help:pokemon tags
These are the standards concerning the various kinds of Pokémon tags.
Tagging human characters
- Use Japanese names for human characters, with the (pokemon) qualifier.
- Ex.: natsume_(pokemon), takeshi_(pokemon), etc.
- Use English names for trainer classes, with the (pokemon) qualifier.
- Ex.: lass_(pokemon), swimmer_(pokemon), fisherman_(pokemon), etc.
- As an exception, human characters with surnames don't have the qualifier.
- Ex.: platinum_berlitz, ookido_green, etc. (not ookido_green_(pokemon))
Human characters are referred to by their Japanese in compliance with usual Danbooru standards, despite having English names on exported versions. The English names are sometimes available as aliases, especially in the case of major characters such as players and rivals.
Most human characters are known by a single name (they lack a full name) such as "Satoshi" and would be likely ambiguous with characters from other copyrights, hence the (pokemon) qualifier.
Trainer classes are often descriptive words such as "Swimmer" or "Lass", so English trainer classes are used. They would often clash with common English vocabulary, so the (pokemon) qualifier is used here as well.
See List of Pokemon characters for all names.
Tagging Pokémon species
- Simply use the English names of Pokémon species.
- There are exactly three species that require the (pokemon) qualifier:
- kabuto_(pokemon), golem_(pokemon) and deino_(pokemon) (because kabuto, golem and deino are ambiguous tags)
- For a regional form, use just "alolan_(species)" or "galarian_(species)". Don't use just "(species)".
- Ex.: Alolan Meowth should be tagged just alolan_meowth, not meowth.
- Ex.: Galarian Meowth should be tagged just galarian_meowth, not meowth.
Owing to their sheer number (807 registered species, as of the Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Versions), remembering their English names is no easy task, much less their Japanese names. The Japanese names of Pokémon also cover many highly-ambiguous words that can and will conflict with other characters, artists, and objects. (Beedrill = "Spear" in Japanese; Magnemite = "Coil" in Japanese, etc.)
Japanese names, however, are applicable to newer Pokémon as temporary tags, when necessary, until their English names become officially available.
Some miscellaneous tags about Pokémon species, such as shiny_pokemon and clothed_pokemon, are also available.
See List of Pokémon for all names.
Grouping Pokémon by generation
- Use generation tags to group all Pokémon species of each generation
- Ex.: Use gen_1_pokemon (Generation 1) in all posts containing any of these Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard, and so on for all species until the last one of that generation, Mew. For other generations, use gen_2_pokemon, gen_3_pokemon, etc. as applicable.
- All the same, use generation tags for dolls, cosplays, and personifications.
- Ex.: A doll, cosplay, or personification of Mewtwo still needs to be tagged gen_1_pokemon.
- For a regional form, use the generation tag where the regional form was introduced (not the original form).
- Ex.: For any Alolan Pokémon (Alolan Meowth, Alolan Marowak, etc.), use gen_7_pokemon.
- Ex.: For any Galarian Pokémon (Galarian Meowth, Galarian Zigzagoon, etc.) use gen_8_pokemon.
Full list of Pokémon generation tags:
- gen_1_pokemon
- gen_2_pokemon
- gen_3_pokemon
- gen_4_pokemon
- gen_5_pokemon
- gen_6_pokemon
- gen_7_pokemon
- gen_8_pokemon
Tagging media
- Use game tags to group human characters and designs from various games.
- Ex.: pokemon_rgby, pokemon_sm, pokemon_swsh, etc.
- Use anime series tags to group human characters and designs from different anime series.
- Other media tags are available as well:
- Ex.: pokemon_special, pocket_monsters_(manga), etc.
- Make sure to check the different designs of each character to see where it fits.
- Ex.: Red is visibly different in RGBY, FRLG, SM and LGPE, so various posts depicting Red are expected to have different media tags. Many game characters also have different designs when they appear in remakes.
- In the vast majority of cases, don't use game tags for Pokémon species. This would be redundant to the generation tags above.
- Ex.: Posts depicting a Squirtle should be tagged gen_1_pokemon, not pokemon_rgby. (unless there are human characters from that game in the post as well) All the same, posts depicting a Wooloo should be tagged gen_8_pokemon, not pokemon_swsh.
- As an exception, official art posts depicting a Pokémon may use game tags.
- Ex.: Official art of Charizard from FRLG may be tagged pokemon_frlg (in addition to gen_1_pokemon). Official art of Wooloo from SwSh may be tagged pokemon_swsh (in addition to gen_8_pokemon).
A post depicting a Pokémon species is not necessarily a visible reference to any game in particular.
For example, post #1015491 is a Moltres. It should be tagged gen_1_pokemon. Technically Moltres first appeared in RGBY, but it should not be tagged pokemon_rgby. Moltres can be a reference to any of multiple games and media. It can be captured in multiple games such as FRLG, XD, HGSS, XY, and USUM, not to mention traded to other games. It also appears in multiple manga, the anime, and at least one movie. That's why, instead of using more than half a dozen media tags for Moltres or other Pokémon (which would be technically correct, if impractical), we use just the generation tags as explained above.
When a new Pokémon game is released, people may be tempted to use the game tag for new Pokémon species. For instance, adding pokemon_swsh to a Wooloo post (post #3528342) would be a mistake, because Wooloo is expected to appear in other media as well.
Discussion: topic #15030.
See List of Pokemon media for all forms of media.
Beta Pokémon
Beta Pokémon are the unused Pokémon designs and creatures. They sometimes appear in fan art.
- All beta Pokémon have their own tags. Don't use normal Pokémon tags when referring to beta Pokémon. Examples:
- post #3360231 - the correct tag is girafarig_(beta), not girafarig.
- post #3355587 - the correct tag is gyarados_(beta), not gyarados.
- post #3148107 - the correct tag is rai_(pokemon), not raikou.
- post #3148591 - the correct tag is leafy, not leafeon.
- Beta versions having the same names as normal Pokémon have the (beta) qualifier.
- Ex.: iggybuff_(beta) (to distinguish from the normal igglybuff), gyarados_(beta), pichu_(beta), girafarig_(beta), etc.
- Whenever possible, use a name found in official sources (which are usually in Japanese).
- Ex.: Some beta Pokémon have been found, with their respective names, in the Gold/Silver from Space World 1997: Hanamogura, Honooguma, Volbear, Dynabear, etc.
- Don't use fan translations as tags. Stick to the "official" Japanese names as said above. (sometimes fanart and fan sites use fan translations, but please ignore them) Feel free to mention major fan translations in the wiki pages (such as those by The Cutting Room Floor).
- Ex.: The website The Cutting Room Floor translated the Pokémon names from Space World 1997: Koonya (original) became Meowsy (fan translation), Haneko (original) became Lefmew (fan translation), etc.
- A few tags have the (pokemon) qualifier added at the end because they are ambiguous.
- Ex.: gift_(pokemon), lip_(pokemon), turban_(pokemon), kotora_(pokemon), ikari_(pokemon), etc.
- A small minority has (pokemon_gsc_beta) added at the end becase the (pokemon) version was already taken.
- There are beta versions of game tags.
- Ex.: pokemon_gsc (normal tag) -> pokemon_gsc_beta (beta tag)
- A beta Pokémon is often found in a single game and is unlikely to appear in other games and media such as anime and manga, so it may use the normal game tag, as well as the beta game tag.
- Ex.: All posts depicting pichu_(beta) should be tagged pokemon_gsc, as well as pokemon_gsc_beta.
Lists of beta Pokémon: