Pokemon Guide Settles Big Debate About Arceus

By Megan Peters

There is a lot to consider when you dive into the Pokemon Universe, and oddly enough, some of the most mundane things are the ones that will trip you up. Typing and breeding is all dandy to coordinate, but fans have found a true nemesis in the franchise's naming. Some Pokemon names are downright evil when it comes to pronunciation, but a Pokemon guide has tried to settle the big debate surrounding Arceus.

And of course, the whole ordeal is way more complicated than it needs to be. Pokemon fans have long debated whether the Alpha Pokemon is called 'arc-e-us' or 'ars-e-us' to little consensus. But according to one of the official Pokemon guides, the character has a definitive pronunciation: 'ark-ee-us'

So, there you have it. Arceus has more in common with Joan of Arc and the Arc of the Covenant now. Still, the fandom's confusion is understandable, and we can thank the Pokemon anime for the whole thing.

After all, the Alpha Pokemon was once pronounced as 'ars-e-us', and this was heard in projects like Pokemon Battle Revolution. However, the pronunciation underwent revisions once Pokemon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life began production. The movie was dubbed into English as usual, and it was there the crew realized the Pokemon's intended pronunciation did not work. After all, the name sounds like it contains the word 'arse' which is a curse in British English. So in order to keep the series kid-friendly, Pokemon had to rethink the pronunciation of Arceus.

At first, the Pokemon anime went with 'ar-say-us' before settling with 'arc-e-us' as we hear more often now. Still, recent projects like Pokemon: Detective Pikachu have included the creature's original pronunciation, so confusion regarding Arceus exists to this day. 

Of course, the situation with Arceus' pronunciation is special given all its ins-and-outs, but this Pokemon is not the first to spread confusion amongst fans. Pokemon names are layered with double meanings more time than not in Japan, and localizers do a stellar job translating those references into different languages. Still, things can get overlooked, and Pokemon is a franchise geared towards children; You can hardly blame younger fans for having pronunciation issues when some may be learning to read overall. Pokemon could do us all a huge favor and release an official pronunciation guide for its creatures as a way to avoid this Arceus issue from repeating. But until that day comes, we will have to rely on fan-guides and the anime for language lessons. 

What do you think about this Pokemon debate...? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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