This article is an overview of the world of Pokémon across media. For other uses, seePokémon world (disambiguation).

It has been suggested that this article be moved toEarth. Please discuss whether or not to move it on itstalk page.

ThePokémon world (Japanese:ポケモンの世界(せかい)world of Pokémon), sometimes referred to asEarth orearth (Japanese:地球(ちきゅう)Earth), is the main setting for thePokémon franchise, set in thePokémon universe.

It bears some striking similarities with thereal world, certainly deriving inspiration from it, but many factors set it apart as a different place. The world of Pokémon is based on Japanese culture but various other cultures are also added and mixed.^[1]

Terminology

The Pokémon world, also known as "earth" or "Earth", is often generically described as simply the "world" (Japanese:世界(せかい)world)^[a][b] or, more colorfully, the "world of Pokémon".

The term "Pokémon world" has been used a few times in thecore series games, such as with thePokémon World Tournament inPokémon Black 2 and White 2, on a sign atOne Island inPokémon FireRed and LeafGreen,^[c] as well as inPokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon^[d] andPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.^[e] InPokémon the Series, there is an opening song titledPokémon World, which includes the lyrics"We all live in aPokémon world". The term has also been used on some official game sites,^[2][3] is frequently used in official press releases,^[4][5][6][7] and is used on thePokémon Parents Animation page.^[8]

The Pokémon world is more commonly referred to as "earth" in the core series, occasionally capitalized as "Earth".^[f]Pokémon Crystal was the first game to refer to "earth" in the English localization, though these references are absent in the original Japanese.^[g] FromPokémon Ruby and Sapphire onwards, there are several references to "earth" inPokédex entries.^[h] InPokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, theSeismic TossMove Tutor mentions:"The secrets of space... The mysteries ofearth..." InPokémon Sun, Moon,Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, "earth" is mentioned by the character who gives theComet Shard in theHokulani Observatory.^[i] InPokémon Masters EX, the expressions"Earth toRachel!" and"Earth toValerie!" are used at different points, but these phrases make no reference to the planet Earth in the Japanese version. The Pokémon world is also specifically referred to as "Earth" in themoviePokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias and in thePocket Monsters: The Animation novels. In contrast,Pokémon GO uses "Earth" to refer to the planet on which it is set as opposed to the usual Pokémon world.^[j]

The core series also uses the term "world of Pokémon".^[k][l][m][n] The line"Welcome to theworld of Pokémon!" is typically included in the opening sequence of the games.^[o]

Notably,Junichi Masuda stated in a 2012 interview:

We actually don't think of the world of Pokémon as Earth. If we were to do that, we would kind of be limited by what we could do. By thinking about how physical objects work on Earth and how various elements work on Earth, we would kind of be limited to that if we thought of it as Earth. We think of it as a place that is really similar to Earth but is a different planet of its own with people in it who may be similar to people on Earth, but they have different values so they care about different things. It's the type of place, thePokémon world, where problems we face on Earth just wouldn't happen. There wouldn't be global warming, water shortages, or anything like that. It's a world where the people in it really want to work together with each other. Their value system is such where they would prefer to work together and eliminate these problems rather than feud."^[9]

In the core series games

History

Main article:History of the Pokémon world

It is said in manySinnoh legends that the universe, Pokémon world included, was created by a singlePokémon,Arceus. In a void of nothingness, a singleEgg came into being, which then hatched into Arceus. Arceus createsDialga,Palkia, andGiratina and gives Dialga and Palkia the abilities to control time and space. Giratina is banished intoanother dimension for its behavior. Then, during very early formation of the world, possibly sooner, Arceus createsAzelf,Uxie, andMesprit to create willpower, knowledge, and emotion, respectively, attributes that are in all modernhumans and Pokémon. After the formation of theSinnohregion, they dive to the bottom of present-dayLake Valor,Lake Acuity, andLake Verity, respectively, dubbing the term "thelake guardians." Also in these early times,Mew appeared on the planet, containing the DNA of every Pokémon. There are many scientists who believe that Mew was the ancestor of all Pokémon.^[p][q]

The next to come into being during the primal age arePrimalGroudon, PrimalKyogre, andRayquaza. It has been speculated that Primal Groudon was formed deep inside the earth from magma and Primal Kyogre was formed by the pressure in the deep sea trenches, while Rayquaza was formed by the minerals of the ozone layer. Another theory exists that the three already existed before the oceans, lands, and ozone layer did, and rather proceeded to create these components of the planet themselves. Rayquaza proceeds to fly around in the ozone layer, occasionally coming to rest at theSky Pillar. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre proceed to create landmass and fill the sea, respectively. A chance meeting turns the two into rivals, and a conflict for dominance over the Pokémon world begins. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre also fought for the entry of nature that was overflowing at the time. These endless clashes continued until Mega Rayquaza quells it, causing Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre to retreat to special caverns, where they rest, losing their Primal forms sometime after they went to sleep. The Red and Blue Orbs are created to prevent the reawakening of Groudon and Kyogre, and to trigger the Primal Reversion when either Groudon and Kyogre are awakened by the representing orbs. The Red and Blue Orbs are left atMt. Pyre for safekeeping.

At this time, Mew may have been plentiful and lived in large numbers. Landmasses such asMount Coronet are created, andRegigigas moves the continents, forming variousregions. TheSinnohregion is created around Mount Coronet. During this violent procedure,Stark Mountain is created andHeatran is formed in lava. Arceus creates the Adamant, Lustrous and Griseous Orbs before falling into a never-ending sleep.

2,000,000 years before the modern age, seismic shifts underneath thePaldea region would createArea Zero Underdepths, a layer ofArea Zero. These seismic shifts had caused the PokémonTerapagos to go nearly extinct, with the remaining few going into hibernation, creating theTerastal phenomenon and the locations held within theGreat Crater of Paldea. The crater itself is stated to be over one million years old.

Many years after, the prehistoric era begins and the first prehistoric Pokémon come into being. Scientists have proven that prehistoric Pokémon roamed the land, asFossils and other archaeological remains have been found to contain the DNA of Pokémon. It is possible that the Mew population on the planet may have decreased at this stage, as they slowly gave way to other Pokémon species. Evolution has come, separating humans from Pokémon, to create the first humans.

During the Stone, Ice, and Iron Ages, thelegendary giants are created, and used as keys to seal awayRegigigas in theSnowpoint Temple.Regirock,Regice andRegisteel are hidden in caves and ruins around theHoennregion, whileRegidrago andRegieleki were placed in theSplit-Decision Ruins inGalar'sCrown Tundra.

20,000 years before the modern day, a meteorite crashes into the planet. Thousands of years later,Eternatus emerges from it, bringing about the cataclysmic event known as theDarkest Day and introducing the world to the concept ofDynamaxing. Thelegendary heroesZacian andZamazenta, accompanied bytwin human brothers, rise up and defeat Eternatus, causing it to fall into an inactive state. Pieces of Eternatus, known asWishing Stars, scatter around the land. In modern times, the power of Wishing Stars is harnessed throughDynamax Bands, allowing humans to control the phenomenon.

1,500 years before modern times, the earliest known system for writing is developed and used at theRuins of Alph,Tanoby Ruins, andSolaceon Ruins. Archaeologists are currently unsure whether the nearly identicalUnown preceded or succeeded the writing system, but it is assumed they share some sort of connection. At this point, theMagikarp population mutated and became weaker.

In recent history, 700 years before modern times, theBell Tower and theBrass Tower were constructed. These two nine-tier towers were built opposite each other inEcruteak City. The towers were built to foster friendship and hope between Pokémon and people. The view from the top of the towers was said to be "magnificent". In the west was Brass Tower, which was said to awaken Pokémon, and in the east was the Bell Tower, where Pokémon were said to rest. At the time,an immense silver-colored Pokémon, was said to make its roost atop the Brass Tower, while its counterpart, the glorious rainbow-coloredHo-Oh was said to rest at the Bell Tower. However, around 150 years before the games, a lightning bolt struck the Brass Tower. It was engulfed in flames that raged for 3 days. Lugia and Ho-Oh escaped to the skies unharmed. A sudden downpour put an end to the blaze. In-game lore states that three Pokémon died in the fire, but Ho-Oh was able to revive them as theLegendary beasts,Raikou,Entei, andSuicune. Legends and folklore state that Raikou symbolizes the lightning bolt that struck the tower, Entei symbolizes the flames that raged for three days, and Suicune symbolizes the sudden downpour that extinguished the flames. Around this time, the firstPokémon League competitions started to take place. In the 1990s, a Pokémon was created by scientific engineering for the first time, calledPorygon.

In contemporary history, some years prior to the date,Mewtwo is cloned fromMew, and later escapes and destroysCinnabar Island'sPokémon Mansion. Soon after, an erupting volcano onCinnabar Island causes the destruction of many areas on the island. Around this time, theTeam Rocket syndicate, under the leadership ofGiovanni, spreads its control over various areas of theKanto region untilRed defeats Giovanni, prompting him to disband the organization and pursue a life of training. Despite this, Team Rocket operations continue for a little while longer on theSevii Islands and in theJohto region. Sometime around the end of Team Rocket's operations, Red climbs and waits at the summit ofMt. Silver. Along with that, the leaders ofTeam Aqua andTeam Magma reawakenGroudon andKyogre and they continue their great battle, only to be stopped again byRayquaza. Groudon and Kyogre retreat to the region ofFiore to rest after their battle.

In modern history, theSinnoh region has become unusually colder, due to the strange circumstances occurring across the region. TheLegendary trio of Sinnoh are also awoken by a villainous team;Team Galactic uses aRed Chain forged from thelake guardians to summonDialga,Palkia, andGiratina. Their efforts are halted due to interference from theplayer. At this time, a rip in time-space has occurred, opening a portal to theDistortion World. Giratina escapes into its dimension along withCyrus, the Team Galactic leader. The entrance to the Distortion World closes, returning the Sinnoh region back to normal.

Some years after this,Team Plasma attempts to free Pokémon from human capture, but for selfish reasons.Reshiram andZekrom are awoken due to Team Plasma and the player. The player, siding with one of the two dragons, battles againstN to test if N's convictions are correct. After this, the player defeatsGhetsis, and N leaves to a distant land with his dragon, while the player keeps theirs. Two years later, Team Plasma returns, but with the intention to take over Unova.Kyurem is captured by Ghetsis, and fused with N's dragon (either Zekrom^B2 or Reshiram^W2) to form Black Kyurem or White Kyurem respectively. The player defeats the new dragon, and Team Plasma is disbanded for good as Ghetsis suffers a mental breakdown and becomes unable to do any more evil deeds as a result.

Concurrently with Team Plasma's return, inKalos,Team Flare tries to destroy the world and make a more beautiful one with the help ofXerneas^X orYveltal^Y. The player, along withShauna andSerena/Calem, saveXerneas^X orYveltal^Y.Lysandre then uses the last bit of energy theultimate weapon has, and ends up destroying both the weapon and theTeam Flare Secret HQ. Lysandre is not seen again.

In theGalar region,Rose, the president ofMacro Cosmos and the chairman of theGalar Pokémon League, foresees the region running out of energy in a thousand years. In his misguided vision to fix this problem, he reawakens Eternatus and brings about the second Darkest Day. The player, along withHop, stands up against Eternatus inHammerlocke and summons Zacian and Zamazenta to defeat the threat once more. Rose subsequently turns himself in and is arrested.

Culture

See also:Human → Culture

Culturally, the many depictions of the world all reflect a popular fascination withPokémon and their interactions withhumans, includingcatching them,training them,battling them,raising them, keeping them as pets, studying them, and utilizing their varied skills. Severalmyths discuss the relationship between humans and Pokémon as a very close one, and one folktale even says that there was a time when humans and Pokémon were considered one and the same.

Thehistory of the Pokémon world diverges from that of the real world, with human-Pokémon interactions shaping it, lacking a major world religion, but having beliefs tied to ancient myths ofLegendary andMythical Pokémon, suggesting Pokémon reverence as a potential pseudo-religion, supported by a general kindness and respect toward Pokémon. Additionally, Shinto shrines and crosses have appeared, as well as a Christian-like church inHearthome City, and there are cultural references to Christianity and Christian-like elements inanimation andmanga.

Some individuals in the Pokémon world seek to exploit Pokémon for nefarious purposes, driven by either material gain or misguided ideals to help the world. Wars have also occurred, althoughfirearms and other weapons are less frequently used than Pokémon.

The Pokémon world exhibits linguistic diversity, evident throughforeign Pokédex entries,Unown markings, and characters like theMeister,Fantina, andLooker, with regions like Kalos incorporating French, Alola featuring Hawaiian, and Paldea using Spanish words in their language and culture.

Pokémon

Pokémon are living creatures that inhabit the Pokémon world, living alongside, and usually helping, humans. Pokémon have been seen within this world as being both supplements and replacements for animals and plants that exist in the real world. Most people respect Pokémon and treat them kindly as equals, yet there exist people who take advantage of them and seek to exploit their abilities for their own gain. Many Pokémon are shown to be sapient, have feelings, and can also understand the human language to some extent. Recreations of natural ecosystems are done with Pokémon. While some Pokémon have abilities that are normal or only slightly distorted from reality, many more Pokémon have completely original abilities and have no counterparts within the real world. Other Pokémon are based onlegends that exist in our world such asHo-Oh being based on aphoenix.

Evolution

In aSinnoh myth, it is said that Pokémon and people were originally the same species. Over time, some of these creatures split apart from the rest and became humans. This theory has been explored many times throughout the Pokémon world, but not proven.Mew is said to be the ancestor of all life: itevolved into the other Pokémon. The first human recording was during the Stone Age, millions of years before the modern era. Biological taxonomies of cellular and genetic structure have revealed that Pokémon are all actually a single species of life form and that the individual differences between each creature are actually subspecies.^{[citation needed]} This can also explain why Pokémon can variously interbreed with each other. This explores the myth of evolution in the Pokémon world and makes a reference to evolution of animals and humans in the real world.

In modern times, Pokémon commonly undergo a process calledEvolution. During the course of a Pokémon's development, under certain circumstances specific to that Pokémon's subspecies, it may become a different Pokémon. This change is not merely physical, however, as Pokémon of a higher evolutionary stage have different and usually more powerfulbase stats than their predecessors, may have differentmoves that can be learned, and sometimes change theirtypes, though the primary type is usually preserved. Most Pokémon will undergo this process.

Evolution in Pokémon, for most subspecies, is more akin tometamorphosis than to actual evolution. The Pokémon whose Evolution is closest to the real-world definition of evolution isBurmy, who takes on a different appearance depending on the environment.

Reproduction

Main article:Pokémon breeding

Nearly every Pokémon undergoes some form of reproduction. Fully developed, or Pokémon that passed theirbaby form can breed with Pokémon of the sameEgg Group. Pokémon thathave no genders can only breed withDitto; baby Pokémon,Legendary Pokémon, andMythical Pokémoncannot breed at all, with the exception ofManaphy andPhione. Like the majority of real animals, most Pokémon have genders which can sometimes be determined by markings and gender-differences. Usually, a Trainer's Pokémon will breed in aPokémon Day Care. It is unknown how a Pokémon reproduces, as no one has seen a Pokémon reproduce. Based on this, it is safe to assume that they only reproduce when left alone.

All Pokémon that are able to breed layEggs. Though nobody has actually seen a Pokémon lay an Egg, they apparently appear by the Pokémon. Pokémon usually lay one Egg at a time, sometimes, in unusual occasions, lay various Eggs at a time. Pokémon Eggs are similar to birds' Eggs, as they have a hard outer shell that protects the growing, undeveloped Pokémon inside. An Egg's shell usually has a pattern reflecting the appearance of the Pokémon inside making each Pokémon Egg unique from one another. Pokémon, like animals, are rather protective of their Eggs. They sometimes nest them, but usually, keep them close to themselves. The growing Pokémon incubates inside its Egg until the time comes for the Pokémon to hatch. The time it takes for a Pokémon to hatch varies from each Pokémon species and the type of Egg. However, placing an Egg into a PC will halt the incubation process.

Some Pokémon species have ababy form when they hatch from their Eggs. Once in their adult stages, these Pokémon are able to reproduce and continue the cycle of reproduction. Most baby Pokémon can only hatch as a baby Pokémon. However, there are some exceptions. Some Pokémon hatch into a more advanced form most of the time, but can also hatch into a baby form whenconditions are right.

Pokémon as food

Main article:Pokémon predation

SomePokédex entries mentionPokémon eating other Pokémon, such asPidgeot preying onMagikarp.Humans are also implied to eat Pokémon, with examples likeTeam Rocket sellingSlowpoke Tails as a delicacy andFarfetch'd being overhunted due to its suitability as a meal. ASinnoh myth even suggests that Pokémon can be reborn if their bones are cleaned and returned to their place of origin.

Additionally, some Pokémon are known to produce food products that can be consumed by either humans or Pokémon.

Classification

Pokémon have been enumerated in several different regions by their localPokémon Professors, taking their primary example fromProfessor Oak, the developer of the firstPokédex. While Oak's initial development only counted the 151 Pokémonnative to theKanto region, by collaborating with the other Professors to develop separatePokédex listings for each region, theNational Pokédex, which counts all Pokémon known, currently catalogs 1025 Pokémon.

Pokémon are also classified according to several differenttypes, depending on their strengths, weaknesses, and the moves they learn. Each of these types has certain strengths and weaknesses against others, with a total of 18 types identified so far. Pokémon are known to have either one or two types. Pokémon's types can be changed by moves likeSoak andConversion, and through abilities likeColor Change.

Geography and nature

The Pokémon world looks and acts like the real world in terms of geography. Each have landforms, oceans of water (theOceanic Museum has an exhibit claiming over two-thirds of the world is covered by water, the same as Earth), and temperatures to support life—meaning that the Pokémon world is about the same size and same distances from its sun as the real world. Misty even directly refers to the Pokémon world as Earth inPokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias. However, if the Pokémon world isnot Earth, it must be similar, having a similar moon, similar tides, similar climates, and so on.

Humans and nature in the Pokémon world are linked to each other, as many towns are built around the natural environment. A point of interest, unlike the real world, is that people's links with the nature are strong and they never try to affect the natural environment, with the exception of somevillainous teams. Some Pokémon such asGroudon andKyogre can affect and shape nature causing unexplainable droughts, storms, and earthquakes that can affect the continental plates.

Arcanine'sPokédex entry states that it is considered legendary in China; inThe Birth of Mewtwo,Jessie's motherMiyamoto was said to have been lost in an expedition in the Andes; and lab reports inPokémon Mansion state thatMew was discovered in Guyana, South America. These observations imply some possibility of the Pokémon world being the same as the "real world", only with extra regions.

Before the release ofPokémon Gold and Silver,novelizations ofPokémon the Series byTakeshi Shudō—the chief writer of theanimated series—mentioned many real world nations, but none of the future regions the franchise would introduce. At the very least, this may suggest that early on in the franchise, Kanto was conceived as part of the real world. But as the series continued world-building, there are few signs that Shudō's version of the world has been maintained.

Structure

The Pokémon world is split into severalregions. Typical mainland regions likeKanto,Johto, andUnova are mountainous landmasses with mild climates that resemble continents in thereal world. Off these landmasses are often separate, smaller archipelago regions like theOrange andDecolore Islands. Some regions, such asSinnoh, have very few water-basedroutes, whereas much travel in other regions, such asHoenn, is dependent on their many water-based routes. Though there are many similarities between the regions, there are some major differences between them, such as whatPokémon are located there and what legends there are waiting to be uncovered. Visitors from other regions quickly realize that the regions they visit are far from their home, both in the way of the climate change, and in the culture of the people residing there. InPokémon Diamond, Pearl, andPlatinum,Professor Oak states that Pokémon from around the country, such as Kanto and Hoenn, can be brought toPal Park in Sinnoh. Other regions may also be part of this country due to the use of vocabulary such as "national" or "nationwide", particularly in reference to theNational Pokédex, but they are all perhaps part of aworld nation. Several small kingdoms have been introduced inPokémon the Series as well, most of which keep themselves secluded in remote or difficult to reach areas.

The geography of the regions is strikinglysimilar toJapan, but in a much larger scale, as seen inthe fifth movie (the only time when the entire planet is clearly shown).

• Generation I andII: TheKantō region of Japan is not only identical in name toKanto in the Pokémon world, it is also very similar geographically; however, the western part of Kanto corresponds to easternChūbu. In Japan, the Kanto region is often contrasted withKansai, which is likeJohto, to the west. However, Johto is geographically more similar to the combined region of Kansai and westernChubu.
• Generation III:Hoenn is based on the southernmost parts of Japan—Kyūshū andOkinawa—with the latter highly condensed.Orre is based on the United States state ofArizona.Fiore is likely based on theJapanese prefecturesOkayama andHyōgo, as well asShodo Island of theKagawa prefecture.
• Generation IV:Sinnoh has been said to be an island likeHoenn, rather than a peninsula. It is based on the northernmost major island of Japan,Hokkaido, part ofSakhalin andKunashir Island. Almia appears to be based on theOshima andHiyama subprefectures ofHokkaido.Oblivia may be based on theOki Islands inJapan.
• Generation V:Unova has been said to be based on the island ofManhattan and theNew York City Metropolitan Area.
• Generation VI:Kalos is based on northernFrance, with many cultural similarities between the country and the region, such as language, music, and architecture.
• Generation VII:Alola is based onHawaii, with similar geography to its real life counterpart.
• Generation VIII:Galar is based on theUnited Kingdom.
• Generation IX:Paldea is based on theIberian Peninsula.

Regardless, thegames have referenced real places on Earth, such asSouth America,Australia,China,Antarctic, theUnited States, and thePacific Ocean, whilePokémon the Series and related media have referenced places such asHollywood,California,Minnesota,England, andParis.

Climate

Most regions have different climates. Regions and islands like theHoenn and theOrange Islands further south in the Pokémon world have a warmer climate than northerly regions, possibly due to anequator, much like on Earth. Hoenn's climate is warm, possibly even tropical, and parts of the region are so rainy they are covered in jungles. Meanwhile, theSinnoh region is cooler than other regions, and becoming colder due to climate change in the region. It is snowing constantly in the northern area of the region. Some Pokémon such asGroudon,Kyogre andRayquaza can affect climate and weather.

Weather conditions still apply in the Pokémon world, and as clouds andrain exist, so must thewater cycle. Many weather conditions that appear on Earth are also in the Pokémon world, such asrain,hailstorms,snow,fog, andsandstorms. Given that plants and trees seem to grow in a normal manner, it can be reasonably assumed that the other major cycles, such as thecarbon cycle and thenitrogen cycle, exist as well.

Environment

The natural environment in the Pokémon world is very similar to the real Earth's environment. Areas with a high density of trees make up forests, landscapes that receive very little precipitation create deserts, while loose broken-up particles of rock make large coastal beaches attracting people and Pokémon alike. Many regions boast dramatic environments ranging from rainforests to deserts.

The Pokémon world is mainly green and lush, based on factors such as plant structures including trees, shrubs, and grasses. Grass is usually uncontrolled and makestall grass patches that form prime habitats forwild Pokémon. There are also large mountainous areas that tower above low-lying land areas. The largest mountain range isMount Coronet, which stretches from the top to the bottom of Sinnoh, splitting the whole region in two. Man-made and natural occurrences formcaves in the mountainsides that are able to be explored or passed through to get to other cities and routes. A variety of other natural phenomena also appear in the Pokémon world, such as volcanic ash falling over certain areas from the activity of nearby volcanic activity.

Humans and nature in the Pokémon world are linked to each other, as many towns are built around its environment and they never try to affect the natural environment.Pacifidlog Town, for example, is built on wooden rafts and logs that float on top of aCorsola colony, whileSootopolis City is built in the crater of a hollowed, erupted volcano. An ecosystem is formed when all plants, Pokémon and people in an area function together with all of the non-living physical factors of the environment. It is said that Pokémon are more in tune with nature than humans.

Population

Adding up the town- and city-based populations of every core series game yields a minimum population of at least 4,052 people in the Pokémon world. This is most likely nowhere near the true population of the world, due to the sheer abundance of buildings with inaccessible rooms (particularly inCastelia City andWyndon).

Theanimated series consistently shows towns as much larger and more populous than their in-game counterparts. The Pokémon world's similarity toEarth may suggest that the canonical population is somewhere in the millions or even billions, since the societal infrastructure and economy shown in the games and animated series would never be able to operate with only a couple thousand ofhumans to operate it.

Physics and technology

Science and technology in the Pokémon world is more advanced than the real world. Technological advances have evolved the Pokémon world, scientists have created ways tostore Pokémon on computers,send Pokémon around the world,send Pokémon back in time,clone Fossils to create prehistoric Pokémon, and study paralleldimensions, yet people's lives in the games are simple and very natural. Scientific achievements such ascloning andenergy conversion mingle with magical elements such as spontaneousEvolution andflowers that can replay a short time sequence, giving one the sense that the Pokémon world is very different from our own. The state of technology conceivably places the timeframe we see in either the present day, or perhaps in the future, but this is merely speculative. Scientists at theDevon Corporation and other companies are still working on more advanced and slightly impossible inventions like a Pokémon Dream Projector that makes a visual projection of Pokémon dreams, Pokémon Speaker that allows communication with Pokémon, and a Pokémon Transformator that turns people into Pokémon (which Bill accidentally did when testing his teleporter).Antigravity machines exist alongside basic means of travel such asbicycles and trucks.

One of the most advanced and commonly used technology in the Pokémon world is thePoké Ball which transforms a Pokémon into energy so it can be contained in the small ball. In abattle, once the opposingwild Pokémon has been weakened, theTrainer will throw a Poké Ball at it. Assuming the Poké Ball hits it and is not dodged or hit back to the Trainer, the Poké Ball will open, convert the wild Pokémon to an energy form, pull the energy into its hollow center, and then close. The wild Pokémon will then be given the chance to struggle to try to escape the Poké Ball. Poké Balls originated fromApricorns, which is a non-synthetic Poké Ball. Old Apricorn Poké Balls were able to be unscrewed at the disproportionate top and manually be released, to let the Pokémon out. There are now several different kinds of Poké Balls, each for different occasions, including theMaster Ball which is able to capture a wild Pokémon without failure.

Despite the amount of advanced technology available, comparatively fewmodes of transportation are seen. This may be because the world is often shown through the eyes of aPokémon Trainer, who usually travel on foot for a variety of practical reasons such as cost and findingwild Pokémon. However, there is a possibility that some transportation such as cars and trucks are harmful to the natural environment and Pokémon by the poisonous pollution from the vehicles. The most common transportation used to get to other regions or islands is by sailing by boat or ship, as it is a quick and easy way to get to other lands, while most regions have their own ferry. People can also use Pokémon for transportation byflying orswimming.

While Pokémon are generally tolerant of human settlements being constructed, most will often react with hostility to any human attempts to truly cause harm to the natural environment. InDig Those Diglett!, not only did a large group ofDiglett andDugtrio constantly hamper construction of a dam that would have destroyed much of the local habitat, the Pokémon of several Trainers invited to the scene to deal with the attacks refused to come out of their Poké Balls, and is one of the rare instances ofAsh's Pikachu refusing to fight, which prompted Ash, Misty, and Brock to investigate further. In return, Pokémon are often seen providing several services that in the real world are performed by technology:Water- andGround-type Pokémon are often used to fight fires,Electric-type Pokémon used as a clean source of electrical power, and so on.

In theanimated series, thephysics of the Pokémon world are sometimes stretched tounrealistic degrees. Some common examples are unusual feats of strength and agility, surviving lethal attacks, andhammerspace.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

Main article:Pokémon world (Mystery Dungeon)

In thePokémon Mystery Dungeon series,Pokémon are the sole inhabitants of a world filled with diverse locations, including idyllic places such as both smallrescue team camps and larger settlements, as well as many ever-changingmystery dungeons, whereexplorers go to completeJobs, encountering manyhostile Pokémon along the way. The connection between this world and the worlds of thecore series games andanimated series remains a mystery. However, there are hints that suggest travel between the two is possible, such as theCoronet Rock, rumored to originate from theSinnoh region'sMt. Coronet.

e-Reader games

In thee-Reader short animationFlying Journey, aDragonite is seen quickly flying through multiple locations. According to the text shown at the end, Dragonite has been traveling around the world a number of times during this animation. For instance:

• "Dragonite traveled around the world 5 time(s)"

Pokémon Play It! series

This section is missing one or more images. Please feel free to add any missing images to this section. Needed images can beuploaded to the Bulbagarden Archives. Reason: image of the world in this game series

InPokémon Play It! andPlay It! Version 2, a short animation of the world appears during thegame intro. At some point,Julie mentions the world when talking to the player. Julie's left hand glows and Earth appears out of nowhere as a small planet floating in the air, until the planet is seen rotating in space and it turns into aPoké Ball.

In animation

Pokémon animated series

Main article:Timeline of events in Pokémon the Series

The world of theanimated series is very similar to that of thecore series games, featuring many of the sameregions and locations, though offering several original locations as well, such as theOrange Islands andDecolore Islands inPokémon the Series. Some towns and other locations also differ in a few ways. InPokémon the Series, theWhirl Islands are populated, but in the games they are just a series of caves, andLittleroot Town is shown to be a coastal town, whereas in the games it is surrounded by woodland on all sides. Furthermore, the roads between locations in the animated series seem to be much longer, often taking days to get from one town to the next. Many towns and cities are also depicted as much larger and more populous than in the games.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Main article:History of the Pokémon world (Adventures)

As seen ina special chapter of thePokémon Adventures manga, Pokémon names differ between locations.

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

InSide Story: Ash vs. Gary, whenGiovanni explainsTeam Rocket's plan to use a powerfulSlowpoke to take over the world, this is represented by the image of a planet-sized Slowpoke on top of the world.

In the novels

Pocket Monsters: The Animation

Main article:Pokémon world (PMTA)

Trivia

• Kanto andJohto are the onlyregions known to be adjacent to each other.
• Regularanimals have been seen in some older media, while regularplants like apple trees or pine trees are still seen frequently. It is unknown if both animals and Pokémon exist within this world in a complicated ecosystem, but real animals are occasionally referenced inPokédex entries, especially if the Pokémon being referred to is based on an animal.
• Starting inPokémon Black and White, the real-lifePokémon World Championships are mentioned if the player participated in those events, but this refers to a world championship about Pokémon instead of specifically the Pokémon world. For instance:"Thank you for participating in the Pokémon World Championships! Please pick up your gift from the deliveryman in anyPokémon Center."

Notes

References

External links

On Bulbagarden forums

• Pokémon world discussion forum

Related articles

• Pokémon world in relation to the real world

This article is part ofProject Locations, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every location in the Pokémon world.

• Candidates for moving
• Articles needing sources
• Articles needing images
• Regions
• Pokémon world
• Locations