"newly discovered" pokemon

[sdc10]

This has been a source of confusion for me. I remember when gold/silver first came out the new 100 pokemon were at times referred to as "newly discovered" pokemon. But thinking about that, its never really made sense that 100 new species just happened to be discovered. So Im just wondering with the introduction of the new species in the generations, is it more like that all 490+ species have always been around? rather than new ones being "discovered"?

 

[Kirbychu]

During GSC I think they were literally considered new species, but the idea was later retconned once Gen III came around. I'd assume most of the current species have always been around, although some Pokemon are exceptions (Search Solrock's Ruby Dex Entry). Now, when someone in the games says "new pokemon" they may just be breaking the fourth wall, like the Bonsly being considered "new" in XD.

Everything worked out in the end. :)

 

[coolcatkim22]

When they say discovered they mean recorded.

 

[Ayselipera]

I think in the second generation they really did mean newly discovered pokemon. Then they probably realized that it wouldn't make sense for future generations. So instead I think its more of a there are certain species of pokemon that only live in certain regions. So they are so rare that they are almost unknown to the region before it.

I'm completely guessing so don't take my word for it!

 

[jasonresno]

I think in the second generation they really did mean newly discovered pokemon. Then they probably realized that it wouldn't make sense for future generations. So instead I think its more of a there are certain species of pokemon that only live in certain regions. So they are so rare that they are almost unknown to the region before it.

I'm completely guessing so don't take my word for it!

Nah, I think you are right. I think initially when every batch of 100 was considered new it was sort of...breaking that fourth wall...the characters were reacting to all of the new Pokemon the same way the viewers were. In a stunning jab at the slightest bit of realism the writers decided that that just wouldn't make sense. So from that point future batches of Pokemon were just chilling in other regions. And, to a degree, that is perfectly plausible. In real life animals can be area specific. So Pokemon can certainly be as well.

 

[sdc10]

Nah, I think you are right. I think initially when every batch of 100 was considered new it was sort of...breaking that fourth wall...the characters were reacting to all of the new Pokemon the same way the viewers were. In a stunning jab at the slightest bit of realism the writers decided that that just wouldn't make sense. So from that point future batches of Pokemon were just chilling in other regions. And, to a degree, that is perfectly plausible. In real life animals can be area specific. So Pokemon can certainly be as well.

Yes this does make sense however the only problem with that explanation is now because of the remakes generation 3 and 4 pokemon are now showing up in Kanto/Johto. So it must be more like those pokemon have now always been in those regions.

 

[Charmageddon]

In GSC the new Pokemon were newly discovered, which made sense because three years had passed and a lot of them (Hoothoot excluded) were quite rare. However, RSE retconned it and assumed that these Pokemon had always been there. We just have to bypass logic and accept it.

Theory - what if by "150/250 discovered Pokemon" they actually meant "150/250 Pokemon discovered to be living in this region". Then it would make sense - there were only 151 Pokemon living in Kanto, and the same time as there were (I think) 201 Pokemon living in Hoenn. So the people of Kanto were always aware that there were Zigzagoon and Wurmple all over Hoenn, but their Pokedex only included Kanto-native Pokemon.

 

[manomow]

Wait, the anime and games show that Professor Oak, Elm, Birch, and Rowan all have known each other for a long time. Pokemon cant all of a sudden appear in a fully developed region. They have also been there for a long time like in the Arceus movie, but the Pokemon are still referenced as "new". If they are old wouldn't the professors tell each other about them? Also, all of a sudden, like in the Battle Frontier season of the anime, Pokemon considered new, appear in a region they weren't in before, like a Tailow in Kanto.

 

[BenEary]

There are ancient shrines to various legendaries, so those had already been known about.

I think it's more likely that it they're thought of as new only to the context of regional seperation. Like, Ash, having grown up in Kanto and only having contact with Kanto pokemon, Johto pokemon are new. Oak may have addressed them as "new" only for Ash and company's point of view.
It is weird that all these pokemon are new, even when people seem to have been training them for years and possibly centuries.
In the fourth movie, 40 years ago, there had been at least a couple Johto pokemon being trained. Such as Houndour/doom

Baby pokemon could easily be considered as newly discovered thanks to research by Professor Elm, especially since Tracey didn't recognize Elekid's head on Trovita Island.

 

[Fire Eagle]

As in Pokemon Red, Pokemon Blue, and Pokemon Yellow, the first 151 Pokemon were new to us as in the video game and in the anime series. In Pokemon Silver, Gold, and Crystal, new Pokemon were ''created'' or just ''discovered'' in the games, but to us, they were previously shown in the anime series time to time. In Pokemon Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald, even more Pokemon were ''created'' or '' discovered''. Even now, we have Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, they ''created'' new Pokemon in the game so we can ''discover'' them and be recognized with the other Pokemon that were ''discovered''.

 

[The Bringer!]

I think that they're newly discovered because we didn't know about them until then >.>

 

[Redstar]

This question has been asked before: https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=189226&highlight=newly+discovered