Pokémon Trivia

Have you caught them all? Hey gang, this week, we’re diving into Pokémon Trivia.

Pokémon took over schools and TVs in the 1990s. It was everywhere and it’s high time we tackled the franchise.

This episode was the direct result of listener feedback. So, let it not be said that we don’t listen to what you’re saying. If you’ve got a suggestion for an episode in the future, let us know.

Promo

We’re doing a cross-promotion this week with the RPG podcast, Halfwits & Failed Crits.

Halfwits & Failed Crits is an actual play tabletop role-playing podcast where Game Master Jonathan Swenson vows to get his players to the end of a campaign. Unfortunately their cursed dice have other plans. Join them as they play Dungeons & Dragons, and try to make the guild to beat all guilds in Season 1 – Worlds Divided. Blast off into space with Season 2 – Children of the Spine, a Stars Without Number game. Or just hop on for a good time but not a long time with any of the crazy One Shots!? Where the Game Master can be anyone and the rules can be anything!

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Episode Transcript/Quiz

Episode Intro

Have you caught them all?

Hey gang, happy Wednesday and welcome back to the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast. I’m your host, Brian Rollins and this week it’s a listener-requested episode! That’s right, the survey from a while back bore some fruit and one of the listener requests was Pokémon. That’s right, speak and we do listen. Now the survey is closed, but we still have a contact form on Dorky Geeky Nerdy as well various places on social media you can holler at us with ideas.

As always, it’s three rounds of ten questions each. I ask the questions, you guess the answers. It’s like Pub Trivia Night without the drink minimum. I think that covers the basics, so let’s get started with…

The Dorky Round

1. The name 'Pokémon' is derived from what two words?

Despite being Japanese, the name comes from two English words: Pocket Monsters.

2. Jessie and James are members of what team?

Team Rocket

3. On what game console was Pokémon first released?

The Nintendo Gameboy

4. How many Pokémon are contained in the first game (Red & Green)?

151

5. Pokémon was initially released in Japan in what year?

1996

6. Which came first, the card game or the video game?

The video game

7. Approximately 600 Japanese children suffered from what after watching a 1997 episode of Pokémon?

Seizures. The episode has never been re-aired.

8. Who voiced Pikachu in the 2019 movie, Detective Pikachu?

Ryan Reynolds

9. Which character has appeared in the most episodes of the anime?

Pikachu. As of this recording, the Pokémon has been in 1,125 episodes.

10. How old was Ash when he first sets out in the anime series?

Ten. Because that’s totally when you turn a child loose into the wild.

1. What was Gary Oak's first Pokémon?

Squirtle

2. When was Pokémon released in the US?

1998

3. Who created Pokémon?

Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori

4. What company initially released Pokémon?

Game Freak

5. In what year was the first Pokémon movie released?

1998

6. In the anime, Brock says he likes donuts. What's he actually eating?

Rice balls. The producers didn’t think Japanese food would translate to Western audiences.

7. As of 2021, how many seasons of the Pokémon anime have aired?

Twenty-three

8. When Game Freak initially started in the 1980s, what did they make?

They were a magazine company.

9. What's Ash's name in the original Japanese?

Satoshi. Named for one of the game’s creators.

Pokémon is the only video game to appear on the cover of what famous magazine that premiered in 1923?

Time Magazine

The Nerdy Round

1. According to the Pokédex, what is the only Pokémon that can devolve?

Slowbro

2. If not for trademarking issues, what was going to be the name of Pokémon?

Capsule Monsters

3. What country banned Pokémon in 2001?

Saudi Arabia. They banned it due to some of the symbols in the game and that it included gambling.

4. In terms of money, what is the most valuable Pokémon card?

The Pikachu Illustrator Card. While researching this episode, I found one for $3 million on eBay. I know what you’re thinking and yes, shipping was included.

5. Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee were named after what martial arts actors?

Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee

6. The name Pokémon is an example of wasei-eigo which means what?

Japanese-made English. Where the Japanese make a new word from combining English words. Another example is Donmai from the English, “I don’t mind”

7. What government stamped Pikachu on their official currency in 2001?

The island of Niue

8. What Pokémon was supposed to accompany Ash before they went with Pikachu in the anime series?

Clefairy

9. Koffing and Weezing were originally named what?

Ny and La (Named after New York and Los Angeles for their smog)

10. After 9/11, the episode 'A Scare in the Air' was renamed to what?

‘Spirits in the Sky’

Episode Conclusion

And that’s it for this week’s show. I hope you 90s kids had a little nostalgia trip. As a Gen-Xer, I sometimes miss these things, so the listener’s feedback is a huge help. Drop us a line at DorkyGeekyNerdy.com and let us know what you like and what you don’t.

We’ll be back again next Wednesday for more trivia. Here’s a clue to tide you over.

What decade brought us The Funky Phantom, Sealab 2020, and Star Trek: The Animated Series?

Who doesn’t want more cartoons in the Summer? I hope to see you here.

This has been episode 125 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy trivia podcast. I’m your host, Brian Rollins. The music has been by Jason Shaw at Audionautix.com.

Thanks for listening.