One thing I have issues with the Pokemon Company. Is how Pokemon are given pronouns. Which is that in most anime media (minus Detective Pikachu), all Pokemon are referred to by βitβ pronouns. Which frustrates me because it causes so many problems in most of all the anime. See when trainers refer to their Pokemon in English dubs, theyβre referred to by as an βitβ rather than a βheβ or βsheβ. Which frustrates me because a lot of Pokemon have obvious gender dimorphism. Like Friedeβs Pikachu, Captain Pikachu, is obviously male. Yet heβll refer to him as an it. Which is baffling because thereβll be episodes like that episode season 1 episode 37 of Pokemon Horizons about Oinkologne. A species of Pokemon with obvious gender dimorphism. Yet their trainers will referrer to them as βitβ. Because of this, when a trainer says βItβs my best friendβ or βIts awesomeβ. Theyβre suppose to be referring to their Pokemon, with their tones meant to be kind and nice. Except because theyβre using βitβ pronouns, it makes them sound nicely cold. Which breaks immersion and weakens emotional moments. Theyβre suppose to sound like loving trainers, but they sound like they view their Pokemon as objects. Which is just more baffling. So why is this a thing?
See, the Pokemon Company has a legalism where all Pokemon has to be referred to with βitβ pronouns for english translations, no matter even if Pokemon have identified genders.
If youβre wondering why Iβm talking about the English translations? Well thats because in the Japanese dubs, they donβt use pronouns for Pokemon. Instead they just repeat Pokemon names. So instead of hearing βItβs amazingβ, instead theyβll say βPikachuβs amazing.β
Except English dubs demand pronouns, because names are repetitive. Except because of the legalism, all Pokemon have to referred to with βitβ.
Whats more frustrating, is that the Pokemon Company can easily fix this. All they need to do is have them tweak the rule. Make it say: All Pokemon must be referred to as it, unless their gender has been specify, then use their established pronouns.
Except in order for the Pokemon Company to do this. Is for the fanbase to complain about this and make awareness to this. Except the Japanese fanbase are barely aware of this, because like I mention, this problem is in the English fanbase. While the English fanbase are desensitized to this and rarely talk about this issue. Due to them talking about other problems in Pokemon, causing the pronoun problem to be overlooked.
So I just hope this can be talked about more. Because the more the Pokemon Company, the more of hypocrites they make themselves. Because they want to go both ways saying that Pokemon arenβt slaves or pets. Pokemon are our friends, family, companions, partners, ect. They can feel empathy for us, and will be with us during our hardest times. So they should be treated as equals and never looked down upon. Yet the Pokemon Company wants to address our Pokemon with βitβ pronouns no matter what, wanting to treat them like objects.
Do you get what I mean. Itβs frustrating, and I hope this will be talked about more. But thats just my opinion. What do you think?
yeah, while i haven't watched the pokemon anime in a long time, that sounds like a genuine issue that needs to be addressed. let's hope they can fix that.
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