Pokémon regions
Several regions have appeared in the various media of the Pokémon franchise. Each of the four sets of game releases (Red, Blue/Green, and Yellow; Gold, Silver, and Crystal; Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald; Diamond and Pearl) focuses on a new region. Moreover, several regions have been introduced in spin-off games, and one in the Pokémon anime. Usually, the different regions are not accessible from one another, with the exception being Kanto, which can be accessed from Johto after the player defeats the Elite Four in Gold, Silver and Crystal.
Main regions
Kanto
Kanto, introduced in Red, Blue and Yellow, was the very first region in the Pokémon series. The player can also visit this region in Gold, Silver and Crystal. In these games, however, the region differs from the earlier games (which are set three years previously) in several plot and graphical points. This region reappears in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, remakes of Red and Blue. Much of Team Rocket's power is situated in Kanto. It is attached to the Johto region. The first and ninth seasons of the Pokémon anime are set in this region.
Kanto represents the actual region in Japan called Kanto.
Sevii Islands
The Sevii Islands only appear in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and an episode of Pokémon Chronicles. They are called the Sevii Islands because it is believed by some elders of Seven Island that the seven islands were made in seven days. (Also, the 'VII' in Sevii is Roman Numerals for 'seven.' There are, in fact, over thirty islands in the chain, including some that cannot be reached. There are also two islands, Birth Island and Navel Rock, that can be reached only via a special Nintendo ticket. These can also be accessed in Pokémon Emerald. Team Rocket influence is minimal here, although they do maintain a storage warehouse on Five Island.
They are based on the Izu Islands and Bonin Islands. {{-}}
Johto
The Johto region was introduced in Gold, Silver and Crystal. This region is located west of the Kanto region. Team Rocket is the resident crime syndicate of this region, though its power isn't as great here as it is in Kanto. Seasons 3-5 of the Pokémon anime are set in this region. The starter Pokemon are Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita. This region also is home to the first day care center where you can breed. It shares the Elite Four with Kanto.
Johto is geographically similar to the southeast part of the region of Kansai, in the middle of Japan.
Hoenn
The Hoenn region was introduced in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald. Official sources have confirmed that Hoenn is located south-west of the Kanto/Johto landmass, though this is not actually verified in any of the games. Team Aqua and Team Magma are the resident crime syndicates of this region. Seasons 6-8 of the Pokémon anime are set in this region.
Hoenn is geograpically similar to the Japanese island Kyūshū, except that it is rotated almost 90 degrees counterclockwise in the games.
Battle Frontier
Introduced in Pokémon Emerald, the Battle Frontier is located in an island off Hoenn. It is a Pokémon battling facility, consisting of seven attractions, each of which is run by a Frontier Brain who specializes in a certain form of battling. In the Pokémon anime, the Battle Frontier is, for some reason, located in the Kanto region instead. Season 9 of the anime follows Ash Ketchum's quest as he attempts to defeat the Frontier Brains.
Sinnoh
The Sinnoh region is the setting of the games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The region contains a large amount of towns and cities, and has only three sea routes. It is a varied region containing three lakes, a mountain range and snowy regions to the north. The region blends urban cities with more traditional towns together. It also has a hidden underground area that is used for housing secret bases, playing "Capture the Flag" games, and a fossil/item hunt where the player gets to keep whatever he or she finds. Team Galactic is the resident crime syndicate of this region. Season 10 of the Pokémon anime is the first season that is set in this region. At the end of the Battle Frontier saga, Professor Oak says that it is located just north of the Kanto/Johto landmass.
Sinnoh is almost exactly the same shape of the island of Hokkaidō, the northernmost main island in Japan, except that it is rotated slightly clockwise. {{-}}
Orange Islands
The Orange Islands only appear in the Pokémon anime and The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga. It is made up of a series of small islands. Season 2 of the Pokémon anime is set in this region. Four of the Orange Islands (Fire Island, Lightning Island, Ice Island, and Shamouti Island) are the setting of the animated film Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Spin-off regions
Orre
is a mostly arid region that is the setting of Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. According to Pokemon.com, the region is based on the Arizona desert, although the structures (most of which appear to be made of pieces of older structures) found within Orre lend a post-apocalyptic feel to it as well. In this region, wild Pokémon are rare, and can only be caught in Pokémon XD (the only wild Pokémon seen in Colosseum was Ho-Oh). Orre's location in reference to the other Pokémon regions is unknown, though the mountains to the south of Orre may be the same mountain chain to the north of Kanto. It may also be to the south of the Sinnoh region as the desert seems to give way to plains a little bit north of Orre. Team Cipher and Team Snagem are the resident crime syndicates here.
Orre locations
- Phenac City
Phenac City is in southern Orre. The city has survived in the desert because it is built on an oasis, which provides enough excess water to run several fountains and other water features, fed by aboveground channels coursing through the city. It is the home of Pre Gym (the only known Pokémon Gym in Orre) and the Phenac Stadium. It's name and origin story are an obvious nod to Phoenix, Arizona
- Pyrite Town
Pyrite Town is located in southwestern Orre. A run-down shantytown and a popular hideout for criminals, it is the center of much activity in both games. An underground portion of the city known as "The Under" exists, but is only accessible in Colosseum. In Pokémon XD, Pyrite Town has a new building called the ONBS Headquarters. The building's roof was formerly the entrance to Cipher Admin. Miror B.'s (from Colosseum) secret base.
- Agate Village
Agate Village is a lush village in northwestern Orre. It seems to be a popular location for Pokémon Trainers to retire. It houses the region's Pokémon Daycare Center, as well as the entrance to Relic Forest, which contains the Relic Stone, an artifact that can be used to purify Shadow Pokémon.
- Mt. Battle
Mt. Battle, a large volcano in far northern Orre, is home to a large venue for Pokémon battles. These battles are held on a series of levitating platforms, starting at the base of the mountain, and ending at a platform floating above the caldera of the volcano.
- Pokémon HQ Lab
This advanced research laboratory can be found in northwestern Orre. Professor Krane resides here as Orre's resident professor, although he does not give out starter Pokemon to beginning Trainers. The HQ Lab is also notable for the "Purify Chamber," a machine capable of purifying many Shadow Pokémon at once. It is also home to Pokémon XD's protagonist, Michael, his sister Jovi, and his mother Lily. The Pokémon HQ Lab is only accessible in Pokémon XD. Since Orre is based on Arizona, HQ Lab's overall appearance may have been inspired by Biosphere 2.
- Gateon Port
This port, located in western Orre, is the principal way in and out of the region. Because of this, the name "Gateon" is probably derived from the word "gate." Citadark Isle, the home of Pokémon XD 's top villain, is located off the coast of Gateon Port (one non-player character can see it from the port, and others mention its location). Gateon Port is only accessible in Pokémon XD.
Fiore
is the setting of the game Pokémon Ranger. It does not appear in the Pokémon anime, although Solana, the female protagonist of the game, has made two appearances. Ranger implies that it is located quite some distance from the other regions of the Pokémon world, though Sinnoh is believed to be the closest because when a Pokémon Egg washed up on a beach in Fiore, the Pokémon Professor sent it to Sinnoh to get hatched. It is a relatively small island region that is quite mountainous. There are four known areas in Fiore, each named after the season it constantly experiences — Ringtown, Fall City, Wintown, and Summerland. Fiore contains 213 Pokémon that can be caught in Pokémon Ranger. It does not have any Pokémon trainers. All people who live with Pokémon keep them outside of Poké Balls, much like pets. The Go-Rock Squad is the resident crime syndicate of this region.
Duelist Region
The GB Island is the setting of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. This island is in a universe where Pokémon only exist as cards and it consists of eight Clubs, which are similar to Pokémon Gyms, a Pokémon TCG Elite Four, a Card Maniac's home, and a Card Lab. It does not appear in the anime. In Pokémon Card GB2, another island is introduced - GB Island 2.
Stadium regions
Stadium Island is the setting of Pokémon Stadium, White City is the setting of Pokémon Stadium 2, and Pokétopia is the setting of Pokémon Battle Revolution. They do not appear in the anime.
Mystery Dungeon Realm
The Pokémon World is the setting of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games. There are only Pokémon, though they seem to be aware of the existence of humans. This region has appeared only in a special episode of the Pokémon anime. Being completely without humans, there is no organized crime element in this area. However, in the Mystery Dungeon anime special and in the beginning of the games, there is a group of Pokémon troublemakers dubbed "Team Meanies," who, despite being a rescue team, tend to make things tough for everyone. In the special episode of the anime, they appear to just be minor bullies, but in the game, they seek world domination, where the player and his or her heroic partner Pokémon attempt to thwart them.
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