PineapplePizza
Well-Known Member
I know most fans seem to associate Red with Charmander because of the origins miniseries and Charizard being on the Pokemon Red Box Art and Charizard being the most popular of the Kanto starters but I think if you really think about it it is obvious his starter is actually suppose to be Bulbasaur.
First, let's get into the really obvious; why it's not Pikachu or Squirtle
It's not Pikachu because Pikachu isn't an actual starter. Some fans I think point to Pikachu being his lead Pokemon in Gold/Silver and remakes as evidence that it might be Pikachu but I think its obvious Game Freak made Pikachu his lead Pokemon as an acknowledgement of Pikachu being the face of the franchise and a nod to Red's anime counterpart having Pikachu as a starter. That doesn't mean Pikachu is who he received as Professor Oak's lab. Just that he caught one (probably in the Viridian Forest) and ended up favoring it.
And Squirtle... has anyone ever argued that Squirtle is his canonical starter? I can't think of one variation that gave him Squirtle.
Now let's get into why it's not Charmander despite what appears to be popular opinion ever since Pokemon Origins existed...
*Charizard is on the cover of Pokemon RED- By that logic that makes the rival's canon starter Bulbasaur since Venusaur is on the cover of Pokemon GREEN and the rivals identified as Green Oak. But we all know the rival chooses the Pokemon that a type advantage over the Player Character. But there's a certain poetic irony to the Red character choosing the Green Pokemon and the Green Character choosing the Red Pokemon.
*Charmander was his starter in Pokemon Origins!- Origins is just one telling of the games much like the anime series (which gave Red's starter as Pikachu to avoid giving him one of the 3 choices at first I guess) Charmander was obviously chosen by that series writers because A. Charizard was the Break Out Mon by that point and this was suppose to hit in the nostalgia B. The mini series was really just a cross promotion for Pokemon XY and they obviously wanted to show off Charizard X's sleek design.
Now here's why I think it's obviously Bulbasaur that Red picked as his starter in the games canon
1. Like I said before there's an interesting irony for the Red character to pick the Green Pokemon and the Green characer picked the Red Pokemon. Instead of Red choosing the Red Pokemon and Green chose...the Blue Pokemon
2. Bulbasaur's index number is #1 I know that sound dumb but come on.
3. Pokemon Adventures which is closer to the games and doesn't have the hang ups that origins had gave him Bulbasaur as his Kanto starter. So did Pokemon Generations (which is also showed the idea of Pikachu becoming his lead after capturing it)
4. In the anime Ash, who is adapted from the player character in the games, goes gaga over Bulbasaur in a way he does not with Charmander or Squirtle (he's excited to get those two but compare his fan boy reaction to seeing a wild Bulbasaur over his comparatively subdued reaction to the other two) I think this could be viewed as a nod to Bulbasaur being his game counterpart's starter. (I also think that Ash was only suppose to get Bulbasaur and the anime had plans to give Charmander to Brock and Squirtle to Misty but that's a theory for another day)
5. This official artwork:
But I'm curious to see what everyone else thinks
First, let's get into the really obvious; why it's not Pikachu or Squirtle
It's not Pikachu because Pikachu isn't an actual starter. Some fans I think point to Pikachu being his lead Pokemon in Gold/Silver and remakes as evidence that it might be Pikachu but I think its obvious Game Freak made Pikachu his lead Pokemon as an acknowledgement of Pikachu being the face of the franchise and a nod to Red's anime counterpart having Pikachu as a starter. That doesn't mean Pikachu is who he received as Professor Oak's lab. Just that he caught one (probably in the Viridian Forest) and ended up favoring it.
And Squirtle... has anyone ever argued that Squirtle is his canonical starter? I can't think of one variation that gave him Squirtle.
Now let's get into why it's not Charmander despite what appears to be popular opinion ever since Pokemon Origins existed...
*Charizard is on the cover of Pokemon RED- By that logic that makes the rival's canon starter Bulbasaur since Venusaur is on the cover of Pokemon GREEN and the rivals identified as Green Oak. But we all know the rival chooses the Pokemon that a type advantage over the Player Character. But there's a certain poetic irony to the Red character choosing the Green Pokemon and the Green Character choosing the Red Pokemon.
*Charmander was his starter in Pokemon Origins!- Origins is just one telling of the games much like the anime series (which gave Red's starter as Pikachu to avoid giving him one of the 3 choices at first I guess) Charmander was obviously chosen by that series writers because A. Charizard was the Break Out Mon by that point and this was suppose to hit in the nostalgia B. The mini series was really just a cross promotion for Pokemon XY and they obviously wanted to show off Charizard X's sleek design.
Now here's why I think it's obviously Bulbasaur that Red picked as his starter in the games canon
1. Like I said before there's an interesting irony for the Red character to pick the Green Pokemon and the Green characer picked the Red Pokemon. Instead of Red choosing the Red Pokemon and Green chose...the Blue Pokemon
2. Bulbasaur's index number is #1 I know that sound dumb but come on.
3. Pokemon Adventures which is closer to the games and doesn't have the hang ups that origins had gave him Bulbasaur as his Kanto starter. So did Pokemon Generations (which is also showed the idea of Pikachu becoming his lead after capturing it)
4. In the anime Ash, who is adapted from the player character in the games, goes gaga over Bulbasaur in a way he does not with Charmander or Squirtle (he's excited to get those two but compare his fan boy reaction to seeing a wild Bulbasaur over his comparatively subdued reaction to the other two) I think this could be viewed as a nod to Bulbasaur being his game counterpart's starter. (I also think that Ash was only suppose to get Bulbasaur and the anime had plans to give Charmander to Brock and Squirtle to Misty but that's a theory for another day)
5. This official artwork:
But I'm curious to see what everyone else thinks
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