Few franchises have reached the blockbuster success of the Pokemon series. Ever since Pokemon Red and Blue first made their appearance in North America in 1998, fans have been eagerly gulping down multiple entries in the series in the years following – leading to one of the largest properties ever conceived by Nintendo. While there are a lot of people that show an undying love for the series, however, there are a handful of things that have irked others.
Whether it's the arrival of new Pokemon, or a handful of gameplay mechanics, the franchise is not without its downfalls. Taking that into consideration, we've created a list of the ten things that have continued to and still bother us about Pokemon. With that said, buckle up and get ready for some of the most baffling and downright eerie issues that can still be found within the cutesy property.
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Why Was The Truck Sitting On That Island in Pokemon Red and Blue?
Anyone that tried desperately to capture the mythical Mew will be familiar with the truck located near the S.S. Anne. Rumor had it that the 151st Pokemon resided underneath the vehicle, but this myth was later debunked – leaving players wondering just why the truck was even there in the first place. Since it's placed on an inaccessible island that can only be seen briefly during sailing sequences, fans have long been left wondering who or what left the truck there. We'll likely never know.
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You Can't See Wild Pokemon Around You
As many trainers can attest, there are a number of massive monsters that are just waiting to be captured in any Pocket Monster title. Whether its Onix from the first generation or Wailord from the recently released Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, there are some truly massive beasts to be found. That said, wild Pokemon are never visible despite their girth. Admittedly, this mechanic seems to be for the best within the games, but we've always wondered why we couldn't see each area's dedicated wildlife – outside of Legendary Pokemon encounters.
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You Can Travel On Very Tiny Pokemon
This is one that has been lampooned by fans for quite some time, although many will attest that it's far from a bad thing. The ability to travel on top of your beloved, beastly companions has been a feature since the first installments arrived on the Game Boy back in the '90s, but for some reason the size of the monster has never factored into whether or not it can carry a moderately sized child. Watching a Pidgey pickup and fly off with an unsuspecting youngster to some random area in the region very rarely spells good things for the people residing in the world of Pokemon.
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Unconscious Pokemon Can Still Use HM Moves
There's a very good understanding of what it means to be unconscious. Laying there with only basic brain functions that instruct one to keep breathing (hopefully), there's not much anyone or thing can do once they've entered this state. Pokemon in particular are infamous for being knocked out during battles, but for some reason they still have the ability to utilize powerful HM attacks outside of battle. That said, it would be unfortunate to watch Pokemon Trainers drown if they were to lose a battle mid-Surf, but the option for a near-lifeless Pokemon to still be utilized outside of duels never really made sense.
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Being Unable to Forget HM Moves On The Go
The bane of many a wannabe Pokemon Master's existence is the need to implement HM moves to get around the in-game world. Sure, it adds to the puzzle-solving elements and ensures that players don't accidentally miss a Gym Leader, but the second the force-fed maneuver outstays its welcome it becomes an adventure just to have the thing removed from the inflicted Pokemon's arsenal. Attacks like 'Cut' are nearly useless inside of battles, and – while having the attacks labelled as an HM is helpful for ousting these world-altering attacks amongst a bevy of TMs – it's time that Game Freak allow players to forget these moves whenever the mood suites them.
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Next: 5 More Things About Pokemon That Still Bother Me
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Your Dad Is Nowhere To Be Found
Outside of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, the father for every player-controlled protagonist has been M.I.A. without any explanation. Outside of a few passing references from other characters, there is no indication of where these father figures have gone whatsoever. This has caused a copious number of fan theories, but there's something incredibly eerie about the fact that a majority of the men that fathered these child adventurers seem to have just disappeared without a trace. We're not sure exactly what's happened to these guys, but we can't imagine it's anything good.
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Adults Let 10 Year Old Children Adventure on Their Own
The fantastical world of Pokemon allows children to set off on their own, make new friends and show everyone that they can become the best there ever was. The fact that's constantly overlooked by those that play these games, however, is that the hero is a ten year old child that's never left home in their lives and likely can't take care of themselves in any fashion. As a result, the protagonist doesn't eat or drink, usually has to be asked to take a rest and winds up becoming entwined with underground criminal organizations. In a video game, the premise of leaving home to explore the world is a child's ultimate dream, but in real life it leads to a call from child services.
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Pokemon Say Their Names In The Cartoon But Make Random Noises In Games
One of the biggest head-scratchers in all of Pokemon is why the creatures are limited to saying their names in the anime (with the exception of Team Rocket's Meowth) but make ear-piercing growls and roars in the games. One would imagine that technical limitations were to blame for the originals' lackluster sound effects, which is why it wasn't surprising when Pikachu received the ability to say its name in Pokemon X and Y. Trainers are still stuck enduring the muffled cries for every other monster, though. Suffice to say, it's about time Nintendo established some continuity between Pokemon's anime and games.
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Starter Pokemon Are Always Fire, Grass and Water Types
Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur are the most endearing starter Pokemon of all time – this should go without saying – but the five generations that followed have used the same cookie cutter trifecta of types. It's time for Game Freak and The Pokemon Company to add some new dimensions to a franchise that many agree only slightly changes with each new core entry. A Dark, Psychic and Fighting-type circle of starter beasts has been something fans have been clamoring for for quite some time, and it'd be nice to break the tedium that many critics feel has been plaguing the series as of late.
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People Eat Pokemon
If there's one message that the Pokemon games have driven into the heads of gamers it's that Pokemon are best friends, companions, partners... and food. Very rarely addressed within the franchise is what people eat, but the reality is that these people eat the very monsters that they claim are friends. Evidence of this is shown in Pokemon Gold and Silver when Team Rocket begins harvesting the tails of hapless Slowpoke in order to sell them on the black market as a morally frowned upon delicacy. The anime is no different, as Ash and company openly dream of eating Team Rocket's Magikarp in the 16th episode of the anime.
People are openly eating these very animals that you, the player, are trying to protect. That's pretty messed up.
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That wraps up this list but be sure to let us know anything about the Pokemon franchise that still bothers you, the reader. Did we forget to mention any other glaring issues? Something you feel was glaringly omitted from the final ten? Get at us in the comments!