Since the debut of the first two "Pocket Monsters" games for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1996, the massively successful Pokemon franchise has evolved (pun intended) dramatically, encompassing seemingly endless video games, books, manga, TV shows, films, toys, and merchandise.
And now, in 2016—20 years after its first release—the world is once again gripped with Poke-mania, thanks to the sensational launch of Pokemon Go.
Pokemon culture keeps growing at an impressive pace on both sides of the Pacific, inspiring passionate fanaticism from Pokefans who show their love for the franchise by amassing large collections of memorabilia or creating their own Pokemon illustrations. Then there are the official commercial spin-offs: Pokemon stores have opened. Pokemon Jets have been in service. It's been crazy.
All the more reason, then, to take a closer look at the weirder side of this Pokemon phenomenon, including unusual products, fan artwork, and trivia. So that's what we're going to be doing in the slides ahead as we take a path down the lesser-known alleys of cultural history to explore Pokemon Oddities.
(For more, see 12 Completely Inappropriate Places to Play Pokemon Go.)
Pokemon Mini
In late 2001, Nintendo released its smallest handheld video game console to date, and very few people realized it. The Pokemon Mini, seen here, was a complete handheld game system in the traditional sense with a monochrome LCD screen and interchangeable cartridges. While it launched at a reasonable $39.99 in the US, it fell under the radar in the US quickly due to its Pokemon-centric nature, limited capabilities, and the fact that it was marketed more as a child's toy than a video game system. Today it has become a rare collector's item.
(Photos: Nintendo)
(Photos: Nintendo)
The Real Pikachu?
On rocky mountainsides in the northern latitudes around the world -- including in the US and Asia -- one can find many related species of cute, furry mammals called pika. They are known for their shrill calls, big ears, and stumpy legs. However, they have yet to electrically shock anyone. That ability is reserved for their fictional Pokemon namesake, Pikachu. In Japan, the name "Pikachu" works as a pun because "pika" means electricity in Japanese. Put the two together and you have an electric mammal poised to capture and electrocute hearts around the world.
(Photo: Alan D. Wilson / Pokémon Company)
(Photo: Alan D. Wilson / Pokémon Company)
The Secret of Dugtrio
The Pokemon called Diglett (and its evolved form Dugtrio) has long mystified Pokemon players with its simple brown body that protrudes from the Earth. It has led many to wonder what is going on below the surface.
At some point many years ago, a creative Pokemon fan drew the image in the center, postulating three muscular humanoids below ground as the real bodies of Dugtrio. This image has since become an inside joke among Pokefans. Recently, an artist from Singapore named Lan Sei created a detailed 3D rendering of the muscular trio, which you can see on the right. Frankly, I am surprised this interpretation is still not canon.
(Photos: Pokemon Company, Lan Sei)
At some point many years ago, a creative Pokemon fan drew the image in the center, postulating three muscular humanoids below ground as the real bodies of Dugtrio. This image has since become an inside joke among Pokefans. Recently, an artist from Singapore named Lan Sei created a detailed 3D rendering of the muscular trio, which you can see on the right. Frankly, I am surprised this interpretation is still not canon.
(Photos: Pokemon Company, Lan Sei)
Pokemon Jet
Between July 1998 and April 2016, the Japanese airline All Nippon Airways operated a small fleet of Boeing jets bedecked in Pokemon and Pikachu artwork. They first debuted as a cross-promotion for the release of Pokemon: The First Movie in Japan. On these popular flights, passengers encountered crew dressed in Pokemon-themed uniforms, ate food from Pokemon containers, watched Pokemon TV shows, and walked away with a Pokemon souvenir bag. It's enough to make you airsick without turbulence.
(Photo: All Nippon Airways)
(Photo: All Nippon Airways)
Realistic Pokemon
In 2012, San Francisco-based artist RJ Palmer began illustrating dramatic interpretations of Pokemon as if they were realistic creatures and posting them on his Deviant Art page. Since then he has completed dozens of these Western-style re-interpretations of previously cute characters, and is now selling self-published books full of the fanciful artwork. If Pokemon had been developed in the USA, it may have looked like this.
(Photo: RJ Palmer)
(Photo: RJ Palmer)
Nintendo 64: Pikachu Edition
During the holiday season of 2000, Nintendo released a special Pikachu-themed version of its Nintendo 64 game console that included a molded likeness of Pikachu whose right foot doubled as a reset button (along with a Poke Ball that served as the power switch). The Toys 'R' Us edition of the console came bundled with the "Hey You, Pikachu!" game and a microphone interface for this unusual voice-operated game. Released late in the Nintendo 64's lifespan, few know about this unusual variation on the firm's classic 64-bit console.
(Photos: Nintendo)
(Photos: Nintendo)
Pokemon Center: New York
On November 16, 2001, Nintendo opened a special store dedicated entirely to Pokemon called "Pokemon Center: New York" at 10 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Here we see some rare photos of the front and inside of the store taken by a hardcore Pokemon fan named Dogasu, which were posted on his/her Tripod website.
The aftermath of September 11th largely overshadowed the store's launch, but the store remained in operation until 2005 when Nintendo converted it into a general Nintendo-themed retail outlet called Nintendo World. Today, Nintendo New York still occupies the original Pokemon Center location. Meanwhile, several Pokemon Centers still operate in Japan.
(Photos: Dogasu)
The aftermath of September 11th largely overshadowed the store's launch, but the store remained in operation until 2005 when Nintendo converted it into a general Nintendo-themed retail outlet called Nintendo World. Today, Nintendo New York still occupies the original Pokemon Center location. Meanwhile, several Pokemon Centers still operate in Japan.
(Photos: Dogasu)
Nightmare Pikachu Bed
This massively decked-out Pikachu bedroom comes to us courtesy of Pikachu mega-collector Belle Starenchak of Dunnellon, Florida. Back in 2008, Starenchak was recognized as the owner of the world's largest collection of Pokemon memorabilia by the Guinness Book of World Records, although her record has since been surpassed. I, for one, could never go to sleep in this room. Those eyes...THOSE EYES.
(Photo: Belle Starenchak)
(Photo: Belle Starenchak)
The First Female Trainer
In the beginning, Pokemon was known simply as "Pocket Monsters" in Japan, but with the country's compulsive need to create cute contractions, Pokemon was born. Back in 1996, the cover art for the official Pocket Monsters Red and Green guidebook not only included the original name but hinted at a female player character, which was unique because players could not play as a female trainer until Pokemon Crystal in 2000.
Today, millions of people still play Pokemon across several consoles and now even on mobile phones. Despite countless nightmares inspired by beady-eyed Pikachu bedsheets, the Pokemon revolution shows no signs of stopping.
(Photo: Nintendo)
Today, millions of people still play Pokemon across several consoles and now even on mobile phones. Despite countless nightmares inspired by beady-eyed Pikachu bedsheets, the Pokemon revolution shows no signs of stopping.
(Photo: Nintendo)