Pokémon discovery

Previously unknown Pokémon species or forms are often described as having been "discovered" in-universe, as seen in several forms of Pokémon media. The region that a Pokémon was first discovered in is sometimes used as a system for categorization of Pokémon, based on which game the Pokémon was introduced in.

Contents

Collapse all Hide

Close table of contents

• (Return to top)
• Terminology
• Overview
  • Comparison with regional Pokédexes
• In the core series games
  • Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, LeafGreen, Let's Go, Pikachu!, and Let's Go, Eevee!
  • Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver
  • Pokémon Platinum, Brilliant Diamond, and Shining Pearl
  • Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon
  • Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
  • Pokémon Legends: Z-A
  • Pokédex entries
• In animation
  • Pokémon the Series
  • The Two Professors
• In the manga
  • Pokémon Adventures
    • Red, Green & Blue arc
    • Gold, Silver & Crystal arc
• In the TCG
• In other media
  • An Illustrated Book of POCKET MONSTERS
  • The Official Pokémon Handbook
  • Pokémon Power
  • Super Smash Bros. series
• Related articles
• Notes
• References

Contents

Terminology

A Pokémon is often described as having been "first discovered" (Japanese: 最初(さいしょ)に発見(はっけん) first discovery), "first encountered", "first found", or "originally discovered" in the region where it debuted in the core series games. For instance, all Generation I Pokémon are known as "first discovered in Kanto", while all Generation II Pokémon are known as "first discovered in Johto". Such descriptions have often been used on Pokémon.com. When new Pokémon are revealed, they are sometimes referred to in promotional material as being "newly discovered".

In Pokémon GO, the descriptions of some medals mention Pokémon as "first discovered" in a region. Some Research Tasks specify that the player must catch a certain number of Pokémon "originally discovered" in a region. Professor Willow also mentions Pokémon species or regional forms as "first discovered" in some regions. The "Gritty and Glacial" event includes an instance of "first found" which was added in the English localization.

In the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME, the description for the Pokédex mentions Pokémon species being "first discovered" in a certain region.

Overview

Generation	Region	National Pokédex numbers	Species first discovered	Regional forms first discovered	Core series game debut
I	Kanto	#0001–0151	151 Pokémon	—	Pokémon Red and Green (Japan) Pokémon Red and Blue (international)
II	Johto	#0152–0251	100 Pokémon		Pokémon Gold and Silver
III	Hoenn	#0252–0386	135 Pokémon		Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
IV	Sinnoh	#0387–0493	107 Pokémon		Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
V	Unova	#0494–0649	156 Pokémon		Pokémon Black and White
VI	Kalos	#0650–0721	72 Pokémon		Pokémon X and Y
VII	Alola	#0722–0807	86 Pokémon	18 Alolan forms	Pokémon Sun and Moon (81 Pokémon and 18 Alolan forms)
					Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (5 Pokémon)
	Unknown Origins	#0808–0809	2 Pokémon	—	Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
VIII	Galar	#0810–0898	89 Pokémon	19 Galarian forms	Pokémon Sword and Shield (81 Pokémon and 13 Galarian forms)
					Pokémon Sword and Shield Version 1.1.0+ (1 Galarian form)
					The Isle of Armor (3 Pokémon and 1 Galarian form)
					The Crown Tundra (5 Pokémon and 4 Galarian forms)
	Hisui	#0899–0905	7 Pokémon	16 Hisuian forms	Pokémon Legends: Arceus
IX	Paldea	#0906–1025	120 Pokémon	4 Paldean forms	Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (103 Pokémon and 4 Paldean forms)
					Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Version 1.2.0+ (2 Pokémon)
					The Teal Mask (7 Pokémon)
					The Indigo Disk (8 Pokémon)

These region divisions (Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar, Hisui, Paldea, and unknown origins, in that order) are used in the Pokédex in both Pokémon GO and the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME. In the former, "Unknown Origins" is instead labeled as "Unidentified". The Pokémon of the Year votes in 2020 and 2021 split Pokémon into similar region divisions, but did not include a separate section for "Unknown Origins", with Meltan and Melmetal instead being grouped with Galar (which was labeled "Galar, etc" to accommodate for this).

A Pokémon is considered to be first discovered in the region that is the main setting of the game it was introduced in, even if it does not actually appear in that region. For example, Poltchageist is considered to have been first discovered in Paldea because it first appeared in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, despite the fact it is actually encountered in the game in Kitakami and not Paldea. This is similar to the system used in the games on the summary screen of a Pokémon transferred from another game, where the Pokémon's met location is simply shown as the region corresponding to its game of origin regardless of the specific location it was encountered at.

The official Japanese Pokédex website, which also uses these region divisions and allows the user to filter by region, classifies certain forms as belonging to a different region than the base form of that species: all regional forms are listed under their respective regions (including White-Striped Basculin for Hisui), the Origin Formes of Dialga and Palkia are listed under Hisui, Ursaluna's Bloodmoon form is listed under Paldea, and all Gigantamax forms are listed under Galar (except Gigantamax Melmetal, which is listed as unknown like its base form). However, this does not apply to every form that was introduced in a later game than its species, as Mega Evolutions are all listed under the same region as their base forms, and Zygarde's 10% and Complete Formes are listed under Kalos rather than Alola despite debuting in Pokémon Sun and Moon. The official website for the Pokémon 30th Anniversary logos also uses these classifications for the forms it includes.

Comparison with regional Pokédexes

The Pokémon first discovered in each region are usually all included in the respective regional Pokédex. However, most regional Pokédexes contain many previously discovered Pokémon in addition to the newly discovered Pokémon; for instance, Pikachu was first discovered in Kanto, but it is a member of many regional Pokédexes (the Kanto Pokédex, Johto Pokédex, Hoenn Pokédex, Sinnoh Pokédex, etc.). The only exceptions to this are the Kanto Pokédex in Generations I and III, which features only the 151 Pokémon first discovered in Kanto, and the Unova Pokédex in Pokémon Black and White, which features only the 156 Pokémon first discovered in Unova, both not featuring any Pokémon first discovered in other regions.

Most regional Pokédexes include all the Pokémon discovered in that region. For some regions, the Pokémon first discovered in the region are all included but are split between three separate Pokédexes (the Central Kalos Pokédex, Coastal Kalos Pokédex, and Mountain Kalos Pokédex for Kalos; the Galar Pokédex, Isle of Armor Pokédex, and Crown Tundra Pokédex for Galar; and the Paldea Pokédex, Kitakami Pokédex, and Blueberry Pokédex for Paldea). In the case of Alola, the five Pokémon first discovered in Alola that did not appear in Pokémon Sun and Moon (and were thus not in the original Alola Pokédex) were added to the expanded Alola Pokédex in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.

Sinnoh is unique in that it does not have any regional Pokédexes that include all Pokémon first discovered in the region; the original Sinnoh Pokédex from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl is missing 26 Pokémon first discovered in Sinnoh, and even with the expansion to the Sinnoh Pokédex in Pokémon Platinum, seven Pokémon first discovered in Sinnoh are still missing from the Sinnoh Pokédex.

Some regional Pokédexes contain every Pokémon that was first discovered in a different region than the one the Pokédex is for: the Johto Pokédex contains all Pokémon first discovered in Kanto as well as those of Johto, the Kanto Pokédex in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! contains all Pokémon with unknown origins as well as those discovered in Kanto, the Hisui Pokédex contains all Pokémon first discovered in Sinnoh as well as those of Hisui, and the Hyperspace Pokédex also contains all Pokémon with unknown origins.

Despite the distinction, in the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME, Poké Boy refers to the lists of Pokémon first discovered in each region as "regional Pokédexes". Additionally, when the player is using their Boxes, the option to filter Pokémon by the region they were first discovered in is named "Regional Pokédex".

In the core series games

Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, LeafGreen, Let's Go, Pikachu!, and Let's Go, Eevee!

In Generation I and III, according to the Pokémon Mansion journals, Mew was a Pokémon discovered deep in the jungle in Guyana, South America. In Generation VII, the reference to Guyana is removed, although Mew is still said to have been discovered in the jungle. Following its discovery on July 5, it was named "Mew" on July 10.

Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver

A non-player character in New Bark Town claims that Professor Elm discovered new Pokémon.

In Generation II only, Jasmine and the Cianwood Gym guide mention that the Steel-type was recently discovered. This references the fact that this type was introduced in this generation. Those remarks are absent in the Generation IV remakes.

In Generation IV, it is said that in addition to the 26 original Unown forms, 2 more forms have been discovered: "There aren't just 26 different kinds of Unown. Two more have been discovered! But that begs the question of where those other two kinds are hiding..." In addition, the Unown Report's description says that it is a report of the discovered kinds of Unown.

In Generation IV, a non-player character in Goldenrod City says: "I wonder how many kinds of Pokémon there are in the world. A long time ago, Professor Oak said there were 150 different kinds... Since then, many new Pokémon have been discovered in different regions. There are almost 500 different kinds known now..."

Pokémon Platinum, Brilliant Diamond, and Shining Pearl

The author of the old notebook in Rotom's Room is implied to have discovered Rotom after it suddenly emerged from a lawn mower's motor. The person named it "Rotom" due to this.

Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon

Several years prior to the events of the games, Mohn discovered Ultra Wormholes and Ultra Beasts while working as a scientist for the Aether Foundation, and he conducted research on Nihilego. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, Wicke of the Aether Foundation states that the Ultra Beasts Buzzwole^S/Pheromosa^M, Xurkitree, and Kartana^S/Celesteela^M were "sighted for the first time following the incidents at Aether Foundation", but that Nihilego and Guzzlord were sighted in the past as well.

According to the Pikachu Professor quiz at Pikachu Valley in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Professor Elm was the first person to discover the existence of Pichu.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

200 years prior to the events of the games, the Area Zero Expedition team, including Heath, explored Area Zero and discovered mysterious Pokémon, including Great Tusk^S/Iron Treads^V. At one point, Heath discovered Terapagos in the depths of Area Zero while separated from the rest of the team and named it, though he was unsure whether it was truly a Pokémon. He wrote the Scarlet Book^S/Violet Book^V to document the expedition, but he was not believed by the general public. During the events of The Indigo Disk, Heath's descendant, Briar, encounters Terapagos in another expedition in Area Zero (along with the player, Kieran, and Carmine) and writes her own book about the events.

Ten years prior to the events of the games, Professor Sada^S/Professor Turo^V discovered and named Koraidon^S/Miraidon^V after bringing it to Area Zero from the ancient past^S/distant future^V using a time machine, followed by many more Paradox Pokémon from the same period. However, Koraidon^S/Miraidon^V was mentioned in the Scarlet Book^S/Violet Book^V as the "Winged King"^S/"Iron Serpent"^V.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Before the fight against the Rogue Mega-Evolved Dragonite, Urbain/Taunie mentions that Dragonite's Mega Evolution was discovered recently. Similarly, in the Mega Dimension DLC, after the Rogue Mega Absol Z is defeated, Korrina mentions that Mega Absol Z was only discovered recently.

At the end of the extra side mission "Shine Bright like a Gemstone", Emma explains that, according to AZ, the recent discovery of new types of Mega Stones was caused by the ultimate weapon being fired again five years prior (during the events of Pokémon X and Y).

Ranked Battles Season 8 only allowed Pokémon with Mega Evolutions introduced in Pokémon Legends: Z-A to be used, officially described as "Pokémon with Mega Evolutions that were newly discovered in Lumiose City or Hyperspace Lumiose".

Pokédex entries

Some Pokédex entries mention the discovery of certain Pokémon:

• Voltorb was discovered at a company that manufactures Poké Balls.
• Doduo was discovered as a sudden mutation.
• Lunatone was discovered 40 years ago where a meteor fell.
• Solrock is described as a new Pokémon species.
• Baltoy was discovered in ancient ruins.
• Relicanth was discovered in deep-sea explorations.
• Roggenrola was discovered 100 years ago in an earthquake fissure.
• Elgyem was discovered 50 years ago.
• Marshadow went undiscovered for a long time because it can conceal itself in any shadow.
• Rolycoly was discovered 400 years ago in coal mines.
• Wugtrio was formerly considered a regional form of Dugtrio before being classified as a separate species.
• Poltchageist, despite resembling a regional form of Sinistea, was recently discovered to be a completely unrelated Pokémon.
• Mega Garchomp Z is described as a new Mega-Evolved form.

In Generation III game data, the placeholder text for an unknown Pokédex entry reads: "This is a newly discovered Pokémon. It is currently under investigation. No detailed information is available at this time."

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, if the player has not yet completed enough research tasks for a Pokémon for it to reach research level 10, its Pokédex entry reads: "This Pokémon has only just been documented. Investigation is ongoing. More research tasks must be completed to fill in this Pokémon's entry." However, the text used in Pokémon HOME for an incomplete Pokédex entry from Legends: Arceus does not mention being recently documented, reading: "This Pokémon is being investigated in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Complete research tasks to fill in this Pokémon's entry!"

In animation

Pokémon the Series

In early episodes of Pokémon the Series, it was sometimes said that there are at least 150 known Pokémon species in the world, with more Pokémon yet to be discovered:

• In the very first episode, Pokémon - I Choose You!, Ash's Pokédex mentions that many Pokémon are still undiscovered after it was unable to identify a flying shimmering golden Pokémon.
• In Mystery at the Lighthouse, Bill also mentions the idea that there may not only be 150 Pokémon but also others that are yet undiscovered.

In Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver, the Pokémon found in Johto have been originally introduced as newly discovered, previously unknown species. However, in Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver and Ruby and Sapphire, it is eventually established that each region simply has its own Pokémon which are often well-known to its inhabitants rather than new discoveries. This includes several regions with known events from decades or centuries in the past, including the native Pokémon of each region, contrary to the belief that those Pokémon were previously unknown.

During a quiz that was part of the Pokémon League Admissions Exam, Jessie answered that Koffing was first discovered in a public bathhouse. This contradicts the Team Rocket expansion's Koffing card stating that Koffing was discovered in a weapons factory. This may be either because Jessie answered the question incorrectly, or due to an inconsistency between the TCG and the animated series.

The Two Professors

The Two Professors is a series of three promotional shorts in which Professor Willow and Professor Oak discover Meltan and Melmetal. Though these Pokémon are described as new discoveries, Professor Oak recognizes them from ancient texts.

A similar video was released upon the reveal of Gimmighoul in November 2022, in which Jacq and Professor Willow discuss Gimmighoul and name its Chest Form and Roaming Form, respectively. Although the video's description refers to Gimmighoul as a "newly discovered Pokémon", it is not explicitly referred to as a new discovery in the video itself, with Jacq seemingly already being familiar with it and recounting an old story about it.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Red, Green & Blue arc

In this arc, it is said that 150 Pokémon were known to exist, until Mew is discovered as the 151st known Pokémon. This is in spite of the fact, however, that Mewtwo, the 150th Pokémon, is only created during the events of this arc and is not publicly known by the time this statement is made.

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

At the start of this arc, it is said that new Pokémon have been discovered in the Johto region, contrary to the previous belief that there are only 151 Pokémon. Professor Oak hires Crystal to complete the Pokédex after Red and Blue previously failed to complete the Pokédex and went to pursue other goals.

In The Last Battle XII, a previously unknown Pokémon species hatches from the Pokémon Egg produced by Pika and Chuchu. In The Last Battle XIV, Yellow names the new species Pichu.

At the end of this arc, after Crystal's success in completing the Pokédex with the 251 Pokémon from Kanto and Johto, Professor Oak decides to hide from her the fact that even more Pokémon have been discovered in Hoenn.

	Spoilers end here.

In the TCG

• Koffing was first discovered in a weapons factory, according to the Team Rocket expansion's Koffing card.

In other media

An Illustrated Book of POCKET MONSTERS

An Illustrated Book of POCKET MONSTERS contains the original story of the first systematic study of Pokémon.

• The first 30 Pokémon were discovered and scientifically described by a French author, Baron Tajirin, in the late 18th century.
• Up to 80 Pokémon had been discovered at the time of Professor Nishinomori's life, the leader in the study of Pokémon in Japan who published the paper “An Observation on the Evolution of Pikachu” in 1899, where he described his observation that Pikachu and Raichu are actually the same creature, but one of them was evolved. At this time, Professor Nishinomori had done an experiment with Primeape that shrunk into Poké Ball, therefore it was one of the discovered Pokémon then.
• As of 1996, a total of 150 Pokémon were discovered thanks to the work of scientists like Professor Oak.
• Bulbasaur was discovered at least 6 years before 1996 because that's long how scientists have been debating if it should be classified as a plant or an animal.
• Gyarados's most recent documented specimen was a corpse washed up on shore 35 years before the publication of the book.
• Doduo is described to be discovered 3 years before the book publication and speculated to be a mutation.
• Farfetch'd have been reported on the deliciousness of cooking it with their stalk several years back.
• Grimer came to life from a toxic sludge transformed by the X-rays from the moon. It was first discovered in empty lots behind factories.
• Porygon was created in 1995 when Silph Co. successfully applied state-of-the-art technology to create this man-made Pokémon.
• Koffing was first discovered in a munitions factory, but their habitat has grown in recent years.
• Kabutops's one and only fossil was discovered 6 years before the book's time in a soil horizon approximately two million years old.
• Dratini was discovered by a lucky angler who happened to catch a Dratini in the Safari Zone's pond and became an overnight sensation, with news of the discovery exploding globally.
• In his lecture, Bill gets a message about the 151st Pokémon being discovered.

The Official Pokémon Handbook

In The Official Pokémon Handbook, it is said that Professor Oak discovered Mew as the 151st Pokémon.

Pokémon Power

Professor Oak's discovery of Mew
(Pokémon Power magazine)

In Pokémon Power (issue 6, page 3), Professor Oak said on a press conference that he discovered the 151st Pokémon and named it Mew.

Super Smash Bros. series

• In Super Smash Bros. Melee:
  • Electrode's trophy description states that it is "the quickest Pokémon found to date".
  • Eevee's trophy description states that it is "as adaptable a Pokémon as any yet discovered". It also states that "so far, five evolutionary forms have been discovered and then catalogued for this unique Pokémon; Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, and Umbreon".
  • Snorlax's trophy description states that it is "the heaviest Pokémon on record".
  • Unown's trophy description states that "quite a few different shapes of Unown have been confirmed".
  • Steelix's trophy description states that it is "the longest Pokémon yet to be discovered".
  • Professor Oak's trophy description states: "It seems there are always new and mysterious species of Pokémon being brought to light, and Professor Oak is at the heart of it all with his insightful research."
• In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U:
  • Eevee's trophy description in the North American version states that it has "eight evolutions discovered thus far". This mention is not present in the European/Oceanian version, which simply says it can "evolve in so many different ways".
  • Mew's trophy description states that "Mew is a Pokémon previously thought to be extinct but rediscovered by Dr. Fuji" (in the North American version) or "Mew was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered by Dr Fuji in Guyana" (in the European/Oceanian version).
• In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, the trophy description for Pichu states that "Professor Elm must have been shocked when he discovered a pre-evolution of Pikachu!"
• In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the trophy description for Wailord states that it is "the largest Pokémon found so far" (in the North American version) or "the largest Pokémon discovered thus far" (in the European/Oceanian version).
• In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a Spirit Board event titled "New Galar Region Pokémon Discovered!" was held in November 2019, featuring spirits for several Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield. A later Spirit Board event titled "New Pokémon Discoveries!" was held in February 2024, featuring spirits for several Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Related articles

• New Pokémon
• Artificial Pokémon
• History of Pokémon
• Pokémon availability
• List of Pokémon by National Pokédex number

References

This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.