‘Pokémon Sun And Moon’ Producer On What’s Inside A Pokéball

Did you ever wonder what’s really inside a PokéBall? Pokémon Sun And Moon producer Junichi Masuda reveals what they have envisioned the PokéBall to be.

For years, thousands of Pokémon fans have debated and concocted numerous theories as to what really happens to Pokémon when they get sent inside their PokéBalls. We know they shrink, that much we’re sure of since you won’t be able to fit Snorlax in such a tiny space without transcending the laws of physics. But what’s inside the ball? Is it just an empty sphere? Do Pokémon lose consciousness and become a ball of energy, awaiting their master’s call? Is it a portal to another dimension where Pokémon get sent to rest?

One fan from Quora hypothesized from one Pokémon episode.

“In an episode they did show psyduck inside an empty pokeball. Apart from that nothing else was ever shown. moreover they never put much light on the lives of these Pokémon. From what i guess it is just an empty confinement.”

Another fan also tried to argue on Kotaku how Pokéballs are generally tools that convert the Pokémon back to data once they get sent back to the ball.

“The Pokémon Adventures manga shows Pokémon being physically shrunk and crammed into a Pokéball. Other things strongly point to the Pokéball being a non-physical storage device, where the Pokémon is turned into a different form of energy during its time inside, perhaps even computer data. This would be supported by the ability to transfer Pokémon via PCs and how they are transmitted in trades, both in the games and the anime.”

We also have some fabulous artistic renditions as to what goes inside a Pokéball. Artist and gaming enthusiast Donnie imagined what it would be like inside and her works are so much better than theories of empty spheres.

It turns out, Donnie’s imagined Pokémon space is so much closer to what the creators of Pokémon Sun and Moon envisioned.

What it’s like inside a Pokeball, according to a Pokémon developer: https://t.co/OWsNwmtWVr pic.twitter.com/li1be6nCZC

— Kotaku (@Kotaku) October 22, 2016

Kotaku talks to Junichi Masuda, producer on Pokémon Sun and Moon, and Masuda finally puts an end to years of laborious theories and worries. He says the following with a laugh.

“I think it’s safe to say that it’s very comfortable inside inside of a Pokéball, it’s a very comfortable environment. Maybe the equivalent of a high-end suite room in a fancy hotel.”

Masuda was also the producer for Pokémon Black and White, and in an interview with Game Informer earlier this year, he also confirmed the same thing.

“It sure would be interesting if Pokéballs existed in real life, and we haven’t imagined that. But, in terms of what’s inside of the Pokéball, it’s a space that’s incredibly comfortable for Pokémon. So comfortable, that they want to enter the Pokéball without any sort of outside encouragement. What’s actually in there is something we would like for people to sort of imagine on their own. In terms of whether humans can enter the Pokéball or not, it’s called a Pokéball, so probably not. I think it’s just for Pokémon.”

In fact, during the same interview, overall director for Pokémon Black and White Takao Unno also gave an interesting insight on how Pokémon gym leaders do not get fired if they run out of badges.

“The gym leaders, they’re primarily there because they have a strong desire to help trainers grow and really identify the good trainers. They only give badges to trainers who they have recognized as being strong of heart and a strong battler as well. So, they definitely don’t quit when they run out of badges if they were to run out of badges. The only time they would quit or stop being a gym leader is when perhaps their ideals change or they want to do something else in life.

“And if a gym leader were able to actually give out so many badges to so many great trainers that they ran out of them, they would probably be overjoyed by that fact, that there were so many great trainers that came to challenge them.”

So that settles it then. No more thinking about dark prison-like spaces for Pokémon inside Pokéballs.

Curious on what happens to Pokémon when their trainers die in the wilderness? Check out this heartbreaking and artful rendition by obsessiforge and projecttiger over at Scans Daily.

Pokémon fans have been waiting for Pokémon Sun and Moon, and it’s almost time we can get our hands on this new Pokémon title after the phenomenon that is Pokémon GO. Pokémon Sun and Moon will be releasing for the Nintendo 3DS on November 18, 2016.

[Featured Image by Vladimir Borozenets/Shutterstock]