Voice acting in the Pokémon games

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Voice acting is when the voice of an actor, often referred to as a voice actor, is used to give voice to characters or provide narration. Some Pokémon games have full lines of recorded dialogue, such as Detective Pikachu, while others, such as the core series games, use voice acting more sparingly. Characters sometimes have voices that were created using voice samples that were synthesized to generate new speech.

In the core series games

In Pokémon Yellow and from Generation VI to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Pikachu uses its cry from the anime, as voiced by Ikue Otani.

From Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Eevee also uses it cry from the anime, as voiced by Aoi Yūki.

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl

In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Giratina's cry uses voice samples of people screaming.

Pokémon Black and White

In Pokémon Black and White, Ghetsis's battle theme includes vocal chanting of his name. Additionally, the Village Bridge theme has beatboxing and enka vocal parts that can be added to the background track by speaking to the NPCs Russo (Japanese: ガッチー Gatchī) and Koontz (Japanese: れいぞう Reizō), respectively.

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2:

• The background music for the Virbank City Gym includes vocals that spell out the word "Pokémon".
• The background music for the Nimbasa City Gym uses vocals that sing the phrases "Are you ready?" and "Give me what I need".
• Colress's battle theme uses vocals that count down from five to one.
• Ghetsis's theme still uses vocal chanting of his name, but is now more distorted.

Pokémon Sun and Moon

In Pokémon Sun and Moon:

• Chanting vocals are used in the music that plays during the video call between Professor Kukui and the player at the beginning of the game. These vocals are used once again in the credits.
• The music played before freeze-frames during Kiawe's Trial also uses chanting.
• Chanting is used in the Champion battle theme, as well as the Guardian deities' battle theme.
• Vocals that say the words "Team Skull" are used in various music tracks associated with Team Skull.
• Operatic vocals are used in Lusamine's battle theme.

Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon:

• The music played during Kukui's video call and the credits is different from Sun and Moon's version, however the vocals are the same.
• Ultra Jungle uses vocals in its background music.
• Ghetsis and Colress's themes makes a return, with the same vocals.

Pokémon Sword and Shield

In Pokémon Sword and Shield:

• Vocals of the crowd singing along with the song are used in the Gym battle theme.
• Gigantamax Pikachu and Gigantamax Eevee use vocals, similar to their standard forms. Gigantamax Meowth also uses vocals, though its standard form does not.
• Marnie and Piers' battle themes include some chanting.
• Hop and Marnie's themes during the final tournament as well as Leon's Champion theme include audience cheering.
• Rose's final battle theme has operatic vocals.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Rei and Akari make various vocalizations and grunts during gameplay, such as when throwing a Poké Ball or taking damage.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet:

• On the title screen, the voices of children playing outside the window can be heard.
• The Gym battle theme includes vocals of the crowd singing along with the song, but only after the Gym Leader Terastallizes a Pokémon.
• The background music in Area Zero has prominent vocals.
• The song Celestial by Ed Sheeran plays during the end credits.

In the side series games

Pokémon Stadium series

In Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2, the starter Pikachu from Pokémon Yellow uses its cry from the anime, as voiced by Ikue Otani. All other Pikachu use a standard cry based on the species' core series cry. During battles, the announcer combines various voice clip segments to describe the combatants' moves and current condition.

Pokémon Battle Revolution

In Pokémon Battle Revolution, the announcer once again combines voice clips to narrate the play-by-play of battles.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Puzzle League

In Pokémon Puzzle League, the introductory cutscene is fully voiced, and short voice clips from various anime characters will play when navigating menus. During battles, the participating Pokémon will also occasionally say their cry from the anime, while human characters and Team Rocket's Meowth) may chime in about the player's performance. Opponents will also say a short voice clip before and after battles.

Hey You, Pikachu!

In Hey You, Pikachu!, all Pokémon use their cry from the anime.

Pokémon Channel

In Pokémon Channel, all Pokémon use their cry from the anime. This is not limited to a handful of clips, however: channel host Pokémon as well as Pikachu will speak extensively, though in poke-speak. Meowth is an exception, as it speaks in full human-language sentences.

PokéPark series

In PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure and PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond, every Pokémon uses their cry from the anime. Among these is Porygon-Z, who received new voice acting, as it previously did not speak in the anime.

Pokken Tournament

In Pokken Tournament, all human characters use full voice acting for dialogue in and out of combat. All Battle Pokémon as well as Support Pokémon also have voice acting for numerous actions in combat. Pikachu and Pikachu Libre use voice lines by Ikue Otani.

Detective Pikachu

In Detective Pikachu, all cutscenes feature full voice acting. While a Pikachu with Otani's voice does make a cameo, the titular Detective Pikachu is instead voiced by Kaiji Tang.

Pokémon Masters EX

In Pokémon Masters EX:

• All Trainers except for Scottie and Bettie have various voice lines for specific actions both in and out of battle, such as sending in a Pokémon, directing a Pokémon move, receiving an upgrade, or giving the player an item.
• Trainers also have short voice clips used in story scenes, though these generally only express the character's sentiment, rather than matching the displayed dialogue text.
• Scottie/Bettie's Pikachu, Sygna Suit Thunderbolt Red's Pikachu, and Ash's Pikachu all use lines voiced by Ikue Otani, with each Pikachu having its own unique voice line.
• Leaf's Eevee uses voice lines by Aoi Yūki.
• Ghetsis's battle theme and the Galar Gym battle theme retain the vocals from the originals. However, several songs such as Lusamine's or Leon's battle themes no longer have vocals.

New Pokémon Snap

In New Pokémon Snap, a handful of cutscenes and tutorials feature fully voiced lines, but short voice clips are used otherwise. Pikachu and Eevee use anime-style voice lines by Ikue Otani and Aoi Yūki, respectively, while most other Pokémon will use general grunt sounds to respond to certain actions, such as getting hit by a Fluffruit.