by Mishra Planeswalker

Created on: August 23, 2010   Last Updated: May 17, 2012

The pokemon franchise is among the most famous video game franchises of all time, and it is the second-most profitable (losing out only to the Mario series, also published by Nintendo).  Enjoyed by millions around the globe, one of the main aspects of pokemon that makes it so attractive is the inherent customizbility of your game.  You can choose what and how many of each pokemon you use, as well as the items they will hold and what techniques they will use in battle.  However, if you ask a player what their favourite pokemon is, they will all have distinct, yet valid answer.  

The most iconic and popular pokemon is, without a doubt, the yellow electric-mouse pokemon, Pikachu.  It’s fame and notoriety come from the all-star role it plays in the anime series, where it is the constant companion of 10 year-old hero Ash Ketchum.  Players who grow up watching the anime always have a soft spot for the yellow mouse, and many players will try to raise one in their games in order to mimic the battle successes that the main character has in almost every episode.  Pikachu has become the universal symbol of the pokemon franchise and is the face of the entire series, instantly recognizable to almost anyone.  

Many players will opt to choose one of the many Legendary pokemon as their favourite.  Not only are these fantastic beasts extremely powerful in the game, but they are the stars of each year’s pokemon movie.  From the legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres to the time pokemon Dialga and Celebi, there is a mystical air about the legendary creatures that has fans claiming them as their favourite.  

Another class of pokemon that is often cited as a player’s favourite is the starter pokemon and their evolutions.  When a player first picks up a game and chooses their very first pokemon, they feel a certain attachment to that choice, and will often choose that same pokemon in other games and other battles, because of the large amounts of time spent raising and evolving their first pokemon.  

Pokemon is a global phenomenon that has brought a great deal of joy into the lives of young players, and certain pokemon have achieved a level of celebrity because of the memories and thoughts players have of their favourite creature.  These pokemon are popular because of what they can do, what they look like, and their unique characteristic which make pokemon the successful franchise that it is.  

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