Pokémon/Items/Pokédex

The Pokédex (ポケモン図鑑, Pokemon Zukan, lit. "Pokémon Encyclopedia"), or simply Dex, is an electronic device designed to catalog and provide information regarding the various species of Pokémon featured in the Pokémon video game and anime series. The name Pokédex is a portmanteau of Pokémon (which itself is a portmanteau of pocket and monster) and index.^[1] The Japanese name is simply "Pokémon Encyclopedia".

In the video games, whenever a Pokémon is first captured, its data will be added to a player's Pokédex. This information includes height, weight, species type, and a short description of the Pokémon. In the anime the Pokédex is a comprehensive electronic reference encyclopedia, usually referred to in order to deliver exposition. There are four differently numbered Pokédex modes to date: the Kanto Pokédex, introduced in Pokémon Red and Blue; the Johto Pokédex, introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver; the Hoenn Pokédex, introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and expanded upon in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen; and the Sinnoh Pokédex, introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Pokémon Ranger has its own version of a Pokédex, but it is called a Browser.

In addition, the term "Pokédex" has expanded to refer to any comprehensive guide to Pokémon in the video games, more specifically a listing of Pokémon detailing information such as their stats, locations found, moves learned, and Egg Groups. Numerous versions of this type of Pokédex can be found both online^[2] and in printed book form.

Each game has a different style of Pokédex, somewhat resembling the handheld video game it was released on. In Pokémon Red and Blue, it is held vertically, like the Game Boy. In Pokémon Gold and Silver it is also held vertically like the Game Boy Color. In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, it is held horizontally, like the Game Boy Advance. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen it is held horizontally with a fliptop,^[3] like a Game Boy Advance SP (although the Game Boy Advance SP is actually vertical in design), but also resembles an early prototype design of the Nintendo DS. The Pokédex in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl resembles a Nintendo DS Lite, with two screens, and a microphone on the hinge. The touch screen feature may be used to scroll up and down the list of Pokémon.

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, there is an Unown Pokédex. This is an extension of the regular Pokédex, which shows the player's progress in catching all of the various Unown. Completing the Unown Pokédex allows the player to print messages displayed in the Unown alphabet using a Game Boy Printer.

The National Dex was introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, allowing the player to record the data of Pokémon not naturally found in Hoenn (other than trading one from Pokémon Colosseum). It is obtained in various ways in different games.

With each generation of Pokémon games, the Pokédex has more advanced features compared to previous versions. For example, later versions of the Pokédex are able to sort the list of Pokémon based on alphabetical order, or display the Pokémon's height compared to the player character. However, every version of the Pokédex, starting with the Hoenn Pokédex, has the ability to sort the list of Pokémon based on a National Pokédex numbering, as well as the numbering for its own region.

The reward for filling the entire Pokédex is a special diploma from the in-game Game Freak staff,^[4] who make a cameo appearance in each of the games. Additionally, in Pokémon Emerald, by obtaining all 200 Pokémon that appear in Hoenn, the player earns a Totodile, Cyndaquil, or Chikorita from Professor Birch.

In the anime, the Pokédex does not start blank and fill after encountering and catching Pokémon like in the video games. Instead, the Pokédex acts as a portable reference tool, able to give information about a certain species of Pokémon even if a trainer has not seen or caught it before. It can also give detailed descriptions of various trainer tools, such as the PokéFlute. The Pokédex has many other features such as a scanner that allows trainers to see what moves a Pokémon has, a small camera used to take a photo of a Pokémon to identify it, and it appears to have either a speech synthesizer or a method to play prerecorded sound. The Pokédex also acts as a form of identification, allowing trainers to partake in the various Pokémon League competitions and has the same function as a national identity card (it is used as such by Ash Ketchum when stopped by the police.) Unlike the merchandise based on the video games, the Pokédex in the anime has a color screen.

Although the Pokédex is not nicknamed in the original version, the Kanto, Johto, and second Kanto versions of the Pokédex are nicknamed Dexter and have a male voice, while the Hoenn and Sinnoh versions have a female voice and are nicknamed Dextette. In the Pokémon Live! stage show, "Dextette" was also used as the name of Dexter's various assistants. Dexter is voiced by Eric Stuart (4Kids) and Bill Rogers (Pokémon USA/TAJ Productions dub) in the English adaptation and by Shinichiro Miki in the original Japanese language version. Dextette is voiced by Rachael Lillis (4Kids/Pokémon USA dub) and Michelle Knotz (Pokémon USA/Duart dub) in the English adaptation and Megumi Hayashibara (Hoenn Pokédex) and Tomoko Kawakami (Sinnoh Pokédex) in the original.

The Pokédex comes in more than one color as May gets a yellow one when she gets to Kanto. Dawn gets a pink Pokédex when starting her Sinnoh journey while Paul acquires a black one. Red remains the standard color however.

In the Pokémon continuity, the Pokédex was invented by Professor Oak, a respected professor in the science of Pokémon. However, in one episode it was mentioned that the Pokédex was created by Professor Westwood of the Seafoam Islands. This origin story does not continue within the canon of the series, as the movie Pokémon 4Ever shows how Professor Oak travels into the future when he is a small child and Ash gives him the idea to create the Pokédex.

Because of the popularity of Pokémon, the first real-life model of the Pokédex, corresponding to the Pokédex found in the first generation of Pokémon games, was manufactured by Hasbro in 1999. It is a correct scale device which includes a small black and white LCD screen and contains information on 150 Pokémon. The device allows for password protection and featured a small keyboard to allow users to input information about their favorites or species they captured. It also has a digital calendar, clock, and a basic calculator.

The second version, the Johto Pokédex, was manufactured in a gold color for the USA and European markets. The Japanese Version looks like the one from the show.

In 2004, Hasbro offered an updated Pokédex which featured the 386 species of Pokémon that exist in the third generation. This device features multiple advancements, including a four-color grayscale screen with a higher resolution.

In 2006, Jakks Pacific released the first talking Pokédex to speak the full names and types of all 386 Pokémon from the National Pokédex. This Pokédex is larger than the Hasbro model and features a blinking light to go with the speech.

In 2007, Jakks Pacific released its second talking Pokédex, this time featuring the 151 Pokémon from the Sinnoh region from Diamond and Pearl. This new Pokédex features two larger screens, a female voice, new speech, and more games.