Product Approval Manual Sheds Light on Pokemon World

[Crossroads Bulletin]

The Pokemon Company International supplies a “product approval manual” to third parties who are involved in Pokemon merchandising and marketing. The manual aims to ensure that the Pokemon brand remains consistent, and also that controversial topics such as death, family ties and Pokemon food are de-emphasised. Scans of the manual have been uploaded by CardGamesFTL, giving us a glimpse of the message that TPCi are putting out there.
Some of the things covered in the manual are the rarity of Master Balls, the fact that Pokemon do not have genders and do not speak (besides Meowth), the way the logo should be displayed and how the Pokemon world itself should be referenced – not as Earth.
You can view the pages of the manual below.








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[Lord Celebi]

This was extremely entertaining. I especially loved the bit where they said that "Pokemon are not data" as a subtle way of saying that "Digimon are completely different."

[SassySnivy]

"No genders"...what the heck? Instead make it ambiguously obvious in certain anime episodes. Male unless otherwise shown. Seriously, wtf, they've disclosed that crap in the anime before. Some of these things are so freaking petty though...good lord.

Oh, don't use gender specific pronouns. Well that's not that bad