Why Pokémon memes will never get old
What’s the secret to the enduring power of Pokémon memes? What’s the funniest Pokémon meme? Are Mewtwo memes objectively more hilarious than Pikachu memes? And why is that so many grown-ass adults are still hooked on this oddball children’s show?
The enormous popularity of Pokémon memes is proof that this sprawling franchise – which started life as a Nintendo Game Boy project pretty much 30 years ago – is as popular and beloved around the world as ever.
Elon Musk tweets Pokémon memes from time to time. The characters – Pikachu, Mewtwo, Squirtle, Ash – are as much a part of the fabric of our culture as The Simpsons or The Beatles. They’re ubiquitous and almost universally loved. Just… why?
POPULAR POKEMON MEMES
One of the core reasons for Pokémon’s enduring popularity – to step out the realm of memes briefly – is that parents don’t really get Pokémon. The random names. The arcane taxonomies and wonky species. Fire type – what?!
This makes Pokémon special to kids, because it’s ‘their thing’. It’s beyond their parent’s capacity to comprehend (or care about), which is precisely what makes it special to a child.
When the kid grows up, Pokémon has a special place in their heart because it reminds them of this special feeling. And when the adult world in all it’s unfairness and complexity starts to weigh heavy on their shoulders, that special bond with these weird colourful anime critters burns all the brighter
MEWTWO MEMES
Out of all the 1,000+ Pokémon, Mewtwo arguably makes for the best Pokémon memes. Why is that?
Partly, probably, because Mewtwo is… kind of a cat? A cat-like beast? A feline creature. And the internet always goes mad for cats, it’s pretty much the first and only rule of online culture.
Moreover, there’s something in the sternness and utter lack of fun in Mewtwo’s expression that makes the character ripe for comedy. Whenever a character, like Mewtwo, looks so grave and serious, the moment just begs for a dumb punchline.
TEAM ROCKET MEMES
At the other end of the spectrum, Team Rocket’s bumbling antics make for a way less sophisticated – but nonetheless satisfying – brand of humour.
Their individual personalities are known the world over. Jessie is vain and egotistical, James is flamboyant and melodramatic, and Meowth is sarcastic and quick-witted. Put them together and you’ve got a versatile substrate for basically an infinite range of jokes.
And as Pokémon fans age, Team Rocket’s cartoonish thwared villainy just gets even more funny. Reminds us of real life, kinda. Plus Jessie is hot.
PIKACHU MEMES
The undisputed franchise star is also by some way the most memeable character. Look at those adorable chubby cheeks! He’s even yellow, apparently Gen-Z’s favourite colour!
This explains some of Pikachu memes’ enduring fascination to the Pokémon fandom and beyond. Everybody, even non-fans, know Pikachu’s name. And if you forget, don’t worry, because Pikachu will just remind you of his name before long.
There’s more to it than that though.
Because Pokémon is such an ‘active’ franchise – requiring you to collect cards, play games, nag your mom for her phone because there’s a rare Charizard in the parking lot of McDonalds – fans are invested. You’ve sunk time, and almost definitely money, into Pokémon.
So there’s a deep-seated interest in staying involved. Kind of related to the sunk-cost fallacy, if you’re interested.
So Pokémon memes aren’t going anywhere. Go and catch ‘em all for yourself at Memix.com.
Hey, IS STEALING MEMES ILLEGAL?
While we’re here, does anybody know IS IT PRONOUNCED GIF OR JIF?