Thread: Can anyone make sense of the time?

Look, seriously, we've had 5 original sets of games, two sets of remakes (which included exactly the same events as their originals), several movies, and it makes my logical head go

GLJIFJKLSGLYGLYGJFI?!?!?!WTF?!?!

What is happening? Can anyone make sense of the timeline? (without just going 'stuff it, it's a videogame')

0000 - RBYGRSEFRLG

The base storyline. RSE happen at the same time because of Lantette (who just just recieved an email from Bill thanking her for helping the comp system) and other reasons which I can't remember right now.

0003 - GSCDPPtHGSS

Because GSC takes place 3 years after RBY and DPPt mention the Red Gyarados as it happened.

0003+x - BW

Mentions the Pt hero and has an older that-one-girl-from-the-HGSS-battle-frontier.



Now, this is the rough timeline. We have three periods, as seen. Where this comes in on a yeared scale, I don't know. It could start in 1996 go to 1999 and then 1999+x (assuming the game storyline started in 1996).

Good. I think. There's the movies too, of course................

IF we tried to timeline all the movies (and anime), they would fall between 0000 and 0001 (one year after) because, as of Best Wishes, Ash is still 10!

The movies are widely considered not canon due to the fact the movies are no where near consistent with the anime. So making time lines involving the movies is pretty pointless.

Originally Posted by Dr. Alpha

The movies are widely considered not canon due to the fact the movies are no where near consistent with the anime. So making time lines involving the movies is pretty pointless.

Ok then. In that case, I think we're sorted.

Actually, the movies are alluded to many times in the anime. Like Rise of Darkrai. Dawn uses the Lunar wing she got in that movie in the cresselia episode.

The movies are actually in line with the anime quite a bit. People just think they aren't because anime movies aren't usually canon.

Anyway, my take on the timeline:

1. FRLG

No, RSE do NOT take place concurrently. I have NO clue why some people think that...

2. E:

I like to think of Hoenn as a 'midway point' between Kanto and Johto.Sinnoh.

3. HGSS + Pt:

Now, these two reference each other so much, it's pretty obvious they happen concurrently.

4. BW:

Cynthia and Looker reference events from Pt, placing BW after those games.


I list the games currently canon (remakes and third versions supplant any originals IMO. Crystal is overridden by HGSS and Yellow... well, IDK where the fuck Yellow fits in).

Originally Posted by Lord Jabberwocky

No, RSE do NOT take place concurrently. I have NO clue why some people think that...

In the Japanese versions of RSE, Bill's letter to Lanette has him thank her for co-developing the storage system (as opposed to merely improving it). That right there was an indication that the series had gone back in time to the Generation I era, and this was later augmented by the fact that achieving tradability between the Generation III games was actually part of FRLG's plot. Game Freak clearly wanted us to think that the games were contemporary, even though there wasn't incontrovertible proof of that. However, HGSS all but confirm this theory due to strongly implying that Emerald's plot climax has already taken place, which is why the Weather trio aren't dormant and the orbs are no longer protected.

From Silktree. Makes sense.

Life has it right Jab. RSE was confirmed to be Gen 1 time back during the release of HGSS.

It makes sense for RSE to be the same time as RGBYFRLG. They're both series main Gameboy Advance games, and there are good leads that support they do happen at the same time. Same goes for DPPl and GSCHGSS.

The only thing the movies have an slight affect on is the anime. Niether the Anime or Movies affect the games. They two completey different univereses. Hope that clears everything up.

+0 Years, The Start
FR/LG/R/S/E
(They reference each other and trade without use of a Time Machine, unlike R/B/G/Y and G/S/C.)
Pokémon Stadium (both 64DD and the one we have)
(I tend to think of Pokémon Stadium as a big tournament that took place in a city behind the Pokémon League, which is split between Johto and Kanto.)
Pokémon Colosseum
Pokémon Ranger

+3 Years, 3 After Start
HG/SS/D/P/Pl
(As mentioned before, they mention each other and lack the need of Time Machines to trade)
Pokémon Stadium 2
(Same reason as Pokémon Stadium)
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
My Pokémon Ranch

+2 Years, 5 After Start
Black and White
Pokémon XD
(mentioned as taking place 5 years after Colosseum. You can trade with R/S/E/FR/LG because the Trade Machines have Time Machine parts that have become so common, they generally aren't referenced. You can't with HG/SS/D/P/Pl and Colosseum because the presence of Time Pokémon (Dialga and Celebi) interfere with the signal and cause the system to crash for the year events occured. You can't trade with Black and White because of Regional Connection Problems.)
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs

The Pokémon Pinball games are just casino games you don't play in the Main Series.

Animé stuff, I don't care for.

Well FR/LG take place first obviously....

Emerald being the canon game of Hoenn takes place a few weeks to a few months after FR/LG

Collo Takes place around the same time as FR/LG/E (Bulbapedia seems to count the Orre games as Main Games)

HG/SS Takes place 2 years after FR/LG/E And Platinum takes place a A few weeks after the start Probibly after Ethen/Lyra beat Jasmine as the next time we see her she mentions going to Sinnoh.

B/W/XD Possibly happen around the same time as XD takes place 5 years after Collo which takes place around the same time as FR/LG/E And B/W take place a few years after Pt/HG/SS


And the Movies are Anime Canon but not game canon

HGSS taking place after RSE is a confusing concept.
Because Steven claims to be the champion during G2/4, despite losing the title during G1/3.

Kanto and its remakes are first, Johto 3 years later

Steven was still Champion of Hoenn and Cynthia of Sinnoh, so RS and DPPt happen roughly at the same time as Johto and remakes

In Emerald, Wallace replaced Steven as Champion but the Magma/Aqua story wasn't repeated. Perhaps Emerald is non-canon? It was never really mentioned if Groudon and Kyogre both awakened.

BW obviously follows Platinum as Looker appears and Cynthia mentions the hero and Giratina. This perhaps also makes Diamond and Pearl non-canon or at least incomplete stories.

Collosseum and XD? I can't say.