Munchlax may as well be a generation III Pokemon

[Palamon]

Some Pokemon are teased in a generation before their debut.

Munchlax, for example, was promoted two entire years before gen four even happened. However, in later generations, less and less next generation Pokemon have been teased in other media. For example, Generation 7 only had one of the new Pokemon teased in a previous generation. Generation 8 also had no new generation Pokemon teased through other media before their official debut. No, btw, trailers do not count.

By the way, Munchlax was the heaviest promoted next generation Pokemon, just in my opinion. Munchlax:
-was in three games ahead of its official debut, Pokemon Dash, Pokemon XD and PMD, but as an NPC
-Was used by a main character in the anime before its actual in game debut.

And far more, of course.

These were the Pokemon that debuted before their generation.

Gen II pokemon that appeared in gen I media:
Ho-oh, Togepi, Marill, Snubbull, Donphan, Ledyba, Elekid, Bellossom, Hoothoot, Lugia, and Slowking.

Gen III Pokemon that appeared in Gen II media:
Kecleon, Azurill, Wailmer, Wynaut, Duskull, Volbeat (yes, really), Latias, Latios, Blaziken, Sharpedo, Seedot, Shroomish, Lotad, Zigzagoon, Wingull and Pelipper.

Gen IV Pokemon that appeared in Gen III media:
Munchlax, Lucario, Bonsly, Weavile, Mime Jr., Manaphy, Mantyke, Buizel (mispronounced in the movie it debuted in), Chatot and Electrivire.

Gen V Pokemon that appeared in Gen IV media:
Only Zorua and Zororak. However, Woobat was teased.

Gen VI Pokemon that appeared in Gen V media:
Sylveon, Helioptile, Gogoat and Noivern.

Finally, Gen VII Pokemon that appeared in Gen VI media:
Only Magearna.

Also, how many of you still confuse Togepi as a generation I Pokemon when it's gen II?
And how many of you back in the day believed those silly Pokegod rumors? (Ie, Snubbull/Marril and the like being called Pokegods back then.)

What do you think of Pokemon being teased before their generation? I really miss these days... Pokemon doesn't do that anymore. =/ All we get these days is trailers for new ones. They're never promoted through other media before their generation that way these days...

 

[Ninetales]

Lucario is another example. It was a main character in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, long before generation 4 came to be. This is one of my favourite movies and I think it's a really strong example, especially considering how immensely popular Lucario is. Manaphy also appeared in Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, which was another fantastic movie.

I do miss this promotional mechanism as well. It's a shame the Pokémon Company no longer utilizes it. The last occurrence of this that I can recall was was Zoroark appearing in Zororark: Master of Illusions.

 

[Palamon]

Lucario is another example. It was a main character in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, long before generation 4 came to be. This is one of my favourite movies and I think it's a really strong example, especially considering how immensely popular Lucario is. Manaphy also appeared in Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, which was another fantastic movie.

I do miss this promotional mechanism as well. It's a shame the Pokémon Company no longer utilizes it. The last occurrence of this that I can recall was was Zoroark appearing in Zororark: Master of Illusions.

I just edited my post to include all the promoted Pokemon, yeah, lol.

I remember Lucario was also pretty heavily promoted, now that you mention it. Lucario was seen as a legendary hero in Mystery Dungeon and was an entire rank of its own in that game...

 

[Lysander]

You even get a statue of Lucario next to your Team Base should you reach Lucario Rank. Which is the highest rank available in the game.

 

[pkmin3033]

I like the idea of Lucario being a Gen III Pokemon and not tainting Gen IV with its presence. xD

In some ways I miss it but in others I don't, because they made some very poor choices in what to reveal. Lucario and Zoroark in no way deserved their own movies - the former especially does not deserve this, and its constant presence in a game's regional dex and in Gym Leaders' teams is absolutely damning - and most of what they've teased has been completely forgotten about...I mean, does anyone really remember the Gen VI reveals besides from Sylveon? I didn't like the way that Blaziken was teased to promote Gen III either: as an excuse to have Ash lose yet another league.

Honestly I liked it the most for Gen II, where they often just tossed it out there without giving its name or anything. Ho-Oh and Donphan in particular spring to mind here. That was maddening, but it was also really cool at the same time. I remember Marill being called Pikablu, and EVERYONE believed it. Then the absolute shock that followed when it was called Marill. I think I still have a Marill on one of my older games called "Pikablu" in defiance to this. xD