Feature: How Significant Is Britain's Influence On Pokémon Sword And Shield?

I can’t believe the author got through this entire article without mentioning Polteageist.

Also, Weezing is doubly good when you consider that its smokestacks resemble a Victorian London chimney, with the smog and smoke.

You got your accent backwards. Should be Northern oirland

Brexit cutting the Pokemon and turning them into curry ingredients.

I do hope it's not just the standard nonsense of the UK=England. There's three countries as well as them that have learned to live together.

@Swindla norn irn, I think you'll find

@Knuckles-Fajita As a british citizen myself, I can say that these stereotypes aren't wrong.

Fookin' curry mates!

All we need now is the chavs druggies and knifecrime and it'll be a perfect representation!

@SpookyPotato that's mostly just in that london.

I must say that the image of someone with brown skin and blue eyes with the Union Flag behind is a fantastically inspiring image of the UK.

I tend to like this theory of the UK's representation in the map; https://i.redd.it/lvu690x63cj21.jpg if that's the case hopefully we'll see the new sheep pokemon in the Welsh area!

@gloom "And second is that racism against British people doesn’t exist lol"

That right there proves that you're a racist. Racism can exist against anyone from any race. You are extremely ignorant. I pity you.

"And no, I won’t answer any arguments @ing me."

Afraid to debate when people prove you wrong or call you out? Glad to see others pointing out your stupidity as well.

This article doesn't mention anything about India and their influence on British culture... what about the curry? I've also always thought Hop, Leon, and Rose are Indian.

@Knuckles-Fajita If you think this is mocking British people, come to Canada and listen to us mock British people!

British people are so easily offended lol

@oatmaster I live in Scotland one or all of these happens in every major city here. London is the centre of attention so it always gets reported about the most. Heck even in some of the smaller towns in my local county have these major problems.

@Xelha
You were keep complaining this Pokemon game will gonna worse and worse.
Wait until it fully revealed then you can give your verdict.

@Knuckles-Fajita to be fair, what did NYC get with gen 5 except a lot of pokemon that fit in for construction work (Conkledurr, Exedrill, Haxorus. Pokemon became one with tools).

@oatmaster @SpookyPotato Hahaha, try coming up to Glasgow, our main export is junkies and chippies!

@Anti-Matter Literally all of those are English other than bagpipes and they’re not even Scottish, they’re Irish. Being lumped in with all that royal bollocks and London always being the centre of attention is partly why I’d rather Scotland not remain in the UK if I had another say.

Great article, England has clearly left a mark on this entry! There will always be an England.

"British" is not a race, by the way. Victimhood culture is serious when it has sheltered kids dissecting the common English tropes of a Pokemon game to twist its clearly innocent cultural references into something more to suit their headcanon take on reality.

I’m intrigued how the UK will be represented as I am English myself and usually film and television portrayals revert to jaded stereotypes. One recent memorable example was the most British stereotype character in Supergirl being called ‘Manchester’ that made me cringe throughout the whole last series. But I am happy to be surprised if proven wrong.

You missed the reference to the Cerne Abbas Giant.

What sort of self respecting Brit doesn’t have a few ounces of self deprecation? We love the stereotypical way the rest of the world looks at our country because we go a long way to cultivate them ourselves!

@arekdougy Canada is some sort of county in the US isn't it?

@nessisonett You'd base your decision on being part of the union on being associated with royalty and London?

Also: Please don't leave us.

@ShaiHulud Lol, if I can find a way for my taxes to not fund Philip crashing his car into commoners then I’d take it!

"As a British site, we've always imagined running around our local towns and countryside catching ‘Mon and collecting Gym Badges. That childhood dream is finally going to become a reality"
@RebeccaStow97
That has already come half true with Pokémon GO, you can go running around your local towns and countryside to catch some 'Mon literally whenever you want.

Prejudiced? Maybe.. But racist? Don't make me laugh. Even if you check the dictionary meaning of racism it doesn't mean what this whole game is doing about the UK (which I may add have other races as their citizens too). Y'all aren't oppressed and this game sure as hell isn't oppressing you either so look for a better word and do some more reading on what racism actually is.

@nessisonett I wouldn't blame you but it would be a very sad day nonetheless!

"United Kingdom of Great Litten and Noivern Ireland"
Whoever's idea this was, thank you.

Soccer hooligans.

I challenge you to a Poke-duel!

@Knuckles-Fajita how the heck is this game being racist to the british that makes no sense and your saying all the jokes that fly around about british is racist too come on man even other countries get made fun of especially the u.s.

@May_Nyan

Tell me about it.... The Brits I spent my time with when I lived in Great Britain told me that they had perfected the art of being offended... It's good craic so it is

Well, I personally love the new Pokemon, especially the British-type Wheezing (how can you not like that posh gentleman..... Or is it gentlemen?)

Ugh. As long as they never make a Canadian themed one. If I was forced to venture into even a fictional representation of Canada, I think I'd throw up.

Hopefully not a lot, or the game might make us watch some sort of royal wedding. Don’t know how you Brits put up with that stuff.

I was upset about them excluding some Pokémon from the game but I have to admit the game still looks pretty fun and I'm looking forward to playing it. At least the game won't include any Brexit references (hopefully anyways). I'm so sick of all that nonsense.

Hopefully a patch can correct all this.

@Knuckles-Fajita I would suggest you lighten up

This has been a thing in media for decades, look at all the simpsons gags at "british" expence

But I like these things and find them funny even though I'm British, racist? Please lol get some thicker skin

@gloom "original colonizers"

FAR from it.. Colonasation goes far back way before the British Empire

You do know the islands now known as the UK itself was colonized? People known as "English" are a Germanic race.

Always find it amusing how quick people are to forget that the French and the Spanish were around during that era as well, also fighting for dominance just like the English

@Priceless_Spork Satire is not bullying

@Knuckles-Fajita uh as a british person I actually have no idea what you are even on about

it is not a stereotype that football is a popular sport, that's literally fact and the games lean into this, obviously not everyone likes it but a lot of people do.

@Xelha they never said anything about the Pokemon fandom, they said it is a commentary on fandoms IN GENERAL.

"cutting out Pokemon from the games for no good reason" if they had to cut Pokemon from the games then there was very obviously a good reason for doing so even if that reason has not been made entirely clear.

I just still can't get my head around someone in here saying the British were the "original colonizers"

Makes me question education in schools today.

Colonisation dates all the way back to 1400s, the British Empire wasn't around until around the 1900s

That's about a 500 year gap.

@Doktor-Mandrake I think they were referring to more recent points in time where the British took over NA, which was the beginning of modern society today. And while that is a good history lesson, doesn’t that mean that it’s still the same white people that colonized? So they went from Germanic areas to Britain, and then from Britain to America.... and so many other places in the world. So aren’t they still colonizers? You can’t say they didn’t do it since you know history.

@Lintendonife They're not the "same white people", no..

We're entirely different people from an entirely different era.

And I don't think they were referring to that at all, they said 'original' colonisers..

You know what the word 'original' means, right?

Simple facts are, colonsation, and violence has been around pretty much since man-kind started

Guilt by association is an incredibly dumb thing, especially given the many things modern britian has done for the world, especially given that the british public, even back then, were mere peasants and were not the ones to fault for what happened.

Even those who fought for independance during the American Revolution were British, the 13 colonies were British.

Only difference between an American and a British person, one gained their independance, the others didn't and got stuck in the mainland.

The "original" colonisers was about 500 years before the British Empire was even a thing.. You can't blame all your woes on the British.. They too were victims, living under dictatorship of their mighty empire.

Only reason people still get salty over that stuff is because it was the last sucessful empire in history.

The fact that The Pokémon Company had chosen a region based on Hawaii to introduce a koala Pokémon says it all about their devotion to cultural/geographic integrity. Regions are only loosely based on real-world locations, though I understand that those living in such locations would want to see their culture depicted with some degree of nuance and integrity.

I would love to see a region based on Australia, for example, but I would also be tremendously disappointed if they were to omit certain parts of our fauna and day-to-day goings-ons.

And on another topic, trust first-worlders to turn something innocuous into an excuse to badger on about victimhood and oppression that simply doesn't exist.

There is a whole world out there (of people with real problems) and stereotypes perpetuated that are actually harmful to the wellbeing of the already disadvantaged. A few (mostly accurate) cultural generalisations hardly justifies the disproportionate indignation on display.

@Silly_G I dunno, I think it's an insult to Australians doing that, and clearly RACIST AND OFFENSIVE

..I'm being sarcastic btw, kind of sad I have to point that out these days.

@EvaEeveeFan Ah yeah, because one of the most multi-cultrual countries in the world is surely racist, right?

@EvaEeveeFan Votes were practically 50/50 for Brexit. I don't even need to say any more.

France and Spain were around during "muh empire" times as well, if you don't like it, go learn to speak French or Spanish instead.

I could list you all the horrific things every other country has done but that would take me all night.

@ShaiHulud Do I imitate the offended Brit now, or play along?

Yeesh the arguing above has gotten out of hand.

I'd like to mention that I just finished reading Postwar by Tony Judt. It was amazing learning more about Europe's history since 1945.

@Silly_G Thank you for your measured and nuanced view.

@arekdougy For what it's worth, I'm British and I don't mind the Canadians at all, they're cool, I'd say I even prefer them to the Americans

As a Cynical person, I do hate all of you though, british, american, canadian.. I hate you all, kinda.. Who can blame me when dumb arguments over pokemon.

@Knuckles-Fajita This is definitely a lot more accurate and less mocking than the stereotypes we have of you across the pond. I bet most Americans and Canadians didn't know people ate curry in the UK. They think it's things like crumpets and haggis.

@Doktor-Mandrake Yeah, but the UK does kinda have the world record of still surviving countries when comes to horrible atrocities the US probably being the biggest contender which isn't a surprise when you taught us much of what we know in terms of how to act on the world stage. It's just a little hard for people to feel like Gamefreak is going to far with stereotypes considering how long the United Kingdom was dominant on a global scale.

Hmmm... I wonder what a region based on Australia would be like... maybe next generation...

@Doktor-Mandrake Yeah, going over your comments, I'm pretty much with you. As you've said, I enjoy the average Canadian over the average American, but overall, we're all pretty dense.

@NIN10DOXD Belgium would like a word! France too!

@DEADCELL Sorry, but may I ask you to have a Pokemon battle with me friend? Loser has to buy Timmy's.

@arekdougy Ooooppsss you got me there.

To be frank I will be utterly disappointed if Rolycoly's evo isn't a Tank Engine or Coal Train.

@JaxonH I believe they prefer the term football hooligan good sir. tugs mustache

@NIN10DOXD You're talking hundreds of years ago

Maybe we shouldn't have any Germans in video games either, because of what they did in WW2.

Please, eleborate on how Weezing having a tophat and the locations being set in the UK is so offensive to you because what an empire hundreds of years ago did gets under your skin?

@May_Nyan Now I know where we Americans get it from.

@arekdougy Thanks.

I don't even know why these conversations are taking place, over Pokemon, just because its set in UK and has some British-isms here and there

There's British people in here offended, there's other people in here offended because of the british empire.. The whole getting offended over everything is getting really old now.

@Doktor-Mandrake I never said I was offended in anyway nor did I say we shouldn't have any particular group in games. I actually find the references rather tame. I am actually saying the British do not have the strongest case to be offended by light jokes in a Pokemon game.

Just remember guys, we are talking in English here....

@NIN10DOXD Oh, sorry for the misunderstand.

I agree, I reference Simpsons as that's one of the best examples, with the amount of bad teeth jokes and various other jokes poking fun at the British.. Simpsons writers don't mind poking fun at themselves either, this is why Homer is fat for example.. These people don't know what satire is.. It's like playing Grand Theft Auto and then complaining about the American stearotypes.

But it's all in good fun, as a British person, I laugh at those jokes.

You know why people go to watch stand up comedians? To laugh at themselves!

Humour is dead these days though, if someone pokes fun at you, well that apparently makes you a bad person.

@SpookyPotato We didn't get street gangs selling opioids or mass shooters in Unova so its not happening.

This is self-parody at this point, ahahahaha

@Doktor-Mandrake I agree. i feel like its even worse in America. I actually thought a lot of British comedians were great because they are self aware. I guess its more global than I thought.

@NIN10DOXD Nah it's global, I don't think the internet helps, or twitter.. It's all attention seeking really, and some desperation for a feel of self-worth too probably

Austin Powers is another good example, but I love that movie lol

I think South Park is also another good example, especially given that South Park has equally made fun of EVERYONE, gay, straight, black, white, british, american, mexican.. You name it.

Humour is dead.

Not British but been living in England for many years. Love the country, not the most exciting by landscape or artistic wise, and every now and then you meet some aggressive chaps, but most of the people are lovely.
I want to be able to buy a bloody John Smith at the poké center at 11am tho. Tea is overrated, morning lager is the real brit tradition.

@Knuckles-Fajita - As an American, I am slightly disappointed we didn't as many cliche hot takes of our country as Galar has of yours. So much of yours really rings of BR tastes. So much of it just feels strongly British and ad an outsider from it, kinda bummed NYC was just big city and an Eagle Pokémon. I think I will recall more here in Sw/Sh than I ever did of B/W.

@Doktor-Mandrake - Romans and Greek like to have a word with you on that front, too. But that era we just call it imperialism and pretend it's different. It's a shame most of many ancient histories have not enough logs to show how much "colonialism" was huge on their growth and rise (and ultimate falls) of their societies. Pretty sure Incan/Mayan had similar practices too.

@Sunanootoko John Smith's bitter for breakfast, no thanks. If you must drink at that time of day, try anything from Adnams or Sambrook's, both brewery's put out some great beers.

@nessisonett Aye same up here near Dundee!

@Anti-Matter speaking of using other cultures to be inspired of in future Pokemon games, I wouldnt mind seeing like... regions based off of Italy, Greece, Australia, Brazil. I know there are more, but these stand out as unique, cream of the crop. Italy or Greece can play off of mythology, Australia can have a boost in Poison types, and Brazil can offer a jungle theme in the games.

It should be obvious how much of an influence it is just by the look of the Galar region.

@SpookyPotato Dundee’s bloody lovely during the summer, my sister’s just got her Masters from the uni so I’m up there all the time!

Err... despite all hell breaking loose in the comments, I’d just like to say this was a really nice article. I haven’t read so many dorky puns since ONM closed its doors.

Also, this outbreak over nothing has got me thinking: Polteageist should really get a move called ‘Storm in a Tea Cup’.

@Knuckles-Fajita Can't wait for Pokemon Burger and Fries taking place in the US with regional variants of Remoraid and Yungoos

@Heavyarms55 That's a little unfair. People who criticize the changes are fans, too, and shutting them out because you don't agree with them is precisely why they are upset: They feel that's what Gamefreak is doing. Let people be passionate, insults are one thing I can understand speaking out against, but pointing out what they see as flaws should be okay. Just as it is important to be able to enjoy things, it's important to be critical of the things you do enjoy.

And acting out of spite is just as, if not more hateful, than simply complaining

@EvaEeveeFan I think one can be educated on British Colonialism, the recent brutalities of it, feel very strongly concerning peoples ignorance of it...and also play a Pokemon game that has light quirks and quarks pertaining to a certain culture, in this case British.

In the games expressing primarily through Japanese culture touchstones, are we expected to have storylines involving allusions to Hiroshima? The Nanjing Massacre?

These are childrens games that I, an adult happen to play. I'm not really sure what point you're driving at! I don't think Pokemon needs to be accused of sweeping the history under the rug is all...I certainly don't in my day to day life, always blabbing about the history books I'm reading......

@EvaEeveeFan "Part of being good people is to accept what you’ve done wrong and we’ve done wrong more than any other country in the history of the world"
The past is the past, no one in present time can do anything about it. What do you want these people to do? Make amends for what their ancestors did generations ago?

How in the hell did this whole thread about racism start on some dumb article talking about a dumb children's game? A dumb kids game that's not even out yet, Jesus Christ.

I wish they would already release the list of all previous gen pokemon that are not available in the Galar Dex. I want to know if Talonflame and Clawitzer are in the game.

@Knuckles-Fajita yet everyone seems to be okay with Mario being a stereotypical Italian-American.

It’s just a cartoon game. There’s nothing offensive here.

@YourGoodFriendly how about a game with an Italian American plumber who loves it pasta, who’s short and pudgy, speaks broken English and has enemies named Goomba?

Being a third generation Italian America who’s grandfather was whipped by his own people for not fighting in WWII against Americans, and then to come to the states to be discriminated by the same people he refused to fight, Mario as a stereotype offends me.

@Knuckles-Fajita what a barrel of laughs you are, 'waaaa, someone said people in my country like to drink tea, that's racism, waaaaa'. Pathetic.

@Sunanootoko it’s all about a Stella for breakfast in a Wetherspoons.

@arekdougy Please play along as I always thought that self-mockery and sarcasm are one of the greatest assets of Brits

@EvaEeveeFan You know I would like To See Game Developers Try out a Place We Rarely See in Video Games like Take Africa For instance When was the Last Time you saw a Game Take place Their That wasn't Egypt

@Heavyarms55 Maybe you'd see fewer hateful people if you stopped insulting people for disagreeing with you. If you go on a tirade about people who don't like a game as much as you, you're being the hateful one.

A point isn't made illegitimate for being made several times over. Someone isn't a baby for not wanting something they love to be ruined. No need to be so hateful. It's VERY naive to spend several paragraphs insulting people, saying you wish they would be quiet, and then claiming that THEY are shutting YOU out.

@Knuckles-Fajita Well, I'm terribly sorry to say it, but this IS how your country is.

You said it yourself. The stereotypes are admittedly accurate. Regardless of what you feel, Great Britain isn't being viewed wrongly from the outside.

My best friend is British, and also (like me) a fan of Pokémon. His first remark after he saw the initial trailers of sword/shield was "Man, we're gonna get worshipped in terms of design but roasted where it really hurts: Reality. This place is excellent simply because for once, all the stereotypes actually exist as the commonplace representation of the country."

Zigzagoon was more or a raccoon dog (or tanuki) than raccoon and the Galar Linoone made me realize the original is based on Japanese badger. Minor nitpick.
Makes sense that the western version of it is the same Mon but black and white instead of brown, just like real badgers.
Also you forgot to mention the curry.

@nessisonett I visit it every now and again. It's the only places close by that sells the games!

@RebeccaStow97
This article was chock full of the best Pokepuns I've ever seen! Great job XD

@EvaEeveeFan
Sorry but I have read any comments on this that have not agreed with, but your's is the only one I felt like commenting on.

If you just want to look at the bad and leave all your fellow country men/woman to defend it for you, then I guess you must be from London.

The games need a queue that you are forced to join, awkwardly can't leave but leads nowhere...

This thread was a mistake. Talking about Pokemon Sword and Shield is literally impossible at this point.

I wonder if it'll have changeable weather-effects

Thank Lord theres no new eevee member I would of hate life..

@EvaEeveeFan I'm dismayed that you did not acknowledge the points I had to make.

Okay seriously I would love it if they made a new pokemon or regional variant based off British TV shows. Like I imagined a regional variant of Bewear that is essentially a homage to Teletubbies.

As an Englishman, this thread has been hilarious.

Get a grip, people - a frigging Pokemon game can hardly be expected to engage complex issues like Britain's ugly colonial history.