In this tree of life, The Straits Times examines each Pokemon character’s closest proxies in the real world, uncovering the scientific concepts hidden in their designs. Beyond the original species, we delve into creatures from different dimensions and eras that were introduced in later versions of the game. Use the filters below to explore the similarities and differences. Those viewing this on mobile devices can click the arrow on each entry to learn more about each character.
Origins
At the heart of Pokemon is the premise of capturing all of the world’s monsters. This was inspired by Japanese developer Satoshi Tajiri’s childhood hobby of catching bugs and tadpoles. In a 1999 interview, he described the game as a way for children who grew up in cities to experience the joy of finding wildlife in rural Japan.
Underpinning the franchise is a sense of adventure. The first Pokemon game was released in two versions, Red and Green, on Feb 27, 1996, for Nintendo’s Game Boy. Players stepped into the shoes of Trainers who went on quests, capturing Pokemon which could then be trained and deployed in battle against one another. Pokemon became a social experience, as trading version-exclusive monsters was necessary to complete the Pokedex.
The first Pokemon Game Boy games owned by ST executive artist Billy Ker. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Global Pokemania
Hot on the heels of the video games’ debut in 1996 came its Trading Card Game (TCG) and comic series, followed by an animated spin-off the next year. By 1999, Pokemon had become the object of a global obsession, dubbed Pokemania, as the franchise hit shelves across the world.
The franchise found a second wind in 2016 with the release of augmented-reality game Pokemon GO. The mobile game made location-based games mainstream globally, attracting crowds of players to catch Pokemon in public spaces at the height of its popularity. By January 2025, the game alone had brought in US$8 billion (S$10 billion) in revenue.
Beyond entertainment, Pokemon products have become investable collectibles. Investors in the lucrative trading card game include Canadian singer Justin Bieber and American social media personality Logan Paul, who re-sold the world’s most expensive Pokemon card for a record US$16.49 million in February 2026.
Cross-generational appeal in Singapore
In Singapore, Pokemon’s appeal transcends generations. Its fans range from a seven-year-old e-sports champion at the 2020 Pokemon Oceania International Championships with her video gaming chops to the grandmothers deemed by the creator of Pokemon GO as the app’s typical players.
For data analyst Kashvinder Singh Mann, who topped the 2023 Singapore Regional League for Pokemon’s TCG, Pokemon offers a pleasant escape from reality. Mr Singh, who also represented Singapore at the global competition that year, tells The Straits Times: “Even when times are tough and nothing seems to be going right and I need something to take my mind off things, I can always just go to my local card game shop on a Tuesday night, play some Pokemon TCG with my friends and just hang out with them.”
The 36-year-old started playing the video game in 1999. “Just having the adventure with your buddy and fighting battles along the way, that got me interested right away,” says Mr Singh. His passion for all things Pokemon has resulted in his current collection of some 1,000 cards and his contributions to PokeStats, a statistics-driven website that reports on the competitive Pokemon TCG landscape.
Source: The Straits Times
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