Real World Animals in Pokemon

[SilveryBeing]

This is something that has bothered me for years. Are there non-pokemon animals in Pokemon?

The numbers of different animal species in our world number in the millions if not billions, I don't think 400+ pokemon can fill all the ecological niches needed to keep the planet going. And a lot of pokemon are referenced as being like RL animals. They say pikachu is an electric mouse, they could only say that by knowing what a normal mouse was in the first place.

What do you guys think?

 

[Perxio]

You'll find this subject brought up in the search option, I'm sure...I remember one at least. And no doubt Bulbapedia has an article.

Just to answer, yes, there's been some real world animals in the show: fish, a worm, and I believe the Gastly in the Ghost of Maiden's Peak transformed into a giant mongoose at some point. Then there's the references in the pokemon descriptions and so on.

If for some reason they ignore the previous sightings and all, and pokedex entries, my guess is the reason for the pokedex entries would be those who categorized the pokemon came up with the same terms we use: cat, dog, bird, etc- not for the specific species but as more general similarities. There's several parallels between the pokemon and the real world anyway, so it wouldn't be far fetched.

 

[fate]

I remember talking about this with my old friends back in the Red/Blue days. We just came to the agreement that pokemon happened to be animals that showed some sort of special/magical powers, distinguishing them from a housecat, dog, etc. So researchers (Oak at the time) wanted to learn more about these species.

I kinda just rolled with that since.

 

[snatch**]

Do people eat Miltank/Tauros Cheezboogahs?

 

[Eversti]

Do people eat Miltank/Tauros Cheezboogahs?

Perhaps. In the Diamond/Pearl games, a book could be read at the Canalave library, a book that encouraged people to eat Pokémon found in the sea and streams, but I'd imagine some people would go a bit further, if you know what I mean.

 

[Velveteen]

That has bothered me since I first watched the first Snorlax episode years ago, when a Snorlax was blocking a stream.

Here's another thing... What's in that chicken burger then? Or steak?

Hmmm.

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

In the PokeWake comics Ketsuban's currently translating, there's a few real-world animals. There's a cat in one chapter, several fish...

Heck, a non-pokemon fish is even a plot point in a chapter of Magical Pokemon Journey ("Why Psyduck Why?" is the title). I'm not sure if it's a real-world fish since it's so simply drawn, but it's presented as being "ordinary" and not a pokemon.

 

[lucas_irineu]

I think I saw a spider on the anime once, but I am not sure.

 

[360]

I think you guys are over-thinking it too much.

I think, no, there isn't any animals in Pokemon, the Pokemon themselves are the animals of the world. I don't think a 11 year old boy that wakes up to watch his Saturday morning Pokemon episode thinks of the million or billion types of species we have in our world. He probably doesn't even follow the story line let alone think that far ahead.

The reason why they say stuff like Pikachu the electric mouse, or Meowth the cat, is because the Pokemon is based off of the animal, and then it's so that we can be familiar with what that Pokemon is suppose to be. Not all Pokemon resemble animals but that's just an example.

It's real simple if you ask me, the rich guy a.k.a. Giovanni has a pet cat, and it's a Persian, the Police a.k.a officer Jenny has their "k-9" squads a.k.a. Growlithe and so forth. This show is aimed at kids that's why they don't say things like "Hey guys let's go to Red Lobster to eat a nice Krabby, or you know what I feel a bit hungry today, I'll just get a Kingler"

So you see now why saying stuff like that doesn't compare to "A fresh nice glass of Miltank milk"

I think you looked at it too complicated, but hey, I like your thinking there is no reason why you shouldn't of asked that question.

 

[Weedle Mchairybug]

I think you guys are over-thinking it too much.

I think, no, there isn't any animals in Pokemon, the Pokemon themselves are the animals of the world. I don't think a 11 year old boy that wakes up to watch his Saturday morning Pokemon episode thinks of the million or billion types of species we have in our world. He probably doesn't even follow the story line let alone think that far ahead.

The reason why they say stuff like Pikachu the electric mouse, or Meowth the cat, is because the Pokemon is based off of the animal, and then it's so that we can be familiar with what that Pokemon is suppose to be. Not all Pokemon resemble animals but that's just an example.

It's real simple if you ask me, the rich guy a.k.a. Giovanni has a pet cat, and it's a Persian, the Police a.k.a officer Jenny has their "k-9" squads a.k.a. Growlithe and so forth. This show is aimed at kids that's why they don't say things like "Hey guys let's go to Red Lobster to eat a nice Krabby, or you know what I feel a bit hungry today, I'll just get a Kingler"

So you see now why saying stuff like that doesn't compare to "A fresh nice glass of Miltank milk"

I think you looked at it too complicated, but hey, I like your thinking there is no reason why you shouldn't of asked that question.

Umm... If animals truly didn't exist in the real world, then, why is it that They showed stuff like

worms (Like the thing Pidgeotto ate for example)
fish (first visit to cerulean gym, as well as when the St. Anne sunk)
a mongoose (Gastly transformed into one)
Plus, there was fried turkey in the 2nd movie
as well as a dog in that one scan of some manga
and those coral in the 9th pokemon movie (yes, corals are indeed listed under animals. Take a look at the scientific kingdom of species if you don't believe me.)?

Heck, even in the GAMES they made explicit references to animals (like how Gastly's pokedex entry stated that it was able to fell an indian elephant, for example.). even IF you guys could argue things such as Pikachu being referred to as an "Electric Mouse" as the creators trying to make it familiar to the audience, that doesn't explain such things such as Gastly's Gen II pokedex entry.

And also, while they may drink Miltank milk since it never really harms the pokemon, I can't say the same in regards to making meat from them, since they seemed to make it quite clear that Pokemon shouldn't be eaten (the mere fact that Farfetch'd's pokedex entry hinted that, due to being nearly wiped out from being a delicacy, and that it is currently a protected species of pokemon, as well as Giratina's legend seemed to be obvious enough that Pokemon should NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BE KILLED!), and humans need to eat in order to survive, and that means that, either they are herbivores (which can't be since they are seen to eat what seemed like meat) or there really ARE animals in the pokemon world.

By "Giratina's Legend", I'm referring to the guy with the sword who went on a killing spree on pokemon, and eventually they almost were wiped out, with at least one hiding (that one pokemon rumored to be Giratina), and the guy asked why is he hiding, and the pokemon said that he wiped out most of the pokemon, and the guy feels guilty for his actions, swears not to kill pokemon anymore, and to prove his guilt, he breaks his own sword. this sole pokemon, pleased with his actions, disappeared back to where it came from.

Now, just to make things clear, Just because there are earth animals on Pokeria, doesn't mean that it takes place on either Earth, or on an alternate earth. Take "Star Wars" for example. There were Real life Ducks seen on Naboo, and that wasn't even in the Milky way galaxy, nevermind Earth.

 

[360]

It's not that I don't believe you, but like I said, this is thought at way too high of a level then it should be.

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

as well as Giratina's legend seemed to be obvious enough that Pokemon should NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BE KILLED!),

By "Giratina's Legend", I'm referring to the guy with the sword who went on a killing spree on pokemon, and eventually they almost were wiped out, with at least one hiding (that one pokemon rumored to be Giratina), and the guy asked why is he hiding, and the pokemon said that he wiped out most of the pokemon, and the guy feels guilty for his actions, swears not to kill pokemon anymore, and to prove his guilt, he breaks his own sword. this sole pokemon, pleased with his actions, disappeared back to where it came from.

I don't think that one guy killed off almost all pokemon, I think it was meant to be "those in his area", not all around the world.

And he was killing them *without reason*. That's the difference between that and the story about what you should do with pokemon you eat.

 

[Weedle Mchairybug]

I don't think that one guy killed off almost all pokemon, I think it was meant to be "those in his area", not all around the world.

And he was killing them *without reason*. That's the difference between that and the story about what you should do with pokemon you eat.

Umm... I don't know, I mean, according to Bulbapedia's article on Sinnoh Myths:

Veilstone's Myth
Veilstone's Myth (Japanese: トバリの しんわ Tobari's Myth) is about a young swordsman. Its actual relation to Veilstone City is unknown.

A young man, callow and foolish in
innocence, came to own a sword.
With it, he smote Pokémon, which gave
sustenance, with carefree abandon.
Those not taken as food, he
discarded, with no afterthought.
The following year, no Pokémon
appeared. Larders grew bare.
The young man, seeking the missing
Pokémon, journeyed afar.
Long did he search. And far and wide,
too, until one he did find.
Asked he, "Why do you hide?"
To which the Pokémon replied...
"If you bear your sword to bring
harm upon us, with claws and
fangs, we will exact a toll.
"From your kind we will take our
toll, for it must be done.
"Done it must be to guard ourselves
and for it, I apologize."
To the skies, the young man shouted
his dismay.
"In having found the sword, I have
lost so much.
"Gorged with power, I grew blind
to Pokémon being alive.
"I will never fall savage again.
This sword I denounce and forsake.
"I plead for forgiveness,
for I was but a fool."
So saying, the young man hurled the
sword to the ground, snapping it.
Seeing this, the Pokémon disappeared
to a place beyond seeing...

[edit] Notes
The Pokémon may possibly refer to Giratina.
This proves that Pokémon are or were indeed eaten, a fact already suggested by Mom's Cinnabar Volcano Burgers in Generation II.

Basically, the notes confirmed that they were eaten, and the legend itself also mentions this (Now granted, it did mention his discarding the rest). Plus, there was the whole thing on his searching "Far and Wide" until he found one pokemon, the pokemon rumored to be Giratina, seems to imply that he actually DID almost wipe out all pokemon in the world.

I don't know if this is conclusive evidence, but it's the best I've got.

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

That's the problem with "Pokémon" being both singular and plural. I always thought the usage in the legend was plural, that he was driving them all into hiding.

 

[Lesley_GSC]

Man, that whole myth makes me think of Paul in a metaphorical way... Like with the Veilstone thing, and the part where it says "Gorged with power, I grew blind to pokemon being alive"

Anyway, on topic, I feel that perhaps pokemon are eaten by some people, because not all of the pokemon world seems to be at the same historical level, so, some people may eat pokemon, while others may find it vulgar, because of pokemon being more intellgent and useful creatures. It's also likley that real animals exsist, therfore reducing the need for pokemon to be eaten.

 

[Green Cherrim]

Real animals are referenced countless times, and most Pokemon, expecrt a few, are mentioned as being not very tasty. Ash and Brock have eaten hamburgers, not Miltank burgers, as Miltank hadn't been introduced yet, and Misty said one flower was like the Pokemon equivalent or cat nip. SO, real animals exist in the Pokemon world.

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

And Meowth's mentioned fried chicken on a few occasions.

 

[lthiele]

I remember in a real early episode (i think it was in the first series, i was only 4 or 5 at the time) Ash Misty and Brock ended up strandard with team rocket and all imagined eating a Magikarp before Misty mentioned that Magikarp is just bones.

 

[the gadfly]

Then why is it after the Kanto series--where it can be argued the show and the writers were still finding their way--in all the forests, fields, rivers, lakes, seas, villages, towns and cities Ash and gang have gone through, they have never encountered so much as a fly let alone a barking dog? Real animals must be extremely rare.

Ash and Brock have eaten hamburgers, not Miltank burgers

As far as I know, nobody has ever eaten a steer burger, but that's what we do when we eat hamburgers. Different name, same thing.

Real animals are referenced countless times

Your point? Everyone has heard of dinosaurs. They're extinct, but we still talk about them as though they were still alive. We reference them all the time.

 

[Dogasu]

I see that nobody has brought up the fact that we still hear both real-life birds and real-life insects (mainly cicadas) in the anime to this day. It's usually drowned out in the dub by whatever background music 4Kids/PUSA adds to the scene, but it's still there.

They could have replaced those with the appropriate pokemon calls years ago, but they haven't.