Hello coaches!
How well do you know the regions where the Pokémon in your Pokébox come from? The history of the original Pokémon regions and the original home of the Pokémon you know and love? If you are one of the many coaches who joined the fandom late or did not play in the main series for a while, you are in luck.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be revisiting the original Pokémon regions to explore the history, geography, and other interesting facts about each region.
This week we start with the Kanto region.
To keep things simple, we are only going to discuss the regions as they appeared in the games in which they were introduced.
Welcome to Kanto
The Kanto region is home to the original 151 Pokémon introduced in the main series of Pokémon games Pocket Monsters: Red, Pocket Monsters: Green, and the special edition Pocket Monsters: Blue which was first released in 1996 in Japan. The games have been released in Australia and North. America as Pokémon: Red, and Pokémon: Blue in 1998 and in Europe under the same names in 1999. The special edition Pokémon Yellow was released in Japan in 1998 and in other regions in 1999 and 2000.
Kanto is the home region of the main character of Anime, Ash Ketchum. The Kanto region is based on the Kantō region in Japan, which is home to its Tokyo, the capital of Japan and home to Game Freak’s headquarters. The Kanto region in the Pokémon world is the only one that shares its name with a real world.
Cities and Villages
The Kanto region has ten cities and towns, from the tranquil Pallet Town to the much larger Saffron City. All the cities and towns in the Kanto region are named after colors, with the exception of Pallet Town, which also refers to colors.
Pallet town
The hometown of Ash Ketchum and Professor Oak. This is where your adventure in Kanto begins. Pallet Town is based on the hometown Shimoda of Satoshi Tajiri.
Viridian city
The first city visited by coaches in the match, and home to Giovanni’s Groundtype of gym that opens after defeating the other seven gym leaders.
Viridian City is based in Hakone, Japan
Pewter city
Pewter City is located north of the Veridian Forest and west of Mount Moon. Pewter City is also home to Brock, the first gym leader you can fight with. Brock specializes in Rock-type Pokémon.
Pewter City is based in Maebashi, Japan
Cerulean city
A beach town in the north of Kanto is the third city you visit.
Cerulean City is also home to the second gym leader on your journey, Misty. Misty specializes in Water-type Pokémon.
Cerulean City is the second city with a gym you can fight with.
Vermilion city
Vermilion City is the only city in Kanto with a port. The luxury cruise ship, known as the SS Anne, is moored here during your visit.
Vermilion City is home to the third gym leader, Lt. Surge. Lt. Surge specializes in ElectricPokémon type
Vermilion City is based in Yokohama, Japan.
Lavender town
Lavender Town is believed to be haunted Ghost-type Pokémon.
The city of Lavender is home to Mr. Fuji and the Name Rater. With the Name Judge you can change the nicknames of your Pokémon.
Lavender Town is based in Narita, Japan.
Celadon city
Celadon City is home to the largest Poké Mart in the region and is the second largest city in Kanto.
Celadon City is home to fourth gym leader Erika. Erika specializes in Grass-type Pokémon.
Celadon City is based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
Fuchsia City
Fuchsia City is home to the Safari Zone and a Pokémon Zoo, and is the southernmost city in the Kanto region.
Fuchsia City is home to Gym Leader Koga, which specializes in Poison-type Pokémon.
Fuchsia City is based in Tateyama, Japan.
Saffron city
Saffron City is the largest city in Kanto and the tenth most populous in the entire Pokémon world. You must drive Team Rocket out of the Silph Co. building before gaining access to the Saffron City Gym.
Saffron City is home to Gym Leader Sabrina, who specializes in Psychic-type Pokémon. There’s a second “gym” in Saffron City, but Sabrina used her Psychic Pokémon to take it down, and it’s been in a Fight-dojo type.
Saffron City is based in Tokyo, the capital of Japan.
Cinnabar Island
Cinnabar Island is home to a large volcano and an old abandoned mansion from which you need to get a key to unlock the door to the gym. Magazines distributed by the old mansion indicate that it is the birthplace of MewTwo.
Cinnabar Island is home to Gym Leader Blaine, who specializes in Fire-type Pokémon.
Cinnabar Island is based on Izu Ōshima. An uninhabited island off the coast of Honshu, Japan.
Other important places
Mt. Moon
Mt. Moon is known for its frequent meteor showers, with the shear meteors landing on the mountain becoming lunar shards. This shard seems to attract wild Clefairy, with Mt. Moon is one of the few places they are known for.
Mt. Moon is also the first place where coaches suggest fossils and is inhabited by many members of Team Rocket who try to steal it.
While in Mt. Moon you run into a Super Nerd you have to fight with. After defeating them, you can choose between fossils that become either Omanyte or Kabuto.
Foam Islands
The Seaform Islands are a small group of caves located between Fuchsia City and Cinnabar Island.
It is also home to the legendary Pokémon Articuno.
The Power Plant
The power station, although abandoned by humans, is inhabited by many Pokémon. Some of the Pokéballs lying on the ground are actually waiting for the Electrode attack.
At the end of the power station is the legendary Pokémon Zapdos.
Victory Road
The Kanto version of Victory Road is a cave maze through which you must travel to confront the Elite Four and then the Champion.
You must have all eight gym badges before entering Victory Road.
The legendary Pokémon Moltres can be found on Victory Road.
The Indigo Plateau
The Indigo Plateau is home to the Pokémon League headquarters. This is where you will become the new champion with the Elite Four and the champion. You must defeat all five in a row to become the new champion.
Cerulean Cave
The Cerulean Cave is an optional dungeon that is home to the most powerful Pokémon in all of Kanto, including the most powerful legendary Mewtwo.
A guard blocks the entrance to the cave and only lets you through after you become the new champion.
The Elite Four
Lorelai
Ice
Lorelai is the first trainer of the Elite Four and is known for her Ice Pokémon.
Lorelai grew up on the Four Islands and is known for collecting dolls.
Bruno
Fight
Bruno is the second member of the Elite Four and is known for his Fighting Pokémon.
Bruno sometimes also uses an Onix
Agatha
Ghost
Agatha is the third member of the Elite Four and is known for her Ghost Pokémon.
Agatha was once a rival of Oak when they were young.
Lans
Dragon
Lance is the fourth and final member of the Elite Four and is known for his Dragon Pokémon.
Lance has a big fan and regularly follows hoods at the Celadon department store.
The Pokémon
The starters
When you meet Professor Oak, he does not stop you from walking through the tall grass. He explains that it’s dangerous and takes you back to his lab. This is where you get your first choice as a Pokémon trainer, a choice that every trainer who plays Pokémon Go also gets when he first starts. Bulbasaur, Charmander of Squirtle.
The legendary
Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres are collectively called the Legendary Birds. They all share the ability to type push and fly. They are also referred to as the Winged Mirages.
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| Mewtwo |
| Psychic |
| The Genetic Pokémon |
Mewtwo is a Pokémon created from years of genetic experimentation on Mew. Scientific stumps found in the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island indicate that Mewtwo was born from a pregnant Mew found in the jungles of Guyana. The embryo was tampered with with Mewtwo to change its DNA. Mewtwo was then detained and studied deep inside the mansion. It was these experiments that made Mewtwo vicious and powerful. Eventually, Mewtwo broke free from his captives and fled, destroying the mansion in the process.
Interesting facts
The Kanto region in the Pokémon world is based on the Kantō region of the real world. Kanto in Japanese means ‘east of the barrier’
The true Kanto region in Japan was hit in September 1923 by a devastating earthquake
The Kanto region is east of the Johto region and south of the Sinnoh region.
Kanto is more modern and technological than most regions in the Pokémon world and has no real myths or traditions regarding Pokémon.
The inhabitants of Kanto are regarded as sophisticated and reticent.
Pokémon Red and Blue achieved a combined score of 89% on GameRankings
The games also spent at least four years on IGN’s “Top 100 Games of All Time” list. Pokémon Yellow is 35th at the time of this writing.
In 2009 they appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records in the categories “Best selling RPG on the Game Boy” and “Best selling RPG of all time”.
Stay tuned for the Johto region!