Love me. <3
Now, as I'm a girl, I feel doing a topic like this is important. ^.^ My first Pokemon game I bought was in 6th grade. (My Grandpa bought it for me ^^) It was the Blue version, where I started with my Bulbasaur, hence starting my love for Grass Pokemon, yaddayadda. Enough of the life story. Now, I thought it was a great thing when Crystal came out, simply because not only the fact it was another Pokemon game to buy, but because you could play as a girl, too, rather than just a boy. I think that the dual-gender games appeal more to girls because then they don't feel stupid walking around as a boy with a name like "Melissa" or something. lol.
Also, as Ace and I were discussing today, apparently the Charmander in Leaf Green looks more girly and cute than the original. The only starter I can think of that's girly pretty much from its first stage to its last stage, has got to be the one and only Chikorita. Now, for first time players of Silver/Gold/Crystal, the girls playing probably relate to Chikorita more because she has a girlier look and feel to her. Personally, I fell in love with the fact she was a Grass Type way before her girliness factor (Every freaking Chikorita I try to hatch from an egg is a boy! Rawr!). Of course, the media has a lot to do with this image as well.
On the TV show, Ash's Chikorita was a girl, as well as that Chikorita Ash first encounters in Johto--the one belonging to Kasey(sp?), that is. Besides, Chikorita is just so stinkin' cute. ^.^
Of course, as the journey continues, you encounter other girl Pokemon, such as Chansey, Blissey, Bellossom, Vulpix, Hitmonchan (It's the dress, and the fact he/she has "-chan" at the end of her name. lol), and most of all, Jynx. There are far more stereotypically "boyish" Pokemon than girlish ones, so are we led to believe that Pokemon was first aimed towards boys, or were there just a bunch of male Pokemon creators that has no concept of the fairer s3x? It's natural for boys to have "boy" Pokemon, and for girls to have "girl" Pokemon. Simple.
Also, looking back to the concept of media, we have strong girl characters on the show--Misty, who's a lot more B-A'in' than May, for example. I kinda don't like May's media personality... I mainly appreciate the fact she and I have relatively the same body type and hair... except my legs are longer, and I'm not 10. lol. Lots of Cosplay ideas ^.~ lol. Anywho, back to Misty. Misty has influenced girls everywhere, folks--she's a tomboyish girl that trains Pokemon, and she's not takin crap from nobody. Girls can really find confide in a personality like this--heck, if more girls acted like Misty, maybe they'd stop whining about how much make up costs and how they ran out of their conditioner. What a nice world that would be...
Of course, we can't forget the female gym leaders. In total, in the games, there are 12 females, and 13 males. Of course, because of the twins in Mossdeep City, along with the fact Janine takes over Koga's gym in G/S, there are only 11 gyms actually controlled by females. it's not too bad... they're pretty equal. now, let's take a look at the show's female gym leaders' numbers. Including the orange islands, 15 girls have been gym leaders.
19 boys have. Is this to suggest that boys are better at Pokemon than girls, or that only the most pimpin of all the girl trainers are gym leaders? For the Elite Four, the most supreme of all trainers, (also keep in mind none of the champions have ever been girls... maybe in Crystal, as your Rival, but I haven't beaten that one yet.)... I'm not sure. I don't have any of my guides with me. U.U;;;
So there you have it, folks. Was Pokemon merely meant for boys in the beginning, or were the creators just a bunch of men? The issue of girls and Pokemon is quite a stumper for myself... there are many possibilities for why it seems more boy-oriented. All I know, is that it's good to know the Pokemon world has finally become Female-Friendly. ;)
Signing off,
~Rinni <3
