An explanation to why no Gen I-IV Pokemon appear?

[Eitarou]

As you all know, Pokemon Black & White is intended to be a fresh start for players, hence why Bulbasaur-Arceus do not appear.

This works fine in the games, but for the game adaptations like the anime and manga, this doesn't make much sense.

It's obvious they're only doing it to follow what the games are doing, but it's still strange that they don't appear.

What do you think are the possible reasons that old Pokemon don't appear in Unova?

 

[PTOldMan]

Well, we have Pikachu, Meowth and we had a pseudo-Umbreon. I think it is just a matter of time, they will eventually start to appear more often.

 

[Sweet Veil]

Because kids watch the show and they only want them exposed to Isshu Pokemon, for the sake of marketing and not alienating there audience.

 

[Eitarou]

Well, we have Pikachu, Meowth and we had a pseudo-Umbreon. I think it is just a matter of time, they will eventually start to appear more often.

I was referring to wild Pokemon.

Because kids watch the show and they only want them exposed to Isshu Pokemon, for the sake of marketing and not alienating there audience.

We all know that's the reason why they don't appear, I was referring to an in-show excuse they can use to explain why they don't appear...

 

[YamiiDenryuu]

Because Unova is pretty far removed geographically from the first four regions. This is kinda the in-universe explanation in the games, too.

 

[Moe]

Because they are rare/non-existent - it's been established that no Meowth/Pikachu/Umbreon have been seen in the wild in the region, so it likely follows for most Pokemon.

There's a logical migratory reason, Kanto/Johto have a huge sharing of Pokemon because they border eachother, likewise you saw a lot of Kanto Pokemon during the Johto series. You then saw relatively less of them in Hoenn/Sinnoh, but still some because the distance isn't massive yet. Whereas Unova's the first region Ash had to go to by Airplaneboatblimp, it's a long way for a species to migrate.

But beyond that, they haven't debuted all of the new pokemon yet. There's enough complaints when there's not a new debut in an episode, if they start showing more from older regions, it gets worse. I'm sure they will appear, they have other games to promote, just there's lots of reasons to leave it as is.

 

[TaiChiChasers]

I like the fact that they aren't showing any old Pokémon. It's a new region and only having Unova Pokémon in it makes it seem so much more interesting.

 

[Piplup]

I can't see how it "doesn't make sense"... Unova is VERY far away from all past regions... that's enough for a reason story wise (real reason is obviously that they simply want to focus on the new gen)
I'd like it if they'll start to slowly reintroduce the older Poké in ways like this:
- Random old Poké appearing and causing everyone to go crazy wanting to catch it (already said before I'd love to see this happen with a Caterpie)
- Trainers from other regions that brought old Poké with then like Ash (it doesn't make sense Ash is the ONLY one who came to Unova with an older Poké)
- TRio getting their old Poké back for some big final battle or something that they'll probably have around the end of BW
- Ash using his Oak'd Poké in the League (though sadly I won't be surprised if he'll only use Unova Poké)

I hope they'll keep this "fresh gen no old stuff!!111" thing exclusive to Unova
Which means that next gen I'd like to see old Poké appear regularly like in AG/DP and also that I'd like to get the original Joy and Jenny back

 

[Winterdaze]

Because Unova is pretty far removed geographically from the first four regions. This is kinda the in-universe explanation in the games, too.

Even in-game, this explanation is very weak. Non-Unovan Pokemon roam all over eastern Unova, separated from the west by...a bridge. Even flyers, like Gligar and Fearow.

I suspect more than just distance separates the two, as Pokemon have been shown to migrate all across the world in both the games and anime. The central energy flux mentioned by Team Rocket's Doctor Whats-his-face might have something to do with it.
Unova in general is a rather nice example of convergent evolution in the Pokemon world. For example, it may have been once inhabited by the ancestors of Machop and Geodude, which due to differing environmental conditions after some kind of isolating event eventually became Timburr and Roggenrola. Thus the isolating event both gave rise to the differences with other continent's Pokemon, and kept them that way.
*shrugs*

 

[Moe]

The in game explanation isn't the East-west split, it is problems with the Poketransfer lab and transferred Pokemon escaping and then going into the wild. There's some basis for this in the anime too - Ash never left Pokemon with the other regional professors, and transfers with Oak worked fine across the other regions; it can be assumed that something prevents the transfers with Unova from the distant regions.

It's a shame the Porygon episode means the mechanics of the transfer system are unlikely to be explored in the anime.

 

[Caseydia]

It's for the best. I don't want to see a bunch of Sinnoh Pokemon until the league. They had a lot of Kanto Pokemon in Johto and a few unnecessary Hoenn Pokemon in Sinnoh. So let's keep it Unovan right now.

 

[matt0044]

It's a shame the Porygon episode means the mechanics of the transfer system are unlikely to be explored in the anime.

They can feature it. It's not like the gang has to be placed in the system itself or make seizures.

 

[winstein]

I imagine that if a Pokemon from a previous Generation were to appear, it will be either those who travel by air or by water. Although we haven't seen this, I think that if there are wild Pokemon in Unova, it will be one of these options. Still, if the PokeTransfer is responsible for the older Pokemon appearing in the wild, it could have an episode around it (and a Gen 6 Pokemon if remotely possible).

Thanks for reading.

 

[AshK]

Like in the games I bet we will see the other pokemon at the end of the storyline maybe as a filler arc. And there are animals native to certain continents in the real world where you will not see anywhere else unless you go to a zoo. Probably treated the same way in the anime .

edit: realized I contradicted myself but a filler arc doesn't have to be in Unova.

 

[투 애니원]

They don't exist in that region. /end thread

 

[Almonds]

I don't know. I used to think it was because Ash didn't beat the League yet and didn't get the National dex, but he already had Umbreon recorded in his dex, and showed it to other people...

 

[Karamazov]

Strict migration embargo, kyu. Pre-Unova Pokemon can only be brought in through smugling, kyu. Delia had to stuff Pikachu in her bra (no one questioned her electric cleavage), and Meowth used a clever, clever disguise, kyu.

 

[Pidgeot]

It made less sense that originally, Kanto only had Gen I Pokemon, but during AG it had Gen II, III and some IV Pokemon. At least in Unova, it's a faraway region, and so mainland Unova doesn't have any pre-Gen V Pokemon, and Pikachu and Meowth are considered rare.

 

[Hurricane Kishore]

As you all know, Pokemon Black & White is intended to be a fresh start for players, hence why Bulbasaur-Arceus do not appear.

This works fine in the games, but for the game adaptations like the anime and manga, this doesn't make much sense.

It's obvious they're only doing it to follow what the games are doing, but it's still strange that they don't appear.

What do you think are the possible reasons that old Pokemon don't appear in Unova?

In a show from NHK called ''Imagine nation'', The Assistant Director said they want Best Wish to like very fresh start so they Make Ash like a Rocky
And They decided that they won't gonna bring any other pokemon from past Generation except Pikachu
I don't know what he actually meant. Did he meant only Ash's Pokemon or All the other generation pokemon ?
Anyway if he meant past generation pokemon then it would also mean other past character such as Misty , Brock, Dawn & May aren't making any appearance in Best Wish
Unless they show up only with Generation v pokemon

 

[PDL]

It's best to compare the ecology of the Pokémon world to the ecology of the real world. The Kanto, Jotho, Hoenn and Sinnoh regions are much like the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa: All of them are collectively known as the "Old World". Unova is kinda like the Americas (north and south), they're collectively known as the "New World".

The Old and New Worlds all have a number species that are endemic to it. They're only found there and nowhere else. However, there are plenty of examples of species that evolved in different parts of the world mingling with one another, either through land bridges, sea routes, trade winds or brought by people. That could explain why there are quite a few Gen I-IV Pokémon on the eastern side.

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the third version of Gen V ended up with an updated Pokédex similar to Platinum's: It doesn't only have the Pokémon introduced in Gen V, but also those Gen I-IV Pokémon that are catchable in eastern Unova.