Pokémon: Red, Blue, and Dead All Over (Part 1)
Welcome to Sensei Sensibility! You are the hungry mind yearning to ruin your precious childhood Pokémon memories; I am the (questionably) knowledgeable Sensei, more than happy to satiate your ghoulish appetite.
Fresh off the back of my notorious Horror in Pokémon panel recently hosted at Akumakon 2023, Galway, I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite creepy Pokémon moments discussed with the (rather rowdy) audience of the panel.
The Faceless Ghost of Kalos:
Rest for a moment, weary traveller, on this dark and stormy night at the seemingly empty house along the spookerific Kalos Route 14, and you will be greeted by a quaking man in the corner - warning you of hoard of faceless men standing right... behind you!!
This is a delightfully odd story your character will be told by a besuited gentleman along said Route 14 in Pokémon X&Y. While random, creepy moments are now a fan-staple of the Pokémon games, I've always enjoyed this one as it's clearly a nod to the Japanese yokai Noppera-bo.
The faceless, humanoid Noppera-bo are sometimes considered to be young tanuki or kitsune who haven't yet mastered the art of facial features. That being said, any faceless, humanoid supernatural being - regardless of their true, fluffy origins - is bloody terrifying.
Of all the Pokémon Creepypasta out there centring around mysteriously found bootleg editions of the original games, Pokémon Creepy Black is my favourite.
Instead of just rehashing the existing Pokémon storyline - but with more edges than a My Chemical Romance listening, guyliner wearing emo circa 2005 - Creepy Black reimagines Pokémon gameplay from the off.
Along with the the traditional Grass/Fire/Water starters, you're also able to select a Ghost type starter, the Ghost appearing THE Ghost from Red & Blue's Lavender Tower. When battling with your newfound Ghost pal, you put the EXPiry in EXPerience points.
Pokémon die!
They don't just faint and you scurry off to the nearest nurse Joy for some of that sweet, sweet free healthcare - they are an ex-Pokémon!
This one is the most plausible of all potential bootleg games, and, let's face it - the most realistic. Like, on what planet can a Caterpie (or similar) be hit with a Roar of Time by timelord Dialga and not die?
Wally! Wally! Wally!
I've been a firm believer since the noughties that Wally from Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire is the best rival of the entire thirty year long franchise.
He's multi-dimensional, scrappy, and you fervently root for the triumph of this Victorian-esque Hoenn waif the same way you root for Oliver Twist to finally leave the grim underworld of London crime and live happily ever after with Mr. Brownlow.
Wally is slight, sickly and determined to best me and become Hoenn Champion.
Poor, sweet child.
Doesn't this underdeveloped urchin know I've been playing Pokémon since 1998?
Him, his Ralts and his weak-ass lungs standing around all day in the chilly, damp Victory Road waiting to battle me, don't... stand... a... chance.
Literally.
One of my favourite Creepypastas is an alternate ending to kicking Wally's butt in the final rival battle before taking on the League.
The tale tells that such was the strain of all the training and assorted rivalling, Wally perishes shortly after your last fandango. And boy does his mom put you on a guilt trip!
So, faceless ghost men, dead Pokémon, and the ethics of continuously defeating a sick child who's just trying his darnedest - there's more to Pokémon than meets the eye - if you're not afraid to go out there and poke it!
Let's keep the creepy chat going over on:
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