Lifespan of Pokemon Page 2

Started by gorgono May 31st, 2010 10:14 AM
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  • 39 replies
Age 29
Male
Seen June 1st, 2013
Posted April 27th, 2013
2,276 posts
14.4 Years
Their technology seems to have focused upon making things better for Pokemon. Creature comforts seem to have advanced more slowly than medicine and Pokemon research. Perhaps they've found ways to extend the lifespans of captive Pokemon?

So, untrained Butterfree I would give roughly 4-5 years. Evolution may be forced as the Pokemon gets older, in level-up evolution at least.
Back from the Hidden Land~
My Pokemon tabletop RPG project. Looking for feedback and ideas!
Male
Seen November 20th, 2012
Posted November 20th, 2012
42 posts
13 Years
The thing that makes me think that some pokemon's lifespans aren't based off of real life creatures is because of the differences.

For instance - a manthis lives about a year in real life....I would imagine that Scyther doesn't die in just a year.

also, for steel types like Scizor, do you think that their lifespans are 100+ because they are made of steel? I know Steelix can live 100+ years for sure (from pokedex) but the theory may not work well with the ones that aren't steel-like (Empoleon, Scizor).
Age 31
Male
Seen June 4th, 2010
Posted June 4th, 2010
29 posts
13 Years
Pokemon death has already been brought up with the presence of Pokemon Tower, in which trainers bring their deceased pokemon to bury them and such.

Pokemon do seem to age, as shown with Surfing Pikachu, who grew up with his trainer (in the anime), as well as Tracy's Scyther, who is said to be older than the rest and is, thus, a bit less physically fit than the others.

As far as a clear-cut maximum age limit is concerned, I don't think there is one. There are a good deal of pokemon -- such as Ninetales (Kitsune) and Espeon (Bakeneko / Nekomata) -- that, by design, would require a relatively high lifespan in order to exist in their current forms. If I recall, Vulpix alone would have to have existed for a good deal of time just to get its current 5 tails, and yet they are simply born as they are. I must also mention that I have yet to see a bug-type pokemon, aside from Tracy's Scyther, that demonstrated any effects due to age. If they had such short lifespans, then the variance due to age would become obvious with Beedrill swarms, as a Beedrill even a few weeks older than another would have a noticeable difference. Contrary to this, however, it can also be said that their lifespans are *so* short that they don't even survive long enough to appear old.

This is countered with the continued survival of the Butterfree that Ash happened to release early on in the series, as it does manage to appear later on in the series.


I, personally, believe that a pokemon can live indefinitely provided it does not cease being active. Even with great age, a pokemon that continues to be active would maintain its strength and power. Once a pokemon stops doing this -- such as if its trainer dies and it becomes disheartened, or pokemon that are kept inside the house (such as Skitty) -- it becomes more and more vulnerable to the effects of age and may even perish.

This would also explain just how pokemon battles came about. In order to maintain the lifespan of their pokemon, it would be understandable to pit them in combat against each other with the knowledge that doing so would keep them alive for a longer period of time (barring fatal injuries). From there, it could easily evolve into pokemon battling growing into a recreational activity or even a professional one.


But I'm reading a lot into it.

Volroc

The Unpredictability Trainer

Male
Seen July 20th, 2015
Posted April 2nd, 2012
1,880 posts
13.1 Years
Pokemon death has already been brought up with the presence of Pokemon Tower, in which trainers bring their deceased pokemon to bury them and such.

Pokemon do seem to age, as shown with Surfing Pikachu, who grew up with his trainer (in the anime), as well as Tracy's Scyther, who is said to be older than the rest and is, thus, a bit less physically fit than the others.

As far as a clear-cut maximum age limit is concerned, I don't think there is one. There are a good deal of pokemon -- such as Ninetales (Kitsune) and Espeon (Bakeneko / Nekomata) -- that, by design, would require a relatively high lifespan in order to exist in their current forms. If I recall, Vulpix alone would have to have existed for a good deal of time just to get its current 5 tails, and yet they are simply born as they are. I must also mention that I have yet to see a bug-type pokemon, aside from Tracy's Scyther, that demonstrated any effects due to age. If they had such short lifespans, then the variance due to age would become obvious with Beedrill swarms, as a Beedrill even a few weeks older than another would have a noticeable difference. Contrary to this, however, it can also be said that their lifespans are *so* short that they don't even survive long enough to appear old.

This is countered with the continued survival of the Butterfree that Ash happened to release early on in the series, as it does manage to appear later on in the series.


I, personally, believe that a pokemon can live indefinitely provided it does not cease being active. Even with great age, a pokemon that continues to be active would maintain its strength and power. Once a pokemon stops doing this -- such as if its trainer dies and it becomes disheartened, or pokemon that are kept inside the house (such as Skitty) -- it becomes more and more vulnerable to the effects of age and may even perish.

This would also explain just how pokemon battles came about. In order to maintain the lifespan of their pokemon, it would be understandable to pit them in combat against each other with the knowledge that doing so would keep them alive for a longer period of time (barring fatal injuries). From there, it could easily evolve into pokemon battling growing into a recreational activity or even a professional one.


But I'm reading a lot into it.
id have to agree for the most part with your assessment ^_^
cuz even with humans if consumed the correct amount of calcium, protein, & other vitamins, while stayin active,one can appear not to age ^_^ and wont feel the adverse effects of aging that much.

Green Pachirisu Lover,Trainer, & Wanter ♥
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Age 29
Male
Melbourne, Down Under
Seen July 5th, 2015
Posted July 29th, 2011
136 posts
14.1 Years
possibly, but then again the bond is with its trainer, not the parent ;) loop holes, i always find them :laugh:
So lets say i had an Absol and I pass it down to my son before I die and he does the same and it just goes on. The Absol could live forever?

Volroc

The Unpredictability Trainer

Male
Seen July 20th, 2015
Posted April 2nd, 2012
1,880 posts
13.1 Years
So lets say i had an Absol and I pass it down to my son before I die and he does the same and it just goes on. The Absol could live forever?
dunno if thatd last forever, its sure ot have a limit but itd definitely last a few generations ^_^

Green Pachirisu Lover,Trainer, & Wanter ♥
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Platinum Friend Code: 4125-8116-6910
White Friend Code: 3739-9194-5899
Yugioh 5Ds WC2010 Reverse of Arcadia Friend Code: 4340-5571-8174
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Male
Seen November 20th, 2012
Posted November 20th, 2012
42 posts
13 Years
I'd say it's probably based off the animal the pokemon is designed after.

The thing is, some aren't based off of anything. Granted they look similar, but even so, they are much larger - a few inches in real life to 6 feet in the poke world.

Also, maybe someone can confirm this? : The butterfree episode, after butterfree breeds, it dies..but they changed it for the US episode...I heard that somewhere, but IDK if its true or not.
He / Him
USA
Seen December 1st, 2022
Posted December 1st, 2022
1,306 posts
13.2 Years
Pokemon death has already been brought up with the presence of Pokemon Tower, in which trainers bring their deceased pokemon to bury them and such.

Pokemon do seem to age, as shown with Surfing Pikachu, who grew up with his trainer (in the anime), as well as Tracy's Scyther, who is said to be older than the rest and is, thus, a bit less physically fit than the others.

As far as a clear-cut maximum age limit is concerned, I don't think there is one. There are a good deal of pokemon -- such as Ninetales (Kitsune) and Espeon (Bakeneko / Nekomata) -- that, by design, would require a relatively high lifespan in order to exist in their current forms. If I recall, Vulpix alone would have to have existed for a good deal of time just to get its current 5 tails, and yet they are simply born as they are. I must also mention that I have yet to see a bug-type pokemon, aside from Tracy's Scyther, that demonstrated any effects due to age. If they had such short lifespans, then the variance due to age would become obvious with Beedrill swarms, as a Beedrill even a few weeks older than another would have a noticeable difference. Contrary to this, however, it can also be said that their lifespans are *so* short that they don't even survive long enough to appear old.

This is countered with the continued survival of the Butterfree that Ash happened to release early on in the series, as it does manage to appear later on in the series.


I, personally, believe that a pokemon can live indefinitely provided it does not cease being active. Even with great age, a pokemon that continues to be active would maintain its strength and power. Once a pokemon stops doing this -- such as if its trainer dies and it becomes disheartened, or pokemon that are kept inside the house (such as Skitty) -- it becomes more and more vulnerable to the effects of age and may even perish.

This would also explain just how pokemon battles came about. In order to maintain the lifespan of their pokemon, it would be understandable to pit them in combat against each other with the knowledge that doing so would keep them alive for a longer period of time (barring fatal injuries). From there, it could easily evolve into pokemon battling growing into a recreational activity or even a professional one.


But I'm reading a lot into it.
Wow, do you by any chance teach Pokeology at the Institute of Pokemon Etymology? :D

I agree with everything you said and I figure it could possibly relate to some real creatures. For instance some sharks have to continue swimming in order get water through their gills in order to stay alive. Stopping in one place would mean death due to lack of oxygen..somewhat comparable to pokemon without a trainer who doesn't do much that eventually becomes a victim of aging.
*dreaming 4ever
Age 31
Male
Seen June 4th, 2010
Posted June 4th, 2010
29 posts
13 Years
I wouldn't put too much thought into Ash's Butterfree; nobody ages in the anime.
Point taken. Let us then direct our attention to the manga.

Giovanni's prized pokemon happens to be a Beedrill, which has survived with him for quite a good deal of time (from his childhood onward). I think that this, at least, is somewhat credible in acknowledging that bug pokemon -- or, at the very least, Beedrill -- do not die off nearly as quickly as their real-life counterpart.

The thing is, some aren't based off of anything. Granted they look similar, but even so, they are much larger - a few inches in real life to 6 feet in the poke world.

Also, maybe someone can confirm this? : The butterfree episode, after butterfree breeds, it dies..but they changed it for the US episode...I heard that somewhere, but IDK if its true or not.
If I'm not mistaken, it was indeed implied that Butterfree die after mating (whether due to the act itself or time span, I cannot say), but the Pokemon creators themselves had actually not intended this. To dispel these rumors, they created an episode in which Ash's butterfree is seen, alive and kicking.

Wow, do you by any chance teach Pokeology at the Institute of Pokemon Etymology? :D
I just read very deeply into things. One of my major strengths is plugging up plot-holes and making things, for lack of a better phrase, make good sense.

Actually, it might be possible that the very thing that allows these pokemon to do such astounding feats (shooting mass amounts of water from their orifices, maintaining a fire somewhere on their body) is also the source that keeps them alive. By fighting, they release the impurities generated by this source and within it, as well. This may be why pokemon can "level-up" -- the source of their being is slowly becoming more and more pure -- and how they can evolve miraculously -- their body changing to accomodate the amount of energy the purified source gives off. Stones may do the same thing, but perhaps *give* something to the source that is vital for that pokemon's continued evolution, such as a slight modification to the intricate type of energy generated (even a minor change can have drastic results). This can be why even though a pokemon purifies their source with continued battles and grows more powerful, they do not evolve without the stone -- their evolved body would only be generated by the modified energy present only when said pokemon had been exposed to the stone.

Happiness may be an indication of "will", the pokemon's desire to remain with you as well as their contentment in life. It has already been shown to have an effect on their power as demonstrated with the moves "Return" and "Frustration", so it is not so outlandish to also rule that they might modify the type of energy generated from said pokemon source and produce the necessary evolution.

But I've begun to ramble...

Kirbychu

Still looking for Mirage Island
Seen August 20th, 2021
Posted July 28th, 2020
2,347 posts
13.9 Years
Also, maybe someone can confirm this? : The butterfree episode, after butterfree breeds, it dies..but they changed it for the US episode...I heard that somewhere, but IDK if its true or not.
I'm pretty sure that's false, but I don't have much to back myself up with. Ash's Butterfree did appear (Alive, mind you.) in the Japanese opening Spurt at :40.

I also found this on Bulbapedia...
It is a common misconception that Butterfree die after mating. However, this comes from a mistranslation and there is nothing to stop Butterfree returning in the future.
Seen May 10th, 2011
Posted April 25th, 2011
26 posts
16.8 Years
The thing is, some aren't based off of anything. Granted they look similar, but even so, they are much larger - a few inches in real life to 6 feet in the poke world.

Also, maybe someone can confirm this? : The butterfree episode, after butterfree breeds, it dies..but they changed it for the US episode...I heard that somewhere, but IDK if its true or not.
yeah but the ones that arent based off a real animal, like ghosts and mythical creatures is left open to the imagination. :P