Misconception about Pokemon fans

[Everoy]

I hate how whenever a friend of mine finds out that I like pokemon, they think I'm childish for it. People make all sorts of assumptions because they were younger when they liked Pokemon. I've liked Pokemon off and on mostly because of how people react to finding out a friend of theirs likes pokemon... I'm fifteen, so me and my friends were in mid-elementary school when Pokemon came out, and EVERYONE liked it. Then, people grew out of it, and they associated Pokemon with children. I just think it's disappointing that the huge age misconception is assoiciated with Pokemon.

YAY RANDOM RANTING!

[Blademaster]

Amen, brother.

Who is to decide what is or isn't normal to like? I'm 18 (gonna be 19 in just a few weeks), and yet I can be ridiculed, mocked, and given strange looks by those around me for liking a video game franchise...

But getting a kick out of people being shot in the face and set on fire is totally acceptable. Isn't something a bit odd about that?

Now, I'm not saying I DON'T get a kick out of video game and movie violence, nor am I saying that movie/video game violence influences actual violence - all I'm saying is that liking something is a two-way street; I don't get why liking things aimed at people older than you is so normal but liking things aimed at a younger audience is not.

-Blade

[Jeff]

I'm 21 (going to be 22 in a couple of weeks) and I still like Pokemon, I'm still exited about Diamond and Pearl and I see nothing wrong with it. My parents used to tell me that I needed to grow up and stop doing something that was meant for kids, but I think they now realize that Pokemon can be enjoyed by anyone.

Not too long ago, my brother and his freind (who are both about 16) took my DS and games without my permission out to our trampoline so they could play games at thier outdoor sleepover. The next day I found my case next to the back door and started playing my Ruby version only to find out that my brother's friend started his own game on it! I was pretty mad and a few days later when he came over he said he was sorry and didn't know that I still liked a game that was meant for 8 year olds! Then my other brother asked why he was playing it and he didn't have an answer.

Of course I'm fine with it now, especially since finding my game erased got me playing both Ruby and FireRed again and since then I have caught a shiny Machoke, Whismur, and Kadabra. I have never gotten any shinies before save for the Red Gyarados and a Tyrogue from Crystal's free egg.

[Metallixs Girl]

[color=mediumpurple]I'm also 21, and will be 22 in October. I pretty much keep my love for video games to myself, and my immediate family knows that I like Pokemon, and I also still like raising Chao, heh. My mom says if you have a hobbie that you really enjoy, you should do it, and age doesn't matter.

[Elec Man EXE]

The simple answer is that a lot of gamers seem to rate games simply on the surface appearence, and not any deeper than that.

Pokemon has a few things against it, because of that. The first being, of course, the advertising icons for pokemon. Almost all of them are the "cute" ones. Pikachu, Pichu, Plusle and Minun, the starter pokemon, Meowth, Munchlax... people see them and they think "These have to be made for children". Aside from a few legendaries, which don't get near as much as the aforementioned pokemon, thats all people really see when Pokemon is advertised.

Then you have the anime (which many people still think preceded the games), which is, for lack of a better word, crap for the most part. Its simple, repetetive, and avoids any sort of even remotely mature area (at least all the released US episodes do, and if they do include some mature stuff then its either censored, or the episode is just banned).

And of course, the general lack of the "mature" aspects in the game itself.

Of course, if they'd actually play the games, they'd see that there's plenty of depth in the games to make it enjoyable for all people, and not every pokemon in the game is incredibly cutesy.

Unfortunately, like it or not, many gamers will rate a game simply based on the inclusion or absence of stuff like real guns / other weapons, blood, and sex. Pokemon (and many other Nintendo series') lack any of this so called "mature" content for the most part, and people really latch on to that. Same with having a happy, colorful world as opposed to a super-realistic (or psuedo-realistic, in the case of stuff like aliens and zombies) world. Many think that a colorful world must be made that way to please younger audiences.

Heck, I've seen Mario called kiddy, because your only stomping on the heads of enemies rather than shooting M-16 rifles or whatever at them, and because it lacks blood and realism.

I can't say exactly what started this whole thought process that games have to be mature in order to be enjoyed by older players, but I doubt its going to go away any time soon. Its a very strong stereotype.

It might be, that many older gamers are just afraid to tarnish their "image" by admitting they enjoy stomping walking mushrooms and catching electric rats in balls. Or to even try such things, because they aren't "cool" enough.

For the record, I'm 19. I've played games like GTA, and frankly I would much rather play a game like Mario than mindlessly go around shooting cops in the face and stealing ice cream trucks :p

[Foguet]

I am 18 years old and will also be 19 in a few weeks. The last time I met someone who really liked Pokémon, I was still 15, and then even he (my best friend deserted me). True, my ex gf also played Pokémon, but just because she was obsessed with catching them all. Now I can't tell anybody that I still play Pokémon. You can't imagine the way they looked at me when I told my friends, about two years ago, that I was enjoying Colosseum so much.

But at home, I still play Pokémon very often. On NetBattle, I like using only Pokémon which I have really trained in the games, so I'm still leveling up a lot of them. And my brothers, 14 years old, say that I'm very childish, playing these games. Funny that this comment comes from someone who's still afraid of the dark ¬¬ When they say that, I always reply: "WHY is Pokémon childish? If you like Pokémon, WHAT REASON is there not to play it after a certain age? What's it all about, you can play Pokémon until you're eight, and on the day of your ninth birthday, you must throw the cart away because it's not your age?".

Even if I were 90 years old, I see nothing wrong in me liking Pokémon. What's more, in my neighbourhood, there lives and old lady, she must be around 70, and she plays Pokémon Red, she bought the Game Boy especially after she saw her grandson playing the game. The only "problem" is that she only raises Level 100 Fearows...

I don't accept the "cuteness" thing as a factor to call Pokémon childish. There are many "cute" things out there which are seen as cool and mature.

[mr_pikachu]

Yeah, I know the feeling, PBug. I'm 19, and I still play Pokemon. It's one of those things where I don't publicly advertise it, but if someone asks about it or sees a game I have out or something, I'll tell them freely. (I also play the TCG, and I'm the oldest player at our local league by about five years.)

Pokemon isn't an easy thing to like at the middle school/early high school age, because at that age you don't want to stand out from the crowd at all. But ironically, it's sometimes a little more accepted when you're a bit older - say, when you're in upper high school or college. Your peers will be a little more accepting of differences (oh, hey, chess is cool!), and anyone younger than you is your subordinate. ("What, you don't like Pokemon? I'm in college. Shut up.") So just hang in there! Be confident in yourself, and things will get better.

[Lady Vulpix]

I was 18 years old when I first heard of Pokemon, if that helps. I think there are misconceptions about all groups. My mum still thinks I'm childish because I like watching cartoons, but I don't mind that. If you're mature when you need to, there's nothing wrong with doing things other think of as childish.

[frylock]

I like pokemon, but mainly just the games, They are actually some of the best RPGs I've ever played, FF is a good series but it turns into a soap opera. Really if pokemon didn't have games I wouldn't care about them really I came to this site actually when reading an old article about the ditto mew glitch. The games are the best thing that came out of pokemon.

[Lady Vulpix]

2nd best thing, for me. The best thing would be TPM.

[SoulflameNinetales]

i'm 23 and i stilll really enjoy Pokemon. Yes, I admit, Pokemon was mainly targetted for younger audiences. Didn't stop me from getting into it and i've played the games for a best part of a decade, and still play them. Hell, my mother played it at one point, and i was asked by one of my aunts if I could lend one of my games to her

I think i might go play them more... i've haven't touvhed them much lately.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

[color=magenta]Meh, I don't think that Pokémon is childish at all. I am 21, and I like it as much, if not more than I did as a little kid. Actually, as complicated as some of the advanced training methods are getting in the games, like the personalities, abilities, EVs and IVs, etc... it almost seems like the games are becoming more designed towards an older audience.

When I went to the Journey Across America in Pittsburgh back in June, I would say the majority of the people there were at least 14-16 years old and older. There were very few kids under 10 years old, and plenty that seemed to be in their 20's. Actually there were a surprising amount of people there that had to be at least 40, and they weren't there for their kids. Actually I think that one of the winners at one of the tournaments (not the Pittsburgh one) was 40-something years old.

[mr_pikachu]

That's a good point, Christen. I've seen the same thing in the TCG. I may be the oldest player in my local league, but I've seen a lot of adults at the major tournaments. There's this one guy, for instance, who goes to some of the state tournaments and such. He goes by the name of "old man," and for good reason - he's probably in his 60s! And in a City Championship last year, half of my opponents were clearly at least 30. The same thing happened at Gym Challenge. It's really astounding, and most people wouldn't expect it.

[Houndoom_Lover]

Roch on! I'm going to be 16 soon and I watch/read/collect ever thing that is under the catagory childish......I have a story,I was reading Shonen jump while playing Pokemon the Advance card game with my friend. (It required us to play jacks every time we lot a pokemon, if we gathered four jacks we could keep it). So, you know...XD. This fat preepy girl walks over and she says, it's Yu-gi-oh shit for little kids. And I was on the russin rullet part with that little hotty Mokuba and my Syther was kicking butt. And I replied with, And Condoms are suppose to be for adults.(They were talking about sex two chairs infront of us.) That's my story ^___________________^

[lordsalamence]

I am 18 years old and will also be 19 in a few weeks. The last time I met someone who really liked Pokémon, I was still 15, and then even he (my best friend deserted me). True, my ex gf also played Pokémon, but just because she was obsessed with catching them all. Now I can't tell anybody that I still play Pokémon. You can't imagine the way they looked at me when I told my friends, about two years ago, that I was enjoying Colosseum so much.

But at home, I still play Pokémon very often. On NetBattle, I like using only Pokémon which I have really trained in the games, so I'm still leveling up a lot of them. And my brothers, 14 years old, say that I'm very childish, playing these games. Funny that this comment comes from someone who's still afraid of the dark ¬¬ When they say that, I always reply: "WHY is Pokémon childish? If you like Pokémon, WHAT REASON is there not to play it after a certain age? What's it all about, you can play Pokémon until you're eight, and on the day of your ninth birthday, you must throw the cart away because it's not your age?".

Even if I were 90 years old, I see nothing wrong in me liking Pokémon. What's more, in my neighbourhood, there lives and old lady, she must be around 70, and she plays Pokémon Red, she bought the Game Boy especially after she saw her grandson playing the game. The only "problem" is that she only raises Level 100 Fearows...

I don't accept the "cuteness" thing as a factor to call Pokémon childish. There are many "cute" things out there which are seen as cool and mature.

oh, sweet! so, my pet rat is mature!XD


And, man,I thought this was going to be a bad topic...anyhow, my MOTHER plays pokemon, she has all the versions, and sometimes she even challenges me, and I have to admit I got a through beating by her.....ouch, gettting beaten by your own mother....that's GOTTA hurt....she's got like,say, 130 lv. 100's and I only have >.<40
anyways, she plays at work, etc. i play it, most of my family plays it, even my 103 year-old great-grandfather plays it,(yes, it is possible to live that long,although battling him is a real drag thanks to his arthritis) and, well, my mom, him,my family can't WAIT for diamond and pearl. I guess you can call us the winstratesXD
so, I don't get what is so wrong, my mom thinks most of the hoenn pokemon look "cuddly" and, yes she raises those to lv.100.only those.well,I guess she is right, because most of 'em look like fluffy puff marshmellow mascots.

[Houndoom_Lover]

That is...cute XD Hohen pokemon are too cute. I prefer Joto and the original whatever they are called....my post is so small.

[lordsalamence]

most of the legenderies of hoenn, aren't though.Rayquaza and company are...uh....cool/weird-looking Salamence ain't cute eitheror the final evo's of the hoenn starters...same thing goes with metagross.

[Houndoom_Lover]

most of the legenderies of hoenn, aren't though.Rayquaza and company are...uh....cool/weird-looking Salamence ain't cute eitheror the final evo's of the hoenn starters...same thing goes with metagross.


They're effing butter balls covered in pink frostiong compaired to my hard Core Houndoom and Entie and Mewtwo and stuff.

[SoulflameNinetales]

I cannot agree with you Houndoom_Lover. Hoennn pokemon are in my opinion more wierd looking then cute. There's a few cool ones in there as well. But in my opinion nothing beats the Johto pokemon (being a fan of dark types as well as fire and ground types). Funnily enough i never liked Entei....

Anyway i think i'm getting off topic....

A relative of mine just recently got back into Pokemon. its really too bad he lives so far away....I could use a friendly battle now and then, and with the only over person i know who plays busy at uni, i've been losing a lot of drive to train my faves as best.

[mr_pikachu]

A relative of mine just recently got back into Pokemon. its really too bad he lives so far away....I could use a friendly battle now and then, and with the only over person i know who plays busy at uni, i've been losing a lot of drive to train my faves as best.

Two words. Wi-fi. (Wait, does that count as one word? Aww, who cares...)

This is why DP may provide a major boost to the Pokemon franchise. Fans will be able to seek out other fans without having to take the risk of exposing themselves to mockery and derision from aptly nicknamed "Poke-haters." After all, who will be playing Diamond and Pearl besides people who like Pokemon? If you can connect to someone, anyone, then you can be sure you've found a fellow fan.

[SoulflameNinetales]

In my backwater, CO2 loving chimery stack town of 17000? Quite possibly. I'd be less scared to find out if i wasn't well known as a freak and a nerd by the majority of the age group 16-25. Oh yes, i've got a bad rep in my hometown for that particular age group.

[Sceptile_Master]

Pokemon would never have been seen as childish to the mass public if nintendo didn't bring out truck loads of anime episodes and anime related stuff. As well as pokemon stickers and kids toys everywhere. Sure at the time it helped sales alot but now it just get's it stereotyped as childish. Pokemon would just be seen as a sort of a normal unique-ish RPG series without it probably.