In the Pokémon World, You Don’t Have to Be Special

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Pokémon Red and Green were released in Japan thirty years ago on February 27, 1996. Little did the developers at Game Freak know that this would be the first step in making Pokémon the worldwide multimedia juggernaut it is today.

I love Pokémon. I have loved it all my life and probably always will. Even if I sometimes disagree with the Pokémon Company’s recent decisions, such as rushed development cycles resulting in subpar graphics and lackluster region designs, I have to admit that there is just something about the franchise that captures my heart in a way other, more polished games miss.

So, as we await Generation 10, I’d like to share why this franchise is so special to me, and it mainly has to do with the fantasy Pokémon has been carefully building over the past three decades.

In the world of Pokémon, it never felt like you had to be special. You didn’t need a special bloodline, mysterious powers, or a meeting with destiny. You just needed a thirst for adventure and your trusted Pokémon by your side. Sure, one might argue that an average trainer won’t encounter Legendaries or win the League, but in my opinion, you don’t need all of that to have a story of your own.

Look at the NPCs you battle: you have schoolchildren with early Route 1 Pokémon they caught while wandering in the tall grass after school together, preschoolers whose parents lent them their Pokémon, office workers who battle as a way to relieve stress, and artists with Smeargle ready to whip up a new masterpiece. There is a Pokémon for everybody. No matter what you look like or what you do, there is a Pokémon out there who will love you.

The best part is that you don’t just have to battle — you can be a Coordinator and perform, or be a professor and help with research, or a photographer and observe Pokémon in their natural habitat.

It helps that each region is based on a different part of the world — from Japan to America to France to Spain, and now even Southeast Asia with Generation 10 — allowing for more immersion. Plus, each playthrough of any game is highly customizable; no one’s experience or Pokémon team is exactly the same. Speaking of your team, Pokémon has a wide variety of designs that can truly appeal to just about anybody. You want a cool Pokémon? Well, here’s Charizard and Scizor.

Would you prefer something pretty? Meet Milotic and Lilligant. Something cute more your speed? Pikachu and Eevee. Maybe you just want something strange? Have Spiritomb and Chandelure.

Even the new starters that have just been revealed follow this philosophy. Brout has a goofier feeling to it thanks to its permanently angry expression on such a small body. Pawbom is so adorable that most of the internet is ready to die for its dumb face. Meanwhile, Gekqua is the perfect combination of pretty and cool.

Like I said before, there truly is a Pokémon for everyone, and every Pokémon is someone’s favorite.

The world of Pokémon is truly something unique. It has the power to capture people’s hearts and imaginations in a way that very few other works of fiction have managed. No wonder it’s the number one media franchise in the world, beating out the likes of Star Wars and Marvel. So happy 30th anniversary, Pokémon — and here’s to 30 more.

(Theresa Raine De Guzman is a Bachelor of Science in Interactive Entertainment and Multimedia Computing [IEMC] student at De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde [DLS-CSB], specializing in Game Design and Development.)