The Miracle of Pokemon Centers

[OkashiraShinomori]

This question doesn't particularly apply to the anime or manga, as Pokemon are treated in much the same manner in a Pokemon Center as a human is in a hospital, but in the games, they are healed all-but instantly via an amusing little machine behind the counter.

Obviously it's doing something to them that restores their bodies and minds entirely, but what is it doing and how is it doing it on such a small scale? The bigger question is why can't the same be done to humans, merely on a larger scale?

And based on the assumption that Pokeballs store Pokemon by changing them to an energy state and holding them in containment, there's no reason (that I can think of) why the same principle couldn't be applied to people (again, perhaps on a larger scale) so that the exact same process of healing can be applied to them.

My BEST guess is that within each Pokeball is stored a computer chip that records the energy configuration of the Pokemon at maximum health and status, keeping that for later reference by the machines in the Pokemon Center. The machines access this data and manipulate the energy stored in the Pokeball until it matches, once more, the preferred data configuration. Obviously, this would be done by inserting more energy of the same type, perhaps altering what is already present.

Of course, that brings up a debate on whether altering a Pokemon by altering the record on the chip would be possible or not...

 

[Another Fan]

I would say that it would work fine for humans but that the machines do not solve all problems.

I rather not think of the chip thing cause that means the brain is tampered with as well and that makes healing just rewinding time and if you believe in soul and stuff then your pokemon after it is healed is not the same pokemon you had before.

 

[OkashiraShinomori]

Bringing the existence of a soul into the equation basically puts a damper on the entire concept, because it logically would be lost if the body were to become energy in the first place, although it's a very good point.

Although it wouldn't matter to Team Rocket, for example, if they were to create Pokemon through this process and they were to be without a soul. I don't think they're really the kind to care.

 

[Another Fan]

Well, Team Rocket doesn't matter that much in this discussion.

I truly think that energy is really a strange word to use for this. Mostly because it is inanimate. I would believe more as in non-logically as the pokemon is just stored in someway that is most likely impossible in our world or is based on something that we do not have. However, I would not say it changes the mind or soul much but more seperates it from the body. As in, puts it is a state were it does not grow but it feels. I guess this sounds like some silly mystical childern's theory but it is hard to make it any other way.

I would say that it just heals. It can heal people or a pikachu but not like cancer or brain damage or anything.

 

[OkashiraShinomori]

((Laughs as the discussion is changing to theory on Pokeballs.)) That's an interesting proposition, that it becomes physically dormant, yet mentally active. If I may build on it, perhaps while it is physically dormant, the machines at the Pokemon Center excite the part of the brain that controls the normal healing tendencies of the body and speeds them up to the point that it's nearly regeneration. And while the body is dormant, it would take less energy to do so as the immune system would not be fighting the natural healing process, sped up thousand-fold.

 

[Jukain]

I don't know how the machines in the games do it, but I think the pokemon are healed just like we normally think of in the anime, except their methods are more effective or may come from a mysterious force as well.

 

[OkashiraShinomori]

Yes, in the anime it appears to be essentially the same as a veterinarian's office, specializing in normal medical practices except exclusively for Pokemon.

 

[ImJessieTR]

I know my answer will come from the anime, but it could work for the games too -- anyway, I must relate my epiphany...

In Mewtwo Returns and Pokemon 4Ever, we see highly restorative water sources, both possibly created by suicune. Perhaps the pokeballs are placed in little holes on the shelf of the machine in the games and this restorative water is pumped through and then drawn back out, healing the pokemon of all ills. No one ever said pokemon center healing stations had to heal electronically ... uh ... right?

 

[FabuVinny]

There are moves like Recover and Refresh. It is likely that they could have been incorporated in some way. (Like the warp tiles in Saffron City.)

 

[Kater]

Well if you think of the actual time thats going on while your Pokemon are being healed it theoretically is quite a while. For instance. It takes days in the anime to get to cities and such when we can pass 3 cities in a day. If you think if the real time it probably is much greater than the actual time and game time. It may be that 1 minute of play time is 1 hour in the game.

 

[OkashiraShinomori]

The water theory certainly does work within the context of the anime, and considering the examples of curative moves presented, it works within the game too. Interesting theory indeed.

 

[PDL]

the machine recharges their batteries

 

[Pieomon]

Prehaps another way to do healing is Softboiled (hense the Chansey, it can heal others besides itself)+ Heal Bell (learned by Chansey again) , and giving the pokemon good enough rest to restore their PP. (Or maybe they have a stock of Leppa Berries? They're renewable)

 

[AkivaraII]

In the game? I have no idea. I just took it for granted. In the anime, though, I just think Pokemon are much tougher, and heal faster, than humans (just look at Pryce and Pilowswine). XD They're animals with superpowers, as one 4kids exec has said. I just let it go....

I have an interesting theory on why Pokemon (and inanimate objects, inside the game) can be turned into data/energy/whatever and people can't, but tain't the place.

 

[Unregistered]

I think that in newer pokemon games, there should be a screen that shows each pokemon you have with a nurse that's healing it. Either that or have a bed you can sleep in while your pokemon are healing.