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Misty (Pokémon)

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Misty
Pokémon character
Misty, as seen in the Pokémon TV series
First gamePokémon Red and Blue (1996)
Created byKen Sugimori
Designed byKen Sugimori
Atsuko Nishida (anime)
Voiced by

Misty, known as Kasumi (Japanese: カスミ) in Japan, is a fictional character in the Pokémon franchise owned by Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri. She has appeared as a Gym Leader in the Pokémon video games Pokémon Red and Blue, Pokémon Gold and Silver, and their respective remakes. She was a protagonist in the ongoing anime for the first five seasons, travelling alongside Ash Ketchum and Brock / Tracey to become the world's best Water-type Pokémon trainer before departing home to Cerulean City to run the family gym, but made recurring appearances after and eventually resuming her journey after Ash won the rank of World Champion. The character has also appeared in manga like Pokémon Adventures. She specialises in Water Type Pokémon. Her Japanese voice actress is Mayumi Iizuka, while her English voice was supplied by Rachael Lillis and Michele Knotz.

Conception and design

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Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the Pokémon series began in Japan in 1996 with the release of Pokémon Red and Blue for the Game Boy.[5] In these games, the player assumes the role of a Pokémon Trainer whose goal is to capture and train creatures called Pokémon. Players use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon, and some can transform into stronger species, or evolve.[6] The ultimate goal is to complete the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading to obtain creatures from all Pokémon species.[7][8]

Designed by Ken Sugimori as a "gym leader", a Pokémon trainer that acts as an area boss, Misty was introduced in Red and Blue. Due to the nature of the game's development, only one set of concept sketches were done before implementing the character as sprite art within the game.[9] Originally intended to be the game's third gym leader battle, she was changed to be the second instead for the game's final release.[10] Designed as a young woman with red hair tied into a side ponytail, Sugimori often depicted her in a two piece swimsuit to fit thematically with her gym and its swimming pools.[11]

For her anime appearance, she was designed by Atsuko Nishida.[12] Her outfit was changed significantly for this appearance, giving her sneakers, a yellow shirt that reached above her midriff, and blue shorts held up by red suspenders around her torso. Emphasis was placed on the shape of her eyes in the animation guides, and how to draw them.[citation needed] Her Japanese voice actress, Mayumi Iizuka, stated that during her audition the director asked her to act like herself, and in doing so she landed the role. As a result, she considers Misty to be the one character she has voiced who most represents herself.[13] Iizuka keeps track of her character's promotional appearances in merchandise and other material, additionally providing fans with insights on possible future cameos in the anime series.

In January 1999, Game Freak explained the origin of the English name of Misty: "The English word for 'Kasumi' is 'Mist,' so the name was changed to -ty to make it sound more feminine."[14]

Appearances

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In the video games

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In the video games Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed & LeafGreen, Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, and Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Misty is the Gym Leader of Cerulean City. She specializes in Water-type Pokémon. Misty, in her anime form, also appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee and as a gym leader in Pokémon Puzzle League. Additionally, she appears on Pokémon Channel on a full Japanese Pichu Bros. Disc. The disc differs from the other Japanese disc, as Misty's (Kasumi) voice actor is the narrator. Misty, as well as most of the gym leaders in Pokémon history, reappear in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 as part of the Pokémon World Tournament.[15]

In the anime

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The anime follows the quest of one of the main characters, Ash Ketchum, as he and his friends travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners. Misty is a stubborn tomboy who trains Water Pokémon and has three siblings, Daisy, Lily, and Violet. She left the Gym to her three older sisters prior to traveling with Ash in the anime, although she still retained the title of Gym Leader despite this.[16] She first comes across Ash when she accidentally fishes him and his Pikachu out of a river while fishing for water Pokémon. Soon after this incident, Ash "borrows" her bike in an attempt to flee from a flock of wild Spearow. The bike is later charred by an attack from Pikachu.[17] Misty tells Ash she will not leave him alone until he replaces the bike and commits to follow him on his journey, and the two soon become best friends. After retrieving her repaired bike at the end of the Johto League Silver Conference, she returns to the Cerulean Gym and resumes her duties as the Gym Leader.

Misty becomes a central character in Pokémon Chronicles, a spin-off to the Pokémon anime, and appears in several specials and episodes. She maintains her friendship with Ash and eventually goes to Hoenn to meet up with him, meeting May and Max, and sees him again when he returns to Pallet following a long stint in Hoenn. She also appeared in an arc composed of at least two episodes of the Sun & Moon series,[18] where she and Brock meet Ash and his friends in Kanto, and later appears in two more episodes of the Sun & Moon series when she reunites with Ash in Alola.[19] Misty made more appearances in Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series as Ash's journey with the show came to end.[20]

In the early episodes, Misty is depicted as having a short temper, stubborn temperament, and little patience. As the series progresses, however, she gradually shows herself to be kind and sensible. Misty becomes the parental guardian of Togepi, caring for it throughout the series.[21] Misty constantly reins in Brock when he becomes enamored with pretty girls, often pulling him away by the ear. She also has the insectophobia of most Bug-type Pokémon. Misty aims to be a world-class Water-type Pokémon trainer despite her sisters' ridicule.

In the manga

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The Misty character that appears in the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga series, which is loosely based on the anime, is similar to the Misty in the anime, while the Misty in Pokémon Adventures is similar to the Misty in the video games. She appears throughout Electric Tale of Pikachu, traveling on occasion with Ash. In Pokémon Adventures, When Red, the protagonist of the manga, first meets her, she is trying to recapture her Gyarados with help of her Staryu, which has been brainwashed by Team Rocket. They decide to team up and confront Team Rocket. The next morning, after spending the night resting in Misty's mansion, Misty leads Red to her Gym and reveals herself to be the Gym Leader. They have a battle, and though Misty quickly gained the upper hand and easily defeated Red with her fast and strong Starmie, she is worried that if they do not prepare themselves, Team Rocket will defeat them easily. Red decides that he might actually need training, and agrees to train. At that point, they become close friends.

In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, Red, the protagonist of the series, is seeking a Moon Stone along with his Pikachu and his Clefairy (one that speaks human language). When they meet Misty, Clefairy notices that she is wearing a Moon Stone as a necklace. Misty declares that they battle her if they wish to have it. While the Clefairy is initially pumped up to battle, he quickly changes his mind when he sees that his opponent is a massive Blastoise. After a while, the battle is won when Clefairy sucks up all the water in a nearby river and releases the water onto Misty's Pokémon, sending it flying into the sky. Just when Misty is about to reward Red's group with the prize they sought, the stone is stolen.

Critical reception

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The book The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture described Misty's portrayal in the anime as a mother figure, calling her a "nurturing component" for the original trio of herself, Ash and Brock.[22] It further described her as an "unusually 'complete' girl of the cartoon world", noting both her feminine sentimentality and her "explosive rage".[23] Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces praised the character as being "particularly nuanced" and described her as contributing heavily to the series' appeal.[24] Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon stated that though the anime focused on Ash, Misty was a distinctly significant character especially to young female consumers, neither "butch" nor "dizzily feminine", seemingly "carefully constructed to appeal to preadolescent girls".[25] It added that, unlike other aggressive female characters in the series, Misty did not sacrifice her femininity to succeed, making the character further popular with young American women, a contrast to Japanese children who focused more on the individual Pokémon species to identify with.[26]

In studies on the reactions boys and girls had to the concept of Misty as a heroine in the series, girls accepted it and were eager to associate themselves with the character,[27][28] while boys attempted to belittle her efforts. On the other hand, children of both genders felt the character alongside Brock gave Ash a sense of identity and moral support, which researchers attributed to the concept of group identity.[29] In another study, children were shown to associate the attributes of attractiveness and aggressiveness, while college students described the character as romantic.[30] Pikachu's Global Adventure additionally stated Misty also served as a source of non-threatening sexuality for both older and younger male viewers, though the context of such was presented in a more subtle way for North American localizations of the series.[31]

In 2013, nearing Halloween, Archie Comics illustrator Ryan Jampole utilized Misty as one of the 31 costumes for the character Roll from the Archie Comics adaptation of the Mega Man franchise.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Rachael Lillis Animation VO demo". YouTube. 24 May 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Michele Knotz - Voice Actress - Resume". Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  3. ^ Buhr, Reba [@rebabuhr] (29 August 2019). "@PokemonMasters is finally out! I am the English voice of #Misty!!!" (Tweet). Retrieved 29 August 2019 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "ポケモン新作ゲームのキャストはアニメ版から変更 鳥海浩輔&茅野愛衣&豊崎愛生&佐倉綾音ら出演". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). 28 June 2019. Archived from the original on 28 June 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  5. ^ Hilliard, Kyle (25 December 2016). "Pokémon Red & Blue – A Look Back At The 20-Year Journey To Catch 'Em All". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  6. ^ Harris, Craig (23 June 1999). "Pokemon Red Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  7. ^ Jiang, Sisi (28 January 2022). "Pokémon Legends: Arceus: Easy Pokedex Tips That Will Make A Huge Difference". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  8. ^ Tapsell, Chris (30 January 2018). "Pokémon Living Pokédex guide - tips for a complete living dex in Gen 7's Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  9. ^ Sugimori, Ken [@SUPER_32X] (16 June 2015). "初代ゲームボーイの開発はドット直描きだった事も多くデザインの紙資料が少ないのです" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 9 November 2023 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Baird, Scott (27 January 2021). "Pokémon Red & Blue's Gym Leader Line-Up Was Almost Totally Different". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 7 November 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  11. ^ Ken Sugimori Works (in Japanese). Tankobon Softcover. January 2014. p. 331. ISBN 9784198638061.
  12. ^ "The Talent Behind Hometown Story" (PDF). 6 August 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  13. ^ Staff (6 April 1999). "Press Session: Mayumi Iizuka". Ex. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
  14. ^ "NEWS12" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 21 February 1999. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Pokémon Blowout!". Official Nintendo Magazine (45). Nintendo Viacom Nickelodeon: 33. 2012.
  16. ^ Kunihiko Yuyama (Director). "The Waterflowers of Cerulean City". Pokémon. Episode 7. Cartoon Network. Ash: What are you doing here?! // Misty: I'm a gym leader, too! The Fourth Sensational Sister!.
  17. ^ Kunihiko Yuyama (Director). "Pokémon, I Choose You!". Pokémon. Episode 1. Cartoon Network.
  18. ^ Brock and Misty Return to the Pokemon Anime Archived 18 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine Comicbook.com, Retrieved 28 August 2017
  19. ^ 'Pokemon' Anime Teases Brock, Misty Return In New Promo Archived 18 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine Comicbook.com, Retrieved 16 December 2018
  20. ^ 'Ash Ketchum to Exit Pokemon Anime in 2023' Archived 16 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Comicbook.com, Retrieved 16 December 2022
  21. ^ Hiroshi Sakai (Director). "Who Gets To Keep Togepi?". Pokémon. Episode 50. Cartoon Network.
  22. ^ West, Mark I. (2008). The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-8108-5121-4.
  23. ^ West, Mark I. (2008). The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-8108-5121-4.
  24. ^ Camp, Brian; Julie Davis (May 2007). Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces. Stone Bridge Press. p. 283. ISBN 978-1-933330-22-8.
  25. ^ Tobin, Joseph Jay (2004). Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Duke University Press. p. 21. ISBN 0-8223-3287-6.
  26. ^ Tobin, Joseph Jay (2004). Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Duke University Press. pp. 231–232, 282. ISBN 0-8223-3287-6.
  27. ^ Tobin, Joseph Jay (2004). Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Duke University Press. p. 176. ISBN 0-8223-3287-6.
  28. ^ Katch, Jane (2004). They Don't Like Me: Lessons on Bullying and Teasing from a Preschool Classroom. Beacon Press. ISBN 0-8070-2321-3.
  29. ^ Tobin, Joseph Jay (2004). Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Duke University Press. pp. 169–170, 177. ISBN 0-8223-3287-6.
  30. ^ Ogletree, Shirley M. (28 October 2004). "Pokémon: Exploring the Role of Gender". Sex Roles. 50 (11–12 / June, 2004). Springer Netherlands: 851–859. doi:10.1023/B:SERS.0000029102.66384.a2. ISSN 0360-0025. S2CID 144073356.
  31. ^ Tobin, Joseph Jay (2004). Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Duke University Press. p. 284. ISBN 0-8223-3287-6.
  32. ^ "31 Days of Halloween Costumed Roll by Ryan Jampole - TheMMNetwork". themmnetwork.com. 31 October 2013. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
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