Why is it illegal for trainers younger than 10 to own Pokemon?

[Kid Sonic]

Considering the many NPC children in the video games who hangout at routes (even Battle Towers/Subways/Maisons), wouldn't this be unfair to the younger children in the anime, who are specifically barred by this rule, including traveling companions such as Max and Bonnie? It's almost like saying that children under 10 can't own pets. And besides, anybody can catch and train Pokemon if they know the simple basics. Learn the typing and call out a few moves. Children younger than eight even manage to earn at least one badge in the games. The only hard part is field maneuvers outside of the games and forming bonds with the disobedient ones.

But if the alleged enforces are so strict about this rule, what would happen if someone like Max just happen to have a Pokeball in his possession and manage to obtain a wild Pokemon? What would they (whoever "they" is) do, rip his new friend out of his hands and take it away from him?

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

They can OWN the Pokemon but cannot own them in Pokeball.
It's like Eureka and Dedenne, Dedenne is Eureka's Pokemon but it had to be caught by Citron to be in Pokeball =)
They don't own Pokedex/Zukan/Whatever so they cannot use Pokeballs.

And why 10...? It's round =D

 

[Kid Sonic]

So it's illegal because they can't own them in balls.

You know, fanfic-wise, I'm prepared to violate every rule in the book. Because there isn't enough justification as to why they exist.

 

[Aquacorde]

I'd assume it's illegal for them to personally own a Pokémon simply because they're underage. In PokéAni world, 10 is the age you are legally an adult, can leave home, legally obtain Pokémon, register for leagues and contests, get married, etc. Besides that, many kids go to school until they're at least 7 (probably), though it seems pretty optional and the children/siblings of gym leaders don't seem to do that at all- probably because they have someone at home who can teach them everything important.

If you view it like owning a pet- in the real world, who usually owns the pet? A kid's parents/guardians. Not the kid personally, even if they take care of it themselves and call it their own.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

I'd assume it's illegal for them to personally own a Pokémon simply because they're underage. In PokéAni world, 10 is the age you are legally an adult, can leave home, legally obtain Pokémon, register for leagues and contests, get married, etc. Besides that, many kids go to school until they're at least 7 (probably), though it seems pretty optional and the children/siblings of gym leaders don't seem to do that at all- probably because they have someone at home who can teach them everything important.

Wait... WHAT?! o.O
Hey, hey... let's not jump into conclusions, right? o.O
Being married at the age of 10 is not something even Japan would do o.O

 

[Wobbu]

Wait... WHAT?! o.O
Hey, hey... let's not jump into conclusions, right? o.O
Being married at the age of 10 is not something even Japan would do o.O

It's strange but I'm almost positive that there is an episode where some little girl tries to marry Brock and James but they refuse (someone back me up on this D: ). Ten in Pokémon Anime land is adulthood for whatever reason and that's when people are expected to choose between battling or working.

I wouldn't say it's illegal by law to own a Pokémon before you're ten but rather illegal to officially enter the Pokémon League. I'm sure children can own Pokémon but Max, for example, may not feel like he was responsible enough to own a Pokémon. He would rather learn about them and how to raise them before taking the leap of ownership.

 

[Aquacorde]

Let's quote Bulba, yay.

"A person's Pokémon journey can begin as early as the age of 10, when they can first legally apply for a Pokémon Trainer's license. It is at this point that a Pokémon Professor or other League-sanctioned official can give them a starter Pokémon native to their own region, though many people befriend other Pokémon prior to being legally able to be Trainers." [x]

"In the anime, many children under the age of ten have been shown to own Pokémon, confusing viewers. It is generally an accepted fandom theory that minors under the age of ten may own Pokémon, but are not allowed to compete in Pokémon League-sanctioned tournaments or challenge Gym Leaders." [x]

Wait... WHAT?! o.O
Hey, hey... let's not jump into conclusions, right? o.O
Being married at the age of 10 is not something even Japan would do o.O

I got that info from the Shudo novelizations, so. I mean I don't know if it's strictly canon but what he says is pretty much all just extended canons about the universe that don't always get touched on in-show.

"Compulsory education ends once children reach ten years of age, as they are then considered adults. As of the April following their tenth birthday, they may continue on to secondary education, or leave school to pursue other interests, be it Pokemon training, starting the career of their choice, or even getting married." [x]

And I mean, if you're getting up-in-arms over Pokémon being weird about that... let me remind you that the literal translation of Sinnoh Folk Story #3 refers to people and Pokémon marrying each other. :|

 

[Talon Flare]

Bonnie is like 5-8 years old and she has a Dedenne
and also you battle Preschoolers during your journey in games
So probably minors can own Pokemon with a Parent or Guardian permission

 

[Masterge77]

I always found this concept weird, especially since none of the characters in the anime ever age, not to mention Ash looks a bit older than a 10 year old to me, but in the anime world, 10 is considered the legal age for many to be an "adult". When it comes to the games, I always portray the player character as being around 13-14, since they look much older than real-life 10 year old children actually do.

Keep in mind that in some real life cultures, the age of 13 is considered to be where people enter adulthood (in most western cultures, it's 18 or 21), so saying it's unrealistic would be hard.

 

[tyc]

I'm almost positive that there is an episode where some little girl tries to marry Brock and James but they refuse
(someone back me up on this D: )

This sounds like Temacu in the 200th episode "the Heartbreak of Brock" (41st in Johto League Champions)

I don't recall if they mention how old she was though.

Plus she may not plan for immediate marriage but it could be a prolonged betrothal like "I'll be your fiance for the next eight years and we get married when I turn 18" type of deal?

 

[Duck]

Kids go "I wanna marry <X>" all the time without really knowing what that even means. In their mind marriage isn't a serious commitment that usually implies a bunch of other things.

In Temacu's case specifically the anime mentions that "she had become obsessed with marriage since her cousin's recent wedding" (or so Bulbapedia says). If she is a kid it can just be her basically wanting a wedding celebration, not a marriage, although for what's worth, she's about Brock's height, maybe an inch or so smaller without her shoes that have slight heels, and only slightly shorter than Jessie (who also has small heels). So she's probably around 15 ~ 16.

Back to the topic though, I don't think it's considered illegal per se. It's just a social custom, a sort of "well, they're probably old enough to handle a pet" kind of thing.

And also, there most likely just isn't an Wattsonian answer. Most of the main characters have to be around 10 so they can be self-inserts for the intended audience, but no character meaningfully acts their age or like age matters. Gary's the same age as Ash but apparently can drive, and used to have a bunch of groupies.

Pokemon's just kind of suffering from shounen syndrome where characters are like 10 because they want to sell to 10 year olds but behave like they're 15 because that's more convenient to the writers.

 

[sabrina_diamond]

I think it's because younger children don't have the mindset nor the maturity to go out on a Pokemon journey without their parent's supervision?

 

[Darthbane2007]

Its not illegal to own a Pokemon at a young age. Its that they can't go off on their own pokemon journey until then