The world ofPokémonis famous for being one of the most wonderful and impactful in anime. For many fans, the idea of traveling to such a wholesome dimension would be a dream come true, as they would be able to live in a world where danger is minimal and friendly, but powerful creatures regularly become best friends with humans.
Nonetheless, behind the cheerful environment shown in the anime, hidesone of the darkest and most disturbing secrets in anime, one that has not yet been explored further. Almost allPokémonfans know about the brutal but conveniently hidden war between regions, an event that the franchise has seemingly forgotten. Fans have been begging for years to learn more about the truth behind this horrid tragedy, only to be met with silence.
Pokémon Has Still Not Expanded the Lore About the Great War
For Decades Fans Have Been Asking for a Deeper Explanation
Lt. Surge, while not amongthe best gym leaders, was an iconic opponent whom Ash fought against during the first season of the anime. While he was introduced as a snarky, egotistical, and rude person, the series quickly revealed that his behavior was caused by a major traumatic event. In the originalRedandBlueversions of the game, the former soldier made a passing comment about beingsaved during the war by his electric-type Pokémon.His harsh attitude and difficult-to-traverse gym were designed due to his constant paranoia.
Ash Is A Great Pokémon Trainer, But The 7 Toughest Gym Leaders He Fought Made Him Seriously Struggle
Ash has had some difficult gym battles over the years, and these matches may well be among the hardest he’s ever had to battle.
The anime, which often tried to be more family-friendly by censoring controversial topics, eliminated any reference to the war, but kept the gym leader’s military background. This implies that the world ofthe series needed soldiers at some point in the past, even if they are rarely seen in the present. Combined with Surge’s unforgiving and aggressive battle style in the show, it becomes clear that he was also a part of some military conflict. Despite this being the case, the anime series never once brought up thepossibility of a war.
The Anime’s Inspiration Hints at a War Taking Place
The Show Was Heavily Inspired by the Games
Pokémon the Series: Indigo Leaguewas the first, andone of the best seasons of the anime series. As such, to recapture the magic of the overwhelmingly successful games, the team behind the show decided to adapt the story of the video games into anime form. By doing this, almost all pieces of evidence indicating a past war that devastated the Kanto region were also included. For example, many fans believe that the lack of a paternal figure in the games wascaused by the death of the player’s father during the war.
The fanbase believe that, like what happened with Kanto in the games, Ash’s home was involved in a war, forcing his father to leave home and join the military.
Similarly, Ash has never heard about his father, nor was he ever shown in the series beyond that of a dark shadow. This has made a large portion of the fanbase believe that, like what happened with Kanto in the games, Ash’s home was involved in a war, forcing his father to leave home and join the military. He could have died during combat, thus being the reason why he was never introduced before Ash had to step down as the protagonist. However, it could also have been possible that the man abandoned his family before Ash was old enough to notice.
Yes, Pokémon Is Fun to Watch As an Adult, So Stop Worrying About Your Image
Many adult fans are embarrassed to watch the Pokémon anime, but there’s no reason one should let the judgement of others affect what they enjoy.
Nevertheless, this explanation couldexplain why there is a lack of middle-aged adults in the anime. Besides the Gym Leaders and certain minor characters, most inhabitants of Kanto are either young adults or elderly citizens. Ash and his friends seldom encountered someone who would defy these age groups, unless they were necessary for the plot to advance. As the series progressed, more and more middle-aged adults were introduced, but the reason why they were missing from Kanto was never addressed, making fans believe this was the anime’s way to confirm there had been a war.
War Is a Recurring Theme in the Games
Az’s Story Revolves Around an Ancient Military Conflict
Even though the anime series has tried its best to prevent any mention of a war from being included in its story, the games have taken no such decision. One of the biggest examples of this practice can be found in theXandYgames, which tell the story of AZ. Once a King of the Kalos Region, this immortal man saw his world be almost destroyed by a weapon he helped create. His intentions behind designing such a destructive tool were to stop an ongoing war that threatened to end both humans and Pokémon.
The story of AZ is by farone of the most tragic and heartbreaking, as it is not only confirmed that humans have indeed used Pokémon as tools of war, but wars between regions were not uncommon. It makes sense that the anime avoided including such a tragic story, seeing as its main audience has always been young children. Yet, the inclusion of this storyline in one of the best games in the franchise implies the series has never given up on the concept of a massive war between regions.
The Pokémon War Might Have Been True at First
The Series Tried To Take a Step Back From Its Dark Beginnings
When thePokémonanime first began, it was undoubtedly darker than the one younger fans grew along with. The series hadseveral brutal and trauma-inducing scenesthat kept fans awake at night for several years. It is not out of the question to consider that, at some point during its early years, the show might have wanted to explore the idea of a military conflict occurring in the past. These plans might have changed as the series decided to become more family-friendly, forgetting about its unsettling origins and becoming a show viewers of any age could enjoy.
The idea of a great war occurring in thePokémonanime series is without a doubt an interesting and appealing concept that could have made the series much more intriguing. Lamentably, it is unlikely that this idea will ever be explored, seeing as the story of Ash came to an end several years ago. Regardless, this should not prevent fans from letting their imagination fly and coming to their conclusions regarding the topic.
