Obscurity, much?/Pokémon

Being around for over 20 years, *Pokémon* has seen more obscure games and peripherals come out than any other video game franchise. Its anime also has some obscure episodes (or episodes only known for one specific event) outside of Japan. Had there not been many examples, *Pokémon* examples would have been in the pages for general anime and manga (print examples), Nintendo's page (the games themselves), and TV Tokyo's page (the anime). But since there's more *Pokémon* examples than any other anime franchise alone, *Pokémon* earned its own page.

A few restrictions for this one:

* Just because it isn't re-released on a specific platform doesn't make it an automatic candidate for this trope. There needs to be evidence that sales were low by the franchise's standards.
* With the exception of legacy examples (documented before January 1st, 2023), only the following examples should be documented:
	+ Examples from the main anime that aired prior to the most recent series (by Japanese order) (mainly specific episodes from said seasons, given the anime's overall popularity).
		- Spinoff anime that have already been ended/cancelled without much of an audience (and given the IP's popularity, it takes a lot to have an anime based on *Pokémon* end without much of an audience).
	+ *Pokémon* merchandise that have been discontinued and not brought back.
	+ *Pokémon* videogames that have underperformed by the series' standards. Additionally, there should be a waiting period of 1-4 months after the game's release to see how the game did.
	+ Manga/print media that have been ended/cancelled without much of an audience (and it takes a lot not to have a big audience if you have the *Pokémon* license).
* Just because a *Pokémon* card is rare doesn't mean it's obscure. There has to be evidence that most collectors haven't heard about the card in question.

## General

* Prior to the English dub of the anime debuting, the entire franchise outside of Japan. Not even the promotional video (discussed below) helped this, but the anime's debut booted the franchise out of obscurity in the US and into the mainstream.
* However, unless you talk to someone who's visited Japan, you would probably need to clarify to them that if you mention "Pocket Monsters" you're referring to Pokémon.
* In the US, if a Pokémon plush isn't a Pikachu, an Eeveelution, or from the latest generation, chances are you can find them at GameStop, Barnes and Noble, or conventions (wherever is closest). Don't have a GameStop or con near you? Online stores such as eBay and Amazon can aid you. Can't access either for some reason? Chances are you'll believe they don't make a lot of Pokémon plushies. This wasn't the case back in the 1990s, though...
	+ In the wake of Sword and Shield, a *ton* of fan-made plushies of the new starters (with Scorbunny being a popular choice due to a meme cropping up prior to the Nintendo Direct) began popping up. Don't expect a lot to be put up on online sites, though. On the rare chance they do, they're probably mass-produced.
	+ It's especially bad if you're after anime-only characters. Ash's Pikachu is the easiest one of those to find outside Japan, but would still set you back a bit. As for the human characters? It may depend, but if you want the entire set get ready to shell out at least a hundred dollars.
	+ Even worse are the Pokémon Center-exclusive merchandise. If you live outside of Japan and don't have a steady internet connection, chances are the Pokémon Center merch is this.
* The very first American Pokémon commercial. Even if you've heard of it, chances are it became relatively dated very fast. Not helped by the video being in very low quantities, thus keeping the series obscure until the English dub of the anime debuted.
	+ The Pokécars, featured within the same commercial, was said to be giving away "lots of free stuff"... and now, while technically *not* obscure yet, they're up for auction.
* In the wake of Pokémon GO, the franchise has seen a revival in popularity, including spin-off games that would otherwise be completely obscure outside of Japan getting released overseas. However, there are still some examples that are completely obscure.

## Videogame examples

* Pokémon Green is completely obscure outside Japan due to fragile game code that Nintendo was afraid a localization would ruin. Japan's Pokémon Blue fixed the game code a little bit, and was released overseas as *Pokémon Red and Blue*.
	+ Pokémon LeafGreen is the only version of *Pokémon Green* to have averted this in the West.
* The Pokémon Mini within North America and Europe; by 2005 many who know about it only know about it thanks to Pokémon Channel.
* The Pocket Pikachu, too, releasing in November 1998 in the United States, but then fading into obscurity after the Pokémon Pikachu 2 failed in the North American market. Ironic considering Pikachu went on to become the series mascot.
	+ Not that its successor the Pokéwalker fared any better, though this time around it was used for HeartGold and SoulSilver- not as a standalone device.
* The one thing (besides the promotional tape) that isn't known about the North American release of the Pokémon videogames was the fact that Western localizations originally intended to make the Pokémon look like Kinnikuman. This didn't stick, as 1. Toon Makers tried to remake Sailor Moon using *zero* Japanese footage, and the reception was so lukewarm DiC Entertainment (now with DHX Media) won the rights to Sailor Moon and imported the Japanese footage for dubbing, and 2. it'd take the localization of Pokémon longer to get released. So the idea was scrapped.
* The Missingno inverts this, if only because someone messed with the game files to the older games, making it a meme.
* *Hey You, Pikachu!* is completely obscure in Europe, except in the UK where it's semi-obscure, because there's a rumor that localizing the software to recognize British accents would be unfeasible.
* The Japanese Pokémon names, save the ones Nintendo didn't rename for the English release (ex. Pikachu) remain completely obscure outside Japan.
* Special editions usually don't count for this trope, but there's a different trope in play: on Amazon alone, the Pikachu-themed Game Boy Advance SP goes for at least $100 *used*.
	+ In fact, most special editions of Nintendo consoles based off *Pokémon* go for at least $70 used, slightly higher new.
* During the 90s and 2000s, *Pokémon* in video game form was completely obscure in South Korea. Though the anime and merchandise became popular there at almost the exact same time the franchise made it big in America, the games became semi-obscure over there from the late 2000s right up until they became just as popular as they are in North America the wake of *Pokémon GO*.

## Print examples

* Generally, any manga that isn't Pokémon Adventures would have a hard time getting a Western release, and thus are obscure outside of Japan. Various manga has gotten this thanks to not getting a Western release. Even the few Pokémon shoujo manga available (which were released thanks to the cuter Pokémon's popularity with females) are obscure outside of Japan.
* Since Pokémon is called "Pocket Monsters" in Japan, it's no surprise that many Pokémon cards have only been made for the Japanese market, unless the backs are modified to say "Pokémon" instead of "Pocket Monsters".
* The Nintendo Power inserts are reaching this level. Mostly because the print version of Nintendo Power has long since been discontinued. To the point that the Angry Video Game Nerd didn't mention these while reviewing Nintendo Power. Despite this, James Rolfe (both as the Nerd and as himself) *did* mention the Tiger Electronics-produced walkie talkies as well as do a *Rental Reviews* review of *Detective Pikachu* and talk about *Pokémon GO*.
* *How I Became a Pokémon Card* (which, contrary to the title, does not involve around becoming the titular cards, but rather their origins) outside of Japan due to including cards. Pokémon trading cards are different outside of Japan (see above), and it's unlikely the license would include the cards included anyways.

## Anime examples

* While the anime is going strong, episodes are usually only aired once or twice on TV in its native Japan, and never again. Furthermore, while *every single episode of the series ever dubbed* up to *Ultra Legends* (save for a few banned episodes) and almost all of the movies have seen or will see physical release in the United States, in Japan *very few* episodes have ever seen a DVD release, while the movies (up to 2010, at least) were a little luckier.
* How it was scheduled became this after Kids' WB (which had the broadcast rights) gave the Pokémon broadcast rights away to Cartoon Network. From the first Pokémon commercial, "You gotta watch Monday through Friday starting September 7th". In case you're wondering, this was for *the syndicated version*. The Monday-through-Friday format of the show was diminished when Cartoon Network discontinued Toonami, and CN didn't try this approach again. Disney XD later snatched up the broadcast rights when they noticed that CN's broadcast rights were about to expire.
* There's an episode that got Porygon *banned* from appearing in the anime for quite a while, but it's more known as the episode that gave people seizures.
* Pokémon Chronicles within the United States, due to never having been released on DVD.
* The English Wikipedia didn't mention the anime's soft reboot until the last few days of September. In fact, as of September 19th, 2019, there was more news about Ash finally achieving his lifelong dream than about the reboot.
	+ Due to Disney XD's first-run programming ending or moving to Disney Channel en-masse (as of 2020, their only first-run animated programs are *Beyblade Burst Rise* and *Spider-Man (2017)* due to *Ultra Legends* ending), after *Sun & Moon* the show left US TV entirely.