The Psychology of Pokémon: The Power To Catch 'Em All

By Anthony Bean

"I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant.  It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are." – Mewtwo, Pokemon: The First Movie.

 

For more than two decades, Ash Ketchum, has been chasing his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.  His personal journey spans more than and 1,000 television episodes, 22 films, 122 Pokémon games (as of fall of 2021), discovering over 800 different species of Pokémon, numerous card games, and other merchandise children of the 90s still treasure today.  

 

The Psychology of Pokémon guides gamers on a real-world quest of self-discovery so that they can Catch 'em All. And, as part of this examination, psychologists, clinicians, video game researchers, professors, and enthusiasts unravel the mysteries of the Pokémon series by asking:

• Why is the Pokémon series so beloved by everyone even after we have grown up?
• What is the reason we trust a 10-year-old to accomplish the mission to become a Pokémon master and how does this affect our own sense of childhood?
• What can we take away from our own journey of the Pokémon series and its impact on catching them all?
• How can Ash Ketchum's perseverance and resilience teach us about Grit in the face of adversity?
• Why was 'Twitch Plays Pokémon' such an inspiration to us all?
• Where does the Heroic Journey fall in line with Ash's journey to become a Pokémon master?
• And much, much, more…

 

Think you know Pokémon? The Psychology of Pokémon explores how the game resonates with a player's psychological drive toward an emotional sense of wholeness, bonding, and completion as they take part in this epic quest.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leyline Publishing
• Release date: Apr 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781955406109

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Gotta Catch ‘em All rings in my head. It meant one thing in 1998, when 151 magical critters appeared on my Game Boy, ushering in seemingly endless gameplay possibilities. But in February 2020, it meant approximately 898 individual monsters. But I was on a mission. At 31, I sat on the floor of my mother’s house - much like I did 25 years earlier - as I worked to hatch an egg within which was a rare Pokémon. Excitement bubbled as a spotted egg appeared on screen. It rattled and cracked, shattering into pieces as a mote of light emerged, and as it dimmed it revealed the last Pokémon I needed to have a complete Pokédex. As a child I dreamed about moments like this, but as an adult it inspired a wash of calm satisfaction, like completing the ultimate low-stakes checklist. I am a Pokémon Master.

In 2021, tens-of-millions of kids and adults celebrate the 25th anniversary of a video game juggernaut that has spawned dozens of games, a long-running anime, animated and live action films, a trading card game, and more¹. Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Green Version originally released in Japan in 1996. Two years later, Americans were introduced to Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version for the original Game Boy with the all-encompassing tagline: Gotta Catch ‘em All.

In this game players were put in the shoes of an inexperienced Pokémon trainer, charged with the task of traveling across the Kanto region battling their way through the Pokémon League and seeking to capture 151 colorful creatures to earn the coveted title of Pokémon Master². From Pallet Town, to Victory Road, players became enchanted with the formula, which has remained more or less the same for 25 years.

The deceptively simple structure masks complex themes stitched throughout every iteration of the Pokémon series. This is perhaps exemplified most by the mainline Pokémon releases including two versions, each with specific Pokémon that can only be found in that version. In the 90s, Catch ‘em All suddenly became about building real-world relationships with peers, strategizing around how to trade and evolve specific Pokémon, and working together to achieve the common goal of completing the Pokédex - an in-game encyclopedia of every available Pokémon. In more recent iterations this concept has expanded via the internet, allowing trainers all over the world to coordinate, trade, and battle. It is here that the true core tenet of the series shines: friendship.

Every single Pokémon game, film, CD, show, etc. revolves around the theme of friendship. Moreover, it shines a light on the importance of creating meaningful connections with others to achieve a shared goal, and grow as individuals (and as a team) in the process.

Those who do this - such as the player characters - are successful, and those who do not (such as the infamous Team Rocket, an organized crime syndicate bent on stealing powerful Pokémon from good-hearted trainers) ultimately fail. It is made absolutely clear that being kind and respectful of other trainers and Pokémon is an integral component of the path to victory.

As the series progressed, this narrative theme became more involved, particularly in Pokémon Sun and Moon (2016), ulti mately giving misguided villains a path to forgiveness and even redemption. No longer are these enemies one-note Pokémon thieves, but complex characters with motivations that delude them into thinking that the only way to protect the people about whom they care is to take advantage of others.

While simplistic in execution, Pokémon evokes the complexities of human nature and imparts upon children and adults alike the ability to connect with others through empathy. After all, few good villains truly believe they are doing something wrong. Pokémon explores this in a manner that is digestible for those without the life experience necessary for such revelations.

The popularity of Pokémon is as undeniable as its impact on culture. This psychological exploration of the series can reveal so much about why millions all over the world connect with such a simple premise. Moreover, this exploration of Pokémon can illuminate how people can better understand each other and themselves through the medium of interactive entertainment. Happy catching!

Max Jay

Life Long Video Game Enthusiast, Pokémon Master,

and Senior Communications Manager at the ESRB

¹ According to IR data from Nintendo, the main Pokémon series has sold approximately 265 million units worldwide at the time of writing since the initial 1996 release of Pokémon Red and Green in Japan. This does not include the dozens of spinoff games.

² Capturing can conjure an uncomfortable image. However, in an interview with Kotaku. com, Pokémon Sun and Moon producer Junji Masuda described the inside of a PokéBall (what trainers use to capture Pokémon) as …a very comfortable environment. Maybe the equivalent of a high-end suite room at a fancy hotel.

So, this is my power… but what is my purpose? — Mewtwo

Since the 1990s, Pokémon has become one of the most recognizable intellectual properties in the world. From the manga to the anime, from the video game to the trading cards, the beloved franchise has solidified its legacy through white-hot fandom, fanship, and consumer satisfaction. On the surface, it may appear to simply be a fun children’s story that emphasizes capturing, collecting, battling, and evolving friendly pocket monsters, however, the essence of the Pokémon universe runs much deeper than that. Consumers come across themes like the importance of friendship, victory in perseverance, and growth through evolution (i.e., resilience and grit). This chapter will provide an analysis of some key functions of humanity found within the world of Pokémon, starting with the life, passion, and exploration of a young autistic boy named Satoshi Tajiri (aka Dr. Bug) who revolutionized how we view a sense of attainment and purpose in youth. Furthermore, the psychology of collecting and Poké-evolution (i.e., metamorphosis) with references to the characters, stories, and fans within the Pokémon universe will also be explored.

In the 1970s, Japan was going through some remarkable changes. Socially, similar to the United States years earlier, a powerful female liberation movement was underway, while economically, the country was facing a grim outlook due to the massive appreciation of the yen. However, much like in the post-WWII era, Japan demonstrated exceptional strength through its resilience and adaptability, as did its citizens. The government and public communities made sweeping energy consumption reductions, while the county’s top innovators were addressing the impact of the global economic crises through advances in mechanical engineering (e.g., capturing 21% of the world’s automotive market) and miniaturization (i.e., creating small electronic parts). A fun fact: it’s only thanks to these advancements that Nintendo was able to later create the Game Boy, the premiere handheld console that rocketed Pokémon to fame. In addition to these initiatives, Japanese media (e.g. youth magazines, manga, anime) was once again setting its aims on empowering youth culture.

Many children were looking to the pulsating metropolis of Tokyo for direction, but one little boy named Satoshi Tajiri looked instead into the dirt and foliage around him. At the edges of the city, in the fields being overtaken by the urban expanse, Satoshi discovered a passion for entomology (e.g., study of insects), and began an impressive bug collection that earned him the nickname Dr. Bug from the local children. But as the areas in which to hunt for insects became scarce, he realized that he had found something more than just bugs – he had found a uniquely powerful way to satisfy a primal and necessary psychological need for children to gain a sense of meaning and prospection: through passion, collecting, and achievement (i.e., development), and he didn’t want to lose that. A sense of purpose began to form within him. He wanted to share his passion with other children so they may feel the same way he did. He wanted future generations to feel a sense of connection to and understanding of the world around them.

By 1996, after 1000s of hours of bug collecting and playing and designing video games, plus technological education and experience and work with the magazine Fanzine Game Freak, Satoshi would gift all of us with the first Pokémon video game (Red and Blue). More importantly, he had crafted a way for them to experience the joy he had as a child by harnessing the psychological power of collecting (gotta catch ‘em all), connecting (Game Boy link), and evolving (I’m gonna be the very best!), which in turn improved our understanding of related human behavior.

If there was an award for the greatest Pokémon (non-TCG) collector in the world, it would undoubtedly go to Lisa Courtney of the United Kingdom, who currently holds the record at 17,127 items of Pokémon memorabilia. Per her report, similar to Satoshi, she had always had a love for little monsters. Even in games like Mario, she was only interested if the game included Yoshi. Like bugs for Satoshi, little monsters were her passion. She fell in love with Pikachu at first sight, bought the very first magazine that he was featured in, and continued to add to her increasingly impressive collection – but why?

According to interviews, Lisa had a history of struggling to connect with peers, largely due to being bullied because of her physical disability. To her, the Pokémon universe was the perfect place...to travel to when... feeling down. She found it refreshing to see Ash, the main character who would often lose, push through failure and heartache without giving up. Furthermore, she vicariously felt connected to the Pokémon and trainers as their bond strengthened through enduring adversity and building trust. Fortunately for Lisa, engaging in the fandom and fanship of Pokémon helped her overcome her social anxiety and lead to her making countless friends. This is exactly what Satoshi was hoping to share with youth, but is this rare? Is collecting Pokémon and related merchandise really able to provide such psychological benefits?

According to research, roughly 33-40 percent of American’s collect something – a statistic that is pretty constant in most other countries as well. This behavior may be biologically ingrained and is also found in other creatures. Take for example the magpie bird. It is known to collect shiny trash like empty lipstick cases, coins, and bits of aluminum to dress its nest. Across the animal kingdom, collecting behaviors seem to have a natural place, and only become clinically problematic in about three percent of the human population. This is called hoarding disorder or repetitive acquisition syndrome and is generally defined by being illogical and intrusive. Refer to Table 1 below for specific diagnostic criterion for hoarding disorder. It is presumed that collecting behaviors began over 12,000 years ago, when humans began to live less nomadic lifestyles, and came into full force in the 18th century. At that time, aristocrats were known to flaunt cabinets or curiosity, which were special curios and rooms that provided a symbolic display of the collectors’ power and wealth with worldly trinkets and treasures.

Table 1. Criterion for Hoarding Disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition, American Psychiatric Association, 2013)

A modern-day example comes from a study involving McDonald’s happy meals, where families were 1.82 times more likely to eat at McDonald’s if the children knew what the toys were and that they were collectibles (compared to non-collectible options at other competing chains). Furthermore, there appears to be a natural tipping point where people are more likely to collect something they feel drawn towards when they have two or more of one item or series of items, arguably because they are finding a way to rationalize what would otherwise be considered wasteful behavior. So, knowing that collecting is a natural and common behavior in higher-order creatures, what is it that motivates humans to collect things like Pokémon cards?

There are several theories to this, ranging between dubious Freudian beliefs (i.e., failed toilet training or failed nourishment from the breast) to hard neuropsychological science. For instance, in a famous study known as the oddball experiment, Mueller and colleagues found that a specific area of the brain (the substantia nigra ventral tegmental area) lights up when unusual objects are presented among a string of ordinary objects. They are perceived as novel, and the brain further responds to the new object with dopaminergic neurons that lead to additional exploration for further reward. It would make sense, then, that coming across a new Pokémon in the game would be neurologically rewarding and promote a drive to finding increasingly novel Pokémon to catch. In fact, in another study, they even found an area of the brain within the ventral temporal cortex (VTC) called the occipitotemporal sulcus that specifically activates when Pokémon players see pictures of Pokémon (compared to the non-player group that did not show activity). But theories also move beyond functional neuroanatomy and more into qualitative psychology. Consider the following assessment (Table 2) on what type of collector you are (answer 1 or 0 for each):

So where do you stand? What is your total score out of 10? This may represent how strong of a collector you are, and your function of collection may offer an insightful projection of your essential nature. The motivations represented in the items of this assessment are the most common for collecting. For Satoshi (and Ash Ketchum), it may involve numbers 1, 3 and 9. For Lisa, it may involve all but number 10, whereas for Giovanni (the main antagonist from Pokémon), it may involve only number 10. To quote Giovanni from the show regarding Pokémon, they’re important tools for keeping our criminal enterprise going. In any case, collecting gives the collector a sense of achievement and comfort, and all forms seem to involve a sense of anticipation and the relief upon acquiring the collectible. For a Pokémon trainer, this is the essence of the famous phrase gotta catch them all!, with the addition that collecting Pokémon in Pallet Town is a universally accepted method of personal growth, and within that growth, trainer and monster evolution.

In addition to, and perhaps in conjunction with, collecting, is the evolution of Pokémon. In the game, most of the Pokémon have 1-4 evolutions they can obtain by leveling up internally or by being primed to do so externally (e.g., items or trading between collectors). But in actuality, this is not evolution. By definition, evolution is the change in heritable characteristics over successive generations, which are themselves expressions of genes that are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Furthermore, a big component of evolution is adaptive mutation, which would not come in the form of a predictable change, like, let’s say, from Pikachu to Raichu. In humans, one sign of evolution is wisdom teeth. Our primordial ancestors needed larger jaws to chew coarse, hearty foods; however, with technological and lifestyle advances, they became less necessary, so our jaw size began to lessen over time. Wisdom teeth became functionless and more problematic than anything. This is why they are often removed in adults. Today, more and more people are being born without wisdom teeth. The change doesn’t happen within an individual, but over generations. Pokémon are actually experience metamorphosis, rather than evolution.

Contrary to evolution, metamorphosis does operate on the individual. In real life, typically, this means that the amphibian, insect, or crustacean can transform through a programmed hormonal process as a result of the species’ evolution of past generations to take on a new form. The closest humans get to such a physical metamorphosis is puberty, and it can’t be willed. It could be catalyzed or inhibited through external forces or items (hormones or hormone blockers). But what about psychological metamorphosis?

Gene Piaget identified a number of cognitive developmental milestones that we achieve over time, for instance: object permanence. If you give a 14-month-old a cookie, then take it away, split it in half, and give the child both pieces, they would believe they had more cookie overall! But at 15-months-old, they would question your sanity, because they recognize the cookie’s matter is permanent, and is therefore the same quantity. But how does this relate to Pokémon? The type of metamorphosis we often see is called heroic metamorphosis.

Heroic metamorphosis could be described as a dramatic change of form in a person that results in positive growth, healing, social unity, societal advancement, and better understanding of oneself and the universe. Allison and Setterberg argue that people are born incomplete psychologically and can only find resolve if they encounter challenges that produce suffering and require sacrifice. It could reasonably be argued that Satoshi’s main goal in creating Pokémon was to help youth learn how to transcend life’s challenges, perhaps even to achieve a transformation of consciousness that offers a new map or picture of the universe and allows us to see ourselves in relationship to nature. In Buddhism and 12-step recovery programs, this may be referred to as an awakening. This transformation requires (1) training regimes, (2) spiritual practices (theistic or otherwise), and progress within (3) a hero’s journey. Through this transformation, much like Caterpie’s metamorphosis into Butterfree, the former self whose universal vision was once obstructed by "a glass darkly ceases to be; the new form can now see more clearly its path to self-actualization (i.e., our highest form). It has metamorphosed into a superior form. For humans, transformation is best categorized into six types: (1) physical, (2) emotional, (3) spiritual, (4) mental, (5) moral, and (6) motivational transformation.

The first type (physical) can be referred to as transmutation, and involves natural human development (e.g., fetal development, puberty), as well as neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is the creation of new brain cells, and, in addition to our inherent neurological programming, is directly affected by our actions; for instance, the neurogenesis that occurs in the hippocampus as a result of diet, exercise, meditation, and learning. Trauma can also affect neurogenesis (positively) through regeneration and restoration – the individual’s ability to heal, grow and repair herself. An example of this in the Pokémon anime is when Ash’s Metapod was gravely injured by Beedrill, seemingly beyond healing, but instead it evolved into Butterfree, thus saving the group from the swarm of Beedrills. Epigenetics, the inhibition and activation of existing allele sets, is also a big part of this metamorphosis. In general, this is the human form of metamorphosis that most closely relates to the physical transmutation among Pokémon. The remaining forms of heroic metamorphosis will fall under the umbrella term of enlightenment.

Emotional transformation refers to a change of heart