a boy/girl, respectively), with the following text signed with said person's name and with a Marill icon in the blue stamp box:
ADVENTURE!
EXCITED!
I love POKéMON!
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Professor Elm's lab
Inside Professor Elm's laboratory
Inside the upstairs living area of Professor Elm's laboratory
Professor Elm's laboratory lies right next to the western entrance into New Bark Town. Professor Elm works at his laboratory with his aide, usually doing experiments concerning Pokémon Eggs and breeding. Here, Pokémon Trainers just beginning their quest are given the choice to receive either a Chikorita, a Cyndaquil, or a Totodile from Professor Elm.
Inside is one aide of Professor Elm's, a couple of shelves full of books, a table with three Poké Balls (a capsule in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver), a computer, and a few tips for the player. There is also a machine here that has the ability to fully rest/restore all of the player's Pokémon, just like a Pokémon Center. Elm's Aide gives the player oneGSC/fiveHGSS Potions when leaving the lab for the first time.
At the beginning of the game, a red-haired young man can be seen looking through the window into the lab. If spoken to, he will kick people out of his way, and then continue to spy upon the lab.
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Professor Elm's lab has an upstairs living area. His house from Gold, Silver, and Crystal has now become the home of Lyra or Ethan.
Friend's house
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Ethan or Lyra lives in the house below the player's house. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, it was actually Professor Elm's original home.
Demographics
Generation II
New Bark Town has a population of 10, excluding the player character's rival Silver.
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
New Bark Town's population is 11, assuming Silver is not from the town. This makes it the least populated town in Johto. However, it is the first starting Town to break the tradition by being over 10. This low number is likely due to its lack of amenities like a Gym or Pokémon Center, and its isolation from the rest of Johto.
ItemsPokémonWalking Pokémon effects
When interacting with walking Pokémon in HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Pokémon may occasionally show an altered mood specific to this location.
- The walking Pokémon stretches out its body and relaxes when in this town, causing it to become happy. It also feels nice and sleepy and may doze off.
- Outdoors: The walking Pokémon feels a breeze and stares intently at the sky. It can be surprised by a flower petal or leaf on its face, and sometimes sneezes.
- Player's house: Standing near the player's mom, the walking Pokémon greets her and shows concern for her.
- Player's bedroom: The walking Pokémon sings happily.
- Friend's bedroom: The walking Pokémon wants to play with Marill, even if Marill is not in the room.
- Professor Elm's lab: The walking Pokémon fidgets in front of everyone and stares intently at the player's face.
In animation
Pokémon the Series
In Pokémon the Series, New Bark Town is the hometown of Jimmy, Vincent, Casey, Lyra, and Top Coordinator Marina.
New Bark Town debuted in Don't Touch That 'Dile, where Ash and his friends visited the laboratory of Johto's leading Pokémon expert, Professor Elm. The group also helped get Professor Elm's Totodile back from Team Rocket, who had tried to steal it. After Ash had registered for the Johto League, the group headed for Violet City for Ash's first Johto Gym battle.
New Bark Town reappeared in Hatch Me If You Can, where Delia and Professor Oak boarded a ship and met up with Professor Elm at the town's port. Ash and his friends later returned to the town after Ash had earned all eight Johto Badges, allowing him to register for the Silver Conference. Afterwards, they headed for Mt. Silver to return the newly hatched Larvitar to its home before the Silver Conference.
Gallery
In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
In Pokémon Adventures, New Bark Town is shown to be notably bigger than in the games, including amenities such as a general hospital. It is the hometown of Gold.
New Bark Town first appeared in Murkrow Row. In Sneasel Sneak Attack, Silver sneaked into Professor Elm's laboratory and stole his Totodile. Gold, mistaking Silver as the thief who had stolen his backpack earlier, took Cyndaquil from Elm's desk and gave chase to Silver. However, in Elekid Incorporated, the Team Rocket Elite Trio, who had been the real culprits behind the disappearance of Gold's backpack, knocked Gold out and fought Silver to steal Totodile from him. Silver was, however, able to defeat them with Totodile and Sneasel, driving the Team Rocket members away. Gold was later found by Policeman Falkner, who took him to Cherrygrove City for questioning.
In Number One Donphan, Professor Elm was shown to be in New Bark Town's general hospital after being knocked unconcious during the Totodile theft.
Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys
New Bark Town appeared in a flashback in Let's Go! The Journey Towards The Championship, where Professor Elm asked Gold to visit Mr. Pokémon for him. For his journey, Gold was allowed to choose a first partner Pokémon, with him eventually settling for Totodile.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters
New Bark Town appeared in Welcome Back, Clefairy!!, where Red received a Pokémon Egg from Professor Elm there.
Trivia
- Despite appearing to be farther away from the Johto-Kanto border on the Pokégear's map, the player's house is 7 steps from the border with Route 27, 10 steps closer than the Pokémon Center at Mt. Silver is to Route 28, thus making it the closest Fly destination to the border.
- Out of all towns where the player starts, it is the only one to not have a connecting route to the north, but instead to the east and west.
- It is also the only starting town that the player must pass through again after gaining their eighth Badge on the way to the Indigo Plateau.
- The name of this town started the running theme in which the player's starting town is named after a plant.
- In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, at some point during the player's journey, the first partner Pokémon in Elm's lab that wasn't chosen by the player or stolen by the rival disappears without explanation, although it is hinted to have been given to someone else.
- In HeartGold and SoulSilver, when selecting a first partner Pokémon to receive at Elm's lab, it is possible to see whether each Pokémon is shiny before committing to the decision. However, the shiny status (if any) is not retained for the Pokémon that is later stolen by the rival.[1]
- In the demo of Pocket Monsters 2 showed off at Nintendo Space World in 1997, the initial town was not New Bark Town but rather a different town named Silent Hill (サイレント ヒル), which may have actually been a prototype design of New Bark Town. The town had a drastically different design, but may have been overhauled during the transition from the Game Boy to the Game Boy Color. Due to the first installment of the Silent Hill horror game series being released about eight months prior to the actual Japanese release of Gold and Silver, in early 1999, it may have possibly led to the rename as Wakaba Town (ワカバタウン).
- However, "Silent Hill" may also come from the English translation of Shizuoka, one of the cities New Bark Town is based on.
- New Bark Town is the only core series hometown to lack a resident exclaiming "Technology is incredible!" or a similar statement.
Name origin
| Language
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Name
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Origin
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| Japanese
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ワカバタウン Wakaba Town
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From 若葉色 wakaba-iro (chartreuse color of budding leaves)
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| English
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New Bark Town
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From new and bark
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| German
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Neuborkia
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From neu (new) and Borke (bark)
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| Spanish
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Pueblo Primavera
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From primavera (spring)
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| Ciudad New Bark*
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From its English name
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| French
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Bourg Geon
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From bourg (burg), bourgeon (bud), and jeune (young)
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| Italian
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Borgo Foglianova
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From foglia nuova (new leaf)
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| Korean
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연두마을 Yeondu Maeul
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From 연두 (軟豆) yeondu (chartreuse)
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| Chinese (Mandarin)
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若葉鎮 / 若叶镇 Ruòyè Zhèn
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From the Japanese name 若葉 Wakaba
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| Chinese (Cantonese)
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若葉鎮 Yeuhkyihp Jan
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| Norwegian
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New Bark by
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From its English name
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| Polish
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New Bark*
Miasto New Bark*
Miasto Bark*
New Bark Town*
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From its English name
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| Brazilian Portuguese
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Cidade de New Bark
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From its English name
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| Swedish
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New Bark staden
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From its English name
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| Vietnamese
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Thị trấn Wakaba
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Transcription of its Japanese name
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References
