Pokémon: The Phenomenon

Pokémon Wallpaper accessed 24-02-12
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs26/f/2008/090/4/9/Pokemon_Wallpaper_by_gamingaddictmike125.png

Pokémon was released in 1996 by Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri as a simple role-playing video game, it soon became a franchise of anime, manga, trading cards, books, toys and even a TV program and films. The franchise celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2006. Containing over 649 species of “pocket Monsters”, the TV series soon became loved by children all over the world (Bulbapedia). The franchise even has its own website- 16 years after Pokémon first hit the stores (www.pokemon.com/uk/). Films are still being released based on new characters- the first being Pokémon The First Move: Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998) and the latest being film number 14 released in 2011, Pokémon the Movie: Black- Victini & Reshiram and Pokémon the Movie: White- Victini and Zekrom.

I brought some Pokémon cards into Studio and wrote down people’s reactions. Here is a small sample:

“Ahhh...I used to have the cards, I used to play the game. I want to

watch the series again now.”

“Ooh I used to have the cards! Reminds me of the fat one I used to

have...Chansey! It was shiny!”

“Aghh POKÉMON!!”

“I used you really like Pokémon! I liked the fact that they all have

little stories and personalities.”

Here are some of the Pokémon cards that I own:

This is Bellsprout and Weepinbell. There and hundreds of plant based Pokémon. This is a good example of how characters can be created based on a plant theme.

This is Bulbasaur and Ivysaur which are another example of plant based monsters. I really like the flower that grows on the back of Ivysaur.

Dratini and Dragonair are two of my favourite Pokémon. Not necessarily based on their looks, although the ear formation and jewels that grow on Dragaonair are nice, it was more about their back-story. Dratini evolves into Dragonair and both creatures were shrouded in mystery- they were very rare and often considered extinct. This element of mystery made them more appealing to me.

Goldeen and Seaking are fish based Pokémon and they look very beautiful.

This species of Pokémon was very unusual. The basic Pokémon Eevee could evolve into any of the three alternatives. Vaporeon controlled the element of water, Jolteon the element of electricity and Flareon the element of fire. I like the idea of fusing animals with elements.

Metapod evolves into Butterfree. These two Pokémon are clearly based on a chrysalis and butterfly, but with a fantasy twist.

These sets of Pokémon are unrelated. The first is Hoppip (these are Japanese cards). It is another plant Pokémon that resembles a sort of turnip. The fiery Pokémon is Slugma. Slugma is a fire Pokémon that lives in a volcano- I like the idea of animals living in normally inhospitable environments. The final card is Chinchou. It is an electric Pokémon that looks like some kind of bug or Snow Drop flower.

This is Mantine, Magnemite and Dark Gloom. Mantine is based on a Manta ray and Magnemite is based on electrical conductors. I like the way that Magnemite is a living creature yet is made completely of metal and screws. I have included Dark Gloom in here because it shows how the Pokémon franchise created extra character based on existing one. Gloom is the original character but they have adapted her to create an evil version. This could be useful for when I create my own creatures, I could have original creatures in Narnia and Darkversions in Charn.

Porygon is a very unusual Pokémon. It is based on geometric shapes yet you can still tell that it is supposed to be a living organism. This is useful for showing how it’s possible to take an animal design to an extreme based on simple geometry. Onix is a snake-like creature made completely of rock and Rapidash is a horse infused with a fire main and tale.

 

Pokémon is a good reference for how the natural world can be fantasised and adapted to create new species of animals and plants. They created hundreds of animals all with different characteristics and traits and all fitting into an overall ecosystem. I love it