Pokémon Master: Difference between revisions

It is the goal of Ash Ketchum, as well as many other Pokémon Trainers, to become a Pokémon master. However, exactly what this position is and how one attains it is vague and never fully explained. This, however, is done intentionally, as explained by a Nintendo representative in response to an email sent to Pokémon.com's mailbag;

"I'm very sorry, but the Pokémon Company does not answer questions of this nature. It is the intent of the Pokémon creators that such questions be left to the imaginations and interpretations of Pokémon fans, adding more excitement and mystery to the Pokémon universe."

Theories

• It has been theorized that when one becomes a Pokémon champion of a regional Pokémon League, one attains the title of master — however, this might not be correct, as Ash won the Orange League without attaining the position to anyone's knowledge. Indeed, other League champions haven't ever been referred to as Pokémon masters, either. Another theory is that, in the context of the anime, Pokémon masters are the members of the Elite Four. However, even these characters are not always referred to as Pokémon masters when Ash meets them.

• In Red and Blue Versions, Yellow Version, and FireRed and LeafGreen Versions, upon defeating Lance, he declares the player a Pokémon master.

• The Official Pokémon Handbook states that a trainer would deserve the title of Pokémon master upon defeating or capturing Mewtwo, which would, in terms of the anime and manga, obviously be very impractical, if not impossible. But the handbook also refers to the Elite Four members as master trainers, implying that any elite trainer can call themselves a master.

• According to the very first official promotional video, one of the tasks to become a Pokémon master is to capture all Pokémon. In theory, Ash almost had all of the Pokémon in the world on his side in The Power of One, but did not officially own them. This task, however, would in practice seem impossible, thinking of certain Legendary Pokémon. Aside from this issue, it would be impractical for anyone in the anime to capture and maintain at least 495 different creatures. Unlike the Pokémon games or Pokémon Adventures manga, in which Pokémon can be stored in suspended animation as computer data — Pokémon in the anime need to be fed and exercised regularly to maintain their health. Such a task would be impossible for anyone to perform alone, or even with many assistants or helpers. A worldwide community containing at least one of each is logically possible, considering that Professor Oak had a research facility which doubled as a living ground for the Pokémon. This may have resulted in the franchise's dropping of the familiar "Gotta Catch 'em All!" motto.

• The book The Official Pokémon Collector's Sticker Book implies (says that the sticker book is proof that the owner has caught 'em all) that one is made a ‘Pokémon Master’ by catching all Pokémon. As the book possesses numerous references to the anime, it is contradictory because, as aforementioned, the anime makes the concept of one person owning all Pokémon seem implausible.

• According to the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, however, which is also based on the anime, a Pokémon master is simply an elite Trainer who is considered a professional and regularly takes part in League competitions.

• A Pokémon Master is possibly a trainer that has become unbeatable once he or she has attained it. This is supported by the fact that in Mewtwo Strikes Back, Nurse Joy (while brainwashed) invites the trainers to have a battle against the world's greatest Pokémon Master on New Island, who is later revealed to be Mewtwo.