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Obscure Pokémon game trivia

Remember the Murkrow from the Team Rocket HQ that mimics Executive Petrel's voice and unlocks the transmitter room in HeartGold and SoulSilver? Well, in Pokémon Masters EX, Petrel actually owns that very Murkrow, now a Honchkrow, and tells it not to say the password of a locked door - only to accidentally say it himself anyway seconds later and unlock the door.
That's the downside of voice activation systems. It's too easy to slip up and say the password by accident.
 
Relatively recently, it has been discovered that you cannot obtain Deoxys in Japanese Emerald. When Aurora Ticket was distributed in Japan, only FireRed and LeafGreen were released, and thus the software only worked with them.
Apparently the only reason that Emerald has legal Deoxys in first place, is because European distribution used carts that were updated to work for Emerald.
Now, while G3 is the first time international trade has been made possible, there are still clear differences between Japanese and non-Japanese games unlike in G4; for example, Pokemon names can display only 5 letters in Japanese games even if they were traded from localized games that can display more. As such, I don't think that distribution cart would work with Japanese Emerald, even if somebody had both.
 
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At least in the French version of the games, Elesa is implied to be gynephilic. (Quotes are translated using Google Translate so excuse the grammar errors and sometimes wonky translation)

Inezia (Elesa): "Carolina (Skyla), honey, can I ask you a favor?"

Caroline: "Yes?"

Inezia: "I feel something, I have desires for a metamorphosis! And I thought to myself that my little Carolina could be of good advice."

Carolina: "Desire for metamorphosis?"

Inezia: "Perfectly. I'm a supermodel, and therefore I have to sell dreams, fever to my audience! But I don't see how that would necessarily contradict what I REALLY want to do. There's a lot good sides in this job, if we ignore its difficulties. But when it's hard, it's hard... Being judged on your appearance, all the time, is difficult. I have the impression to be an object. Nobody thinks: "I'm sure she's an intelligent woman, or who has a sense of humor! So... I had this spark, this illumination! The haute couture of humor, jokes with style, design jokes!How can I put it... Let's imagine for a moment that your image is so perfect that it becomes intimidating. the more people, you can make yourself more accessible. By slipping in a joke, for example!"

Carolina: "If... If you say so..."

Inezia: "Look, for example: what a face today, I have the rebel Salamèche! So, my little Colombeaus, that Roucool? It's hot, Artie, hot, I tell you!"

Carolina: "Sweetheart...I'm sorry, but that's not high-flying humor: I'd call it lame jokes, at best low-key puns."

Inezia: “But that's where my concept really works! Jokes that are actually puns! People will love it!

Carolina: "Um...Design jokes fly too high for me, so..."

Inezia: "No, my darling, you're making up your mind! In any case, I'm going to start with a complete makeover."

Carolina: "...I approve. Honey, wouldn't you like to do a little Pokémon battle?"

Inezia: "Okay! Take aim...fluuuu!"

Carolina: "My darling... How can I put it..."

Not really sure about that one in terms of implications, but the following was really interesting:

"I'm looking for a store where I can meet a dazzling girl! Well, I mean cute! We could exchange our beauty secrets!"

"Hee hee! I have a feeling that I'm going to really like that girl!"

This one from Masters EX, considering that Elesa calls Skyla «my dear little Skyla» without exception in the whole game, except when to talking to her face-to-face, was also interesting

"When I want to decompress, I go shopping with my dear little Carolina. We look at the outfits in the store and try to imagine which ones would look best on each other. ... But above all she likes to choose the the most eccentric outfits in the world to make me try them on. I don't blame her, of course. Everything looks great on me, and she's having fun. That's the most important thing."

"Besides, she's so pretty, this little one! I'm sure she could be a supermodel if she wanted to. I would love to share a show with her one day..."
 
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Gen 5 was when they started translating all of the language versions from Japanese, instead of the European languages being translated from the English version. Hmm. Can anyone find the Japanese versions of those quotes?
 
The choice between Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle at the start of your journey is a classic moment in Pokemon, but no main series game has begun with this choice in almost two decades.
 
Gen 5 was when they started translating all of the language versions from Japanese, instead of the European languages being translated from the English version. Hmm. Can anyone find the Japanese versions of those quotes?
Some better translations of the quotes I brought up would be nice, too.
 
The fact that it wasn’t until Gen 5 clarifies a thing about these Battleground quotes by Marley in the French version. The quotes of interest are marked with an asterix(*):

I... Are we fighting?"

Answer no:
"Oh? Life is absurd and cruel!"*

"So...? Are we fighting?"

Answer yes:
"OK...I'll do my best."

"My presence by your side may fade at any moment..."

"Ugh..."

"What a talent! It makes me euphoric. I can't explain it. It's a strange feeling..."

Variant:

"Oh? You want to fight? Against me?"

Answer no:
"Oh, you! You really piss me off."*

"If you refuse my invitation, I won't ask you twice..."

Answer yes:
"OK...I...I can do it...!"

"I might take a liking to fighting you. Just a little. A tiny bit."

"I... is it okay to battle?"

No: "...Oh? ... You can be that mean?"*

"...So? ...Are we going to battle?"


Yes: "...OK. I'll do my best."
  • During battle
"...My time with you is drawing to a close."
  • When defeated
"...Awww."
  • After being defeated
"...You're so strong. It makes me feel happy. ...I don't know why. This is a strange feeling..."

Variant:

"...Oh? A battle? With me?"

No: "...Oh, you. I'm getting to dislike you a little."*

"...If you won't battle, I might not come back..."


Yes: "...OK. I... won't lose...!"
  • During battle
"...My time with you is drawing to a close."
  • When defeated
"...Awww."
  • After being defeated
"...I might like battling with you. ...Just a little. Only a tiny bit."

I started to wonder if the French one was more faithful, but now I know that it was pretty much the translator having a bit of fun.
 
FireRed and LeafGreen came out 18 years ago.
OH GOD
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bbdc54ec7839602cd3b85df7ea848af79fe71e53.gifv
 
I saw someone bring this up before, but I can't remember where: Galar is split into four sections in-universe. The northernmost part is called the Rondelands, as in the Rose of the Rondelands hotel, and the others' names are revealed in shirts from the DLC. Unfortunately, this information isn't documented on Bulbapedia.
 
Huh, that's interesting. Do they correspond to the four countries in the UK?
 
Regarding the quotes I brought up, I wanted to mention this originally, but didn’t have time to, so I’ll do it now.

In the English version, Inezia says:
I mean, everyone judges me simply based on my appearance. People say I'm reserved, and that I don't look like the type who would tell jokes!""So, I've been thinking about it constantly since then!""A sophisticated joke!""How should I put it... My looks suggest that I'm not a lot of fun. But I'll tear down that mistaken image with my own hands! I'll say something silly and give someone an opportunity to call me out, so we can all have a good laugh!"

But in the French version:
Being judged on your appearance, all the time, is difficult. I have the impression to be an object. Nobody thinks: "I'm sure she's an intelligent woman, or who has a sense of humor! So... I had this spark, this illumination! The haute couture of humor, jokes with style, design jokes! How can I put it... Let's imagine for a moment that your image is so perfect that it becomes intimidating. the more people, you can make yourself more accessible. By slipping in a joke, for example!"

What is interesting is that she is -without a shred of doubt- complaining about feeling objectified in the French version. Why is it interesting? That’s because in feminist circles, objectification is a hot topic. It also is not in the English version, and if she also explicitly discusses objectification in the Japanese version, that would mean that the French translators were fine with getting political, but not the yankees.
 
Wait, really? Is this true?
The truth burns.

Something else I found fun is that Cyndaquil has been offered as a starter Pokemon in more main series games than any other, four times (in Gold and Silver, Crystal, Heartgold and Soulsilver, and Legends: Arceus). It's three times for Chikorita, Totodile, Rowlet, Oshawott and the Hoenn and Sinnoh starters, twice for Snivy, Tepig, Litten, Popplio and Pikachu, and just once for Eevee and the Kalos and Galar starters. It's twice for Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle in the west, three times in Japan.
 
Not sure if this qualifies as an obscure trivia but despite Pokémon X & Y being among my favorites, this one thing I just recently discovered after about 10 years.

There is an old man in Anistar City who feels lonely after his wife had passed away. He asks you to give him a cuddly Pokémon to raise, any Pokémon lv. 5 or under. Whenever you go and talk to him, he kindly says he felt younger than ever, but knew the Pokémon was your friend and he would have understood if you wanted it back.

When you return after entering the hall of fame, he's not there, with a Pokéball in the middle of the floor, with a note attached to it and your mon inside.

The note implies that he died happily and is extremely greatful towards you for giving him company in his last few days. You get a comet shard and get to take back this Pokémon.
 
Not sure if this qualifies as an obscure trivia but despite Pokémon X & Y being among my favorites, this one thing I just recently discovered after about 10 years.

There is an old man in Anistar City who feels lonely after his wife had passed away. He asks you to give him a cuddly Pokémon to raise, any Pokémon lv. 5 or under. Whenever you go and talk to him, he kindly says he felt younger than ever, but knew the Pokémon was your friend and he would have understood if you wanted it back.

When you return after entering the hall of fame, he's not there, with a Pokéball in the middle of the floor, with a note attached to it and your mon inside.

The note implies that he died happily and is extremely greatful towards you for giving him company in his last few days. You get a comet shard and get to take back this Pokémon.
I remember that from my first playthrough... It really felt sad...
 
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