Pokémon Through the Ages: The Classical Era

It's the last month of the year, but I still want (and need) to do a "four fours" series for the month just to close up the year appropriately. With that, I have discovered a suitable topic for the occasion: the division of the progression of Pokémon into "eras" that have certain characteristics and represent certain aspects, mostly related to the games. These will be mostly based on my observations and may not be representative of the views of others and/or official parties, but they may serve as good bases to consider how things have progressed over time.

The first of these "eras", as suggested by the title of this post, is what I call the "Classical Era". I call it as such because this is the era that established the initial fame of Pokémon and its spread from Japan to the wider world. It's truly an initial fame in many respects because of how unexpected it seemed for some people - particularly those outside of Japan - and how it defined Pokémon, much of which still apply even today. The "classical" title also represents how species and human characters from this era also remain recognizable in the present day.

From this era, the representative games are of the first and second generations along with their associated species and regions. These also work perfectly well to illustrate the era because the physical versions of these games are now "inert", and even if they work, they may be there just for the nostalgia. They - the originals at least - are also some of the least-colored games owing to the limits of their systems (Game Boy and Game Boy Color), yet this further contributes to the "classical" title that represents this era and its associated elements.

Other elements would include the TCG as it is (was) known and an early attempt to present an electronic implementation for it, as well as exposure through news reports, advertisements, and prime showings of these and other elements. Long-time fans (like me) will surely remember much of these, which might explain why certain other fans might still be "in their own world" in this "classical" era and specifically what came rather initially. Yet this is the "world" that gives rise to its further expansions and is thus still important in that way.

As the first of the eras I'm discussing according to my observations, the "classical" era  for Pokémon really comes into its own, with the initial offerings and memorable exposures that lay down the base for the franchise and set things up for its most devoted and early fans. Like the music genre with which this era shares its title, there are some things to be taken and remembered from it, even for those who did not live through the era; it still deserves to be brought up into the present intermittently, in addition to the others to be discussed.

One year ago: On Raid Problems and Their Compensation

Two years ago: It's a Rotom World

Three years ago: Creatures of the Land

Four years ago: Play Where You Are (or at Home)

Five years ago: Time of Posting

Six years ago: Pokémon Asia McDonald's Happy Meal Toys, Waves 1 and 2

Seven years ago: Watching and Re-Watching