Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow were released over two decades ago when the standards for what is appropriate in a children’s game were a bit different. Pokémon first made its debut in 1996, when Pokémon Red and Green were released in Japan. Soon after, Pokémon Red and Blue, were released in North America in 1998. Following the release of the games in North America, the English dub of the Pokémon anime had its debut. The Pokémon Trading Card Game also shortly followed the release of the games in North America. There was certainly a shift in tone after the release of the Pokémon anime and the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Many people grew up with Pokémon and the quirky, odd, dark, and inappropriate material in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. At the time, Pokémon games weren’t filled with endless cutscenes and tutorials. In fact, the only tutorial in the game was skippable. The old man in Viridian City could show you how to catch Pokémon if you did not know how. This old man is also one of several examples of inappropriate or odd behavior seen in these games. The circumstances in which you meet him are strange to say the least.
If you grew up playing Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, you may know what I am talking about. If you did not, you might be curious and want to know more about these inappropriate things. Here are 20 inappropriate things you never noticed in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow.
20 Bill Turns Himself Into A Pokémon
Upon entering Cerulean City, the player has to travel past nugget bridge and then several other trainers to speak to Bill before even attempting to challenge Misty, Cerulean City’s gym leader. The player quickly realizes that Bill is a little weird. Before meeting Bill, some NPCs say that Bill is a Pokémaniac, which is not a good sign. In fact, Blue even refers to him as a Pokémaniac. When you enter Bill’s house, you see what appears to be a Pokémon. After speaking to it, he reveals himself as Bill. Bill says: “Hiya! I’m a Pokémon… No I’m not! Call me Bill! I’m a true blue Pokémaniac!” It is probably not a good idea to create a machine that turns humans into Pokémon. Did Bill not think of the repercussions of his actions?
19 Do You Believe In Ghosts?
Lavender Town is a creepy place. It’s not creepy just because of the Pokémon Tower or the eerie background music. The people of Lavender Town are also creepy. The moment you walk into Lavender Town, you are met with a creepy young girl who talks about ghosts. She asks you: “Do you believe in ghosts?” If you say yes, then she states, “Really? So there are believers…” Creepy! It gets creepier though. If you say no, then she says, “Hahaha, I guess not. That white hand on your shoulder, it’s not real.” This interaction really sets the tone for your entire Lavender Town experience. One thing that makes it even creepier is that the Pokémon world actually does have ghosts; you even have to fight a ghost Marowak.
18 Being Ripped Off
Throughout your experience playing Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, you cannot help but feel you got ripped off at times. One example is the bike. While you do not actually purchase a bike, and you’re able to find a bike voucher, I cannot help but feel the bike store clerk was trying to rip everyone off. He expected P1,000,000 for a bike. Even if the Pokémon currency is more similar to Japanese currency than the US Dollar, that is still a rip-off. Another example is the shady guy who sells you a Magikarp. Magikarp are a dime a dozen; you are practically falling over them when you get the old rod. Early in the game, there is someone who has the audacity to sell you one for P500.
17 He Likes His Rapidash Too Much
In order to get a bike voucher to pay for the ridiculously overpriced bike in Cerulean City, you must first withstand something just as ridiculous as the aforementioned bike prices: the Pokémon fan club. The following is what the chair of the Pokémon fan club has to say about his Rapidash: “It… cute… lovely… smart… plus… amazing… you think so?… oh yes… it… stunning… kindly…love it! Hug it… when… sleeping… warm and cuddly… spectacular… ravishing… …Oops! Look at the time! I kept you too long! Thanks for hearing me out!” Not only is this tangent incoherent, it makes me worry that he may love his Rapidash a little too much. Thankfully, the rest of the Pokémon fan club in Vermillion City do not seem as eccentric as the chair.
16 Blue’s Remarks
One of the best (or worst) character traits of Blue is the snide remarks that always come out of his mouth. If it isn’t his catchphrase, “smell ya later,” then it’s some other boastful statement about himself or a backhanded compliment towards you. One of the most inappropriate remarks was made by Blue at the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town. The Pokémon Tower is where people pay respects for their Pokémon that have passed away. Upon reaching Blue, he says: “Hey, Red! What brings you here? Your Pokémon don’t look dead! I can at least make them faint! Let’s go pal!” Is it just me, or does it seem a like a bad time to make a boastful comment relating to death when you’re at the Pokémon Tower?
15 Shortspiracy
One of the most notoriously strange Pokémon trainers to date has been found lurking on Route 3 in the Kanto region. In fact, there are two strange trainers in close proximity to each other. They are both youngsters; what interesting things could a youngster say, you ask? Well, they talk about their shorts. I’m not joking! The first youngster says, “Hi! I like shorts! They’re comfy and easy to wear!” That’s an interesting thing to say right after meeting someone. The second youngster says, “Hey! You’re not wearing shorts!” It’s as if there is a coordinated effort between the youngsters to ensure every person in the world is wearing shorts. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I like to believe in the global shorts conspiracy.
14 Celadon Creeper
One of the best things about Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow is that Pokémon games were not yet completely kid-friendly. I mean that in the sense that there was room for more serious tones, themes, but even adult jokes and humor. The perfect example is the old man who sits outside of Celadon City Gym and looks through the window all day. You can talk to the old man and he says, “Heheh! This gym is great! It’s full of women!” I would not really expect a joke like that to be in a modern game, but it’s still funny to see in the original games. Sometimes, I like to think that the man is actually Master Roshi from Dragon Ball. I wonder why nobody has made him leave yet.
13 Give You What?
Lavender Town is a creepy place. It is the home of the Pokémon Tower, where people go to visit their deceased Pokémon. As discussed earlier in this article, the NPCs in Lavender Town fit in nicely because they are as creepy as the atmosphere. Pokémon Tower is mainly for people to mourn their deceased Pokémon, but it’s a cemetery so it’s bound to attract weirdos and ghosts. A few of the trainers in the Pokémon Tower called “Channeler” have some disturbing things to say. One of them says, “Give… me… your… soul…” Another one says, “Give… me… blood…” No thanks! If I were Red, I would stay as far away from those trainers as possible before something illegal goes down. At least you have your Pokémon to protect you.
12 Red’s Mom Lives In The Kitchen
This is perhaps one of the most disturbing realizations in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. You begin the game in your comfy room. It has a television and a SNES with an obscure Mario game developed by Game Freak. There are no doors to other rooms, but there is a staircase. You walk down the stairs and there is your loving mother waiting to send you off on your journey. She’s so nice that she will even heal your Pokémon for you when they get low. You find her sitting down in the kitchen all alone. However, something seems off. There are no more doors or stairs. There was only one bed in Red’s room, which means that his mom must live and sleep in the kitchen.
11 Parched Guard
On the gate to Saffron city, there is a solitary guard inside. Unfortunately, this guard is never able to leave his post and is suffering from extreme thirst. When you try to get past the guard, he will tell you: “I’m on guard duty. Gee, I’m thirsty, though! Oh wait there, the road’s closed.” He is apparently so thirsty that he tells any random person that walks through. Red does the right thing and brings the guard a drink. If you have a drink in your inventory, the guard expresses his thirst even further, but thanks you for bringing him a drink. He says: “Whoa, boy! I’m parched!” After you hand him the drink, he does not hesitate to chug it down. Apparently he was so thirsty that bringing him a single drink is enough to let people walk through.
10 Pokémon Hotel
Celadon City is the largest city by far in the Kanto region. It is home to several attractions and neat little buildings, such as the restaurant, the game corner, and one cannot forget the important Celadon City Department Store. However, there is one building that has always intrigued me. There is a hotel inside of Celadon City, but it is not a hotel for Pokémon. It is a hotel for people, as the receptionist states. Inside the hotel are three people. Two of them are siblings. The female sibling says: “I’m on vacation with my brother and boyfriend. Celadon is such a pretty city!” The boyfriend is not too happy about this, and he asks aloud in despair, “Why did she bring her brother?” It looks like they had different ideas in mind for the vacation.
9 Kangaskhan’s Baby
Kangaskhan is a rare Pokémon in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow because it can only be caught in the Safari Zone. One of the most interesting aspects of this rare Pokémon is that it has a little baby in its front pouch. Is the baby simply a little Kangaskhan or is it a baby Pokémon like Pichu or Magby? The baby also looks slightly different than the mother, so it’s hard to tell what the answer is. We do know one thing for sure: the baby is always taking the brunt of the action. Pokémon Yellow’s Pokedex entry for Kangaskhan states that it “raises its young in its belly pouch. Won’t run from any fight to keep its young protected.” Is it really a good idea for that baby to get hit in the face with attacks such as Fire Blast or Ice Beam?
8 Old Man On The Floor
If you try to leave Viridian City too early in the game, there will be an old man in your way. It looks as though he is laying on the floor and won’t let anybody through. He says, “You can’t go through here! This is private property!” His granddaughter explains that he has not had his coffee yet. Some fans believe that coffee actually refers to an adult beverage. Once you’ve done the errand for Oak, the old man will step aside and say, “Ahh, I’ve had my coffee now and I feel great! Sure you can go through!” I have always wondered about the strange positioning of the old man. Why is he lying stretched out in the middle of the road? It’s strange behavior coming from an old man.
7 Storing Pokémon
The main way to store Pokémon in Pokémon games is through the PC. The PC is found in every Pokémon Center, and it may sometimes be found in other special locations. The PC system is networked throughout the entire region with every PC being connected. It seems strange storing your Pokemon inside of a computer, but it’s unlikely that your Pokemon are actually turned into data. We would be treading into Digimon territory if that were the case. That must mean that your Pokémon are transferred through some sort of network of tubes and into large warehouses with everyone’s Pokémon. People can have hundreds of Pokémon, which would mean these warehouses would be rather packed. It seems a bit unethical to me. It just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
6 Pokémon War
Lieutenant Surge is the gym leader of Vermillion City. Apparently, he is not LARPing; he’s actually a Lieutenant. In Pokémon Red and Blue, he says “I tell you kid, electric Pokémon saved me during the war! They zapped my enemies into paralysis!” It is surprising that a real war hero is in a Pokémon game. It is also important to note that Pokémon were used in this war. Were Pokémon used as weapons, or are disputes in the Pokémon world settled via Pokémon battles? If they are settled with Pokémon battles, who do they chose to do the battling? Either way, it is a little surprising that something like a war would be referenced in a Pokémon game. It is even more surprising that it would be implied Pokémon were used in this war.
5 Where’s Raticate?
One of the most disturbing and inappropriate things in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow is the possibility of your rival’s Raticate being dead. On your fourth battle with Blue aboard the S.S. Anne, Blue has a level 19 Pidgeotto, a level 18 Kadabra, a level 20 started Pokemon, and a level 16 Raticate. Your fifth battle with Blue Oak is at the Pokémon Tower, where his Raticate is nowhere to be found, but his starter, Pidgeotto, and Kadabra are still present. Maybe the level 16 Raticate was not making the cut, or maybe there is something else that happened to it. Why would Blue be at the Pokémon Tower anyway? That’s where people visit their Pokémon that have passed away. It seems to imply that Blue might have had a Pokémon lose its life, but maybe it’s a coincidence.
4 Celadon Game Corner
Most trainers obtain their Pokémon by catching them in the wild or trading with others. However, there is a way that you can actually purchase some Pokémon. You cannot simply buy a Pokémon from the store, but there is one place where you can purchase Pokémon: the Celadon Game Corner. The Team Rocket-owned gambling scheme allows plucky young 10-year-olds to gamble away their money for a chance to purchase a Porygon. Of course, these Pokémon are stolen Pokémon by Team Rocket to persuade people to play their risky games. Think about the consequences of giving out Pokémon as rewards. Are they able to feed the Pokémon and do they have some sort of warehouse to store the Pokémon? On top of all that, these are stolen Pokémon. It is a horrible thought.
3 Tiksi Branch
Silph Co. is a large company based in Saffron City in the Kanto Region. They are the manufacturers of tools such as the Silph Scope, which is used to view ghosts. They also create home appliances. Of course, you would expect a company like this to have scientists working for them. There was one disgruntled scientists in particular that stood out. Before you battle him, he says: “That rotten President! He shouldn’t have sent me to the Tiksi Branch!” Upon defeating him, he clarifies, “Tiksi Branch? It’s in Russia no man’s land!” How awful! This interaction is intriguing because it lends credibility to the theory that Pokémon takes place in a world that is geographically similar to ours. There have also been mentions of South America in the diaries relating to Mew.
2 Fossil Nerd
Upon entering Pewter City, you can read a signpost that mentions Pokémon fossils. It reads: “Notice! Thieves have been stealing Pokémon fossils at Mt. Moon! Please call Pewter police with any info!” You actually run into someone who could be one of these thieves in Mt. Moon. There is a lot of buzz from NPCs in Mt. Moon about fossils. One Team Rocket Grunt demands, “If you find a fossil, give it to me and scram!” You do end up with a fossil after interacting with the strange fossil nerd. He would not give up one of his precious fossils without a battle first. These fossils shouldn’t really be battled over. They are priceless artifacts that can be viewed inside of Pewter Museum, yet there they are in some 10 year old’s backpack.
1 Tastes Good
Pokémon Red and Blue are known for their goofy sprites. In fact, many fans have even complained about the Pokémon sprites for not looking like the Pokémon in the anime, despite the fact that Pokémon Red and Blue came out before the anime. Pokémon Yellow did fix some of the sprites, but nothing can erase the memory of some of the original disturbing sprites. One of those sprites for me is Golbat. First of all, Golbat is depicted as standing on his tiny feet. Typically, the Pokémon is depicted as flying. Golbat’s wings are outstretched as if he’s trying to scare someone. This depiction of Golbat also has a giant tongue coming out of his mouth. I always knew something was off about this sprite, and it’s because typically Golbat is not depicted with a tongue at all.
