Pokémon is arguably a childhood classic, a rite of passage even for every 90s and 00s kid. As for the memes it has given birth to, if anything, it would be weird if it didn't generate any traction, given its unprecedented popularity. The show began in 1997, well over two decades ago, and the Japanese anime series is what most anime lovers can proudly call "the first anime they've ever watched."
The show originally revolved around Ash Ketchum, a young man who mastered the art of training creatures known as Pokémon. He and his sidekick, the notorious Pikachu, traverse across the world of Pokémon as Ash tries to accomplish the title of a Pokémon Master. Along the way, they come across hurdles as they're forced to battle tournaments known as the Pokémon League.
Across about twenty-six seasons, here are some of the best memes to come out of the show to date.
The funniest, most relatable Pokémon memes to take you back in time
1) Fat Pikachu
Ash's sidekick, Pikachu, was visibly thicker around the edges. However, as time went on, Game Freak decided to tone him down to match his speed. Regardless, the internet has yet to recover.
2) Genwunners
Over the years, Game Freak also decided to upgrade its other characters, including Ash Ketchum. However, the meme above is referring to the running gag that only the OGs, also known as "Genwunners". Apparently, the company has been recycling old ideas for creature designs and praying that no one would notice.
3) Slowpoke
Yet another one of the running gags from the show, the punchline here is that, as the name suggests, Nintendo began rolling out in colors in 1998, and yet, slowpoke only just caught on. It's almost akin to the Firefox and Chrome memes, with the former being a slowpoke.
4) Pokémon theme song
Every kid who was ever a fan of the show can still recite the lyrics to the show's theme song by heart, and let's be honest: if they hear it from anywhere else, they will be singing along to it.
5) Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go took the world by storm before the pandemic hit and brought about a crashing end to the craze, and the meme above is a reference to when one time, the server crashed, and people resorted to chasing real-life birds and animals.
6) Surprised Pikachu
Arguably one of the most popular memes to ever come out of the show, shocked Pikachu only comes into play when the outcome is expected, the human does it anyway, and is still shocked by his own actions.
7) Professor Oak
One of the most flawed characters the show has ever known is none other than Professor Oak. Some users have even begun positing that he's just a selfish, greedy old man.
8) Digglet
Since its inception, Digglet, one of the Pokémons, has baffled the world with its existence. No one knows what it is, where it came from, or even what it does.
9) Furret Walk
There's nothing to this meme except Furret walking to some cute theme music for one hour straight. And yet, there's something about the video that captured the hearts of fans worldwide.
10) So I Herd U Liek Mudkipz
This may be one of the lesser-known memes. It originated from DeviantArt, and can be traced back to 2004. Back then, it acted as an invitation for new users in the group of the MudKipClub.
11) Jelly-filled Donuts
In the clip above, Brock can be seen holding some Japanese rice balls called onigiri. However, he calls them jelly-filled donuts, in what fans perceived to be a gaslighting move.
12) MissingNo
One of the OG games to come out of the franchise was undoubtedly imperfect, given that a certain combination of keys pressed would scramble the graphics and make the MissingNo show up. It became so popular that it stayed in the games thereafter, and on the internet, in various memes.
13) Youngster Joey
Another one of the OG memes to come out of the franchise is Youngster Joey and his inflated self-esteem. This character is renowned for boasting excessively about his high-percentage Rattata, and when it comes down to it, he always loses.
14) Ash Ketchum's priorities
While Ash Ketchum may be empathetic, he sure knows his priorities: catching Pokémon, and there's no one who can stop him. Whelp.
15) Confused Pikachu
One of Pikachu's, as well as the other monster's most annoying traits is its self-destructive tendencies when hit with confusion. Some monsters go into paralysis, while others sleep in the middle of a battle.
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And there you have it. Pokémon has had a chokehold on the world since its inception, whether by games, TV series, or memes.
Plus, its charm has made it a staple in childhoods worldwide for the last several years, making this a beloved TV series that has stood the test of time.
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