With Pokémon Sword & Shield's recent video game release and Ash Ketchum's championship victory, Pokémon has been a hot topic in both the video game and anime worlds. Although everyone seems to be making the transition from the Alola Region to the Galar Region, we can take this opportunity to look back on all the fun moments that Sun & Moon gave us.
In particular, there are many hilarious memes out there to celebrate our favorite Alolan Pokémon and trainers. Here are ten of the best Sun & Moon memes that will spark joy while also bringing back fun memories from Alola.
10 Pokemon Stars
In past generations of the Pokémon games, there has been a common trend of first releasing two versions at a time (Ruby & Sapphire, Diamond & Pearl, etc.) and then releasing a third version (Emerald, Platinum, etc.) at a later date. When Sun & Moon were first released, fans speculated that the third version would be called "Stars" to fit the outer space theme.
However, the developers of Pokémon had other plans. Instead of the highly anticipated "Pokémon Stars," fans were given Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Though two additional versions are better than one, some feel that this was a missed opportunity for Pokémon Stars as it was for the nonexistent Pokémon Z.
9 Math Is Hard
While playing through the game and traveling across the Alola Region, you will encounter fellow trainers to battle and trade with. Every once in a while, a trainer may strike up a conversation that truly resonates with you and your beliefs.
This meme features a happy-go-lucky trainer who is "too young for math." Whether the character is too young to have learned math yet or just using youth as an excuse to avoid math altogether, this is something a lot of students can relate to. Mathematics may be important to know in the world of adulting, but that doesn't mean we will ever accept that reality!
8 Alolan Dugtrio
With each new generation of Pokémon, new species of catchable monsters are introduced. One of the best new features in Sun & Moon was arguably the addition of regional variants of classic Pokémon from past generations. Most Alolan variants like Raichu and Ninetales, for example, have very different appearances and new typings from their Kantonian forms.
One Alolan variant that had a very minor yet hilarious design change is Dugtrio. The only real difference between its Kantonian and Alolan forms is the addition of long blonde hair. And if this Alolan Pokémon was not funny enough on its own, a fan-edited He-Man, a fellow blonde boy, onto one of Dugtrio's three heads.
7 Rowlet's Protective Father
One of the adorable starter Pokémon from Sun & Moon was Rowlet. Aside from resembling a tiny owl, its most prominent feature is its leaf-like bowtie that represents its grass typing. However, this little guy felt oddly familiar to hardcore Nintendo fans.
Coincidentally, there is another owl with a green bowtie in the Nintendo world: Blathers from Animal Crossing, a preppy owl who runs the local museum. Because Blathers and Rowlet are both owls who share the same green bowtie, they'd definitely be mistaken as father and child by anyone unfamiliar with their respective franchises.
6 At What Cost?
Everyone cheered when Ash finally became champion of Alola after suffering many losses in previous seasons of the anime. But it is important to know that he did not win without the sacrifice of something else: art quality.
For years, Pokémon fans have pointed out the evolution of the anime's art as time went on. For example, the poster child of the entire franchise, Pikachu, has noticeably become slimmer since the anime's first season. However, the most significant change in art quality came with Sun & Moon. Ash's face, in particular, seems to have been simplified with fewer details, but that's the price you pay to become champion!
5 Litten Lift
At the beginning of each Pokémon game, the trainer is prompted to pick a starter Pokémon as their first partner to accompany them on their journey. In Sun & Moon, Litten is one of three adorable starters to choose from.
Many Pokémon, especially starters, start out as cute and tiny enough to lift up and hug. But once they grow stronger and evolve, they often become larger and fiercer. Litten is no exception as demonstrated in this wholesome meme by @undead-pizza on Tumblr. Although Litten may start out as a small kitten, it soon evolves into a mighty Incineroar who is large and strong enough to pick up its trainer.
4 Nebby And The Bag
Cosmog may be the unevolved form of the two legendary Pokémon of Alola, Solgaleo and Lunala, but that doesn't stop it from being a little troublemaker. In particular, Lillie's Cosmog, Nebby, loves to misbehave when its trainer is not looking.
Because Nebby is a rare Pokémon that fled from Aether Paradise with Lillie, Lillie tends to be overprotective and urges the tiny Pokémon to stay hidden in her bag. Obviously it can't be fun to stay in a bag all day, so Nebby has developed a sneaky habit of escaping the bag without Lillie noticing.
3 Hero VS Villains
Because Pokémon has always been a kid-friendly video game, the player takes on the role of a very youthful character who aspires to become the Pokémon Champion. And along the way to becoming champion, the player always encounters corrupt adults who must be stopped at all costs.
In Sun & Moon, there are two groups of antagonists, Team Skull and the Aether Foundation, that are led by adults who should be more than capable of handling a single child. Despite the logic, the youths of Pokémon always come out on top, proving that children (and seals) must never be underestimated by adults.
2 Awkward Social Interactions
From a battling standpoint, the game became more interesting in Sun & Moon when the legendary Tapu Pokemon were introduced with new abilities that change the terrain in battle. The pink Tapu, Tapu Lele, has Psychic Surge as its ability which makes the battlefield "weird" when it enters the battle.
This meme adds a simple comment that can be very relatable to people who have ever felt out of place in social settings. Like Tapu Lele, some people feel that their mere presence in a social situation can make things awkward or weird.
1 10-Year-Old With A 20-Year Career
Ash Ketchum made headlines in 2019 after winning a Pokémon Championship. But the most fascinating part about this historical event was not the victory itself, but rather, the odd circumstances in which the young boy achieved this feat.
The never-ending meme that has followed the Pokémon anime for the past two decades is the fact that ten-year-old Ash has not aged at all since setting out on his journey, no matter how many years pass. Therefore, winning a Pokémon Championship is just one achievement in the 20-year career that no other ten-year-old can say they've experienced.