10 most popular Pokemon fan theories of all time

Throughout the years, the Pokemon series has had a few chilling theories that attempt to explain some of the more unusual aspects of the universe's lore. Although the world is typically kid-friendly, some of the darker details of the world cannot help but shine through at times.

As the years go by, many of these popular fan theories have fallen off following the franchise's much darker takes on plot points seen in recent titles. However, these fan theories can still be fun to take a look back on from time to time. So what are some of the most popular theories, and what makes them believable?

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10 popular Pokemon fan theories

1) N is a Zoroark

N as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

N is one of the most unique characters in the franchise, both in design and philosophy. Many believe him to be a Zoroark in disguise due to an encounter with him in Black and White 2, where a seemingly wild Zoroark is guarding an entrance to the ruins that used to be N's Castle. Once the player arrives at this building, the Zoroark vanishes, and the player instead meets N.

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2) Gengar is Clefable's shadow

Clefable as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

This concept has been acknowledged by the community since the first generation of the franchise. Both Clefable and Gengar share an incredibly similar design, with the two being exact opposites in the game's world. Clefable is a timid fairy that hides away from people, while Gengar is actively tricking and pulling pranks on people, making them exact opposites.

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3) Ditto is a failed Mew clone

Ditto as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Ditto and Mew are a pair of monsters that, for whatever reason, have a lot in common in terms of their world-built lore in the franchise, even as far back as the first generation.

Ditto and Mew were the only two monsters to have access to the move Transform back in the first generation, and Ditto could only be found in the Abandoned Manor on Cinnabar Island (where Mewtwo was created) and the Cerulean Cave (where Mewtwo resides).

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4) Arceus and Unown

Arceus as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Oddly enough, Arceus and the Unown species have a suspicious amount of ties despite Unown being introduced in the franchise two generations prior. This has led to many believing that Arceus created Unown along with the lake guardians, granting the people of the universe the gift of language. This makes sense since the Unown are literally different letters of the English alphabet.

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5) Gary's Raticate

Raticate and Mankey as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

This one is another classic theory almost as old as the franchise itself. Many believe that the player actually kills Gary's Raticate during their battle on the S.S. Anne in Vermillion City. This makes sense, considering the next encounter with your rival is in the Pokemon Tower, a giant cemetary, and he lacks his Raticate in this battle. Gary also makes some comments before the fight that hints at one of his monsters being dead.

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6) Reincarnation is confirmed

A Yamask's mask as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

As seen in various instances with Ghost-types and in the spin-off, reincarnation is very real in the world of Pocket Monsters. Many Ghost-type Pokedex entries hint at a land known as the "spirit world," which sounds like something straight out of Diablo.

The Mystery Dungeon titles and Legends: Arceus also shows that at any moment, Arceus can just decide to abduct a person and send them to another dimension and time.

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7) Ash's Father

The concept of Ash's Father has been a mystery since the first episode of the anime. Always claiming to be traveling, his father has yet to appear in the anime, or has he? Many fans have different theories on who Ash's mysterious father is, but the most likely candidate was a man who appeared in the Seach for the Legend special, Silver. When confronted by Ritchie, who mentions Ash, Silver reacts in a way signifying he knows Ash despite never meeting him in the anime.

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8) The Great Nidoran Migration

Nidoran as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

One theory that many have found somewhat interesting is that both lines of the Nido family are not native to Kanto. Their appearances in the Safari Zone (a place where players go to catch rare monsters) and around the early routes of the game near Victory Road, and many other minor details hint that the Nidoran families actually migrated east to Kanto from the Johto region.

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9) Chansey Predator Theory

Chansey as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Although they seem to be a very peaceful species, Chansey holds a dark secret that is present in many games but has gone unnoticed for the longest time. Chansey's front-facing eyes, using real-world zoology, indicate that it is a predator. So what does it eat?

Scyther, shown with side-facing eyes in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Looking at Chansey's history of appearances throughout the franchise, it can be easily assumed that Chansey feeds on Scyther, as both are seen in almost the exact same routes and locations. Scyther is also one of the only bugs in the group commonly found to feature side-positioned eyes, indicating that it is prey.

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10) Police Corruption in Kanto

Saffron City as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

As fans who have played the Kanto games will know, the entrance to Saffron City is blocked by police guards posted at the entrance. These guards can easily be bought off with a drink from any vending machine or tea obtained from an NPC. If there were guards posted at each entrance, how did Team Rocket gain access to the city? Perhaps through similar bribery.