Terminology of Pokémon world
The terminology of Pokémon world explains how terms such as "Earth", "world of Pokémon", and "Pokémon world" have been used in Pokémon media.
Terminology
World of Pokémon
From Generation I onwards, "Welcome to the world of Pokémon!" is usually said in the new game cutscene from the core series games. In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire (but not in Pokémon Emerald), "World" exceptionally starts with a capital letter in this introduction: "Welcome to the World of Pokémon!"
Some examples from Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow:
- "I know everything about the world of Pokémon in your Game Boy!" (developer in Celadon City)
- "You can't be a coward in the world of Pokémon!" (a Gambler)
Some examples from Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald:
- "The world of Pokémon is deep. I honestly think that no amount of training would ever be enough." (Norman)
- "I'm fabulously wealthy, but I can't seem to win at Pokémon... It's so deep, the world of Pokémon..." (Rich Boy Winston)
- "Like the vast blue sea, the world of Pokémon spans depths beyond belief." (Swimmer Katie)
Some examples from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen:
- "You become the main character to explore the world of Pokémon!" (Help System)
- "You understand, don't you? That power alone isn't enough to win in the world of Pokémon?" (Psychic Tyron)
An example from Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum:
- "Ah, you have a Pokétch? You will find it indispensable. Science will become increasingly necessary in the world of Pokémon."
Pokémon world
In the core series games, the first use of "Pokémon World" is found on the sign at One Island in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen:
- "Expanding the Pokémon World! Pokémon Net Center"
In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, the Pokémon World Tournament is often mentioned in the dialogue.
In the core series games, the first two uses of "Pokémon world" (as opposed to "Pokémon World") are seen below :
- "See for yourself the regal beauty of Diancie, [...] the Royal Pink Princess of the Pokémon world!" (Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon)
- "I’m so happy that you’re playing a lot in the Pokémon world!" (game director, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!)
There is an anime opening song named Pokémon World. This song includes the sentence "We all live in a Pokémon world".
World
There are several references to the "world" in the game dialogue.
Some examples from Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, and their remakes:
- Bill is said to be world-famous as a Pokémaniac.
- Misty is said to be a world-famous beauty.
- It is said that the S.S. Anne cruises the world.
- The Team Rocket is trying to conquer the world with Pokémon.
- Once Blue becomes the Champion, he claims to be the strongest Trainer in the world.
In the core series games, several non-player characters are said to have traveled the world. For instance:
- "Did you know? Prof.Oak traveled all over the world when he was young." (School Kid Chad's Pokégear call)
Earth
In the core series games, Pokémon Crystal was the first game to have some references to the planet Earth in the English dialogue, but they are not found in Japanese:
- In this game, Entei's English Pokédex entry mentions the earth:
- "This brawny Pokémon courses around the earth [...]" (Japanese: だいちを かけめぐる たくましい ポケモン this brawny Pokémon runs over the land)
- This game has the first use of the English intensifier "on earth", in the sentence said by a non-player character referring to the Battle Tower: "What on earth do they do here?".
From Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire onwards, there are several Pokédex entries specifically referring to the planet earth (Japanese: 地球 Earth). For instance:
- "Hoothoot has an internal organ that senses and tracks the earth's rotation. [...]" (entry introduced in Ruby and Sapphire)
- "Steelix lives even further underground than Onix. This Pokémon is known to dig towards the earth's core. [...]" (entry introduced in Ruby and Sapphire)
- "Beldum keeps itself floating by generating a magnetic force that repels earth's natural magnetism. [...]" (entry introduced in Sapphire)
- "The metal composing [Registeel's] body is thought to be a curious substance that is not of this earth." (entry introduced in Sapphire)
- "Rayquaza lived for hundreds of millions of years in the earth's ozone layer, never descending to the ground." (entry introduced in Ruby)
- "An alien virus that fell to earth on a meteor underwent a DNA mutation to become [Deoxys]." (entry introduced in Diamond and Pearl)
In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the Seismic Toss Move Tutor mentions: "The secrets of space... The mysteries of earth..."
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, this dialogue contains the first use of "Earth" starting with a capital letter in the core series, specifically referring to this planet:
- "Such a small world it is, eh? Eh? Wait, this is a miniature? The real Earth is millions of times bigger than this? Whoaaaaaaa!" (said by a non-player character in the Goldenrod City Global Terminal)
In Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, this is said by the character who gives the Comet Shard in the Hokulani Observatory:
- "It’s a fragment that fell to earth when a comet passed by our planet!"
The Pokémon world is also specifically referred to as Earth in the Pocket Monsters: The Animation novels and in Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias.
In Pokémon Masters EX, the expressions "Earth to Rachel!" and "Earth to Valerie!" are used at different points, but these phrases make no reference to the planet Earth in the Japanese version.
Trivia
- Starting in Pokémon Black and White, the real-life Pokémon World Championships are mentioned if the player participated in those events, but this refers to a world championship about Pokémon instead of specifically the Pokémon world. For instance:
- "Thank you for participating in the Pokémon World Championships! Please pick up your gift from the deliveryman in any Pokémon Center."
