Pokémon has been around long enough now that everyone who has watched the anime and played the games has probably had that dream about living in the Pokémon universe or Pokémon living in the real world. The Detective Pikachu movie and Pokemon Go have certainly pushed this idea even further in their own ways.
However, ignoring the obvious fact that Pokémon do not exist in the real world, there are still plenty of similarities between the two universes. And that certainly gives the ideas grounds for existence in the minds of the people.
10 Regions, Cities, & Landscapes In Pokémon Have Real World Influences
Even the most original of ideas have to stem from some form of inspiration. The regions in the Pokémon universe have always resembled real-life regions in some way, shape, or form. While the Pokémon games are sometimes able to better showcase this with maps and full-city tours, the general aesthetics and designs transfer over to the anime.
While Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh were clearly based on different regions throughout Japan, the later generations have used the likes of New York, Hawaii, and the United Kingdom for inspiration.
9 Friends & Family Are Most Important
From Ash's very supportive mother to Ash surrounding himself with a good group of reliable friends on every adventure he sets off on, Pokémon is a great reminder that life is generally better when it's shared with close friends and family. These are words to live by in this day and age, and they certainly carry over to real life.
While Ash's adventures in the anime could have perhaps been just him and his Pokémon, who would also be considered as friends, it may not have been quite as enjoyable for him to not have those human connections.
8 Everyday Society Functions Similarly
The Pokémon anime and games in general focus mostly on the main characters and the battling and survival aspects of Pokémon, but as it is often implied, society in the Pokémon universe functions similarly to the real world, just with some obvious variations.
Apart from Gym Leaders, most jobs from the real-world seem to exist in the Pokémon world but with the addition of Pokémon helping out. Officer Jenny and the police are often seen but with Growlithe as their companions, and construction workers are often seen with Machop or Machoke doing the heavy lifting.
7 Humans Rely On Animal Interactions To Get Through Tough Times Just As Trainers Do With Pokémon
While human interaction can never be understated, there is something about having an animal companion that fills most with joy. Maybe it's the fact that they can express so much without being able to converse properly, or maybe it's down to them just being that cute.
The bonds forged between trainers and Pokémon in the anime are special friendships and are definitely the equivalent of humans having pets in the real world. If they are cared for and treated well, they will give their human companions loyalty, affection, and support during any difficult times.
6 Crime Occurs Everywhere
While evil organisations in the Pokémon universe such as Team Rocket and Team Galactic take things to an entirely different level, the general concept of crime is ever-present in both universes.
Team Rocket themselves, while they are easily defeated more often than not, exhibit theft as their main theme, as well as intent to injure, damage property, and many more criminal acts. The sheer tenacity of the Team Rocket trio to keep committing these crimes in most episodes shows how prevalent crime is in Pokémon. While it is obviously focused on more in Pokémon, it is not too dissimilar to real life.
5 Real World Modes Of Transport Are Utilized
In the Pokémon games, the player can surf or fly using their Pokémon to get everywhere. While there are also trains and boats, these are generally used as events or for introducing a new area. In the anime, all modes of transport appear at some point or another.
They are not necessarily used by the protagonists all that much, as Ash and friends seem to always be walking everywhere, but in "A Snow Day For Searching!" for example, Ash and Goh both take the bus, which suggests a longer distance to travel.
4 Animals & Pokémon Alike Are Mistreated & Abandoned
It’s a horrible truth but the reality is that animals are mistreated and hurt in the real world. So many pets that are adopted in this day and age have had tormented pasts, and while it isn’t a theme that Pokémon can really delve into, there are certainly examples of mistreated and abandoned Pokémon.
An example that most will be familiar with is in "Charmander - The Stray Pokémon" when Ash first meets Charmander, who has been abandoned by its owner and is waiting out in the rain, essentially risking its life.
3 Wild Animals Will Attack Humans If Provoked, As Will Pokémon
Pokémon attacks are not always exclusively aimed at other Pokémon. There have been occasions in the anime where Ash and other human characters in the series have been hit directly by various attacks. Toward the start of Ash's journey, he is attacked by Spearow and Beedrill on different occasions.
The reality is that Pokémon, whether they are wild or belong to someone, are essentially animals with natural instincts. If someone is going to provoke one, they have to be prepared for the consequences. This also holds true in the real world, whether that means pulling a cat's tail and getting scratched or encountering a hungry bear in the wild.
2 Hard Work Brings Success
Ash has had a long Pokémon journey over the years, requiring a lot of learning and hard work. Working hard and persevering is also relevant to other universes from other anime but as a concept, it is very similar to achievement in the real world.
Think of Ash journeying and collecting Gym badges as the Pokémon world's equivalent of preparing for and taking exams. After all, he does encounter problems and has to learn from them, adapting in order to achieve success. The Gym badges are then his entry requirements for entering the Pokémon League tournaments in each region, which is very similar to working hard to get certain grades in order to get a dream job.
1 Pokémon & Animals Alike Can Evolve & Breed
Evolution in the Pokémon universe occurs a lot and with most Pokémon becoming stronger because of it. In some situations, these evolutions reflect real-world evolution and metamorphosis. The best example is with the caterpillar making a cocoon and then turning into a butterfly, which is represented in Pokémon by Caterpie evolving into Metapod and then evolving into Butterfree.
Wild Pokémon also breed and fight in order to survive, similar to wild animals in the real world. Humans do get involved in both cases with conservation centers and ranges existing in both worlds.