The ''Pokémon'' universe is a fictional universe that encompasses the '' Pokémon'' media franchise, including stories and fictional works produced by

The Pokémon Company The Pokémon Company (株式会社ポケモン, ''Kabushiki gaisha Pokemon'') is a Japanese company responsible for brand management, production, publishing, marketing, and licensing of the '' Pokémon'' franchise, which consists of video game ...

, Nintendo,

Game Freak is a Japanese video game developer, best known as the primary developer of the mainline ''Pokémon'' series of role-playing video games published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. History Predating the video game company, ''Game Freak'' ...

and Creatures, Inc. The concept of the ''Pokémon'' universe, in both the fictional works and the general nonfictional world of '' Pokémon'', stems from the hobby of insect collecting, a popular pastime which ''Pokémon'' creator Satoshi Tajiri enjoyed as a child. Players of the

video games Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...

are designated as Pokémon Trainers and the two general goals (in most ''Pokémon'' games) for such Trainers are: to complete the Pokédex by collecting all of the available Pokémon species found in the fictional region where that game takes place and to train a team of powerful Pokémon to compete against teams owned by other Trainers and eventually become the strongest Trainer: the Pokémon Champion. These themes of collecting, training and battling are present in almost every version of the Pokémon franchise, including the

video game series This is a list of video game franchises, organized alphabetically. All entries include multiple video games, not counting ports or altered re-releases. 0–9 *''1080° Snowboarding'' *''1942'' *''3D Ultra Minigolf'' *'' 3-D Ultra Pinball'' *''7 ...

, the

anime series is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...

, the manga series, the

film series A film series or movie series (also referred to as a film franchise or movie franchise) is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe, or are marketed as a series. This article explains what film series are ...

and the

Pokémon Trading Card Game The , abbreviated as ''PTCG'' or ''Pokémon TCG'', is a collectible card game developed by Creatures Inc. based on the ''Pokémon'' franchise. It was first published in October 1996 by Media Factory in Japan. In the US, it was first published ...

. Although Pokémon battles between Trainers is popular in the ''Pokémon'' universe, the series also emphasizes the harmony between people and Pokémon. Pokémon battles are treated like a competitive sport where both Pokémon and humans have fun. Pokémon rarely sustain fatal injuries during these battles and they also can obtain remedies for their ailments in a Pokémon Center, a specialized hospital for Pokémon.

Main series regions

There are several regions that have appeared in the various media of the '' Pokémon'' franchise. Each of the nine generations of the main series releases focus on a new region. Moreover, several regions have been introduced in spin-off games and two in the ''Pokémon'' anime, though most of these are still within the same fictional universe. Usually, the different regions are not accessible from one another via land (or at all within a single game). However, Kanto can be accessed from Johto and vice versa via the sea in ''Pokémon Gold'', ''Silver'', ''

Crystal A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macro ...

'', ''HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver'' versions. Every region consists of several cities and towns that the player must explore in order to overcome many waiting challenges, such as

Gyms A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational ins ...

, Contests, and villainous teams. At different locations within each region, the player can find different types of Pokémon, as well as helpful items and characters. Many regions are on separate

continent A continent is any of several large landmasses. Generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, up to seven geographical regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas t ...

s with the earlier introduced regions (Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh) being based on parts of Japan, with later regions being based on parts of the United States (Unova and Alola), France (Kalos), the United Kingdom (Galar), and the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...

(Paldea).

Kanto

The Kanto region is the setting of ''Pokémon Red'', ''Blue'', and ''

Yellow Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In the ...

'' and their remakes, ''Pokémon FireRed'', ''LeafGreen'', ''Let's Go, Pikachu!'' and ''Let's Go, Eevee!''. Based on and named after the Kantō region of Japan, this setting started the precedent of basing the geography and culture of the game's region on a real world setting. This region is also visited in ''Pokémon Gold'', ''Silver'', ''

'', ''HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver''.

Sevii Islands

Johto

The Johto region is the setting of the second generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which includes ''Pokémon Gold'', ''Silver'', ''

'' and their remakes, ''Pokémon HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver''. Again based on an area of Japan, this game's geography is based upon the Kansai, Tokai and eastern

Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...

areas of the country. The game setting draws upon the Kansai region's abundance of temples, the architectural design of the Kansai region and its geographical sights, such as Mount Fuji and the

Naruto whirlpools The are tidal whirlpools in the Naruto Strait, a channel between Naruto in Tokushima and Awaji Island in Hyōgo, Japan. The strait between Naruto and Awaji island has a width of about . The strait is one of the connections between the Paci ...

Hoenn

The Hoenn region is the setting of the third generation of ''Pokémon'' games, ''Pokémon Ruby'', ''Sapphire'' and '' Emerald'', as well as their remakes ''Pokémon Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire''. This time being based on the Japanese island of Kyushu; the real world and game region share an abundance of smaller islands around the main one and a subtropical climate. Like Sinnoh, this region is known to have a large range of various natural environments, such as rainforests and deserts.

Sinnoh

The Sinnoh region is the setting of the fourth generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which encompasses the setting of ''Pokémon Diamond'', ''Pearl'' and ''

Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

'', as well as their remakes ''

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and are 2021 remakes of the 2006 Nintendo DS role-playing video games ''Pokémon Diamond'' and ''Pearl''. The games are part of the eighth generation of the ''Pokémon'' video game series and were developed by ILCA and published by Nint ...

'' and '' Pokémon Legends: Arceus''. It is based on the northernmost island of Japan, Hokkaidō. The region was meant to have a "northern" feel, with some routes being entirely covered in snow.

Battle Zone

The Battle Zone (Japanese: バトルゾーン Battle Zone) is a sub-region of Sinnoh located on a separate landmass northeast of the mainland. Three settlements are located in the Battle Zone: the Fight Area, which holds the entrance to the Battle Tower in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and the Battle Frontier in Pokémon Platinum; the Resort Area, where one can find the Ribbon Syndicate; and finally the Survival Area, home in Platinum to the Battleground and a Move Tutor's home.

Unova

The Unova region is the setting of the fifth generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which encompasses the setting of ''Pokémon Black'' and ''White'' and their sequels ''Pokémon Black 2'' and ''White 2''. For the first time in the main series, the region was based on a region outside Japan, with Unova taking inspiration from the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass, at , and one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. The vast metropolitan area ...

Kalos

The Kalos region is the setting of the sixth generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which is where the games ''Pokémon X'' and ''Y'' take place. This region is inspired almost entirely by the northern half of

Metropolitan France Metropolitan France (french: France métropolitaine or ''la Métropole''), also known as European France (french: Territoire européen de la France) is the area of France which is geographically in Europe. This collective name for the European ...

, with landmarks such as the

Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed "' ...

and the Palace of Versailles having representations here, along with a French style of music and fashion. According to

Junichi Masuda is a Japanese video game composer, director, designer, producer, singer, programmer and trombonist, best known for his work in the '' Pokémon'' franchise. He was a member of Game Freak where he was an employee and executive at the company si ...

, the name "Kalos" comes from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

word el, κάλλος, label=none, translation=beauty. The Kalos Pokemon League is based on the Notre-Dame de Paris due to its castle/cathedral-like exterior.

Alola

The Alola region is the setting of the seventh generation of ''Pokémon'' games, ''Pokémon Sun'', ''Moon'', ''Ultra Sun'' and ''Ultra Moon''. This region is based on

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

, marking the second time a main entry ''Pokémon'' game setting has been inspired by a U.S. state. The name itself is a play on '' aloha'', the Hawaiian word for both "hello" and "goodbye".

Galar

The Galar region is the setting of the eighth generation of ''Pokémon'' games, which is where the games ''Pokémon Sword'' and ''Shield'' take place. This region is primarily inspired by Great Britain (mainly England and parts of Scotland), showcasing landmarks inspired by Big Ben and Hadrian's Wall. Two additional areas, '' The Isle of Armor'' and ''

The Crown Tundra ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'', are based on the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

and Scotland respectively. The Galar Region was also introduced in Pokémon Journeys.

Paldea

The Paldea region is the setting of the ninth generation ''Pokémon'' games ''

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and are 2022 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch. They are the first instalments in the ninth generation of the ''Pokémon'' video game series. First an ...

''. The region seems to be based on the

, which encompasses both Spain and Portugal.

Spinoff regions

Pokémon Island

Fiore

The Fiore region is where the Nintendo DS spin-off game '' Pokémon Ranger'' takes place. Its name is

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

for "flower".

Almia

The Almia region is where the Nintendo DS spin-off game '' Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia'' takes place. The region is similar to Fiore, in that Pokémon Rangers are present instead of Trainers. One of the features of the region is a school.

Oblivia

The Oblivia region is where the Nintendo DS spin-off game '' Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs'' takes place. This region is an archipelago composed of several islands located far to the south of both Fiore and Almia. It has many ruins and legends.

Orre

The Orre region is where the

Nintendo GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...

spin-off games '' Pokémon Colosseum'' and '' Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness'' take place. It is based on

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

Trading Card Game Islands

The Trading Card Game Islands are where the ''Pokémon Trading Card Game'' and its sequel, ''Pokémon Card GB2: Great Rocket-Dan Sanjō!'' take place.

GR Island

Tumblecube Island

Tumblecube Island is an area exclusively explored in

Pokémon Quest ''Pokémon Quest'' is a free-to-play action-adventure game in the ''Pokémon'' series developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. It was released for the Nintendo Switch in May 2018 and for Android and iOS in J ...

. All of the Pokémon in that game are in

voxel In 3D computer graphics, a voxel represents a value on a regular grid in three-dimensional space. As with pixels in a 2D bitmap, voxels themselves do not typically have their position (i.e. coordinates) explicitly encoded with their values. I ...

/cube-like shapes, unlike the other games.

Holon

Holon is a region introduced and explored exclusively in the

. It is a known habitat of the unusual δ Delta Species Pokémon, also introduced in the TCG.

Ransei

Ferrum

Pasio

Pasio is a region introduced in the mobile gacha game "

Pokémon Masters EX (originally named ''Pokémon Masters'') is a free-to-play mobile game for Android and iOS developed and published by DeNA. It is based on the ''Pokémon'' media franchise. Set on the artificial island of Pasio, the game allows players to battle ...

," which was originally called "

Pokémon Masters (an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise. In terms of what each of those ...

". It is an artificial island made by the soon-to-be King of Pasio, Lear. This region, being man-made, does not have any natural wild Pokémon. Hoopa is thought to have brought some of the citizens there, which include Gym Leaders, Elite Four Members, and even Champions from the eight main regions of the franchise.

Aeos Island

Aeos is an island introduced in the

MOBA Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) is a subgenre of strategy video games in which two teams of players compete against each other on a predefined battlefield. Each player controls a single character with a set of distinctive abilities that i ...

game Pokémon Unite. A mysterious energy known as Aeos energy permeates the island, making Pokémon stronger and giving them enhanced abilities. Trainers from around the world come here to compete in Unite Battles and to harness Aeos energy.

In-universe chronology

According to dialogue in ''Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Platinum,'' and '' Legends: Arceus'', the in-game

lore Lore may refer to: * Folklore, acquired knowledge or traditional beliefs * Oral lore or oral tradition, orally conveyed cultural knowledge and traditions Places * Loré, former French commune * Loré (East Timor), a city and subdistrict in La ...

suggest that the Pokémon universe was created by a

creator deity A creator deity or creator god (often called the Creator) is a deity responsible for the creation of the Earth, world, and universe in human religion and mythology. In monotheism, the single God is often also the creator. A number of monolatr ...

and Pokémon Arceus, a creature described as "The Original One". Several other Pokémon were made by Arceus: Dialga, the embodiment of time, Palkia, the embodiment of space, and Giratina, the embodiment of antimatter, who was banished to another dimension. Arceus then created Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie; the spirits of willpower, emotion and knowledge respectively. At this early time, Mew, the ancestor of Pokémon, appeared in the universe. After creating the Pokémon world, Arceus went into an eternal sleep. After Arceus' creation, Groudon, embodiment of the land; Kyogre, embodiment of the sea; and Rayquaza, embodiment of the sky; were born. They are sometimes unofficially known as "the weather trio", as each of these Pokémon possess weather-changing abilities. The clash of these three Pokémon was said to have created much of the Earth's surface. Mt. Coronet was created at this point of time as Regigigas moved landmass to form continents and regions. Stark Mountain and Heatran were also created at this time. Many years after, the prehistoric era began and the first prehistoric Pokémon came into being. The games state that scientists proved that prehistoric Pokémon roamed the land, as

Fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

s and other paleontological remains have been found to contain the DNA of Pokémon. The Mew population on the planet may have decreased at this stage, as they slowly gave way to other Pokémon species.

Evolution

According to the in-game myths of Sinnoh, Pokémon and people were originally the same species. Mew is the ancestor of all Pokémon, and the first human recording was in the Stone Age, millions of years before the modern era.

Works

Video game series

* ''Pokémon'' video game series ** List of ''Pokémon'' video games

Animated series and films

* ''Pokémon'' television series * ''Pokémon'' film series

Card game and board game

*''

'' ** List of ''Pokémon'' Trading Card Game sets *'' Pokémon Trading Figure Game''

Books and manga

* List of ''Pokémon'' books * ''Pokémon'' manga **''

Pokémon Adventures is a Japanese manga series based on the ''Pokémon'' media franchise created by video game designer Satoshi Tajiri and managed by The Pokémon Company. Tajiri once stated that the series is closest to how he imagined the universe of ''Pokém ...

''Detective Pikachu'' game and film

*'' Detective Pikachu'' (video game) *'' Detective Pikachu'' (live-action film)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pokemon universe

Universe The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the universe. ...

Fictional elements introduced in 1996 Video game locations Fictional universes