Pokémon is one of the first fandoms that come to mind when it comes to fan theories, especially dark theories. This might be because the kids who enjoyed Pokémon when it came out in the 1990s are all now adults who like to play with the idea that Pokémon is darker than we think.
With each form of media, the franchise is getting more complex in terms of its myths. What may be true for Red and his world may not be true for Ash and his world. With the multiverse theory having come true in Pokémon Alpha and Omega, we could even argue that all these worlds exist in the same universe, can’t we? It’s no Legend of Zelda yet but that’s surprisingly complex for a franchise meant for kids!
So, is Pokémon darker than we think? Yes and no is actually the answer, as you’ll see from our list. Just because the Pokédex has proven that ghosts were once people does not necessarily mean that other myths like Brock’s eyes being cursed are true. Some fans hate change while others embrace it and it’s easy to see why when looking at this list. Even the ridiculous ones are fun to read about though!
30 Confirmed: Legendary Dogs From Johto Are Pokémon That Perished In A Tower
Legendary trios are a common thing in any Pokémon generation. However, it was rumored that the three legendary dogs of Johto were reincarnated by Ho-Oh from the bodies of Pokémon that perished in a tower that was hit by fire, thunder, and winds.
This in-game and in-show myth was confirmed in Pokémon Generations, in an episode called “The Reawakening.”
Eusine recounted the story from his point of view. He was there to see the whole thing as a child, so that confirmed the myth.
29 Makes No Sense: Lavender Town Syndrome
Lavender Town is a fan-favorite when it comes to creepy myths. These myths obviously happened because it’s the main grave-site for Pokémon in the Kanto region.
One particular myth was claimed to be part of the real world, as a number of child issues increased not long after Pokémon Red and Green were released in Japan. A myth spread around that Lavender Town was responsible. Some said that the Lavender Town's music had a beat and tune that could drive people insane. A good Halloween gag maybe, but certainly not true.
28 Confirmed: Many Pokémon Are Based On Yokai From Shinto
If you ever want to study Japanese anime and games on a different level, Shinto mythology is a subject for you. Western nations loosely translate “Yokai” to “Demons” but they are far more complex and stand on more neutral grounds, like Pokémon!
The Pokémon Mawile is based on “Futakuchi-onna" or "the two-mouthed woman."
Ninetails are based on kitsune mythos. Manetric was based on the Shinto thunder God’s animal companion, Raiju. Frosslass is based off of Yuki-onna. The list goes on!
27 Makes No Sense: Ash Is In A Coma
This myth is based on the anime where Ash, our main protagonist, has been going on an adventure for at least a couple years (twenty at most). What stuns us all is that he has not aged and still acts like a ten year old.
So people wondered if he’s in a coma and that’s why he doesn’t age, so this entire show is a big dream. Of course this makes no sense since it’s a kid’s show and this theory has been overused in other fandoms in the past (though Ash’s may be the most popular).
26 Confirmed: Giovanni Has A Son
Though many still theorize that Ash or Red is related to Giovanni, there is a confirmation on someone else: Silver. Their relation was confirmed in Pokémon Adventures, SoulSilver, HeartGold, and Pokémon Generations.
For those that don’t know, Silver was your rival back in the Silver and Gold games, most recognized for his red hair.
We still don’t know who Silver’s mother is. This gave rise to other myths like Maxie being Silver’s son. In most of the franchise, Silver is shown as someone who hates Team Rocket and wants nothing to do with or to redeem his father.
25 Makes No Sense: Brock's Eyes Are Cursed
In the show, Brock’s eyes never/rarely open. While this is just a typical style choice that sometimes happens in anime, this brought some crazy myths up. One myth is that Brock was cursed by Medusa and will turn anyone who looks into his eyes into stone. A cool idea is that this is why he is a Rock-Type gym leader, because he cannot turn his Rock-Type Pokémon to stone.
This myth made no sense because there are rare moments when Brock opens his eyes and no one turns to stone.
24 Confirmed: Giovanni Dated Ash's Mom
Before you get too excited, no, this is not necessarily confirmed in all versions of the franchise. This was only confirmed in the live musical, Pokémon Live!
Ash’s mom tells him in the live play that she dated Giovanni and was even part of his gang for a time, but left him after meeting Ash’s dad.
For those that never heard of this musical, it ran in the United States from September 2000 to January 2001. It's easy to forget about, but some have held on to what happened.
23 Makes No Sense: Ash Is A Clone
Cloning is not new in Pokémon since Mewtwo is a clone. This theory also tries to explain why Ash doesn’t age. Basically the myth is that Ash was lost in the first episode and clones of him are made by Oak and his mother. A clone only lives for one year, so they keep him the same age by making more clones.
The myth tries to tie in Pikachu’s loyalty as well, loving Ash because the original perished for him in the first episode. You’d think the evil organizations or his friends would notice this whole cloning thing though?
22 Confirmed: There Is A Virus That Makes Your Pokémon Stronger
This myth sounds like one of many rumors that would circle around the internet as a secret to make your Pokémon stronger. Unlike the many that turned out to be just grasping at straws, this myth was true. It was a small chance, but people’s Pokémon could be infected with a virus called Pokérus.
Players would find out about it once they took the infected Pokémon to the Pokémon Center.
The virus heightened the amount of stat increases when leveling a Pokémon.
21 Makes No Sense: Your Mom Pays Your Pokémon Medical Bills
This depressing myth centers on the idea that Pokémon medical care is not free and that every time you heal your team at a center, a bill is sent to your mother and she won’t tell you about how much debt she is in because she wants you to have a nice adventure. Is it odd that this myth feels like the most depressing out of the others so far? Maybe that’s because this myth is so ingrained in the darkness of our everyday reality.
20 Confirmed: Gold And Silver Was Meant To Be The Last Pokémon Game
This myth was confirmed by Pokémon Company President Tsunekazu Ishihara himself. "I worked with the assumption that after we put out Gold and Silver, my work as far as Pokémon was concerned would be done," he said. "I didn’t intend to make any more Pokémon titles. I even thought that once we entered the twenty-first century, it would be time for me to do something else entirely.”
Even without confirmation, this myth would have been believable since Gold and Silver explored two regions and had the amazing battle with Red at the end.
19 Makes No Sense: Pokémon Were Made By A Nuclear War
There are a lot of war theories for the Pokémon franchise, but one that stands out is the nuclear war myth. This myth theorizes that the Pokémon world may have been just like ours and was altered by nuclear bombs. These bombs caused society and animals to change drastically, creating Pokémon and people who have made an anarchist utopia.
What makes this theory nonsensical is that there is little to no evidence of nuclear war. No fallout shelters, radiation, and by intuition alone, we all know deep down this isn’t true.
18 Confirmed: Some Pokémon Are Aliens
Legendary Pokémon like Deoxys are not the only ones to come from space. There are many from space actually including the Cleffa evolutionary family, Staryu and Starmie, Lunatone and Solrock, and Elgyem and Beheeyem.
It’s worth noting that most of those listed are Psychic-Type.
This brings up many questions, like why do we call them Pokémon and not aliens? That’s like having aliens in our world and just lumping them with the rest of the animals. On top of that, what planet(s) did these Pokémon come from?
17 Makes No Sense: Team Rocket Is In Purgatory
Purgatory myths may be even more popular than the coma theories. This whole myth focuses on Jessie, James, and Meowth in the anime show. One version theorizes that the team accidentally ended Ash’s Pikachu in real life and Ash then ended himself in grief. Now they live out their lives in Purgatory until they can make-up for what they did.
This is another attempt to explain why Ash doesn’t age, as he is only as Team Rocket remembers him. This would also be why they always fail and sometimes even seems relieved when that’s the case.
16 Confirmed: Yamask, Kadabra, And Phantump Were Once Human
The events of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series are not so far-fetched as the other games and show based on some Pokédex entries. We’ve learned from the Pokédex that some Pokémon, particularly Ghost-Type, were once human.
This seems like huge information, but the franchise sort of just gives this fact merely a glance.
What’s most spooky is that the dex tells us these Pokémon are often the souls of children: Phantump being the spirits of children who got lost in the woods, and Kadabra being children who get really smart and transform.
15 Makes No Sense: Items Found Are From Perished Trainers
This myth relates to the franchise’s many games, where you can often just find items laying around in the woods, cities, and various trails along your journey. It’s typical for any game to have its loot, be in it a chest or dropped by an enemy.
Internet theorists spread the myth that items found in the wild probably once belonged to a trainer who is now long gone. Of course this is ridiculous because we never come across such dangers on our journeys and no character is ever worried about traveling alone.
14 Confirmed: Drifloon Take Kids
It’s a little weird that we come up with dark myths and then say it can’t be true because it’s a kid’s franchise, but then we are hit with these disturbing facts. Drifloon, possibly the cutest Ghost-Type Pokémon, takes children to the afterlife or some other world.
This Pokémon appears to be an innocent balloon, but once a kid holds onto it, hold onto your kid!
Of course this raises the question, why? Why does Drifloon take children? This is yet another shocking fact that only gets a glance from the franchise.
13 Makes No Sense: We Personally Eliminated Blue's Raticate
A popular myth is that we actually ended one of our Rival’s Pokémon in Gen I, his Raticate. The theory is that after defeating him on the S.S. Anne, he could not get to a Pokémon Center in time to save his Raticate from passing away from the wounds you inflicted.
Evidence often used for this myth is that you next see him at a Pokémon grave site in Lavender Town and you never see his Raticate again. Or there is the greater possibility he just switched out his Pokémon after you beat him. After all, Raticate is a pretty weak Pokémon.
12 Confirmed: Can Find Game Developers In-Game
Game Freak is responsible for the core series of Pokémon games. They actually have inserted themselves into many of the games like HeartGold and SoulSilver, Black and White, X and Y, Ruby and Sapphire, Omega and Alpha, and Sun and Moon.
They often give little awards and items such a diploma or oval charm.
Others can be battled like Koji Nishino and Shigeki Morimoto. Their NPCs don’t even hide that they are from Game Freak, sometimes even having a Game Freak sign outside an office building in the games.
11 Makes No Sense: Pressing Certain Buttons Will Make Catching Pokémon Easier
This myth got a lot of naïve kids on the internet to form button mashing habits. Rumors spread like wildfire since the first Pokémon game that mashing A or B while attempting to catch a Pokémon while it’s in a Pokeball will increase your chances of catching them.
This habit may have stuck to some, but it was obviously just a myth, as many players tested this myth by one not button mashing and the other button mashing through their games and realizing no difference in catch rate.