Talking Pokemon?

[-Polaris-]

What is your opinion on talking pokemon?

Im currently writing a fic, and i was gonna make the pokemon talk in it, but i want to see everyone's opinion on it.

 

[Persephone]

It has certainly been done. I think it's a decision that a lot of writers make without fully thinking through the consequences, though. Allowing Pokemon to have dialogue allows you to give them a personality clearer than it might otherwise have been and set up development easier. In the process you can circumvent the usual situation where Pokemon are a trainer's weapons more than companions. But... there are downsides.

The first is that it isn't canon, for the most part. By which I mean except when it is. I personally accept it with the smallest of handwaves, but there are people who are bothered by it.

The more legitimate reason not to do it is that having the ability to make six new developed characters means you have the obligation to make six good characters. Most talking Pokemon I see in fan fiction have very limited, one-dimensional personalities that amount to "Here's a stereotype! Stereotype dialogue! I sure love the guy who stole my freedom without consent!" If you're going to do that it's honestly just lazy and you're better off sticking with canon. But developing six, full, more than flat characters means that a handful of adjustments from the standard fan fic formula must be made, such as having more time with Pokemon out and, as such, either reducing time with human characters or adding more character-development and dialogue scenes. And then you get to balance an ever-increasing cast of characters.

What I'm saying is, talking Pokemon can make it easier to write in Pokemon development. But, doing it well is hard to pull off and doing it poorly can turn away some readers and expose problems with developing characters.

I prefer to have one or two talking Pokemon in a story to avoid slowing things down too much while giving differing perspectives on the world, but that's just a matter of personal preference.

 

[CrystaI]

Having the Pokemon talking human language is not something uncommon. Rather, it is quite common in Pokemon fan-fictions.

But, just like it is said by Rediamond, then the Pokemon will become a character on its own, you as an author then need to treat it in the exact same way like your human characters, always consider its feelings and thought before you let it execute and receive any actions. Give it characteristics and personalities, give it likes and dislikes, or even give it morals and knowledges. What is the Pokemon thinking in that particular moment, such as during the time an unknown stranger come to capture it? What is the feeling and thinking towards the strange trainer of that Pokemon in the first few days after it was captured? What is the Pokemon thinking or even doing during the time it was inside the Pokeball? Does it feel like wanting to rebel against its new master because kept under the ownership of human being is not what it wants? Does it felt homesick when left its original habitat for long? etc et cetera.

Now because the Pokemon is able to talk, then very obviously the Pokemon will then have human-equivalent IQ. What makes the Pokemon want to follow an utter stranger that captures it out of the blue? What makes the Pokemon obey the command of the trainer when it can also think on its own? Even more to the general philosophy, what makes human so superior that they are worth to become owner of a Pokemon?

In this case, the relationship between Pokemon and human become a much more complicated issue just like between two human being. Two humans are together not merely because they are friends, they can come together because they are business partner, or comrades from the same group, or being a family member, or as a teacher and student, or couples loving each other, or just simply "love at first sight".
When your talking Pokemon should be treat in the same way as human character, the relationship theories between human characters will also applicable between your Pokemon as well. You can't just let a Pokemon listen to the trainer just because he/she is its owner, there must be something that makes the Pokemon wanting to obey the trainer, whether that is the trust of the skills of its trainer, or love towards its trainer, or something else.

And on the opposite, the trainer then need to make a much larger efforts to let the Pokemon accept him/her as its owner on long term basis. Much like relationship between humans, you can let two characters joining together at the beginning for whatever reason you can give, but then here comes the difficulty of what keeps them to continuously joining together? From the Pokemon viewpoint, is it the debt of gratitude because the trainer saved its life before? Is it the skills of the trainer it admired? Is it the homelike friendliness of the trainer it likes? Or is it some other elements that attracts the Pokemon? ......or the most dampened case, is it just because the professor told the Pokemon "Here is your trainer, you need to listen to him/her and be good."?

When the Pokemon is able to talk, then not only the Pokemon will become developed more deeply as a character, the trainer that owns it will also need to develop more deeply.


Also as mentioned by Rediamond, even your Pokemon is then literally speaking a person, but you need to make it mentally dynamic as well. Pokemon don't just follow the order of its trainer because they are all friendly and obedient, you are in that case generalizing all the Pokemon to have the personalities of "friendly and obedient". That is just no-good!
Even in-game, Pokemon had a list of natures. Some Pokemon is hasty, so meaning quick to angry if you irritate it even just by words. Some Pokemon may be brave, so meaning they don't hesitate and drawback within danger. Please that is not stats, it is a quick reference to their personalities. Of course there are much more different kind of personalities not listed in there, one can give other personalities and characteristics such as being rebellious or unsociable or violent or ill-mannered etc for further expansions. Just one thing is don't generalize all the Pokemon characteristics into only one kind that is "obedient towards trainer unquestioningly", the only kind that will be like that is the Pokemon having simple-minded personality.



P.S. And just to @Rediamond. Pokemon able to speak human language is actually canon, it is just uncommon. If you are talking about anime, obviously Meowth and Slowking of M02 and a bunch of telepathy movie-Pokemon. For manga, Pokemon in Pocket Monster are all able to talk with their mouth, Mewtwo and Lati@s of Pokemon Special talks though telepathy. For games, very obviously all the PMD series games.
And this is fan-fictions, we are already writing story that is differ from canon.

 

[Warrior of Fire]

There are other ways it can be done, of course. The simplest way to do it (besides a Mystery Dungeon fic, though that's an entirely different can of worms) could be translating Poke-speak to develop the Pokemon as individual characters while the humans only hear the standard Poke-speak. With that, you still have the option of having true talking Pokemon in the manner of Team Rocket's Meowth or Psychic types that are known to use telepathy, thus allowing them to communicate with humans much easier (and not worry about Poke-speak for them, though they may actually forget about telepathy when something big happens). And if Arceus should appear at all, considering its status as the Pokemon equivalent of God, it would be able to talk without any explanation required.

 

[Pokemon Gray]

As most of the above posters have said, keep in mind what you would even have the Pokemon saying. If actual dialog from them would never move the plot forward or the Pokemon are static characters, just keep them quiet.
That being said, if you want plausible reasons for them to talk [in like a game/anime based fanfic, PMD has its own rules] there have been multiple sightings of talking Pokemon. There's been this collar-like invention that allows for speech, used on a cloaked Scizor in the anime, and many mystical Pokemon have been seen talkin as well. By mystical, I mean like Darkrai, Lucario, and Mewtwo. Not to mention, most psychic Pokemon could probably talk telepathically and Meowth of TR taught himself to talk just by listening to people.
There's also the possibility the viewpoint is from the Pokemon. People hear basic growls essentially, but that's like Pokese for them. Just be sure if ya use this logic, don't allow humans and Pokemon to actively converse. That'd just make things very confusing unless you made clear that the humans didn't understand them or something.
That's my thoughts anyway. This is a website for fan-fictions though, so do whatever you want. All we can do is help make you story make sense, in the broad aspect, and allow for greater enjoyment for the readers.

 

[Persephone]

I thought I added enough of a disclaimer to the canon mention. I meant that it's canon that ordinary Pokemon cannot talk in any game except for PMD, which is mostly different. Occasionally legendaries, psychics, or especially intelligent Pokemon can talk in the anime. Occasionally they can't. Canon is kind of inconsistent on that point. I think it is safe to say that the default answer to "Can the vast majority of Pokemon talk?" in any (non-PMD) canon would be "no."

 

[Beth Pavell]

As Rediamond said, the main problem with talking pokémon is that the cast balloons up rapidly, and you're left having to think about how deep you want your pokémon characters to be. Now, I don't think that problem is so big as to be insurmountable. Pokémon can make for very good supporting characters even if they're not nuanced enough to carry a story by themselves.

I would also add a this point that you need not treat pokémon as human, even if they can talk. Getting too hung up over issues such as freedom can very quickly take over the story, especially when you never intended to the issue to take centre stage anyway. Depending on the tone of the story, you can treat them rather like precocious pets (Children's stories need not be bad stories, after all).

Personally, I go for a middle ground with my pokémon characters. Wild, they can understand bits of human speech on a instinctual level that capture tends to enhance. I treat the "speech" of the pokémon as a mixture of body language and attitude that trainers can begin to understand intuitively through bonding with their pokemon

 

[The Dude]

I've got several talking Pokemon as characters in Lamb to the Slaughter. If I can get the first chapter up soon, you'll see both of them, although one doesn't talk in that chapter, and won't until we see him again. But I have very specific, elaborated backstory behind why those two can talk, and in the Pokemon world of my story, it's quite rare.
It started a long time ago, with a simple, crazy idea. What if there was an Aggron who could talk? AND HE WAS A POLICEMAN.
Yeah. We'll see if I can implement that idea and not have it come off as super-dumb.
Also, to me it makes sense for most psychic Pokemon to be not only far smarter than the average Pokemon, but capable of telepathy. So, I have another character that's a Baltoy. It doesn't talk, in the actual, sound sense, but it speaks in people's minds. It is not the only psychic type that will do this in my story.

My approach, character-wise, is that, yeah, they're not humans. But they're not animals either. They're something...different. They battle for humans not just because they like it, but because they're genetically predisposed to follow orders, although they much prefer those orders said nicely. So a future arc I'm thinking of is a Pokemon loyally sticking by its trainer far longer than a human friend ever would have, beyond unforgivable actions, out of deep loyalty.
And then the Baltoy doesn't have or care to have a trainer. I'm looking forward to writing a Baltoy because they would be REALLY REALLY strange psychologically.

 

[TrainerRyan]

I havn't put any "Talking" Pokemon in R/B, yet. However, in Chapter 3 I did have Pokemon talk to eachother as a way to progress the story, so I took an idea from the Island of the Giant Pokemon episode and put translations. However there are way to have Pokemon express something without "words". Anyhow, I can show you a short excerpt that shows both examples

Spoiler

Squirtle turn to Pikachu and said “Squirtle squirt squirtle (Are we going to fight)?”

“Pikachu...Pika...Pika...chu...Pika (Are you...Here...to...Eat Me)?” asked Pikachu.

“Squirt...tle (Uh...No).” replied Squirtle.

“Chu..Pika pika pikachu (Then... Leave me here to die).” said Pikachu as she turned over on her side.

Both Squirtle and Spearow were shocked to hear this. Squirtle turn to Ryan trying to tell him what’s going on

“SQUIRT SQUIRTLE SQUIRTLE SQUIRT SQUIRT TLE!” said Squirtle, he then tilts his head with his tongue out and he raised his hand over his neck.

“WHAT?!” said Ryan “Are you telling me she is trying to commit suicide!”

“Squirt” nods Squirtle

 

[-Polaris-]

Wow, uh thanks everyone!

Definetly made me have second thoughts thats for sure.

 

[CrystaI]

For one thing, although the talking Pokemon will not then become human by literal and biological viewpoint, that I'll also agreed. BUT! it is still a character on its own from story viewpoint, hence I said author should treat the Pokemon in the same way as the human character.

But, I think I need a further explanation on this sentence. What I mean by treating the Pokemon character in the same way as the human character, is not meaning the Pokemon should enjoy the exact same human right just like a human being. I mean by character-wise viewpoint, it shares the exact same trait just like mankind, having different personalities and characteristics, have its own consciousness and mind that allows them to think on their own, also have the ability to judge an issue and decide upon an option. Hence from the author's side, should develop the Pokemon character in the same manner as the human character.

I knew that many writers (not only fanfic writers, but also ordinary Pokemon fans) differentiate Pokemon from human being, due to the very obvious reason of Pokemon is a kind of creature completely different from humankind. And because of that, some tend to forget completely in giving Pokemon any sort of personalities. So within that story, Pokemon felt more like a machine that exist in there only to listen to the command of trainers and just there for battling. The Pokemon is just flat and one-dimensional and is literally not alive, it is not a "character".

IMO, a Pokemon within a story is a kind of character taking a very special role. It has the physical appearance different from humankind, generally living in the wild (so obviously may not have the learning knowledge and scholar erudition comparing to humans living in towns), contains special powers that are used mostly in battles, and when under the ownership of a trainer, its main job is to do the battles as instructed by its owner.
Pokemon differs from humankind in many senses, this I acknowledged as well. Nonetheless, when it comes to story-writing, they are both "characters", it is just the character taking the functional role that is called "Pokemon".



If this is difficult to understand, then just simply look at Digimon... They are not humankind, they possess special powers, they do the battles for the human, and yet, they talk human language, and is a character on their own.

 

[Lugion]

I sort of experimented with "talking" Pokémon in a short-lived fic of mine. I limited trainer characters to one Pokémon, and the two would have a sort of empathic bond, through which they could understand each other's thoughts and feelings. They didn't actually speak, but the characters could have one-on-one conversations with their Pokémon.

 

[Beth Pavell]

This reminds me of a little exchange from the anime:

Ash: You understand it[Gastly]? How do you do that?
Morty: Practice.

 

[The Dude]

Oh, yeah, I also may feature a character later who has a telepathic bond set up with each of his Pokemon through the efforts of his strongest, a potent Psychic type. It's a cool concept, if I can implement it.

In terms of talking Pokemon and rights, I dunno, if it can talk, humans might pause at ordering it around or trying to catch it like an ordinary Pokemon. Imagine a Pokemon who could talk back to its trainer when it disagrees. Do you think any trainer would want that? Nope.
So, proceeding under that assumption, a Pokemon found to talk might indeed be accorded special rights. Because, they would likely be smarter than normal, and because of that, might not want to battle or take orders from anyone.

 

[diamondpearl876]

This reminds me of a little exchange from the anime:

Ash: You understand it[Gastly]? How do you do that?
Morty: Practice.

Yep. In my little headcanon world you can learn to understand pokemon with time and experience. I have my human characters understand pokemon in every fic, from the start, so that I can develop the pokemon into three dimensional characters. In my epistolary pokemon fic, there's kind of an exception. The MC can't understand pokemon, but I still provide personalities and subplots through mannerisms and such. The climax/plot twist comes in once the human can understand pokemon.

 

[VeniaSilente]

Opinions on franchise comparisons aside, I think giving to Pokémon the hability to speak Human makes the Pokémon as individuals become a notch too... Digimon-esque for liking. One of the biggest problems I've seen is that authors giving Pokémon the ability to "interspeak" with humans also force them into having human language, and I mean all aspects of it: tone, dialog, idioms, slang, non-verbal communication... A creature from a species that lives the entire first stage of their life without visual sensory input (let alone *two* stages of their life) is going to refer to things in a very different way as a creature of a species that has claws and fur and also the "luck" to have a physiology not unlike that of the hairless apes going around with Pokéballs and thus able to interoperate with their technology. Giving those creatures "trivial speech" strongly dilutes the differences and their effects on the characterization of the Pokémon, IMO.

Of course if the personalities and characterization of the Pokémon are barely explored, if at all, then the need of it is none and the point moot, but at that point we're going the other end of the scale towards something like Monster Hunter or Yu-Gi-Oh in terms of what do the Pokémon themselves mean to the setting / the fanfic.

My preferred portrayal is that Pokémon have their own language barring dialects dictated by what morphology allows (how does a Starmie "speak" the same language as a Mienfoo?). All this comes from both verbal and non-verbal language, and all those facets can evolve (heh) and be learnt. Thus I have it that Trainers who have been "on it" for a while already understand their own Pokémon, and only their own Pokémon (or tame ones of the same species) at a high degree, enough to convey basic concepts and needs trivially - up to "What? Timmy fell down the well?" and beyond, I guess. For everything else? There's "growl hiss bark honk", and there's usually little need to delve deeper into what the Pokémon is saying instead of focusing on what the Pokémon is communicating *about*.

 

[Glitchipedia]

I've used two "true" talking Pokémon in RPs: a Bellsprout inspired by the carnivorous plant Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors, and a Porygon-Z equipped with speech synthesis software (the voice being Microsoft Mike, if anyone's wondering).

The explanation for the Bellsprout is that it's actually a crossbred species from another planet, and has more heightened intelligence than other Bellsprout. The first thing it remembers is waking up in a florist shop in New York, and it picked up street lingo during its time there before eventually being bought by the frontwoman of a teen pop/rock band.

I have also used an Alakazam, but it speaks telepathically rather than verbally.

Outside of those examples, I have no other Pokémon that speak human language, but I do have humans who can understand Pokémon language to an extent. This tends to result in bilingual dialogue sequences.

 

[Drakon]

If you're going the "translated pokéspeak" route, I strongly urge you to keep human and translated pokémon dialogue apart. Or at the least, use different colors or fonts or even different speech tags so the readers can understand that the pokémon and Humans aren't actually conversing but what they're seeing is merely a translation.

 

[diamondpearl876]

If you're going the "translated pokéspeak" route, I strongly urge you to keep human and translated pokémon dialogue apart. Or at the least, use different colors or fonts or even different speech tags so the readers can understand that the pokémon and Humans aren't actually conversing but what they're seeing is merely a translation.

I've seen different speech tags, which is fine. I think there are better ways to remind the readers that a pokemon is a pokemon, though. For example, have a meowth want to be scratched behind the ears. Have a water-type want to take a bath. Or, like with multiple human characters, give them distinct, identifiable voices.

Would not recommend different colors or fonts. It will take your readers out of the story.

 

[VeniaSilente]

IMO, different fonts might be fine if you want your characters to appear largely foreign / otherworldly, since it neatly conveys an effect similar to seeing Toklien language glyphs and all that, with the bonus that your readers won't have to translate. And since browsers have been degrading missing typefaces gracefully at least since 1995, it doesn't really cause impedement in hypertext media. This technique has been used sparingly in eg.: comics for a good while now.

Colours... that's another issue. In particular because you can't really know what colour are your readers reading normal text with. "Black" is a practical heuristic for starters, but what's black in monitors nowadays? Not to mention too many colour combinations simply look horrible, or don't look anything at all, no matter what you try. Like yellow text on any kind of background.