Trading Pokemon in Real Life/The Anime

[Needs a Deoxys]

Has anyone ever really considered just how messed up trading Pokemon would be in real life? It is essentially trading pets with each other, a practice that is basically unheard of in real life.

Now, I haven’t watched the anime in years, but I’d imagine that more often than not it would go very similarly to how Ash's trade with the Gentleman went. If you were actually able to pull off a trade, nine times out of ten someone would have second thoughts and demand a trade back. And what would happen if kids tried to trade at school? The fights and trouble we used to get into just for trading cards at school were bad enough.

And then there's the issue of trading Pokemon just to evolve them (with the intent to trade back). I could see people getting shot for not returning each other's Pokemon lol.

 

[satopi]

Has anyone ever really considered just how messed up trading Pokemon would be in real life? It is essentially trading pets with each other, a practice that is basically unheard of in real life.

Now, I haven’t watched the anime in years, but I’d imagine that more often than not it would go very similarly to how Ash's trade with the Gentleman went. If you were actually able to pull off a trade, nine times out of ten someone would have second thoughts and demand a trade back. And what would happen if kids tried to trade at school? The fights and trouble we used to get into just for trading cards at school were bad enough.

And then there's the issue of trading Pokemon just to evolve them (with the intent to trade back). I could see people getting shot for not returning each other's Pokemon lol.

There's nothing wrong with trading Pokémon. It's only bad when the Pokémon themselves don't want to or the trainer is forced into it. In Ash's and Dawn's case, Buizel was more into battling and going against opponents with its moves while Aipom really liked Contests, always getting excited when she watched Dawn perform, and wanting to pursue them. Sure she got sent off later but when Ash and Dawn traded Pokémon, their number 1 priority was the well being of their Pokémon. As far as children trading Pokémon in school, that's between them and I'm sure there's some sort of labor laws and rules concerning Pokémon.

Heck, betting on their Pokémon to win a race is just another form of illegal gambling. There shouldn't be an issue of someone temporarily trading their Pokémon just to evolve it (which happened in the anime), if the person on the other end doesn't return the Pokémon to its sender, that's stealing. Just be glad, the person who has your Pokémon can't release it since it isn't theirs.

 

[Leonhart]

My only issue with trading in the anime is that it seems to require a trading machine in almost every case that I can remember, which seems excessive. I don't understand why trainers can't simply exchange Monster Balls manually.

 

[AshxSatoshi]

My only issue with trading in the anime is that it seems to require a trading machine in almost every case that I can remember, which seems excessive. I don't understand why trainers can't simply exchange Monster Balls manually.

Well some trades need to happen that that way like Bianca's and Juniper's but other than that I agree. I guess they want to stay true to the games.

 

[Needs a Deoxys]

There's nothing wrong with trading Pokémon. It's only bad when the Pokémon themselves don't want to or the trainer is forced into it. In Ash's and Dawn's case, Buizel was more into battling and going against opponents with its moves while Aipom really liked Contests, always getting excited when she watched Dawn perform, and wanting to pursue them. Sure she got sent off later but when Ash and Dawn traded Pokémon, their number 1 priority was the well being of their Pokémon. As far as children trading Pokémon in school, that's between them and I'm sure there's some sort of labor laws and rules concerning Pokémon.

I'm not saying there is anything inherently wrong with it. It just seems to me like if Pokemon were to exist in the real world, or if we treated our pets like our Pokemon, I don't really think it would ever really work out in practice. These aren't just digital pieces of data or cardboard paper, they are living, breathing things with feelings and emotions. It just seems like kind of a messed up practice in most cases. Of course, adoption is a thing and the instances you brought up seem like very legitimate reasons. But to me, your standard "let's trade this Pokemon/pet I've had and grown attached to for years, for this random, new one" is just kind of wrong lol.

Heck, betting on their Pokémon to win a race is just another form of illegal gambling. There shouldn't be an issue of someone temporarily trading their Pokémon just to evolve it (which happened in the anime), if the person on the other end doesn't return the Pokémon to its sender, that's stealing. Just be glad, the person who has your Pokémon can't release it since it isn't theirs.

Wow, that really happened in the anime? I didn't know they even cared about those evolution conditions lol. I just feel like it would be an issue because not everyone is a good person. People promise to trade Pokemon back to each other all the time in the games and then don't do it (particularly over wifi because you don't ever have to see the person again). I'm not sure how they could enforce that as stealing because there was an actual transfer of ownership, despite what the intent was. Maybe on the machine they could add a "trade back" button that you can press before the initial trade. I'm not sure, but it just feels like something that could be abused unless it was heavily regulated.

 

[satopi]

I agree with your points overall. And yes, people in the anime do care about evolution conditions for their own reasons like we've seen recently with Hala where he evolved his Crabrawler. Some people trade (with someone that they trust like a professor) and are given back their Pokémon for the sake of it evolving like with a Pokémon like Onix or Haunter.

But to me, your standard "let's trade this Pokemon/pet I've had and grown attached to for years, for this random, new one" is just kind of wrong lol.

While yes, it is wrong to trade a Pokémon you've grown attached to for years in exchange for a new one and if that's so, why trade it in the first place? People have reasons and circumstances that lead to having to trade it or give it away. It's a difficult decision. Maybe their previous owner couldn't afford or be able to take care of their Pokémon and had to settle with something more easier to take care of. Maybe it was a gift. Maybe getting a new Pokémon is like developing a new friendship, knowing that your old Pokémon will be benefiting someone else.

 

[SinnohEevee]

Well some trades need to happen that that way like Bianca's and Juniper's but other than that I agree. I guess they want to stay true to the games.

Probably to transfer ownership.

 

[Leonhart]

Well some trades need to happen that that way like Bianca's and Juniper's but other than that I agree. I guess they want to stay true to the games.

That, and I just realized that perhaps the machines are needed to officially register the trade to avoid ownership disputes between trainers after the exchange.

 

[Needs a Deoxys]

I agree with your points overall. And yes, people in the anime do care about evolution conditions for their own reasons like we've seen recently with Hala where he evolved his Crabrawler. Some people trade (with someone that they trust like a professor) and are given back their Pokémon for the sake of it evolving like with a Pokémon like Onix or Haunter.

By that I meant that everything in the anime isn't like it is the games. I figured they would just have those Pokemon evolve through the standard leveling up/random means. Of course, again, I'm coming at this from a perspective of not having watched the anime in a long time, so I could be way off base in how it is now.

While yes, it is wrong to trade a Pokémon you've grown attached to for years in exchange for a new one and if that's so, why trade it in the first place? People have reasons and circumstances that lead to having to trade it or give it away. It's a difficult decision. Maybe their previous owner couldn't afford or be able to take care of their Pokémon and had to settle with something more easier to take care of. Maybe it was a gift. Maybe getting a new Pokémon is like developing a new friendship, knowing that your old Pokémon will be benefiting someone else.

Exactly, that's my point. Unless it was a fairly recent catch or you hadn't bonded with it much, trading it just seems like a really strange practice. Ash trading Butterfree seemed crazy because it was such an important Pokemon to him. I'm surprised Butterfree didn't have hard feelings when it came back. Pokemon are also really smart and I'd imagine in a lot of cases they would easily become offended and upset if they were traded.

I definitely do agree that there are circumstances where trading makes sense though.

 

[gentwoer]

Has anyone ever really considered just how messed up trading Pokemon would be in real life? It is essentially trading pets with each other, a practice that is basically unheard of in real life.

We also typically don't make our pets fight each other for monetary and social gain. Is TRADING really the social injustice you want to tackle?

Now, I haven’t watched the anime in years, but I’d imagine that more often than not it would go very similarly to how Ash's trade with the Gentleman went. If you were actually able to pull off a trade, nine times out of ten someone would have second thoughts and demand a trade back. And what would happen if kids tried to trade at school? The fights and trouble we used to get into just for trading cards at school were bad enough.

Sigggh now I'm nostalgic for the days in elementary school when kids traded pokemon cards. Also when Burger King had Pokemon trading card events to promote the first movie. Good times. Life was so much simpler than.

And then there's the issue of trading Pokemon just to evolve them (with the intent to trade back). I could see people getting shot for not returning each other's Pokemon lol.

I would cut a ***** if he didn't give me back my Alakazam or Gengar. I already want to cut that stupid NPC who gave that Haunter an everstone in gen 4 I think?

 

[satopi]

Ash trading Butterfree seemed crazy because it was such an important Pokemon to him. I'm surprised Butterfree didn't have hard feelings when it came back. Pokemon are also really smart and I'd imagine in a lot of cases they would easily become offended and upset if they were traded.

Butterfree wasn't traded. He fell in love and Ash let him be with his love even though it made both of them sad but he knew it was for the best. Butterfree had a life to live and eventually, a family he wanted to raise with his pink Butterfree love. Butterfree wouldn't have any hard feelings since there were nothing but good feelings for the decision they both made and their relationship in general.

I do agree that if the Pokémon was told at the last minute or much less, never told about it being traded by it's trainer than yes, it has every right to be mad and upset. Not only is that cruel but it's downright wrong to do that. In those cases, those trainers were scum who don't consider the feelings of the Pokémon they supposedly cared for.

 

[Darthlord7]

Butterfree wasn't traded. He fell in love and Ash let him be with his love even though it made both of them sad but he knew it was for the best. Butterfree had a life to live and eventually, a family he wanted to raise with his pink Butterfree love. Butterfree wouldn't have any hard feelings since there were nothing but good feelings for the decision they both made and their relationship in general.

I do agree that if the Pokémon was told at the last minute or much less, never told about it being traded by it's trainer than yes, it has every right to be mad and upset. Not only is that cruel but it's downright wrong to do that. In those cases, those trainers were scum who don't consider the feelings of the Pokémon they supposedly cared for.

It's about the trade Ash made with that Raticate trainer in the first S.S. Anne episode.

 

[345ash-greninja]

It's about the trade Ash made with that Raticate trainer in the first S.S. Anne episode.

Well in that case no one should forget Buizel and Aipom, a trade between two main characters.