Tracking the Evolution of the Pokemon World

In the two and a half decades since the release of Pokemon Red and Blue, the world has changed [...]

By Marc Deschamps

In the two and a half decades since the release of Pokemon Red and Blue, the world has changed significantly, and the same can be said for the world that exists in Pokemon media. In the earliest days of the franchise, it seemed that our world and the Pokemon world were one and the same. The games and anime were both littered with real-world references that made it seem like the Kanto region was a part of the world we lived in. However, it soon became obvious to Game Freak and The Pokemon Company that the Pokemon world had to be a place all its own.

The Pokemon series has taken fans to a number of exciting regions through the years. Many of these are based directly on real-world locations. New York City would inspire the creation of Unova. France did the same for Kalos. Hawaii gave Sun and Moon its Alola region. Most recently, England provided the backdrop for Galar. The Pokemon world now seems quite massive, a fact that's currently on full display in the Pokemon Journeys anime. These days, Pokemon fans accept these areas as placeholders for the real thing, but in the earliest days of the series, it appeared as though the world of Pokemon could actually take place in our backyard.

When Pokemon Red and Blue first released, the idea of a great big Pokemon world filled with different regions was still quite a ways off. The game did enhance its scope by making references to other areas, only these ones existed in the real world! Mew's original location is listed as the South American country of Guyana. Lt. Surge is referred to as "the Lightning American." The Pewter City Museum even references man's first time walking on the moon! These references seem strange now, but they helped give players the idea that there could be other areas filled with Pokemon beyond their current reach. If fans couldn't find Mew in any areas of the map, maybe they just needed a game that allowed them to travel to Guyana!

Pokemon Lightning American
(Photo: Nintendo)

Real-world references were not confined solely to the games. The Pokemon anime contained several, as well. In the Season One episode The School of Hard Knocks, Misty and Brock discuss France. A few episodes later, The Ghost of Maiden's Peak features a Gastly that transforms into a mongoose to torment Ekans; this marked one of the few occasions in the franchise where an animal that isn't a Pokemon can be seen. In Pokemon the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back, Ash, Misty, and Brock are offered a boat ride from a pair of Vikings (Team Rocket in disguise, of course). When Brock states that he didn't think Vikings were still around, Ash confidently replies that they're mostly found in Minnesota, a reference to the state's NFL team.

These references are fun to look at in retrospect because it shows just how much the franchise has changed in the last 25 years. In the early days, it seemed there wasn't as much consideration put into how the Pokemon world worked. However, as time went on, the Pokemon world began to take greater shape. Like the game's creatures, it evolved. Pokemon fans would be introduced to new locations and new creatures filling things out in incredible ways. In the show's first season, the creators didn't have a mongoose Pokemon to reference, but these days, they could use Zangoose or Yungoos. References to France are now references to Kalos. Lt. Surge is now "the Lightning Lieutenant." The list goes on and on.

As the Pokemon world grows, it will be interesting to see how things continue to evolve. While these references have mostly dropped off over the years, there is a charm to the idea that our world and the Pokemon world are one and the same. Perhaps that's why Pokemon Go remains so popular! It's impossible to say how the Pokemon world will change over the next 25 years, but it will be compelling to see!

Are you happy that real-world references have mostly dropped off in Pokemon media? What's your favorite real-world reference from the series? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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