A Pokémon game based on China and its zodiac animals has a lot of potential, and Game Freak would do well not to let it become a missed opportunity. Over the course of the series, the games have typically used themes of duality and opposing forces in congruence with their twin versions, but recent innovations in other areas mean that this may change as well. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, releasing November 18, has made its theme of past versus future quite clear, but Gen 10 or beyond could possibly break the trend.
The regions for Pokémon games are based on real-world countries. Gens 1-4 were based on the different regions of Japan, Gen 5 was essentially the United States – specifically major metropolises like New York City – Gen 6 was France, Gen 7 was the islands of Hawaii, Gen 8 was the United Kingdom, and Gen 9, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, appears to be Spain. Each region features landmarks, culture, vernacular, and other aspects from their respective countries. The Pokémon in each region also tend to relate somewhat to their countries and be based on their indigenous plants and animals, or things that they’re known for. Lechonk of Pokémon SV‘s as yet unnamed region, for example, is based on the lechón, a Spanish dish served on special occasions.
Pokémon has used the Chinese zodiac in some form for its games before; each Fire-Type starter’s fully evolved form is based on one of its animals. No Generation has used it as the basis for a game, however, and the concept is very exciting. It may be best, however, if it were a single title instead of being split up into two versions of the same Pokémon game. The most logical counterpart is the astrological zodiac, which doesn’t sound as appealing, and splitting into twelve separate versions for each of the animals is highly excessive. There could be two different versions with six animals each, but it may not work as well with the theme as it would if it were unified into one game.
What A Pokémon Region Based On China Could Be Like
A Pokémon region based on China has many things that it could take from the real world. Landmarks like the Great Wall could easily become major locations, and cities like Beijing could translate quite well to those in-game. The country’s unique architecture could be used for most any building, and the Chinese concept of feng shui could also be used for their interiors to great effect. The Pokémon Centers that heal players’ teams change in almost every game, and it could be interesting to see how the series would adapt them to fit the region’s inspirations. China also has many environments to inspire the topography of the region, such as towering mountains and expansive plateaus. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in particular could make a stunning area, especially in an open world like the ones that the games have featured lately.
Chinese cultural aspects could also appear in a theoretical region inspired by the zodiac animals. Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism are theologies with deep roots in China, and their ideals and beliefs such as reincarnation and finding harmony with the universe could be fascinating to see in a Pokémon game. Calligraphy is an ancient Chinese art that could also translate very well and even be used as inspiration for a Pokémon’s design. Character customization has been standard in Pokémon games ever since X and Y, and traditional clothing like the qipao or tang suit, as well as hairstyles like ox horns, could be fun options for players’ characters.
What Pokémon Based On The Chinese Zodiac Could Be Like
Pokémon based on the zodiac animals and Chinese culture in general also have a great deal of potential. Regional variants for each animal such as Tauros for the bull and Gyarados for the dragon are an interesting concept. Other variants could include Sinistea and Polteageist to reflect China’s invention of tea, and a Pokémon that can use Explosion such as Foretress could be adapted to fit its invention of gunpowder and fireworks. The people of the region could also have years where they’re born under the zodiac variants as they do in real life, and seeing how it affects their perception of themselves and others sounds fascinating. Being able to choose players’ year and zodiac animal sounds like a cool feature in a Pokémon game that places a great deal of importance in them, and could add greatly to character building and roleplay.
There’s also the story behind the Chinese zodiac. According to this story, the Jade Emperor had 12 animals participate in a race to become his guards, and the faster they completed it, the higher they would be ranked. Other versions say it was the Buddha who called the race, but regardless, this story could adapt well to the narrative of a theoretical Pokémon game based on China and the zodiac animals. Gen 8’s Galar turned the League Challenge into a sporting event, so a region-wide race among Trainers isn’t too much of a stretch. The Pokémon that represent each animal could be intertwined with the story, and used the same way Gen 7’s Totem Pokémon or Legends: Arceus‘ Noble Pokémon are, as checkpoints or boss fights that players have to overcome, taking the place of gym battles in most Pokémon games.
How Likely Is A Chinese-Inspired Pokémon Game?
The probability of a Pokémon game inspired by China and the zodiac is tough to say. Scarlet and Violet‘s Spain inspiration mean that it’s closed off for Gen 9, and if the series follows its pattern of remakes separating the Generations, it could be some time before Gen 10’s country is known. The zodiac animals by themselves don’t quite fit with Pokémon‘s typical themes, yet each one is said to have a Yin and Yang to them, which could be used for the opposing forces the series is known for. The concept of Yin and Yang does appear in Gen 5’s Black and White, so the series may not be inclined to repeat itself, but they’re never explicitly stated to be the games’ main themes, and there’s certainly room to expand upon the themes. They could just as easily be interpreted as Truth and Ideals, as Reshiram and Zekrom embody these concepts.
There are many major real-world countries to inspire future Pokémon regions, and China is only one of them. The litany of options such as Canada, New Zealand, and Brazil make predicting which one would come next almost impossible. The possibility is still there, however, and with as much potential as the concept has, it may be more likely than others. It could be that once Pokémon has used all of the zodiac animals for Fire-Type starters, it will use them – or variants of them – as the central theme for a game, in which case a China-inspired region may come in Gen 12 or 13. The future of Pokémon may be shrouded in mystery for now, but that only means that exciting possibilities like this can’t be discounted yet.