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[SuperAngelo64]

Lizard (リザー&#12489

Cocoon (コクー&#12531

Pigeon (ピジョ&#12531

Sand (サン&#12489 Yep... just fucking 'sand'.

Gallop (ギャロッ&#12503

Ghost (ゴース&#12488

Sleep (スリー&#12503

Crab (クラ&#12502

Boober (ブーバ&#12540 because...the head looks like boobs?...

Thunders (サンダー&#12473

Thunder (サンダ&#12540 ...not to be confused with the above.

Fire (ファイヤ&#12540

Mew (ミュ&#12454, yes, take off the nostalgia shades; it's a cat-like Pokemon called 'Mew', that's sadly actually more unoriginal than 'Meowth'.









Yes, this is another one of my drunk threads.

 

[HawthorneKitty]

Mew is the best, you're wrong.

 

[Septic360]

Fun fact. My friend named the Pokemon outside Japan. He also refuses to download Pokemon Go because of the fear that it will end his life haha

 

[Funyarinpa]

Oh fuck mew those are hilarious

 

[Unicorn]

Is there a reason the images get increasingly larger? Like your case is literally building?

 

[Betty]

Don't be talking bad about Mew now.

 

[Meffer]

Fun fact. My friend named the Pokemon outside Japan. He also refuses to download Pokemon Go because of the fear that it will end his life haha

Then he did an amazing job.

 

[Zalman]

Dratini is Miniryu.

Scyther is Strike.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

Thunder/Thunders is hilarious.

Fun fact. My friend named the Pokemon outside Japan. He also refuses to download Pokemon Go because of the fear that it will end his life haha

That was... Nob, right? Didn't he translate all the games up to Diamond and Pearl (which he filled with Something Awful references as an in-joke)? That's pretty cool that you know him.

EDIT: What did he think in Gen II when they added genders and made it so Mr. Mime could be female?

 

[Amalthea]

Yeah, I noticed this after getting a Japanese Pokemon Pinball cart a while ago.

"What's your favorite Pokemon?"

"Sand."

 

[finowns]

Fun fact. My friend named the Pokemon outside Japan. He also refuses to download Pokemon Go because of the fear that it will end his life haha

Really? The names were well done.

 

[Lights and Waves]

Can you please resize the images in the OP?

 

[Lkr]

surely the difference between Thunder and Thunders is a bit more pronounced in actual Japanese as opposed to the translation? either way it is p funny

 

[SuperAngelo64]

Is there a reason the images get increasingly larger? Like your case is literally building?

It was a coincidence, but maybe that's just fate. I didn't even notice.

 

[Meffer]

Also I believe Bulbasaur's name in Japanese is "Strange isn't it?" And Ivysaur's name is "Yes it is strange."

 

[SuperAngelo64]

surely the difference between Thunder and Thunders is a bit more pronounced in actual Japanese as opposed to the translation? either way it is p funny

It's not, because they're using katakana english. Look at the text, it's only one symbol different.

 

[Banjotanooki]

My 4th graders always freak out when I tell them the difference between the American and Japanese names. They lose their shit when I tell them that Lizardon is called Charizard in America.

 

[Shift Breaker]

Might have to go through the game using all the Japanese translations. Or, alternatively maybe the Vietnamese Crystal names.

 

[KirbyKid]

Sure, the names are pretty basic to us, but creating puns across languages is not lazy or dumb.

 

[L Thammy]

"That's the best thing about English. It doesn't mean anything!"

Is there a reason the images get increasingly larger? Like your case is literally building?

I had to look at the OP again after reading this. I think OP is trying to trying to subliminally affect us.

 

[BlueMagic]

Fun fact. My friend named the Pokemon outside Japan. He also refuses to download Pokemon Go because of the fear that it will end his life haha

That's awesome. Imagine having that legacy behind you.
Could have done with more work on Ekan's and Arbok's name though. Just kidding of course.

 

[pete_clarf]

Fun fact. My friend named the Pokemon outside Japan. He also refuses to download Pokemon Go because of the fear that it will end his life haha

I have a friend that claims her dad named Magmar. If true, maybe we know the same person?

 

[LambdaTeos]

Fun fact. My friend named the Pokemon outside Japan. He also refuses to download Pokemon Go because of the fear that it will end his life haha

nailed with articuno, zapdos and moltres tbh...

also, *scrolls down* *huge Mew face appears..*

 

[Syril]

Showers

 

[Kowashitai]

surely the difference between Thunder and Thunders is a bit more pronounced in actual Japanese as opposed to the translation? either way it is p funny

It's the difference between "Thundaasu" and "Thundaa".

I had no idea they were named this. I only knew of Bulbasaur being named フシギダネ, fushigidane which at least works as a pun.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

Boober is great, but in Gen II, Magby's Japanese name is literally "booby".

Spoiler

It's because they're based on this bird.

surely the difference between Thunder and Thunders is a bit more pronounced in actual Japanese as opposed to the translation? either way it is p funny

"Sandaa" versus "Sandaasu".

Also I believe Bulbasaur's name in Japanese is "Strange isn't it?" And Ivysaur's name is "Yes it is strange."

You're thinking of Wobbuffet and Wynaut.

I know it's Gen 2 but isn't Umbreon called "Blacky" in the Japanese games?

It is. Fun fact: "Blacky" is also the Japanese name of Foreman Spike from Wrecking Crew. Obviously the same connotations aren't really present, but to us... yeah...

 

[Son Of D]

I know it's Gen 2 but isn't Umbreon called "Blacky" in the Japanese games?

 

[Galactic Specter]

Boober always gets me.

 

[Maxim726X]

Also I believe Bulbasaur's name in Japanese is "Strange isn't it?" And Ivysaur's name is "Yes it is strange."

No way, is this true?

 

[Wiped89]

I remember before Pokemon was properly localised, the first set of English names and the Pokemon were revealed, and they were pretty rubbish. They were later changed to the ones we know today before the game released.

Mr.Mime was Magic if I remember right and Chansey was Lucky. They were very close to the lame Japanese original names translated, just slightly improved in some cases.

 

[L Thammy]

You're thinking of Wobbuffet and Wynaut.

No they aren't. Wobbuffet is "That's the way it is."

 

[ShemhazaiX]

It's only funny because we speak English. To Japanese people, Raichu is just "Thunder Squeek".

 

[PK Gaming]

I figure the names sound more appealing and exotic to Japanese people

But yeah, some of these names...

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

No they aren't. Wobbuffet is "That's the way it is."

Oh, that might be right. Though not the same phrase, Wobbuffet and Wynaut's names were meant so that one is a question and the other's is a response.

I don't know if Bulbasaur is the same or not.

Bulbasaur's name is fushigidane, which can mean "isn't it strange" or something along those lines. Ivysaur's name is fushigisou, which can mean something like "it is strange".

Oh shoot, wow.

 

[Kowashitai]

No way, is this true?

Bulbasaur's name is fushigidane, which can mean "isn't it strange" or something along those lines. Ivysaur's name is fushigisou, which can mean something like "it is strange".

 

[SuperAngelo64]

It's only funny because we speak English. To Japanese people, Raichu is just "Thunder Squeek".

I prefer 'thunder kiss'

 

[entremet]

This is why localization is important, sempais.

 

[Fireblend]

Fun fact. My friend named the Pokemon outside Japan. He also refuses to download Pokemon Go because of the fear that it will end his life haha

He did an outstanding job. I wonder if there's any interview available with him? That'd be fun to read about.

 

[PK Gaming]

Blacky

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

EDIT: What did he think in Gen II when they added genders and made it so Mr. Mime could be female?

IIRC it was his boss at the time who named Mr. Mime, and Nob specifically asked him about the chance they add genders in later games.

 

[DylanEno]

...Magmar just shot up in my personal Pokemon tier list.

 

[Wiseblade]

You're thinking of Wobbuffet and Wynaut.

Wobbuffet's name is closer to "That's right" which is why it's always interjecting in Team Rocket conversations in the anime. Wynaut is more like "is it really?"

 

[Brandon F]

Treehouse's reign of localization terror occurred even in 1998??

 

[udivision]

Pokemon confirmed to have the best localization, in an ironic twist. Jelly filled doughnuts for everyone on that team.

 

[Syril]

I remember before Pokemon was properly localised, the first set of English names and the Pokemon were revealed, and they were pretty rubbish. They were later changed to the ones we know today before the game released.

Mr.Mime was Magic if I remember right and Chansey was Lucky. They were very close to the lame Japanese original names translated, just slightly improved in some cases.

As you can see, the prototype names were working under a seven character limit, and while some of them are attempts of varying quality to fit within them, most of them aren't even trying. My favorite is the obvious attempt to localize Gyarados as "Skullkraken".

Wobbuffet's name is closer to "That's right" which is why it's always interjecting in Team Rocket conversations in the anime. Wynaut is more like "is it really?"

In Explorers of Sky there was a lottery run by a Wynaut and Wobbuffet, and the Wobbuffet would only say "That's right!", so they could only have coherent communication from the Wynaut prompting with the right questions.

 

[Septic360]

He did an outstanding job. I wonder if there's any interview available with him? That'd be fun to read about.

There are some interviews with him but in French on Youtube. Julien Bardakoff is his name. He's also the voice of Luigi in many games. Coolest guy ever.

 

[MrBadger]

I don't like Sand.

 

[L Thammy]

While we're talking trivia about Pokemon names, here's some more. Pikachu apparently has specific nicknames for major characters in the anime, as well as some other consistent phrases.

Pika Pikachu or Pika-Pika Pikachu: My name is Pikachu. When Ash and his friends are introducing themselves to others, he says this.

Pikapi: Satoshi (Ash)

Pikachu-Pi: Kasumi (Misty)

Pika-Chu: Takeshi (Brock)

PiPiPi: Togepi

PikakaPika: Bulbasaur

PikaPika: Squirtle or Staraptor or Infernape

PiPi-kachu: Team Rocket

Pi-Pikachu: Gotta Catch em all! He says this after Ash wins a badge, catches a new Pokémon or anything similar.
​

 

[Fireblend]

As you can see, the prototype names were working under a seven character limit, and while some of them are attempts of varying quality to fit within them, most of them aren't even trying. My favorite is the obvious attempt to localize Gyarados as "Skullkraken".

lol @ pudding and custard.

 

[Ydelnae]

I'm dying at "Sand" and "Sleep".