The ''Pokémon'' universe is a
fictional universe
A fictional universe, or fictional world, is a self-consistent setting with events, and often other elements, that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed, or fictional realm (or world). Fictional universes may ...
that encompasses the ''
Pokémon
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of ...
'' media franchise, including stories and fictional works produced by
The Pokémon Company,
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
,
Game Freak and
Creatures, Inc. The concept of the ''Pokémon'' universe, in both the fictional works and the general nonfictional world of ''
Pokémon
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of ...
'', stems from the hobby of
insect collecting
Insect collecting refers to the collection of insects and other arthropods for scientific study or as a hobby. Most insects are small and the majority cannot be identified without the examination of minute morphological characters, so entomolo ...
, a popular pastime which ''Pokémon'' creator
Satoshi Tajiri
is a Japanese video game designer and director best known for being the creator of the ''Pokémon'' franchise and one of the founders, and president of video game developer Game Freak. A fan of arcade games, Tajiri wrote for and edited his own v ...
enjoyed as a child. Players of the
video games are designated as
Pokémon Trainers and the two general goals (in most ''Pokémon'' games) for such Trainers are: to complete the
Pokédex by collecting all of the available Pokémon species found in the fictional region where that game takes place and to train a team of powerful Pokémon to compete against teams owned by other Trainers and eventually become the strongest Trainer: the Pokémon Champion. These themes of collecting, training and battling are present in almost every version of the Pokémon franchise, including the
video game series, the
anime series, the
manga series
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is used ...
, the
film series and the
Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Although Pokémon battles between Trainers is popular in the ''Pokémon'' universe, the series also emphasizes the harmony between people and Pokémon. Pokémon battles are treated like a competitive sport where both Pokémon and humans have fun. Pokémon rarely sustain fatal injuries during these battles and they also can obtain remedies for their ailments in a Pokémon Center, a specialized hospital for Pokémon.
Main series regions
There are several regions that have appeared in the various media of the ''
Pokémon
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of ...
'' franchise. Each of the nine generations of the main series releases focus on a new region. Moreover, several regions have been introduced in
spin-off
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...
games and two in the
''Pokémon'' anime, though most of these are still within the same
fictional universe
A fictional universe, or fictional world, is a self-consistent setting with events, and often other elements, that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed, or fictional realm (or world). Fictional universes may ...
. Usually, the different regions are not accessible from one another via land (or at all within a single game). However, Kanto can be accessed from Johto and vice versa via the sea in
''Pokémon Gold'', ''Silver'', ''
Crystal'',
''HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver'' versions.
Every region consists of several cities and towns that the player must explore in order to overcome many waiting challenges, such as
Gyms,
Contests, and
villainous teams. At different locations within each region, the player can find different types of Pokémon, as well as helpful items and characters. Many regions are on separate
continents with the earlier introduced regions (Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh) being based on parts of Japan, with later regions being based on parts of the United States (Unova and Alola), France (Kalos), the United Kingdom (Galar), and the
Iberian Peninsula (Paldea).
Kanto
The Kanto region is the setting of
''Pokémon Red'', ''Blue'', and ''
Yellow'' and their remakes,
''Pokémon FireRed'', ''LeafGreen'',
''Let's Go, Pikachu!'' and ''Let's Go, Eevee!''. Based on and named after the
Kantō region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Slight ...
of Japan, this setting started the precedent of basing the geography and culture of the game's region on a real world setting. This region is also visited in
''Pokémon Gold'', ''Silver'', ''
Crystal'',
''HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver''.
Sevii Islands
Johto
The Johto region is the setting of the second generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which includes
''Pokémon Gold'', ''Silver'', ''
Crystal'' and their remakes,
''Pokémon HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver''. Again based on an area of Japan, this game's geography is based upon the
Kansai
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshu, Honshū. The region includes the Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Nara Prefecture, Nara, Wakayama Prefecture, Wakayama, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Osaka Prefectur ...
,
Tokai
Tōkai ( 東海, literally ''East Sea'') in Japanese may refer to:
* Tōkai region, a subregion of Chūbu
* Tōkai, Ibaraki, a village, also known as "Tokaimura" (Tokai-village)
* Tōkai, Aichi, a city
* Tōkai University, a private university in T ...
and eastern
Shikoku areas of the country. The game setting draws upon the Kansai region's abundance of temples, the architectural design of the Kansai region and its geographical sights, such as
Mount Fuji
, or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest p ...
and the
Naruto whirlpools.
Hoenn
The Hoenn region is the setting of the third generation of ''Pokémon'' games,
''Pokémon Ruby'', ''Sapphire'' and ''
Emerald
Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium.Hurlbut, Cornelius S. Jr. and Kammerling, Robert C. (1991) ''Gemology'', John Wiley & Sons, New York, p ...
'', as well as their remakes
''Pokémon Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire''. This time being based on the Japanese island of
Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
; the real world and game region share an abundance of smaller islands around the main one and a subtropical climate. Like Sinnoh, this region is known to have a large range of various natural environments, such as rainforests and deserts.
Sinnoh
The Sinnoh region is the setting of the fourth generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which encompasses the setting of
''Pokémon Diamond'', ''Pearl'' and ''
Platinum'', as well as their remakes ''
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl'' and ''
Pokémon Legends: Arceus''. It is based on the northernmost island of Japan,
Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
. The region was meant to have a "northern" feel, with some routes being entirely covered in snow.
Battle Zone
The Battle Zone (Japanese: バトルゾーン Battle Zone) is a sub-region of Sinnoh located on a separate landmass northeast of the mainland.
Three settlements are located in the Battle Zone: the Fight Area, which holds the entrance to the Battle Tower in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and the Battle Frontier in Pokémon Platinum; the Resort Area, where one can find the Ribbon Syndicate; and finally the Survival Area, home in Platinum to the Battleground and a Move Tutor's home.
Unova
The Unova region is the setting of the fifth generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which encompasses the setting of
''Pokémon Black'' and ''White'' and their sequels
''Pokémon Black 2'' and ''White 2''. For the first time in the main series, the region was based on a region outside Japan, with Unova taking inspiration from the
New York metropolitan area.
Kalos
The Kalos region is the setting of the sixth generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which is where the games
''Pokémon X'' and ''Y'' take place. This region is inspired almost entirely by the northern half of
Metropolitan France, with landmarks such as the
Eiffel Tower and the
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...
having representations here, along with a French style of music and fashion. According to
Junichi Masuda
is a Japanese video game composer, director, designer, producer, singer, programmer and trombonist, best known for his work in the ''Pokémon'' franchise. He was a member of Game Freak where he was an employee and executive at the company since ...
, the name "Kalos" comes from the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
word el, κάλλος, label=none, translation=beauty. The Kalos Pokemon League is based on the
Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris (; meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to th ...
due to its castle/cathedral-like exterior.
Alola
The Alola region is the setting of the seventh generation of ''Pokémon'' games,
''Pokémon Sun'', ''Moon'',
''Ultra Sun'' and ''Ultra Moon''. This region is based on
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only ...
, marking the second time a main entry ''Pokémon'' game setting has been inspired by a U.S. state. The name itself is a play on ''
aloha
''Aloha'' ( , ) is the Hawaiian word for love, affection, peace, compassion and mercy, that is commonly used as a simple greeting but has a deeper cultural and spiritual significance to native Hawaiians, for whom the term is used to define ...
'', the
Hawaiian
Hawaiian may refer to:
* Native Hawaiians, the current term for the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants
* Hawaii state residents, regardless of ancestry (only used outside of Hawaii)
* Hawaiian language
Historic uses
* ...
word for both "hello" and "goodbye".
Galar
The Galar region is the setting of the eighth generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which is where the games
''Pokémon Sword'' and ''Shield'' take place. This region is primarily inspired by Great Britain (mainly England and parts of Scotland), showcasing landmarks inspired by
Big Ben
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England, and the name is frequently extended to refer also to the clock and the clock tower. The official ...
and
Hadrian's Wall. Two additional areas, ''
The Isle of Armor
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...
'' and ''
The Crown Tundra
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...
'', are based on the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = " O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europ ...
and Scotland respectively. The Galar Region was also introduced in
Pokémon Journeys
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of what each of those ...
.
Paldea
The Paldea region is the setting of the ninth generation ''Pokémon'' games ''
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
and are 2022 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch. They are the first instalments in the ninth generation of the ''Pokémon'' video game series. Fir ...
''. The region seems to be based on the
Iberian Peninsula, which encompasses both Spain and Portugal.
Spinoff regions
Pokémon Island
Fiore
The Fiore region is where the
Nintendo DS spin-off game ''
Pokémon Ranger
is an action role-playing video game developed by HAL Laboratory and Creatures Inc., published by The Pokémon Company and distributed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS video game console. The game was released at various dates, varying between ...
'' takes place. Its name is
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
for "flower".
Almia
The Almia region is where the Nintendo DS spin-off game ''
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia'' takes place. The region is similar to Fiore, in that Pokémon Rangers are present instead of Trainers. One of the features of the region is a school.
Oblivia
The Oblivia region is where the Nintendo DS spin-off game ''
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs'' takes place. This region is an archipelago composed of several islands located far to the south of both Fiore and Almia. It has many ruins and legends.
Orre
The Orre region is where the
Nintendo GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the ...
spin-off games ''
Pokémon Colosseum
''Pokémon Colosseum'' is a role-playing video game in the ''Pokémon'' series developed by Genius Sonority, published by The Pokémon Company, and distributed by Nintendo. It was released for the GameCube on November 21, 2003, in Japan; March 22 ...
'' and ''
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness'' take place. It is based on
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...
.
Trading Card Game Islands
The Trading Card Game Islands are where the
''Pokémon Trading Card Game'' and its sequel, ''Pokémon Card GB2: Great Rocket-Dan Sanjō!'' take place.
GR Island
Tumblecube Island
Tumblecube Island is an area exclusively explored in
Pokémon Quest. All of the Pokémon in that game are in
voxel
In 3D computer graphics, a voxel represents a value on a regular grid in three-dimensional space. As with pixels in a 2D bitmap, voxels themselves do not typically have their position (i.e. coordinates) explicitly encoded with their values. ...
/cube-like shapes, unlike the other games.
Holon
Holon is a region introduced and explored exclusively in the
Pokémon Trading Card Game. It is a known habitat of the unusual δ Delta Species Pokémon, also introduced in the TCG.
Ransei
Ferrum
Pasio
Pasio is a region introduced in the mobile gacha game "
Pokémon Masters EX
(originally named ''Pokémon Masters'') is a free-to-play mobile game for Android and iOS developed and published by DeNA. It is based on the ''Pokémon'' media franchise. Set on the artificial island of Pasio, the game allows players to battle ...
," which was originally called "
Pokémon Masters
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of what each of those ...
". It is an artificial island made by the soon-to-be King of Pasio, Lear. This region, being man-made, does not have any natural wild Pokémon. Hoopa is thought to have brought some of the citizens there, which include Gym Leaders, Elite Four Members, and even Champions from the eight main regions of the franchise.
Aeos Island
Aeos is an island introduced in the
MOBA
Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) is a subgenre of strategy video games in which two teams of players compete against each other on a predefined battlefield. Each player controls a single character with a set of distinctive abilities that im ...
game
Pokémon Unite
''Pokémon Unite'' (stylized as ''Pokémon UNITE'') is a free-to-play, multiplayer online battle arena video game developed by TiMi Studio Group and published by The Pokémon Company for Android and iOS and by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. ...
. A mysterious energy known as Aeos energy permeates the island, making Pokémon stronger and giving them enhanced abilities. Trainers from around the world come here to compete in Unite Battles and to harness Aeos energy.
In-universe chronology
According to dialogue in ''Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Platinum,'' and ''
Legends: Arceus'', the in-game
lore
Lore may refer to:
* Folklore, acquired knowledge or traditional beliefs
* Oral lore or oral tradition, orally conveyed cultural knowledge and traditions
Places
* Loré, former French commune
* Loré (East Timor), a city and subdistrict in Lau ...
suggest that the Pokémon universe was created by a
creator deity
A creator deity or creator god (often called the Creator) is a deity responsible for the creation of the Earth, world, and universe in human religion and mythology. In monotheism, the single God is often also the creator. A number of monolatr ...
and Pokémon
Arceus, a creature described as "The Original One". Several other Pokémon were made by Arceus:
Dialga, the embodiment of time,
Palkia, the embodiment of space, and
Giratina, the embodiment of antimatter, who was banished to another dimension. Arceus then created
Azelf,
Mesprit and
Uxie; the spirits of willpower, emotion and knowledge respectively. At this early time, Mew, the ancestor of Pokémon, appeared in the universe. After creating the Pokémon world,
Arceus went into an eternal sleep.
After Arceus' creation,
Groudon, embodiment of the land;
Kyogre, embodiment of the sea; and
Rayquaza, embodiment of the sky; were born. They are sometimes unofficially known as "the weather trio", as each of these Pokémon possess weather-changing abilities. The clash of these three Pokémon was said to have created much of the Earth's surface. Mt. Coronet was created at this point of time as
Regigigas moved landmass to form continents and regions.
Stark Mountain
Stark Mountain (also known as General Stark Mountain) is a mountain in the Green Mountains in the U.S. state of Vermont. Located in the town of Fayston in Washington County, the mountain summit is in elevation. Stark Mountain is named after ...
and
Heatran were also created at this time.
Many years after, the prehistoric era began and the first prehistoric Pokémon came into being. The games state that scientists proved that prehistoric Pokémon roamed the land, as
Fossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
s and other paleontological remains have been found to contain the DNA of Pokémon. The Mew population on the planet may have decreased at this stage, as they slowly gave way to other Pokémon species.
Evolution
According to the in-game myths of Sinnoh, Pokémon and people were originally the same species. Mew is the ancestor of all Pokémon, and the first human recording was in the Stone Age, millions of years before the modern era.
Works
Video game series
*
''Pokémon'' video game series
**
List of ''Pokémon'' video games
Animated series and films
*
''Pokémon'' television series
*
''Pokémon'' film series
Card game and board game
*''
Pokémon Trading Card Game''
**
List of ''Pokémon'' Trading Card Game sets
*''
Pokémon Trading Figure Game
The Pokémon Trading Figure Game (Pokémon TFG) is a collectible miniatures game similar to HeroClix. It was designed by Pokémon USA and based on Satoshi Tajiri's ''Pokémon'' media franchise.
It was released in Australia in August 2006, foll ...
''
Books and manga
*
List of ''Pokémon'' books
*
''Pokémon'' manga
**''
Pokémon Adventures
is a Japanese manga series based on the ''Pokémon'' media franchise created by video game designer Satoshi Tajiri and managed by The Pokémon Company. Tajiri once stated that the series is closest to how he imagined the universe of ''Poké ...
''
''Detective Pikachu'' game and film
*''
Detective Pikachu Detective Pikachu may refer to:
* ''Detective Pikachu'' (video game), a video game for the Nintendo 3DS
**''Detective Pikachu Returns'', sequel of ''Detective Pikachu'' for the Nintendo Switch
* ''Detective Pikachu'' (film), a 2019 fantasy film ...
'' (video game)
*''
Detective Pikachu Detective Pikachu may refer to:
* ''Detective Pikachu'' (video game), a video game for the Nintendo 3DS
**''Detective Pikachu Returns'', sequel of ''Detective Pikachu'' for the Nintendo Switch
* ''Detective Pikachu'' (film), a 2019 fantasy film ...
'' (live-action film)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pokemon universe
Universe
The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the universe. A ...
Fictional elements introduced in 1996
Video game locations
Fictional universes