List of cross-canon references

The Pokémon series is noted for having multiple, distinctly different canons. They often will make references to one another.

List of references

Game references

To anime

• Pokémon Yellow is a direct tribute to the anime.
• The Jigglypuff with a marker appears in Pokémon Snap.
• Pokémon Channel uses the anime voices of Pokémon, including Maddie Blaustein's Meowth. It also features an episode exclusive to the game: Pichu Bros. in Party Panic
• In the Japanese versions of Diamond and Pearl, one of the default names for Pearl is Shigeru. In the English versions, one of the default names for Lucas is Ash.
• Riley appears to be based off Sir Aaron, a character that appeared in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. Riley has a Lucario, a Pokémon Aaron also had.
• The mysterious GS Ball, a key item in Pokémon Crystal, was introduced during the Orange Islands season.
• The Generation II games said that Cinnabar Island was evacuated because the eruption of a volcano. While the games do not show any volcano, the anime clearly shows Ash fighting against Blaine on the top of a volcano.
• In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, an NPC named Luis will sometimes participate in Pokémon Super Contest with his Pikachu, nicknamed Sparky, much like Ritchie's is.
• The most important of the Super Contest judges is named Dexter, much like Ash's Pokédex was during the anime's early seasons.
• In Pokémon Stadium Brock's team includes a Vulpix, and Misty's team in Pokémon Stadium 2 includes a Togetic.
• The Super Smash Bros. series has various references.
  • All Pokémon are depicted with their anime voices, though the English language release of Melee keeps Mewtwo's Japanese voice.
  • The Misty trophy depicts her in her original series clothes.
  • The Meowth trophy depicts Team Rocket's Meowth with the guitar from Meowth's Party
  • The Pokémon Stadium stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee has four different terrain effects, corresponding to four different elemental types: Fire, Water, Grass, and Rock, while the one in Brawl has a new set of four different terrain effects: Ice, Ground, Flying, and Electric. These reference the four fields of the Indigo League Conference.
  • In Melee's 44th Event Match, Mewtwo Strikes!, Mewtwo uses Princess Zelda to beat the player, in the Battlefield, a stage that has a star background. Both the name, that Mewtwo uses Zelda and the stage setting is clearly based of Mewtwo Strikes Back
  • In Brawl's 25th event Match, "The Aura Is With Me", the player battles as Lucario against Ness and Sheik on the prehistoric stage Mt. Coronet Spear Pillar. This is a clear reference to Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, where Lucario was a ancient Pokémon that had sleept in hundreds of years, and Ash Ketchum himself even said "The aura is with me!" when in the Tree of Beginning.

To manga

• Several Gym Leaders in Pokémon Stadium and the Generation II games have Pokémon used by their Pokémon Special counterparts, they are Brock's Kabuto/Kabutops, Lt. Surge's Electabuzz, Erika's Skiploom/Jumpluff, and Sabrina's Drowzee/Hypno.

To TCG

• Pokémon Card GB and Pokémon Card GB 2 are directly based off the TCG.
• The Shadow Pokémon (known as Dark Pokémon in Japanese) are similar to the Dark Pokémon from the TCG, including the fact that most Shadow Pokémon are evolved forms.
• The beta versions of Super Smash Bros. Melee's Pokémon Stadium stage originally featured the Fire, Grass and Water Energy symbols. The reason for their removal was likely because there are also Normal and Rock variations, and no Energy symbol that represents the Rock-type.

Anime references

To games

• All anime canon is based off the world and events of the main game series.
• Ritchie and Ash's original clothes are almost identical to the original clothes of Red, while Gary Oak's original outfit is taken directly from Blue's; the Generation I one during the Kanto, Johto and Orange Islands seasons, as well as the Generation III clothes during the Battle Frontier and Sinnoh seasons.
• The beginning of Pokémon, I Choose You! was taken directly from the intro of Pokémon Red and Blue.
• Todd Snap, the protagonist in Pokémon Snap, has accompanied Ash for two short periods of time.
• The special Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters out of the Gate! is based directly off Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. Another episode was produced for the game's sequel.
• Green Guardian, Pokémon Ranger - Deoxys Crisis! and Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea are based on Pokémon Ranger, with Solana playing a large role in the two episodes and making a cameo in the movie. All three are based on Ranger Net missions.
• Several similarities between Paul and Silver have been noted, such as Paul's artwork position being almost identical to the original sketch of Silver.
• In Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea,Meowth states that diamond and pearl would be great names for games.

To manga

• The episode Lights, Camerupt, Action shows a clip of a movie based off the Pocket Monsters manga.

To TCG

• James, known for his collecting habits, identifies Pokémon using cards instead of a Pokédex.
• Lawrence III has an Ancient Mew card.
• The Energy symbols were featured on a poster for the Indigo League in Showdown in Pewter City and are used to demonstrate the various terrain effects during the Indigo Plateau Conference. They also make appearances in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral and Showdown at the Oak Corral.

Manga references

Pokémon Special references

To games

• This series is based off the world and events of the main game series.
• Pokémon Pinball appears in the Goldenrod Game Corner.
• Surfing and Flying Pikachu appear, both of which are derived from Pokémon Yellow.

To TCG

• Sabrina's Kadabra disguises itself as Professor Oak and looks like Impostor Professor Oak.
• The Pokémon Trading Card Game appears in the Goldenrod Game Corner.

Electric Tale of Pikachu references

To anime

• This series is derived directly from the anime.

Pokémon PiPiPi Adventure references

To other manga

• Pokémon Chamo-Chamo ☆ Pretty ♪ is written by the same author and set in the same world.

Pokémon Chamo-Chamo ☆ Pretty ♪ references

To other manga

• Pokémon PiPiPi Adventure is written by the same author and set in the same world.

Pocket Monsters references

To games

• This series is based off the world and events of the main game series.

Mezase!! Card Master references

To TCG

• The main goal for the manga's main character Kenta Minamii is to become a great TCG player.

TCG references

To games

• Many locations and characters from the games appear on different cards, particularly trainer cards.

To anime

• Several anime characters, such as Jessie and James, appear on different cards, particularly trainer cards.

TFG references

To games

• All trainer figures are based directly off game characters.

To TCG

• This game uses the same rarities as the TCG, with the exception of extra rare figures.
• This game has trainer cards like those in the TCG, though their incorporation and usage is different.

Related articles

• List of cross-generational references
• List of references to Pulseman