The Alola Region

[SirOni]

My current guess would be Singapore, Hawaii, or Guyana in no particular order.

 

[Silktree]

I'll be more than fine with Hawaii if they make it even slightly as epic as the Lost island, which was really Oahu (one of the Hawaii islands). But they need to set it apart from Hoenn.

Ocean Pattern vivillion is orange and blue, resembles the sun and the ocean, and is available from a certain part of America. You know where? HAWAII.

It was also shown in the trailer as one of the Pokemon being traded. A curious choice.

 

[Mitchman]

Hawaii can be tremendously different from Hoenn. For one, there won't be one huge island with 3 major small ones and a small portion of ocean. The way I see it:
-The sea is open world. Routes are still in and there will be barriers but as you progress and gain access to more islands, the ocean is more explorable. Much like Soaring is the sky equivalent of open world, Surfing shall be the same.
-The region will be very mountainous. Where as we had forests, swamps and plains in Hoenn, the region will more focused on the ocean and coastlines, were the land portions will have lots of caves. I can also see the advent of a major focus on jungles, to go with the tropic vibe. The actual island of Hawaii itself is big enough for a region if you go off of square kilometers alone, so I can see a good portion of the game dealing with goinf back to it.
-The twin peaks of Mauna Kea and Haleakala could be the climax of each game or major plot points. With the sun and the moon motif, I can see an endgoal for the villains involvinf reaching the heavens in some way. With a Mountain taller then Everest, you just know there are going to be ties to it for the plot.
-There are exactly 8 main islands. If you consider the size of the two biggest islands, then there could be some excellent pacing, travelling between islands, and eventually reaching each gym on each island.
-Because the legendary's portrayal was with a Tiki Head, Hawaii might be the first region were the legendaries, myths, and lore might be more like the real world mythologies lf Hawaii. That alone could diffirentiate it not only from Hoenn, but from the rest of the regions.

 

[Silktree]

There are indeed myths associated with the sun and moon in Hawaii:

Ku and Hina, male or husband (kane) and female or wife (wahine), are invoked as great ancestral gods of heaven and earth who have general control over the fruitfulness of earth and the generations of mankind. Ku means "rising upright," Hina means "leaning down." The sun at its rising is referred to Ku, at its setting to Hina; hence the morning belongs to Ku, the afternoon to Hina. Prayer is addressed to Ku toward the east, to Hina toward the west. Together the two include the whole earth and the heavens from east to west; in a symbol also they include the generations of mankind, both those who are to come and those already born. Some kahunas teach a prayer for sickness addressing Ku and Hina, others address Kahikina-o-ka-la (The rising of the sun) and Komohana-o-ka-la (Entering in of the sun). Still others call upon the spirits of descendants and ancestors, praying toward the east to Hina-kua (-back) as mother of those who are to come, and toward the west to Hina-alo (-front) for those already born. The prayer to Ku and Hina of those who pluck herbs for medicine emphasizes family relationship as the claim to protection.

Because of the nature of Hawaiian mythology and the oral tradition in general, it is difficult to pinpoint any one Hina myth, as there are many versions. The most common claims she worked creating bark cloth, got tired of not being appreciated, packed up her gourd, got on a rainbow, and headed for the sun against the wishes of her husband. Finding the sun too hot, she came back down. The next night there was a full moon, so Hina decided to climb to the moon in hopes of finding it a more hospitable place to live. Her husband was furious, so they fought. Hina claimed her desire was to go live with the moon, her new husband, and managed to escape.

 

[Mitchman]

A mythological arc involving Legendaries that are the protectors and creators of mankind would be interesting. We have the ancestor of Pokemon, Mew, but all we really know about humand is that they just exist. I wonder if they can go for a cradle of life vibe to the Hawaii region, being one of the first settlements of man kind, as well as the place were some of their technological advances came to be, ie the Pokeballs. It could potentially clash with Arceus as the creator of the universe, or it could expand the theory that perhaps it has various branches of powerd that it gave to legendaries.
Speaking of Mew, perhaps Birth Island could be in game as a post league sidequest.

 

[Zeb]

Hawaii definitely seems the most solid speculation right now from what I've read here and elsewhere. Which I would totally be fine with because Hawaii and the surrounding islands are going to make for a different map than what we've had so far. And also the atmosphere should be really different too, especially after France.

 

[Silktree]

Speaking of Mew, perhaps Birth Island could be in game as a pist league sidequest. I

Faraway Island. It isn't very close to Hawaii, but it was even farther from Hoenn.

 

[NinjutsuSen]

Spoiler: Spoiler

http://i.********/vp/1456509500389.jpg

That hotel kind of building from the trailer could also be the the oceanic institute in Monaco. Would also explain the pictures of water pokemon on the building.

Still think Singapore hotel is the candidate.

 

[Mitchman]

Faraway Island. It isn't very close to Hawaii, but it was even farther from Hoenn.

Faraeay Island, right,always though birth fit it bettwr for some reason. While it would still be faraway, I could see them placing it somehwerw near the Galapagos, which would make more sense.

 

[Boss1708]

Faraeay Island, right,always though birth fit it bettwr for some reason. While it would still be faraway, I could see them placing it somehwerw near the Galapagos, which would make more sense.

Maybe Hoopa teleported the entire island near Hawaii xD

 

[Silktree]

Faraeay Island, right,always though birth fit it bettwr for some reason. While it would still be faraway, I could see them placing it somehwerw near the Galapagos, which would make more sense.

It should be one of the Guyana islands, considering that Dr. Fuji found Mew in a Guyana jungle and also left a message on Faraway Island. I suppose he might have taken Mew to a different island, but that would be a little weird.

 

[Rika]

1. Red-crested cardinal POKEMON BIRD

2. RAINOW

3. flowers
4. colors

5. and more...

 

[Zeb]

@Rika To expand on your #3 "flowers" Lei (garland) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The most popular concept of a lei in Hawaiian culture is a wreath of flowers presented upon arriving or leaving as a symbol of affection.

The hotel could be based on the Moana Hotel in Honolulu. And also the Strange Souvenir looks similar to a tiki statue which can be point #6.

There's definitely good evidence at the moment for the region in SM to be based on the Hawaiian islands.

 

[godiego]

Hawaii can be tremendously different from Hoenn. For one, there won't be one huge island with 3 major small ones and a small portion of ocean. The way I see it:
-The sea is open world. Routes are still in and there will be barriers but as you progress and gain access to more islands, the ocean is more explorable. Much like Soaring is the sky equivalent of open world, Surfing shall be the same.

I think that if we're going to Poké-Hawaii, there won't be a lot of sea routes. Sea routes aren't all that creative and there's not too much you can do with them. Not to mention the fact that they've been poorly received in general and as a result Game Freak has consistently lowered the number of them per region since Gen 3.

 

[Silktree]

They could always use ferries, as was the case for the Sevii Islands.

 

[Mitchman]

I posted a very stylized map were the islands are placed close together, and i can see that working out. For the first three gyms and up to the second island they could buuld bridges so the denser populated ones can communicate with each other, while the later six which are more sporadically populated don't have such a developed infrastructure for travelling, necessitating a larger focus on surf. Its a balance, of some sort.

Oh, and out of curiousity. Do you guys think we will see another route 1, or perhaps we will see a route 301, for example? If itd in Hawaii I mean. Pokejapan does not share route numbers, so I would assume Pokemerica would not either.

 

[Dorothy]

They could always use ferries, as was the case for the Sevii Islands.

I'd rather a sea route that I can freely explore to a ferry I have to watch a cutscene of every time I want to travel between islands.

 

[Silktree]

I'd rather a sea route that I can freely explore to a ferry I have to watch a cutscene of every time I want to travel between islands.

The ferries could easily be optional.

 

[Joshawott]

I legitimately hope at least a part of it is actually on the moon.

 

[Dorothy]

I legitimately hope at least a part of it is actually on the moon.

Moon Version exclusive. Sun Version players get to explore the sun - the BGM is "Walkin' On The Sun" by Smash Mouth playing on a loop.