Summary
As time has moved on, it has become increasingly clear to fans that thePokemonworld takes place in a completely different universe from our own. The developers may use things from real life as inspiration for Pokemon designs or location names, but for the most part, thePokemonworld is an entirely fictional place.
However, fans have noticed a few things from our world have made their way into the games over the years. This may be a subtle reference or an outright nod to something from pop culture. Either way, it is clear that thePokemonteam aren’t shy about including some references to our world occasionally.
ThePokemon Let’s Gogamestake place in the Kanto region once again.In an effort to make this playthrough of the region different this time, the developer included Following Pokemon. This means that all 151 Pokemon in theLet’s Gogames can be released from their Pokéballs to follow the player throughout the game. Each one has a unique walking animation, and some Pokemon are even large enough to be ridden.
Snorlax’s walking animation is entirely unique, however. The player will grab the Pokemon’s belly as it walks around the region. While this animation fits the gluttonous Pokemon, many fans believe this to be a nod to the anime movieMy Neighbor Totoro.This is how the protagonist of that film travels with the title character and both franchises are anime. As such, it would make sense to include a nod to each other in this way.
6Looker
This Detective Bears A Striking Resemblance To A Famous Time Lord
Looker is a Pokemon detective who first appeared in thePokemon Generationsanime. However, the character later appeared inPokemon: Platinumand other games in the franchise since. Although Looker is his own character, many fans can’t help but notice that he shares a lot of similarities with another character from popular culture.
The messy hair, suit, and long brown trench coat make Looker a dead ringer for thetenth incarnation of The DoctorfromDoctorWho. Since this was the version of the character on TV at the time of Looker’s first appearance, it isn’t too much of a stretch to think that someone at GameFreak was inspired by the British Time Lord when they were designing Looker’s outfit.
In the real world, almost everyone is aware of one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world, Disney. Most people can at least name one or more of their most famous movies. Although, it might seem strange that even people inPokemonare aware of this company.
InPokemon X and Y,players will find an NPC in Lumiose City who asks if they haveheard of the story of Beauty and the Beast.Her version of the French fairytale is eerily similar to that of the Disney classic, only this time the beast is depicted as a Pokemon.
The gamesPokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphirefor the 3DS take players back to the Hoenn region from the third generation of Pokemon. It is here that they will meet the Hoenn Rangers, a group of powerful trainers who task themselves with solving the region’s ecological problems and taming wild Pokemon.
While these characters do not dress in colorful outfits or carry weapons, their heroic nature makes the group eerily similar to thePower Rangers.The characters from this TV show are superheroes looking to sort out fairness in the world and even have their origins in Japan as theSuper Sentai. Therefore, it doesn’t take much to draw a straight line between the Hoenn Rangers and thePowerRangers.
3Watching TV
Looking Around The Protagonist’s Room Has Its Advantages
When players start their firstPokemonjourney in Generation 1, they begin in their bedroom. They can interact with a variety of objects in the room, including the TV, before going downstairs to start their adventure. In the first games, players who interact with the TV will be told it is showing a movie where four boys are walking along a railway track. This happens in the hit movieStand By Me, and is a direct reference tothis film existing in thePokemonuniverse.
This tradition continues in both Generations 2 and 3, with each one depicting other famous films from the real world.
The Pokéfinder may not be the most fun item to play with inPokemon: Sun and Moon,but there are secrets that can be found when using this device. For instance, if a player points the device at an empty spot of water anywhere in the game, they will receive a comment that reads “too much water. 7.8/10.”
For those who do not know, this is a reference to areview of the first Hoenn gamesby IGN, who marked the game down for having too much water. Not only has this become a meme amongPokemonfans, but it is also nice to see that the developer has a sense of humor about the issue.
In every player’s room in a main seriesPokemongame, they will find there is a bed, PC, TV, and a games console. However, only by interacting with this game console will players learn what it is. In the Gen 1 games, the player character had access to the Super Nintendo System. The series would continue this trend, with the player later having a Nintendo 64 and a Wii in laterPokemongenerations.
Players evenhad a Nintendo Switch in their roomsinPokemon:Scarlet and Violet,showing that Nintendo is not ready to give up on this trend any time soon. Who knows what consoles will be showing up in futurePokemongames?
