This is a tale from a long long time ago...
when Pokemon was still only a small, unknown Game Boy game… *ahem* Did you know that
Pokemon research didn't canonically begin in Japan, but actually in 18th century France? Or that the people of Kanto ate so many Farfetch'd
they almost went extinct? These details and lots more secrets can all
be found in a long-lost Pokedex dating back to 1996, which we spent thousands of dollars
to acquire and translate into English just for this video. Buried inside are details about Pokemon biology,
behavior, food chains, and lots more, including how Pokemon evolved through natural selection. But before we dig in, let’s provide some
brief context. A few weeks after the launch of Pokemon Red
& Green, a book called Pokedex was released in Japan, but never localized for the West. The book was published by Creatures Inc with
contributions from Pokemon's creator Satoshi Tajiri, and according to Ken Sugimori, he
made the first Pokemon art set specifically for this book. In other words, this book is as official as
it gets. 46 of its 140 pages are an entirely alternate
Pokedex with exclusive lore, classification systems, and 150 Pokedex entries that never
appeared in the games themselves. And it is without a doubt, the biggest and
most fascinating Pokedex of them all. Considering the historic weight of this document,
there's only one man on the planet qualified to translate it into English. So we hired the Nintendo staffer who translated
the first 26 Pokemon games into English, including all their Pokedexes. We’re of course talking about Nob Ogasawara. Today Professor Nob's welcoming us to the
world of Pokemon, starting at the very beginning-- 2 million years ago. The Pokedex begins with this introduction,
which we'll read word for word as translated by Nob: "It is said that Pocket Monsters (colloquially
shortened to Pokémon) first appeared some 2 million years ago. The first systematic study of Pokémon was
undertaken in the late 18th century by a French author, Baron Tajirin. At the time, only 30 species had been discovered. Nevertheless the detailed data and sketches
left by Baron Tajirin became the foundations for study thereafter. From France, research into Pokémon spread
throughout western Europe to include England, Germany, Spain, and Italy. In line with the incredible progress of transportation
technology, the academic movement found a home in Japan at the end of the 19th century. Professor Nishinomori is said to be the father
of Pokémon studies in our country. In 1899, he published the paper “An Observation
on the Evolution of Pikachu.” It described how two Pokémon– which had
been thought to be 2 entirely different creatures– were actually the same. One was simply the evolved form. As a result of this breakthrough, Pokémon
research entered a new phase of discovery, earning Prof. Nishinomori worldwide recognition. Because of his paper, Japan came to be known
as a leader in the study of Pokémon. Incidentally, 80 Pokémon species had been
discovered by then. As of 1996, thanks to the investigative and
research efforts of Prof. Oak, 150 species of Pokémon have been discovered. We are gradually gaining insights into their
behavior, lifecycle, evolution, nature and so on. This guidebook examines the presently discovered
150 species of Pokémon by their habitats such as grasslands, mountains, and near bodies
of water. The descriptive text for each Pokémon includes
only facts known to date. It must also be noted that not all species
of Pokémon have been discovered. We intend to continue with our research with
the intention of publishing updated guides when new Pokémon are found." Before moving on to the first Pokedex entry,
we want to reiterate that this book *is* official -- and even though much of its lore was never
mentioned again, this book represents the earliest form of the series' canon. Tajirin is even named after Pokemon's creator
Satoshi Tajiri, who's also the namesake for Trainer Red and Ash Ketchum, who in Japan
are both called Satoshi. Professor Nishinomori is a combination of
the names Koji Nishino and Ken Sugimori, two developers who played a key role in Red & Green's
development. Directly translated, Nishino means West Field
and Sugimori means Cedar Forest, so Professor Nishinomori translates to Professor Westwood. In the Japanese version of anime episode 65,
Satoshi and his friends meet Professor Nishinomori the 5th, with the English localization of
the episode calling him Professor Westwood the 5th. The show says he wrote all the entries in
Satoshi's Pokedex, so it's probably safe to assume he's the great great grandson of the
Professor Nishinomori that researched Pokemon in 1899, and who a later section of this book
identifies as the creator of the Poke Ball. According to Tajir, the games, anime, and
manga all have separate canons, although clearly they overlap more than they don’t.. This lost Pokedex is divided into 9 classifications
mostly based on habitat -- Grassland, Mountain, Waters-edge, Forest, Seas, Enigmatic, Urban,
Extinct, and Legendaries. A Pokemon's habitat has implications for its
size, intelligence, and how they evolved. And by that we mean in the Darwinian sense--
the way Pokemon species evolved over the past two million years. For example, Pokemon who live in forests are
all small because they mostly subsist on fruits and nuts, while the Pokemon of the Seas haven't
evolved as much because the ocean hasn't changed much in the past two million years, though
the land has. This habitat classification system wasn't
mentioned in Red & Green, but it did appear in the prototype of the Pokemon TCG, and was
also used in a slightly altered form in FireRed & LeafGreen. But after that, habitat classifications were
discarded and never seen again. The Pokedex's first and largest habitat is
the Grasslands. Like every habitat, it starts with a brief
introduction. This one says: "Our country is home to many
species of Pokémon. Up to now, an amazing 150 have been discovered. The largest number was found in grasslands. Being rich in food sources, it appears that
grasslands represent an environment in which they can thrive. Many of the grassland-dwelling Pokémon are
people-friendly and placid in nature." The first Pokedex entry in this lost official
dex is actually that of Growlithe, and tells us: “#1. Growlithe: Friendly toward people with a loyal
nature. Faced with an enemy, they bark and bite to
drive their foe away. Cinnabar Island is famous as a home to many
Fire-type Pokémon, with Growlithe being no exception. The island was once an active volcano, but
is now dormant. Its unique ecosphere is thought to have strongly
influenced its native Pokémon. Recent research revealed that this Pokémon’s
evolution is dependent on a stone.” The entry states that Cinnabar's native Pokemon
were influenced by its unique ecosphere, implying their physical forms adapted to the island
through Darwinian evolution. Later entries use more direct terms like "evolution"
and "survival of the fittest" to describe how Pokemon changed over time. It should also be noted that this book has
a few pages of Professor Oak's Journal where he discusses Darwinian evolution at length,
and even addresses human evolution. Oak explains that he used to believe Pokemon
evolved into their current forms entirely through natural selection, but his research
made him realize that natural selection can't explain all their traits, and some details
remain a mystery even to him. The next entry reads: “#2. Ponyta: Their light body is supported by incredibly
strong legs. They can clear Tokyo Tower in one jump. While this herbivore is peaceful, care must
be taken when shoeing them – they can kick.” You may be wondering why Growlithe is followed
by Ponyta in this Pokedex and not Arcanine. That's because Arcanine isn't classified as
a Grassland Pokemon, instead it's at the end of the Pokedex with the Legendaries, which
we'll get to later along with some more bizarre entries. Pokemon's Kanto region is based on the real-life
Kanto of Japan, and the intro to this Pokedex, as well as many of its entries like one stating
Charizard poop can be found on Mt Fuji, suggests the Pokemon world takes place in or alongside
*our* world, planet Earth in the year 1996, making Pokemon's Kanto and Japan's Kanto one
and the same. The following ‘dex entry says “#3. Rapidash: Ponyta’s evolution. They can run up to 240 kmh. They can keep pace with a Shinkansen bullet
train while enveloping themselves in flames. They obey people dutifully.” And the next reads “#4. Meowth: Being nocturnal, they sleep through
the day. At night, they prowl their territory with
eyes aglow. They are a happily beneficial Pokémon that
can earn their trainer pocket change using their Pay Day move.” Although not mentioned in Meowth's entry,
Pokemon's varying intelligence levels are brought up repeatedly throughout this Pokedex. In a July 2000 interview, Creatures' chairman
Tsunekazu Ishihara explained why Meowth is the only Pokemon in the anime capable of human
speech. He said during development, Tajiri mapped
out every Pokemon's intelligence on a chart. Pokemon who were incredibly smart could understand
human language, like Lapras, and the highest intelligence tier could actually talk-- which
implies that of the original 151, Meowth may be the smartest of them all. The next entry is Persian. “#5. Persian: Fickle and ferocious. Beware if they raise their tail straight. It’s a sure sign they are preparing to leap
and bite. Due to their gorgeous coat, many women keep
them as trophy pets.” This is followed by: “#6. Mankey: Light on their feet and extremely
volatile. They can fly into a rage and rampage uncontrollably. While they are usually in good spirits, their
disposition can change instantly at the slightest provocation. Some researchers point to a calcium deficiency.” And the next entry is... “#7. Primeape: Mankey’s evolution. They are always enraged. They will give chase and will not stop however
far one runs. It’s all over if you lock eyes with one.” According to Professor Oak's Journal, the
invention of Poke Balls is linked to Primeape. In 1925, Prof. Nishinomori was experimenting
on his Primeape by administering drugs to try and extract its angry energy. But in his old age he'd lost some control
of his senses, and accidentally gave Primeape too many drugs, weakening it to the point
where Primeape curled up like a fetus and fit into the professor's glasses case. This experiment gone awry led to more tests
that ultimately resulted in the modern Poke Ball. Moving on to the next entries: Hitmonlee and
Hitmonchan. “#8. Hitmonlee: Their legs can be freely extended
and contracted. Kicks can be delivered to even faraway foes. They are surprisingly docile when they are
not fighting. Also known as “The Demon of Kickboxing.” “#9. Hitmonchan: A Pokémon inhabited by the spirit
of a pro boxer. They throw punches faster than a Shinkansen
bullet train. Although their habitat is unknown, based on
their behavior, they have been categorized as a grassland Pokémon, the same as Hitmonlee.” Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan's English names are
nods to Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. But in Japan, Hitmonlee is called Sawamular,
after 60's kickboxer Tadashi Sawamura. Hitmonchan's Japanese name is Ebiwalar, after
60's boxing champion Hiroyuki Ebihara. This Pokedex says Hitmonchan is possessed
by the spirit of a pro boxer, which seems to imply the boxer is Ebihara himself, who
died in 1991 during Gen 1's development. On the other hand, Hitmonlee's entry does
not say it's inhabited by the spirit of a kickboxer-- which makes sense, as Tadashi
Sawamura was still alive during production... Although sadly, Sawamura did pass away in
2021 while this video was being researched. The following passage discuss the Rhydon line:
“#10. Rhyhorn: While they lack intelligence, they
have plenty of power. Their ramming can shatter even building towers. They are not suited as house pets.” “#11. Rhydon: Evolving from Rhyhorn made this Pokémon
stand on their hind legs. This process prompts development of their
brain and intelligence. While evolution makes them easier to raise,
they remain as rough as ever. Their horn can punch holes through even boulders.” And the next Pokemon is the one we’re all
used to seeing first on the dex. “#12. Bulbasaur: They are born with a seed implanted
on their back that grows large over time. Researchers have argued over six years on
the issue of whether this Pokémon should be classified as an animal or a plant. The issue remains undecided.” Researchers arguing over Bulbasaur's classification
for 6 years seems to be a nod to how Red & Green took 6 years to develop. Other parts of the Pokedex reference the games'
production as well, like how the intro says Baron Tajirin only discovered 30 Pokemon--
this is probably because at one point Tajiri thought the Game Boy carts would only have
room for 30 Pokemon. We also translated a few parts of Tajiri's
biographical manga, which explains the only reason Game Freak was able to fit more than
30 Pokemon was because Shigeru Miyamoto saved the day and provided them with larger Game
Boy carts with more storage. The next entries are for the rest of the Venusaur
line:“#13. Ivysaur: Bulbasaur’s evolution. The plant on their back has grown to a bud. It absorbs nutrients and blooms as a large
flower.” “#14. Venusaur: Ivysaur’s evolution. Their flower wafts a dreamily intoxicating
aroma that pacifies those spoiling for a fight. It remains unclear as to what they eat to
maintain their bulk of 2 meter height and 100 kilogram weight. Because they often rest unmoving in sunlit
places, there is strong support for the hypothesis that they photosynthesize.” You'll notice that some of these dex entries
are far longer than the ones found in the games. The original Japanese versions of Gen 1 squeezed
the entries onto a single screen, but English requires a lot more characters to communicate
the same information. So during the localization process, Nob fought
tooth and nail to get a second screen added to the English version, otherwise half the
facts would have to get cut. But even after the programmers gave him twice
the space to work with, many entries still ended up being tightly squeezed. But for this video we're not restricted by
the sort of limitations that plagued Game Boy games, so these entries are exact translations
from Japanese, uncensored. The next Pokemon on the list is “#15. Sandshrew: They dig and live in burrows. When threatened, they curl up to protect themselves. Besides grasslands, they also appear in mountainous
environments.“ This is followed by “#16. Charmander: Right from birth a flame burns
at the end of their tail. They cannot survive if the flame were to go
out. Smokers often keep them in the place of lighters.” A smoker using Charmander's flame to light
his cigarette was depicted in a set of Pokemon playing cards published in Japan’s Corocoro
Comics in late 1996, illustrated by series artist Kagemaru Himeno. The cards' art are inspired by Pokedex entries
from both the book and the games, so throughout this video we'll highlight all the cards derived
from this Pokedex. A big thanks to friend of the channel, HiResPokemon
for scanning much of the art used in this video -- check him out sometime if you're
into rare Pokemon artwork. Up next we have “#17. Charmeleon: Charmander’s evolution. They flail with their tail to mow down foes,
and then shred enemies with their sharp claws. Their powerful tail can hoist five adults
(approximately 300 kilograms).” This is of course followed by: “#18. Charizard: Charmeleon’s evolution. Capable of flying up to 1,400 meters in altitude
using their wings. (This figure was accepted as fact when droppings
thought to be theirs were found mid-level on Mt. Fuji.) They breathe fire that can even melt boulders.” The next entry is for… “#19. Sandslash: Sandshrew’s evolution. They scurry about quickly. They are adept at attacking using the pointed
spines on their back and their sharp claws.” And after this is: “#20. Nidoran ♀: Although small, they have venomous
needles with devastating power. The females have a smaller horn than the males. Their breeding period comes every year in
spring. At the end of summer they lay two eggs that
hatch in two weeks, one male and one female. Baby Nidoran are just 10 centimeters long.” Baby Nidoran can actually be seen on a 1997
ad for Pokemon Battle Pencils, a sort of rock-paper-scissors game with Pokémon moves written on each side
of a pencil. This Pokedex has several hints about Pokemon
and features that were planned to be included in Gold & Silver, so it's possible Nidobabies
were once planned as well, but were scrapped. This is a little speculative though, so take
that with a grain of salt. The next entry states: “#21. Nidorina: Being female, they are placid in
nature. They emit ultrasonic cries that can allure
enemies. While they are the evolved form of Nidoran
♀, they lose the ability to lay eggs upon evolution.” Even though breeding wasn't introduced until
Gen 2, concept art from the early 90's shows Game Freak was thinking about breeding from
the very beginning. And for some reason, it seems it was always
intended for Female Nidoran and the entire Nidoking line to be able to breed, but not
Nidorina and Nidoqueen-- who even now in Generation 8 are still incapable of laying eggs. Next up is “#22. Nidoqueen: Their body is cloaked in stiff,
needlelike scales that stand up when they become agitated. As they grow, they learn powerful moves like
Mega Punch and Fire Blast. While they are thought to be the final evolution
of Nidoran ♀, it is said a special stone is needed to evolve.” For some reason, the entry is for: “#23. Vulpix: They have six gorgeous tails that
increase in number as they grow. They are thought to be related to foxes.” This link between Vulpix and foxes implies
they evolved from a common ancestor. Pokemon branching off from real animals, and
real animals evolving from Pokemon is a running theme through this Pokedex. Next up is the Nidoking line “#24. Nidoran ♂: They flap their large ears like
butterfly wings when straining to hear faraway sounds. They extend venomous needles when angered. In their breeding season, their horn glows
in seven colors for wooing females. Apparently, the larger the horn, the more
appealing to females.” “#25. Nidorino: They are easily angered. They flail with their well-developed horn
to skewer even diamonds. While they are the evolved form of Nidoran
♂, unlike Nidorina, they do not lose their breeding ability.” “#26. Nidoking: Their rock-hard hide and long claws
are distinguishing characteristics. The horn is also venomous. Like Nidoqueen, they can learn powerful moves. They appear to shy away from fighting Nidoqueen.” The next segment is for: “#27. Ninetales: Vulpix’s evolution. They are clad in a golden fur and have nine
long tails. They are long-living Pokémon that are said
to live for a thousand years. There is even a saying, “Ninetales, a thousand
years, Blastoise, ten thousand years.” With this entry, the book was ahead of the
games, as Ninetales living for a thousand years didn't appear in another Pokedex until
Pokemon Crystal. Ninetales lives for a thousand years as it's
based on Kitsune from Japanese folklore, super-natural foxes that grow more tails as they get older. Kitsune sprout their ninth tail when they
live to a thousand, when they also become golden. In some takes on the legend, instead of gold,
their color changes to white, explaining Ninetales' Alolan form. Kitsune are also said to have paranormal abilities
and take on spirit forms, presumably the reason Ninetales is capable of learning Psychic and
Ghost attacks. The next segment is on “#28. Exeggcute: While they appear to be eggs of
some sort, recent studies identified them to be creatures similar to plant seeds. While some researchers claim that they are
the same as the plant growing out of Bulbasaur’s back, that theory is yet to be proven.” This is of course followed by “#29. Exeggutor: Also known as the walking tropical
rainforest. Each of their fruits has a face with its own
unique will. They are the evolved form of Exeggcute.” The nextry is for “#30. Cubone: They wear the skull of their dead
mother. They cry loudly when they feel lonely. It is said they got their onomatopoeic Japanese
name of Karakara from the dry, clattering sound of their head striking the skull.” The following entry says “#31. Marowak: They learn the rare move Bonemerang. They are weak when they are small, but appear
to gain a violent nature when they learn to use bones.” This segment is followed by “# 32. Chansey: They lay several eggs a day. The eggs are nutritionally rich and fantastically
delicious. They are peaceful and do not like to fight
very much.” Later entries mention experiments by the researchers
who wrote this Pokedex, so Chansey eggs being described as ‘delicious’ implies the researchers
taste-tested the eggs themselves. The next entry is “#33. Tangela: A Plant-type Pokémon covered in
blue plant vines that hide their actual form. They try to entangle anyone approaching too
closely. Many researchers have attempted to cut away
all the vines in hopes of seeing what they hide, but all attempts ended in failure due
to Tangela’s furious resistance.” After this is “#34. Kangaskhan: The females place and raise their
baby in a pouch on their belly. They are skilled at pummeling with Comet Punch.” This entry specifies that only female Kangaskhan
carry babies in their pouch, which is interesting, as all Kangaskhan are female. Like we said earlier, several entries in this
‘dex make vague references to Pokemon and features added in Gold & Silver, like Politoed
and branch evolutions. Genders were first introduced in Gen 2, so
it's possible Game Freak was planning to include male Kangaskhan when this was written. Unfortunately we don't have any additional
sources that provide clues like what they might've looked like. The next Pokemon is “#35. Lickitung: At 2.5 meters, their tongue is
twice as long as their height. The tongue is usually stowed in their mouth
curled up like that of chameleons. When hunting or attacking, they can move their
tongue as if it were an arm. A ravenous appetite and a lazy nature must
have shaped this Pokémon’s evolution.” Corocoro's Jack of Spades gives us a glimpse
of Lickitung's ravenous appetite. Lickitung was inspired by Japanese folklore's
Akaname, a yōkai with a huge tongue and one claw on each foot. Akaname means "filth licker," and they're
known for licking up the filth in bathtubs and bathrooms, which is why the in-game Pokédex
says Lickitung "licks filth clean with its tongue." Several Pokemon have Pokedex numbers with
special significance, and Nob shared with us his theory on why Game Freak made the Licking
Pokemon number 108 in the in-game dex. He said: "108 in Japanese is read 'hyakuhachi.' It rhymes with 'shakuhachi' -- a traditional
recorder-like instrument-- which is also a slang for 'blowjob.' Draw your own conclusion... no one involved
in development would admit to it of course." But hey, that's just a theory-- so take it
with a grain of salt… and probably some lime and tequila to help you forget. On to a less disturbing entry: “#36. Scyther: They lethally shred prey with their
sharp scythes. They can fly on their wings, though only occasionally. They’re very rare with few captured specimens.” It's worth noting that ‘lethal’ means
‘to cause death.’ Many in-game entries talk about Scyther slashing
and slicing, but this is the only official source we could find that says Scyther literally
kills prey by cutting them to pieces. Next up is: “#37. Electabuzz: They love to feast on powerful
electricity. They appear somewhat frequently at major power
plants. Like Scyther, they are captured only rarely. Both Scyther and Electabuzz can distinguish
colors. They have a natural affinity for the color
red in particular.” This Pokedex makes special note of several
Pokemon who can distinguish colors, which implies that just like many animals in the
real world, most Pokemon can't distinguish colors. In episode 42 of the anime, Ash's Pokedex
tells him Electabuzz and Scyther are both rare Pokemon that can distinguish colors and
are enraged by the color red. These details were never mentioned in the
games, so presumably the anime lifted this lore directly from the book. The next entry states “#38. Pinsir: The two long horns are powerful. Once they clamp tight on their prey, they
won’t loosen until the victim is torn apart. They are extremely rare Pokémon with very
few reported sightings. They appear to prefer the color green.” This is followed by “#39. Tauros: When ramming, they whip their body
harshly with their three tails. They will not attack unless they are attacked
first. They can be found in places like the Safari
Zone.” Next up is “#40. Eevee: A special Pokémon that can evolve
into three different Pokémon species. They are difficult to categorize because so
few have been caught. From their behavior, they were included among
the Pokémon of grasslands.” The next 3 entries are of the gen 1 eeveelutions:
“#41. Vaporeon: An Eevee evolution. Their body’s cellular structure is close
to that of water molecules. As a result, they can melt away invisibly
in water. They can learn the move Surf for swimming
across bodies of water.” “#42. Jolteon: When enraged or startled, all their
body hair stands upright like needles that puncture their foes. They learn Electric-type moves like Thunder,
Thunderbolt, and Thunder Wave. They are also an evolved form of Eevee.” “#43. Flareon; They have a flame sac inside their
body. They inhale deeply, and then blow flames of
1,700°C. This and the other two evolved forms of Eevee
appear to have some connection with special stones.” And this brings us to the end of the Grassland
Pokemon, by far Kanto's most populated habitat. The other 8 classifications average about
13 Pokemon apiece, with most sections giving tidbits about each habitat's food chain and
how their Pokemon evolved, getting progressively more interesting the deeper we go. The next section is the Mountain Pokemon,
with the book telling us: "Here, we profile Pokémon that live in mountainous environments
more than 1,000 meters above sea level. Many of these mountain-dwelling Pokémon exhibit
evolutionary adaptations to their bodies both entirely and partially perhaps due to their
harsh habitats. They may also appear in grasslands and even
towns on occasion." The first Mountainous Pokemon on the ‘dex
is… “#44. Onix: They usually live submerged in soil. They burrow at 80kmh in search of prey. Like other Ground-type Pokémon, Onix is strong
against Poison-type attacks. Conversely, they are vulnerable to Water-type
attacks.” The book has a diagram of Pokemon heights
compared to humans, with Onix being the tallest. Some fans have long wondered how exactly height
is measured, and this diagram makes it clear that "height" actually refers to a Pokemon's
length measured flat from end-to-end. Next up are Diglett and Dugtrio. ‘#45. Diglett: They burrow through the ground close
to the surface. They leave ridged trails of soil in their
wake that betray their location. They may appear in the trail of an Onix. They are probably seeking Onix’s leftovers. They evolve into Dugtrio.” “#46. Dugtrio: They burrow underground to hide themselves,
and then strike the unsuspecting target from a different spot. Some researchers categorize Dugtrio, Dodrio,
Exeggcute, and Exeggutor as one genre.” These entries are followed by: “#47. Geodude: A docile Pokémon that does not harm
people. That said, they can lose their temper if they
are accidentally stepped on in caves, for example. They can be found while hiking on mountains. Being round and easy to hold, people toss
them back and forth in Geodude fights.” Here we get an illustration of Geodude hiding
itself in a pile of rocks by Benimaru Itoh, the Creatures artist who together with Ken
Sugimori made most of the book's artwork. Itoh likes to go by the nickname "Ash," and
later became chief designer of the 3D models in Pokemon Snap and Stadium, and even did
some artwork for the Pokemon TCG. Next up is: “#48. Graveler: Geodude’s evolution. When walking on sloped mountain trails, Graveler
may come tumbling along. While their face wears a smile, their eyes
never smile. It is very creepy to see them come rolling
with that expression.” This is naturally followed by: “#49. Golem: They tumble on sloped trails at twice
the speed of a Graveler. They are probably Graveler’s evolution. They are encased in a hard shell composed
of sheet rock-like slabs. They grow larger by shedding their shell once
a year. With luck, people may find a Golem’s discarded
shell on a mountain in summer.” Next up the Machamp line: “#50. Machop: Being entirely musclebound, they have
the power to throw a hundred adult people despite their small, childlike stature.” “#51. Machoke: Machop’s evolution. Their powerful body never tires. Diligent and hardworking, they help people
with work such as transporting heavy cargo.” “#52. Machamp: Their four, fully developed arms
can throw a thousand punches in just two seconds. While they are thought to be Machoke’s evolution,
no one has yet to witness their evolutionary process. In general, Pokémon evolve through growth. However, recent studies have concluded that
Machamp and Golem have not evolved from growing.” Corocoro's Nine of Clubs provides a nice visual
of those 1000 punches. Machamp and Golem's entries say they're *thought*
to be the evolved forms of Machoke and Graveler. The introduction we read earlier says "the
descriptive text for each Pokémon includes only facts known to date." In other words, everything contained in this
Pokedex is true, but there are some things the researchers who wrote it don't know for
certain yet. Apparently they haven't discovered the concept
of trade evolutions. The next entry is for: “#53. Magmar: A species found near a volcano’s
crater. They breathe fire. Their body temperature is extremely high at
1,200 °C. This Pokémon is very hard to spot in the
wild with only a few captured.” This is followed by “#54. Snorlax: They are unsatisfied unless they
eat 400 kilograms of food a day. As soon as they finish eating, they fall asleep. At 460 kilograms, they are the heaviest out
of all the Pokémon discovered. While they usually live in mountains, they
occasionally descend and appear in towns. They are gluttonous and will consume even
moldy food without ever getting sick. It is said their ability to consume mold earned
them the Japanese name of Kabigon.” Here we get some Itoh artwork saying the only
time Snorlax is awake is when it's eating. Kabi is the Japanese word for mold, and this
Pokemon got its Japanese name "Kabigon" because it's based on Game Freak developer Koji Nishino,
who another developer said would eat pretty much anything he found around the office,
even if it was moldy. This earned Nishino the nickname Kabigon,
so it ultimately became the name of the Pokemon as well. The next entry is “#55. Zubat: They live in murky caves on mountains
and similar environments. Because they live in perpetual darkness, their
eyes retrogressed and disappeared. They emit ultrasonic cries for flitting around
in darkness. Apparently, it is very rare for them to fly
outside their caves.” Many people think bats in the real world are
blind, hence the expression "blind as a bat." But that's not actually true- bats can see
just fine, some even better than humans. They do spend a lot of their lives in darkness
though, so they developed powerful hearing and echolocation abilities through evolution. This Pokedex entry takes evolution a step
further, explaining that Zubat not only gained echolocation, but its eyes disappeared entirely. In the Professor Oak's Journal section of
this book, he explains these sorts of traits are a result of Pokemon and animal's divergent
evolution. The final mountain entry is for “#56. Golbat: Zubat’s evolution. They bite with their sharp fangs and suck
300 milliliters in one chomp.” And now on to the next habitat, the Waters-edge
Pokemon, with the book explaining that: "Pokémon that live in, or near bodies of
water, can be roughly split into two types. One type consists of Plant-type Pokémon that
are vulnerable to Fire-type attacks. The other type are animals that live in shallow
waters. The latter group have Water-type moves that
make them strong against fire.” First up in this section is “#57. Squirtle: When it retracts its long neck into
its shell, it squirts out water with vigorous force. Water-type moves of this sort are effective
against Fire, Ground, and Rock-type Pokémon. It is unfortunate, but this Pokémon’s habitat
is unknown.” Presumably its habitat is unknown because
starter Pokemon can't be found anywhere in Kanto-- except in Professor Oak's lab. You never actually get to see Squirtle's long
neck, but this fact was later included in FireRed's Pokedex as well. So Squirtle's neck is similar to Doduo's wings,
or how Pokemon Mystery Dungeon talks about Diglett's feet -- you never get to see them,
but they do exist. This continues with the rest of the Blastoise
line: “#58. Wartortle: Squirtle’s evolution. Their profile is cute when they are fighting. They are highly popular as pets. Their fur-covered tail is a symbol of longevity.” “#59. Blastoise: Wartortle’s evolution. They make their foe faint by squashing the
victim with their heavy body. Their bulk makes quick movements impossible,
but they have overwhelming power to compensate. When endangered, they can draw themselves
into their shell. They are well protected thanks to their armor-like
shell. They are capable and reliable Pokémon that
learn such effective moves as Ice Beam and Surf.” Entry 27, Ninetales, alluded to Blastoise
living ten thousand years. This is actually a nod to the Minogame from
Japanese mythology, a turtle who can live ten thousand years, and is so old it has seaweed
for a tail. The Minogame is prominently featured in a
Japanese fairy tale, and even though it's a little long, it's worth sharing to explain
the lore for Blastoise, Wartortle, and also some Lapras lore that comes up later. One day, a fisherman named Urashima Tarō
saw a group of boys torturing a turtle, which he rescued then released it into the ocean. The next day, a Minogame finds Tarō and tells
him the turtle he saved is a princess, the daughter of Ryujin, the emperor of the sea. As thanks, the Minogame takes Tarō under
the ocean to a palace where he meets the princess. But three days later, he tells the princess
he wants to return to the surface to visit his aging mother. The princess is sad to see him go, but wishes
him well and gives him a mysterious box, warning him to never open it. After returning home, Tarō realizes 300 years
have passed in the surface world -- his home has disappeared and everyone he ever knew
is dead. Stricken by grief, he decides to open the
mysterious box, which bursts into a cloud of smoke and transforms him into an old man
with a white beard and a bent back. The story ends with the princess' sad, sweet
voice coming from the ocean, telling him, "I told you not to open the box. Inside it was your age." At this point you're probably wondering what
any of this has to do with Blastoise. Wartortle's design is the one based on the
Minogame, although it's got a feathery, furry tail instead of literal seaweed. A 2019 leak of beta back sprites revealed
that during Gen 1's development, Wartortle originally had a different evolution who was
also based on the Minogame, while Blastoise was part of a separate turtle family. It seems Game Freak decided the two turtle
lines overlapped, and combined them into one to avoid redundancies. Wartortle's evolution was scrapped, along
with what appears to be an early pre-evolution for Blastoise. So this lore about Blastoise living ten thousand
years was probably intended for the old Wartortle evolution, and Blastoise simply inherited
the lore when it took its place. Some of this lore was also redistributed to
Lapras, in much more explicit terms, whose entry we'll get to later. The next water Pokemon are “#60. Staryu: They are commonly found on beaches. At night, their central core flashes brightly. They are gynandrous; they possess both male
and female reproductive organs. If a part of their body is cut off, they regenerate
the missing body parts. Their evolution appears to be linked to a
special stone.” This is naturally followed by “#61. Starmie: Little headway has been made in the
research of Starmie. Because they are encountered in the sea, they
have been classified as a Water’s-edge Pokémon. However, locally, it is suspected that they
are alien creatures from their geometrical body.” Pokemon didn't have genders in Gen 1, but
from Gen 2 onwards, Staryu and Starmie were both classified as "gender unknown," or what
fans usually refer to as "genderless." But here we get a little more detail, with
the ‘dex telling us they have both male and female reproductive organs, like hermaphroditic
flowers. Next up is the Golduck line “#62. Psyduck: They are always suffering from a
headache. If their headache intensifies, they start
using mysterious powers. They can learn a variety of moves including
Strength, Surf, and Dig.” “#63. Golduck: Psyduck’s evolution. Their hands are webbed, making them skilled
swimmers. Their elegant form can be seen on lakes and
similar settings. They can learn Hyper Beam, a move that has
not been observed among Psyduck” The book provides this illustration of Kanto's fastest
swimmers, showing Golduck as the fastest. It doesn't say Golduck's exact speed, but
it's somewhere in excess of 90 kilometers an hour. Next up is: “#64. Oddish: Also known as Walkimendes. At night, they walk up to 300 meters on their
two roots. Being plants, it was a mystery as to why they
walked. It was finally determined by a recent study
that it was for the survival of the species. They scatter their pollen as they walk.” The nickname Walkimendes is the sort of Japanese
word play that simply doesn't work in English. When Japanese puns are used in the games,
they usually get removed entirely during localization, but Nob translated this book without making
any cuts. The name is a gag on Archimedes, the famous
Greek figure. Walkimendes also breaks down to "alki men
desu," which translates into English as "we are walking men." Because Oddish is a plant that walks. As we said, It really doesn't work in English. The rest of the entries for this line are
“#65. Gloom: Oddish’s evolution. Their pistil emits a horrifically foul stench
that makes foes faint up to 2 kilometers away. A special stone appears to be involved in
Gloom’s evolution.” “#66. Vileplume: From their world’s-largest petals,
they scatter wicked plumes of pollen that induce allergic reactions. Other Pokémon can’t get near where Vileplume
lives.” Vileplume has the largest petals in the world
because it draws inspiration from the Rafflesia arnoldii, a parasitic plant that produces
the largest single flower on Earth. They grow in real-life rainforests and have
an overpowering odor of decaying flesh, which is why the Vileplume family have such a horrific
stench. This entry is followed by “#67. Krabby: Found near the sea. When they fight, they raise their large pincers
to intimidate their foe. However, they usually prefer to avoid fighting. If a pincer is torn off, it grows back.” And next up is the Victreebel line: “#68. Bellsprout: Their bud has the appearance of
a human face. Because of it, they are said to be a type
of the legendary mandrake root. They feed mainly on small insects.” “#69. Weepinbell: Bellsprout’s evolution. The leaves are cutters for shredding foes. They spit a liquid that dissolves anything. Unlike Bellsprout, they capture and eat fairly
large bugs and birds. Their feeding is an exceedingly bizarre spectacle.” [Carddass card - Weepinbell’s Acid attack]
“#70. Victreebel: Thought to be Weepinbell’s evolution
because of their many shared attributes. Prey are drawn with a honey-like aroma into
Victreebel’s mouth where they are melted by a dissolving fluid. This Pokémon is omnivorous and will eat anything
that fits in their mouth.” Victreebel's based on real-life pitcher plants
that draw in prey with nectar then drown them in it. They mostly feed on insects, but are known
to have feasted on mice. The Pokedex says Victreebel is omnivorous
and eats anything it can fit in its mouth, so presumably it's capable of eating small
Pokemon like Rattata. The next Pokemon is “#71. Kingler: Krabby’s evolution. The hard pincers have 10,000- horsepower strength. However, they are also too large, making this
Pokémon ponderous in motion. They may also be seen deep inside caves.” This is followed by the Slowbro line: “#72. Slowpoke: They are always vacant and “out
to lunch.” It is impossible to determine what they are
thinking. They live by the water’s edge where they
deftly catch prey with their tail. Although they have enough smarts to fish that
way, they exhibit no other behavior that would indicate any greater intelligence. They frequently swim undersea in search of
prey, but are often mistakenly caught themselves. While some people become happily relaxed seeing
a Slowpoke, others become irritated. Perhaps those people who become soothed lead
hectic lives.” “#73. Slowbro: When Slowpoke went foraging in the
sea, they were bitten on their tail by Shellder. This resulted in their evolution into Slowbro. It is unknown as to why they did not try to
remove the Shellder. It is suspected that doing so would have required
too much effort. While they can learn devastating physical
attacks like Mega Punch and Mega Kick, they are naturally averse to fighting. Like Slowpoke, they appear to prefer zoning
out.” Here we have an illustration of Shellder latching
onto Slowpoke's tail. This rendering barely resembles an actual
Shellder, and looks more like a Pokemon called Taaban from Gold & Silver's 1997 demo, which
ended up getting cut. It's possible Taaban was originally planned
for Gen 1 as well, which would explain why the creature on Slowbro's tail never looked
like a Shellder. But we can't know for sure, as recent leaks
have only proven that Taaban was cut from Gen 2. The next habitat are the Forests. But we're only halfway through this script
and it's already a lot longer than we initially thought it would be, so we'll cover Forest
Pokemon and every remaining type in a second video soon, so make sure you’re subscribed
for that one. We also have a video on the lost Pokemon movie
that had real dinosaurs in it, so check that out if you’d like.
