Kanto
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The Kanto region (Japanese: カントー地方 Kantō-chihō) is a large area located east of Johto, north of Hoenn, and south of Sinnoh. It is the first region to be introduced, explored in the Generation I games and in the Generation III games Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions. Kanto is also accessible in the Generation II games Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal and their remakes after the quest in Johto is completed.
Most of the names of the cities in Kanto are the names of colors (Viridian, Lavender, Indigo Plateau, etc.). Professor Oak is the resident Pokémon professor and gives Pokémon Trainers a choice between Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle as their starter Pokémon, though in Yellow the only choice is a Pikachu that he recently caught. In the games, the player begins his or her journey in Pallet Town and ends it at the Indigo Plateau.
It is based on and named after the real Kantō region (関東, meaning "east of the barrier") in Japan. Unlike almost every other region, which are specific to their own generations, Kanto has been explorable in all generations of Pokémon games so far, including Generation IV. However, it is not the primary region in the Generation II and IV games it appears in, in which players explore the neighboring Johto region before exploring Kanto.
Locations
Cities/Towns
- Pallet Town
- Viridian City
- Pewter City
- Cerulean City
- Vermilion City
- Lavender Town
- Celadon City
- Fuchsia City
- Saffron City
- Cinnabar Island
Anime Cities/Towns
- Porta Vista
- HopHopHop Town
- Gringey City
- Sunny Town
- Stone Town
- Neon Town
- Dark City
- Silver Town
- Wisteria Town
- Chrysanthemum Island
- Commerce City
- Gardenia Town
- Mulberry Town
- Sable City
- Terracotta Town
- Rifure Village
Areas of interest
- Cerulean Cave
- Diglett's Cave
- Indigo Plateau
- Mt. Moon
- Pokémon Mansion
- Pokémon Tower
- Power Plant
- Rock Tunnel
- Rocket Game Corner
- Safari Zone
- Seafoam Islands
- Silph Co.
- Victory Road
- Viridian Forest
- Pokémon Stadium (according to its in-game location information in Super Smash Bros.)
Routes
Routes in Kanto began the numbering process, going from 1 to 25 in Generation I and Generation III, but adding three routes to connect to Johto (26, 27, and 28) in Generation II and Generation IV.
Indigo League
- Main article: Indigo League
In Generations I and III
Between Generation I and Generation III, Kanto is very much the same with some alterations in respect to the improved graphics and gameplay in the remakes. Additionally in FireRed and LeafGreen, the first three in a chain of islands known as the Sevii Islands, located east and southeast of Kanto, are unlocked once Blaine is defeated on Cinnabar Island. Championing the Elite Four and getting the National Pokédex unlocks the other islands which make up this archipelago.
Gym Leaders
| Indigo League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Generations I and III | Region: Kanto | ||
| Gym Leader Japanese |
Location Japanese |
Type | Badge |
| {{{size}}} Brock タケシ Takeshi |
Pewter City ニビシティ Nibi City |
Rock |  Boulder Badge |
| {{{size}}} Misty カスミ Kasumi |
Cerulean City ハナダシティ Hanada City |
Water |  Cascade Badge |
| {{{size}}} Lt. Surge マチス Matis |
Vermilion City クチバシティ Kuchiba City |
Electric |  Thunder Badge |
| {{{size}}} Erika エリカ Erika |
Celadon City タマムシシティ Tamamushi City |
Grass |  Rainbow Badge |
| {{{size}}} Koga キョウ Kyō |
Fuchsia City セキチクシティ Sekichiku City |
Poison |  Soul Badge |
| {{{size}}} Sabrina ナツメ Natsume |
Saffron City ヤマブキシティ Yamabuki City |
Psychic |  Marsh Badge |
| {{{size}}} Blaine カツラ Katsura |
Cinnabar Island グレンじま Guren Island |
Fire |  Volcano Badge |
| {{{size}}} Giovanni サカキ Sakaki |
Viridian City トキワシティ Tokiwa City |
Ground |  Earth Badge |
Elite Four
| Indigo League | |
|---|---|
| Generation I | |
| Member Japanese |
Type |
| {{{size}}} Lorelei カンナ Canna |
Ice |
| {{{size}}} Bruno シバ Shiba |
Fighting |
| {{{size}}} Agatha キクコ Kikuno |
Ghost |
| {{{size}}} Lance ワタル Wataru |
Dragon |
| {{{size}}} Champion Blue グリーン Green |
Various |
In Generation II
In the Generation II games, trainers may travel from Johto to Kanto and notice that changes have occurred as a result of the three years having passed since the time of the Generation I games:
- The Safari Zone is closed.
- Cerulean Cave has collapsed.
- Cinnabar Island has been destroyed by an eruption of the volcano, and its gym was temporarily relocated to the Seafoam Islands.
- Viridian Forest has been cut down and Mt. Moon has decreased in size due to rock slides.
- The Power Plant has become functional.
- The Pokémon Tower has become a radio tower.
- Blue has remodeled Giovanni's former gym and functions as the Gym Leader.
- Janine has taken over Fuchsia Gym, seeing as her father Koga has been promoted to the Elite Four.
- The Pewter City Museum is closed for renovations.
Gym Leaders
| Indigo League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Generation II | Region: Kanto | ||
| Gym Leader Japanese |
Location Japanese |
Type | Badge |
| {{{size}}} Brock タケシ Takeshi |
Pewter City ニビシティ Nibi City |
Rock | Boulder Badge |
| {{{size}}} Misty カスミ Kasumi |
Cerulean City ハナダシティ Hanada City |
Water | Cascade Badge |
| {{{size}}} Lt. Surge マチス Matis |
Vermilion City クチバシティ Kuchiba City |
Electric | Thunder Badge |
| {{{size}}} Erika エリカ Erika |
Celadon City タマムシシティ Tamamushi City |
Grass | Rainbow Badge |
| {{{size}}} Janine アンズ Anzu |
Fuchsia City セキチクシティ Sekichiku City |
Poison | Soul Badge |
| {{{size}}} Sabrina ナツメ Natsume |
Saffron City ヤマブキシティ Yamabuki City |
Psychic | Marsh Badge |
| {{{size}}} Blaine カツラ Katsura |
Cinnabar Island グレンじま Guren Island |
Fire | Volcano Badge |
| {{{size}}} Blue (game) グリーン Green |
Viridian City トキワシティ Tokiwa City |
Various | Earth Badge |
Elite Four
| Indigo League | |
|---|---|
| Generation II | |
| Member Japanese |
Type |
| {{{size}}} Will イツキ Itsuki |
Psychic |
| {{{size}}} Koga キョウ Kyō |
Poison |
| {{{size}}} Bruno シバ Shiba |
Fighting |
| {{{size}}} Karen カリン Karin |
Dark |
| {{{size}}} Champion Lance ワタル Wataru |
Dragon |
In Generation IV
Although Kanto has not been discussed as much as Johto for Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, it is known that the Magnet Train and the S.S. Aqua can be used to travel between Kanto and Johto. In addition, the map artwork of Johto released depicts the western half of Route 22 and everything to the west of it in Kanto (such as the Kanto routes introduced in Generation II and the Pokémon League headquarters at Indigo Plateau) alongside the entire Johto region. It is likely that the differences from its original Generation I appearance (and later its appearance in its Generation III remakes) seen in Generation II will be present.
Trivia
- Kanto's name was never revealed in the Generation I games outside of Japan, causing many fans to think the region was called Indigo (because of the Indigo Plateau). It was mentioned only once in the Japanese versions upon viewing the Town Map at the rival's house. The first mention of its name outside of Japanese context was in Super Smash Bros.. Despite this, its name is mentioned multiple times in the Generation III remakes, including but not limited to viewing the Town Map at the beginning of the games.
- Kanto is the only main region which has been featured in two separate anime series, once at the start of Ash's journey (in the original series), and once after Ash returned from Hoenn (in the Advanced Generation series). It is also the only in-game region that has not had continuous time spent in it for more than one dub season.
- Until Platinum's release, after Ash defeated Maylene and Crasher Wake (not to mention just before Ash challenges Fantina), it was also the only region in the anime where Ash defeated the Gym Leaders in a different order from the games.
- Kanto is mentioned during the event in which players capture Shaymin in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. Professor Oak states that somewhere in the Kanto region there is a white rock similar to the one at the north end of Route 224 in Sinnoh, although no such rock has appeared in past games taking place in Kanto. As Kanto appears in Generation IV, the Shaymin event may be linked to this location as well.
- If the Sevii Islands were considered part of Kanto, then Kanto would be the largest region in the games. Otherwise, they add up to make Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen the games with the greatest amount of visitable area.
- Kanto is the only region that is accessible in every generation (albeit not in every game in every generation): Red, Green, Blue and Yellow in Generation I, Gold, Silver and Crystal in Generation II, FireRed and LeafGreen in Generation III, and HeartGold and SoulSilver in Generation IV.
- Kanto is the only region that shares its name with the region of Japan it is based on.
- In its Generation I and III appearances (i.e. the games in which it is the primary region), Kanto is the only region where the player doesn't need Waterfall to get to the Elite Four. Pokémon Trainers from Johto, however, do need Waterfall.
- It is the only region where the League is to the west of the rest of all Gym towns, though it is east of Johto, which it shares a Pokémon League with.
- Kanto has appeared in 13 hand-held games.
| Regions in the Pokémon world | ||
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| Kanto | ||||||||
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