Pokemon. The word is still a mystery to me. Created by the Japanese company Satoshi Tajiri in 1996, Nintendo owns the Pokemon media franchise. Pokemon originally started off as a video game series, but since then has grown to include a television anime series, trading cards, toys, books and more.
I was never into Pokemon as a child. Barney, Beanie Babies, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers…those were my thing. Pokemon never interested me, and I still don’t understand the allure. The anime series follows three main Pokemon trainers: Ash (below), Misty and Brock.
The three go on to collect Pokemon and battle to become the ultimate Pokemon breeder.
Obviously I don’t know a lot about Pokemon. I only know the names of two creatures: Pikachu (the main Pokemon on the left) and Jigglypuff (the cute pink ball of fluff on the right).
Pokemon grew into a craze among certain people. Not everyone was into them. It was more of an underground obsession or an acquired taste. Especially the anime series. Filmed in a Japanese style, the show has an element that really bothers me. The characters speech and their mouth movement never match up. I mentioned this in my post about the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a series that was also based off a Japanese series. I don’t understand that technique. Why wouldn’t you have them match up with each other? What’s the point of making it that way? I guess I’ll never know.
I can’t do anything besides laugh when I watch this commercial. I mean come on! They are tiny little plastic animals! The funny part is that they are trying to make it seem like these miniature toys are invading the world, yet they don’t even do anything. But I guess that happens with an obsession. You want something, and you don’t even really know why you want it.
And the trading cards. The Pokemon lovers would bring them everywhere, always looking for a certain character and hoping to find another person with whom to trade. At least these cards have some purpose. It’s more of a game than the itty bitty Pokemon toys above.
I will never understand the craze behind Pokemon. I just don’t get the attraction. On a love or hate scale, I definitely hate Pokemon. Your thoughts?
Pokemon was originally produced in japanese. They have to make the english dubbing match the visual movements as close as possible- but they can’t do it perfectly… I never noticed the mouth movements not matching? Anyways, the series is just a fucking great series. And the pokemon are adorable. That’s really all there is too it. Better than Yu-Gi-Oh at least.
Thank you, Gen. I appreciate your input! Of course everybody has their own opinion. And I guess you’re right about the dubbing, I didn’t think of that.
hhahaaha I just came across your site as I was googling “pokemon phenomenon” and I think you spot on in addressing the craze. I must admit I was a fan of the show too however X)
Thank you!