Pokémon

This Rendition Of The Pokémon Battle Theme Will Put You In A Fightin’ Mood

It’s been years since I’ve heard this specific version of the trainer battle music in Pokémon—I had Red, back then—but hearing it now on violin and piano evokes old memories. This performance by krissalad is great and makes me wonder what other Pokémon songs would sound live. Pokémon Red & Blue – Trainer Battle Theme…

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a Pokémon quiz of sorts. They’re branching out! Test your knowledge

Here’s One Difference Between Pokémon Games in Japan and the West

In Japan, new Pocket Monster games means new logos. In the West, it does not. And that sucks! As pointed out by a KnowYourMeme user, here’s how the the logos for the Japanese versions and the Western versions of all the Pokémon games compare through the years. That’s right, the Japanese logos continue to evolve…

The Most Badass Dragons In Gaming

Whether they’re allies or foes, tiny or towering beasts, robotic, undead or living, the kings of reptiles will always represent brutal power in any game. When they make their appearance, you can be certain that devastation, destruction, and, well, probably the end of the game, will follow. We have collected below some of the most…

How to Make Ash and Pikachu Totally Freaky

This is Pikachu, and his trainer, Ash (or “Satoshi” as he’s called in Japan). This is how they’ve looked in the Pokémon anime. Nothing really strange here at all. Ash and Pikachu, hanging out. Got it. But if you, like Twitter user @KoTa_OTL want to mix things up and get crazy, here ya go: This…

Finding Porn While Searching for Pokémon X? Maybe You’re Doing It Wrong.

The new Pokémon games are titled Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. Have you ever searched either of those games on Google? If you are stumbling upon pornography, it might not be Pokémon, it could be you. Kotaku has been getting tips that point out entering “Pokemon X Videos” on Google turns up X-rated porn. Forums,…

Pokémon Comes To Life In The Most Electrifying Way

Canadian street artist (and animator, and character designer) Aiden Glynn likes to take everyday objects on the street and bring a little life to them, turning them into characters from video games and cartoons. So a power box becomes Diglett, and an old barrel out the front of a restaurant becomes a prop from Donkey…

These Pikachu and Mario Skin Suits Cover You From Head to Toe

You thought the full body tights stopped at Totoro? That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are more nightmares to be had. Many more. This post contains imagery and a subject matter not suitable for all readers. However, it is free of GIFs. In Japanese, these outfits are called “zenshin tights” (全身タイツ), with “zenshin”…

Time For Your Late-Night Pokémon Creep-Out

Let’s just say this is a story about what happens to the Pokemon left behind and leave it at that. Wait, no. Let’s also say this is creepy as hell, and that you’ve been warned. OK, we’ll leave it at that The Pokemon Hoarder [00mosama00, via Go Nintendo]

This Pokémon Nerd Hero Is Way Good at Drawing

One of my favorite things is watching people draw. I’m not very good at drawing, but there’s something relaxing about watching people who are. Late last year, Japanese celeb Shoko Nakagawa appeared on a variety program and was able to show off how talented she is at art (and how other celebrities aren’t!). Nakagawa, who…

How a Phony Pikachu Trolled Japanese Twitter Users

Shortly after Nintendo revealed the newest Pokémon, Pocket Monsters X/Y, the above image started circulating on Twitter. “This seems to be an image of the evolved Pikachu from the new Pokémon,” the tweet read. Another image of this evolved Pikachu, which was apparently named “Kaenchu” (カエンチュ), also started making its way around the internet in…

This Nerdy Explanation for Pokémon X/Y Might Blow Your Mind [Update]

At first look, the titles for the new Pokémon, Pocket Monsters X and Pocket Monsters Y, sound like its creators are out of ideas. They sound like a joke—no wonder why they were perhaps suggested as such in 2008. But dig a little deeper (way deeper!), and things get interesting What if X and Y…

Why Ash Ketchum Always Loses (And Why That’s Okay!)

Since the late 1990s, Ash Ketchum has been training Pocket Monsters. And with a decade plus under his belt (sixteen years, actually), you’d think he’d be pretty good. You’d be wrong. In Pokémon League play, in which trainers have their Pocket Monsters battle, it always seems like he’s losing. Well, that’s because he is. And…

Of Course The Internet Is Awash with Pokémon X/Y Fan Art

Newly announced Pokémon X/Y isn’t even a week old. Heck, it’s not even half a week old. But the internet makes it seem like the game is a thousand years old. Sites like DeviantArt as well as numerous Tumblr blogs are awash with Pokémon X/Y fan art. Here’s a very small sampling of what’s out…

Christian Bale Never Starred In A Pokémon Movie, But Damn It, He Should Have

A classic piece of modern cinema. An angry man known better these days for his portrayal of Batman. A deck of Pokémon cards, some better than others. Demi Adejuyigbe has done one hell of a job with this. The Snorlax zoom is especially well done. American Psycho: Unreleased 10th Anniversary Director’s Cut [YouTube, via Go…

If There Was a Pokémon Game On The Wii U, It Might Look Like This

There’s never been a proper Pokémon game on a home console. For reasons Nintendo have long stuck to. But hey, it’s the internet, let’s imagine that they broke with tradition, and announced a massive new Pokémon adventure for the Wii U. What could it look like? Maybe something like this. Environment artist Evan Liaw (who…

The Titles Pokémon X/Y Were Predicted in 2008. Maybe as a Joke.

Think back to 2008. That September, Pokémon Platinum, an enhanced version of Pokémon Diamond/Pearl, hit shops in Japan. Yet, people online made one sort of accurate prediction—and one very accurate prediction. People? Sorry, I meant soothsayers. On Yahoo! Japan’s questions section, someone asked what people thought the next Pocket Monster installment would be titled. Then,…

Those Two New Legendary Pokémon Have Names, You Know

Spied at the end of the announcement trailer yesterday, two new Pokémon in the upcoming Pokémon X and Y have been confirmed as the game’s Legendary Pokémon and named. The Pokémon company has included a handy pronunciation guide. The one at left above is Xerneas. Say its name like this: “ZURR-nee-us.” The one at right?…

Pokémon X/Y Is Already Teaching Children English in South Korea

The newest Pocket Monster games, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y aren’t even 24 hours old, but they’re already making learning English in Korea fun—and heart-meltingly cute. According to Kotaku reader Justin, who teaches English in Seoul, South Korea, his kindergarten students are bananas for Pocket Monsters. Writes Justin: “I hyped them up with the announcement.…

To Train This Charizard Action Figure, You Don’t Need Badges. You Need Money.

While you might come up short with badges to train Charizard, you probably have enough cashola to do that. Slated for an April release, the fully poseable action figure is priced at ¥3,990 (US$46)—though, I’ve seen it priced at around $30 online in Japan. The Charizard figure is part of Bandai’s D-Arts line of action…