Why Pokemon Gen 10 Should Consider Another Region Based on Japan

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 12, 2025 2 Views 7 Min Read
Why Pokemon Gen 10 Should Consider Another Region Based on Japan

Pokemon Gen 10 may still be a ways off with Pokemon Legends: Z-A confirmed to be the franchise’s next mainline title, but such a big milestone for the beloved series has warranted a heavy amount of rumors and speculation. A big part of the discussion surrounding Pokemon Gen 10 is the game’s setting, specifically what real-world country or region the game’s map will be based on. While the most popular theories suggest Gen 10’s region could be based on Italy or Australia, there is a solid case to be made for Pokemon to return to a region based on Japan.

Although recent entries in the Pokemon series have had regions based on various European countries—such as Gen 6’s Kalos region being based on France, Gen 8’s Galar region being based on the UK, and Gen 9’s Paldea being based on Spain and Portugal—Pokemon has historically used the various regions of Japan for its in-game map inspiration. Most of Japan has been covered either by regions from the mainline series or in spin-offs. However, there are a few regions that haven’t been used for inspiration, and with Gen 10 marking a major accomplishment for the series, going back to where it all started could be the way to go.

One Gen 1 Pokemon Line Deserves Its Happy Ending in Gen 10

Related


One Gen 1 Pokemon Line Deserves Its Happy Ending in Gen 10

A certain fan-favorite Pokemon has been the victim of circumstance for too long, and Gen 10 is the perfect opportunity to end its suffering for good.

Pokemon Still Hasn’t Covered Some of Japan’s Most Interesting Geography

A Region Inspired by Parts of Japan’s Chugoku and Shikoku Regions Makes a Lot of Sense

The Pokemon franchise has covered a lot of real-world Japanese territory with its region inspiration. However, the Chugoku and Shikoku regions of the country have largely been untouched by the series. Specifically, the western halves of these regions that include prefectures like Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Shimane, Kochi, and Ehime are prime candidates left unused by the series so far. While Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s Teal Mask DLC features the region of Kitakami as a new location based on an unclear part of Japan, Kitakami is most likely based on the northern Tohoku region.

Current Pokemon Regions Inspired By Japan

Generation

Pokemon Region

Real-World Japanese Inspiration

Gen 1

Kanto Region

Kanto

Gen 2

Johto Region

Kansai

Gen 3

Hoenn Region

Kyushu

Gen 4

Sinnoh Region

Hokkaido

In addition to the regions of the first four mainline games, the Pokemon Ranger spin-offs have also featured maps inspired by parts of Japan. The Fiore Region from the original Pokemon Ranger seems to be based on parts of western Kansai and eastern Chugoku, including the Okayama and Hyogo prefectures, and the Almia Region from Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia seems to be based on the Oshima and Hiyama prefectures of Hokkaido. The Oblivia Region from Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs appears to be based on the Oki Islands to the north of Chugoku, but this still leaves the western regions of both Chogoku and Shikoku free for a new region to explore.

What a Pokemon Region Inspired by This Area Could Look Like

The Pokemon series doesn’t have a clear city inspired by the real-world city of Hiroshima, which is surprising given how important the city is to Japan’s industrialization as the largest city in the Chugoku region. Other major cities included in this area are Matsuyama, home to one of Japan’s few surviving feudal castles, and Yamaguchi, which has been described as the Kyoto of the West. The combination of these three cities would make for a diverse region that can cover several different parts of Japan’s history.

Another geographical feature that makes this area ripe for a Pokemon region based on it is the Seto Inland Sea. This body of water separates Shikoku from the Hiroshima prefecture and is home to several islands that make up the Setonaikai National Park. The balance of land masses with an island-heavy body of water in between would make this area perfect for a diverse Pokedex of critters to call home and an ideal place for a Pokemon Trainer to explore.

Source link