Unova

The Unova region (Japanese: イッシュ地方 Isshu-chihō) is a large area of the Pokémon world and the setting of the fifth generation Pokémon games Pokémon Black and White. It is far away from the four other large regions, and the Pokémon which inhabit Unova are diverse and different from those of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. In his director's column, Junichi Masuda suggested that the geographical and social background for Unova draws inspiration from the New York City metropolitan area^[1], although the region features rural locations as well as industrial.

Unova features fifteen settlements which reflect the diversity of the region. Castelia City, a sprawling metropolis, is the largest city in any known Pokémon region. Kanoko Town, which is inhabited by the Pokémon expert Professor Juniper, is smaller and quieter. Black City is a version-exclusive city found only in Pokémon Black. Unova's landscape also features several forests (one of which, White Forest, is also version-exclusive), a desert, a magnetic cave and areas where the move Dive can be used outside of battle. Although Unova appears in some ways more technologically advanced than the previous regions, this development is not spread across the whole of the region.

These towns and cities are connected by a network of routes. These are numbered from 1 to 18, mimicking the naming scheme used in Kanto and emphasizing Unova's isolation. Unova has the least numbered routes of any region, but also has named routes stretching between settlements. These include five bridges and a subway network.

Unlike previous regions, where climatic change was experienced locally (that is to say, some routes would always feature snow, and some routes would always feature rain), Unova is susceptible to national seasonal change. Spring, summer, autumn and winter each last approximately thirty days, and recur three times each within a year. Each season brings with it different weather patterns, unlocks different events, and presents altered Pokémon availabilities.

Origin

Although some of Unova is geographically based on New York, the creators of the region took some liberties in regards to the surrounding areas. Clearly, the largest city in Unova, Castelia City, is based on Lower Manhattan, but to the immediate north of Castelia is (as opposed to a continuing metropolis as in real life) a vast desert. To the east and west of the region are large mountains. Unova also contains many rural settlements.

Etymology

Unova's Japanese name, イッシュ Isshu, is derived from 一種類 isshurui, meaning "one variety". As explained by game director Masuda, this is to express that even though the region has great diversity in species and race, when seen from a distance they are all the same as living creatures.^[2]

History

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.

Cities, routes, and other locations

Cities and towns

• Kanoko Town
• Karakusa Town
• Sanyou City
• Shippou City
• Castelia City
• Raimon City
• Hodomoe City
• Fukiyose City
• Sekka City
• Souryuu City
• Kagome Town
• Sazanami Town
• Black City^{Wrong template. See Template:Sup/doc.}
• Kanawa Town
• Pokémon League

Landmarks

• Site of Dreams
• Underground Waterway Opening
• Yaguruma Forest
• Resort Desert
• Ancient Castle
• Lost Forest
• Freezing Container
• Fukiyose Cave
• Electric Rock Cave
• Spiral Mountain
• Tower of Heaven
• Dragon Spiral Tower
• Sekka Wetlands
• Training Cavern
• Sazanami Bay
• Honor Shrine
• Shift Factory
• White Forest^{Wrong template. See Template:Sup/doc.}
• Victory Road
• P2 Lab
• Liberty Garden Island
• Sky Arrow Bridge
• Hodomoe Drawbridge
• Cylinder Bridge
• Village Bridge
• Wonder Bridge
• High Link

Anime only locations

Unova region's map in the anime

• Current Town

Routes

Unlike previous regions, Unova's routes do not follow the same numbering system, with a jump to 301, but are numbered 1-18, paralleling the Kanto region's numbering system.

Geography

Unova is a mixture of urban and rural land. Many cities have buildings that resemble real-world buildings, such as Sanyou City and Castelia City. However, some cities remain the way buildings in the past do. There are several forests, caves, and mountains throughout Unova, some of which are home to legendary Pokémon.

Climate

Main article: Seasons

The climate of Unova, unlike other regions, solely depends on the time of the year.

League

Main article: Unova League

The Unova League is the regional Pokémon League of the Unova region. After obtaining the eight badges of the region a trainer may battle the Elite Four at the Pokémon League building.

Gym Leaders

Unova League
Generation V						Region: Unova
Gym Leader Japanese						Location Japanese	Type	Badge
File:VSDent.png Dent デント Dent	File:VSPod.png Pod ポッド Pod			File:VSCorn.png Corn コーン Corn		Sanyou City サンヨウシティ Sanyou City	Grass, Fire and Water	File:Tri Badge.png Tri Badge
{{{size}}} Aloe アロエ Aloe						Shippou City シッポウシティ Shippou City	Normal	Basic Badge
{{{size}}} Arti アーティ Arti						Castelia City ヒウンシティ Hiun City	Bug	File:Beetle Badge.png Beetle Badge
{{{size}}} Kamitsure カミツレ Kamitsure						Raimon City ライモンシティ Raimon City	Electric	Bolt Badge
{{{size}}} Yacon ヤーコン Yacon						Hodomoe City ホドモエシティ Hodomoe City	Ground	Quake Badge
{{{size}}} Fuuro フウロ Fuuro						Fukiyose City フキヨセシティ Fukiyose City	Flying	Jet Badge
{{{size}}} Hachiku ハチク Hachiku						Sekka City セッカシティ Sekka City	Ice	Icicle Badge
File:VSShaga.png Shaga シャガ ShagaWrong template. See Template:Sup/doc.			Iris アイリス IrisWrong template. See Template:Sup/doc.			Souryuu City ソウリュウシティ Souryuu City	Dragon	Legend Badge

Elite Four

Unova League
Generation V
Member Japanese	Type
{{{size}}} Shikimi シキミ Shikimi	Ghost
{{{size}}} Giima ギーマ Giima	Dark
Caitlin カトレア Cattleya	Psychic
{{{size}}} Renbu レンブ Renbu	Fighting
{{{size}}} Champion Adeku アデク Adeku	Various

Trivia

• Unova is the first main series region to be based on a real-world region outside of Japan.
• Unova has the fewest routes of any region, only having 18.
• Unova is the only region not to have any important locations located on major islands during normal gameplay before the Elite Four.
• Unova is the only main series game region not to have the Bug Catcher, Beauty, Bird Keeper, or Sailor Trainer classes in it.
• Unova is currently the only main series region to have more than two Gym Leaders in one gym at the same time.
  • However, only one of the Sanyou Gym Leaders is battled in order to earn the badge.
• It is the only main series game region not to have a Game Corner.
• It is the only main series region not to have a Safari Zone, since the opening of the Johto Safari Zone.
• It is the only main series region which does not use a romanization of the Japanese name as its English name, and the only region whose name is different among all languages.
• It is the only main region not to have a Battle Frontier.
  • However, Kanto only has a Battle Frontier in the anime.

Names

See also

• Pokémon Black and White

References

Unova
Settlements Nuvema Town • Accumula Town • Striaton City • Nacrene City • Castelia City • Nimbasa City • Anville Town Driftveil City • Mistralton City • Icirrus City • Opelucid City • Pokémon League • Lacunosa Town • Undella Town Black City • White Forest • Aspertia City • Floccesy Town • Virbank City • Lentimas Town • Humilau City Routes 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 Bridges and tunnels Skyarrow Bridge • Driftveil Drawbridge • Tubeline Bridge • Village Bridge • Marvelous Bridge • Marine Tube Landmarks Dreamyard • Wellspring Cave • Pinwheel Forest • Liberty Garden • Desert Resort • Relic Castle • Battle Subway • Lostlorn Forest Cold Storage • Mistralton Cave • Chargestone Cave • Celestial Tower • Twist Mountain • Dragonspiral Tower • Moor of Icirrus Challenger's Cave • Victory Road (BW • B2W2) • N's Castle • Royal Unova • Giant Chasm • Undella Bay • Abyssal Ruins Abundant Shrine • Poké Transfer Lab • P2 Laboratory • Entralink • Unity Tower • Floccesy Ranch • Pledge Grove • Virbank Complex Pokéstar Studios • Castelia Sewers • Join Avenue • Cave of Being • Pokémon World Tournament • Reversal Mountain • Plasma Frigate Clay Tunnel • Underground Ruins • Strange House • Relic Passage • Seaside Cave • White Treehollow • Black Tower Access to Nature Preserve Other Blueberry Academy • Terarium