As with many franchises that originate in other countries, Pokemon is no exception from needing translations for its worldwide audience. Localizing games isn’t an easy feat for the translators as the meaning behind some things can get lost between languages. This means the localization team has to go off of what the most probable meaning is.
Not only do they have to translate but they also must keep in mind our different cultures. Some references to Japan’s culture might be lost or misinterpreted on a western audience. Other times it could involve changing things to avoid a stir or controversy once it releases worldwide. All of the following entries have been altered from their original names for one reason or another, each one having an interesting new meaning to them.
10 Play Rough (Frolic)
Play Rough is a physical Fairy-type move common amongst, well, Fairy-types. It’s most often used on physical powerhouses in the games such as Mimikyu, Azumarill or Mawile. Its name alone implies a very self-explanatory definition. When used the Pokemon starts to play with their foe a little too intensely akin to roughhousing.
Frolic, the direct translation from Japanese, tells a different tale. Instead of a rough tumble with the Pokemon it just implies they play together with lots of energy and happiness. Perhaps they changed it because it didn’t sound like the most appropriate name for a move that involves a beat down.
9 Double Slap (Round Trip Slap)
Double Slap is a Normal-type move infamous for its misleading name. Its name alone implies it’s a simple two-hit combo when you hit someone with it. Despite that it can hit a single foe up to five times with one use, so why is it named Double Slap?
A direct translation clears this up with the reveal of the name Round Trip Slap. Instead of two slaps, ‘Round Trip’ implies the slaps go back and forth from one point to another. It doesn’t put a hard number on the number of slaps so it lacks the issue the English version has.
8 Poison Touch (Underhanded Trick)
Poison Touch is an ability currently exclusive to Poison-types with the exception of Seismitoad. This one also has a very self-explanatory name, describing its effect rather easily. Physical moves on contact have a chance to apply poison.
Underhanded Trick, its direct translation, raises a few questions on the other hand. It doesn’t directly imply a poisoning-like effect as its translation does. This could mean that the method of applying the poison was a bit different than we might’ve imagined. During localization it was likely changed to make the effect more clear.
7 Inner Focus (Force of Will)
Inner Focus is an ability spread across a decent variety of Pokemon without being too common. It implies absolute focus in the battle on those that have it, letting them shrug off any kind of flinching effects.
Force of Will sends an almost entirely different message. Though it could also mean that the Pokemon is focused on the battle, it more so points to it being through raw willpower. Instead of a calculated fighter it might make you picture a protagonist pushing through to win a battle!
6 Pure Power (Yoga Power)
Pure Power is the signature ability of Meditite and Medicham. Using the game’s definition of the ability itself, it’s described how it sounds. “Using its pure power, the Pokemon doubles its Attack stat”. Although it’s vague it can be guessed the ability just comes from the innate strength the Pokemon has.
Yoga Power makes more sense in regards to the Pokemon, less so in regards to the ability. Meditite and Medicham are said to be more enlightened Pokemon. They practice meditation and yoga to develop as mentioned in several Pokedex entries. Pure Power completely goes against that aspect, making it just seem like another brute force ability.
5 Truant (Lazy)
Truant is the signature ability of Slakoth, Slaking and can be obtained by Durant. It’s one of the few abilities that are objectively bad since all it does is force you to skip turns. Though a bad ability it makes sense as truancy refers to a student having unexcused absence from school.
Lazy hits the ability’s description on the nose. Truancy can technically be for a justified reason, though it often isn’t it does not directly imply laziness. Its direct translation doesn’t cut corners and simply calls the Pokemon lazy.
4 Slush Rush (Snow Removal)
Slush Rush is an ability exclusive to Ice-typed Pokemon. Whenever a hailstorm is active it powers them up, putting them in their environment and giving a home field advantage. Pokemon like these especially thrive in the snow, making them very troublesome opponents.
Snow Removal implies the opposite to a good degree, however. A Pokemon with that kind of ability sounds like it’d suffer in a snowy environment. It’d be at such a disadvantage that it has to go out of its way to clear it out to level the playing field again. This name was likely also changed to make it better understood.
3 Merciless (Miscreant)
Merciless is the signature ability of Mareanie and its evolution Toxapex. After a foe is poisoned, each and every one of their attacks under normal circumstances becomes a critical hit. It certainly sounds rather merciless, kicking their target while they’re down.
Miscreant is oddly enough a less brutal-sounding name, implying that they’re just devious and behaving badly. It’s an interesting change as Japanese names normally have worse-sounding meanings while translations tone them down. In this case it looks to be the opposite.
2 Lovely Kiss (Demon’s Kiss)
Lovely Kiss is the signature move of Jynx but can be inherited by its baby form, Smoochum. It’s a mystical kiss that entrances the Pokemon affected by it, lulling them into a deep sleep.
Demon’s Kiss doesn’t give off the same aura its translated name does. It sounds far more sinister, almost like the kiss robs them of their consciousness to leave them vulnerable. It’s not exactly wrong, though. After a Pokemon is put to sleep they’re often going to get pummeled with all of her Ice and Psychic moves.
1 False Swipe (Strike with the Back of the Sword)
False Swipe is a standard Normal-type move, learnable by most Pokemon with access to things that cut. It’s described as a restrained strike against a foe to prevent taking them down entirely, leaving them at 1 HP.
Strike with the Back of the Sword not only implies a different use, but also does not roll off of the tongue as easily. Hitting someone with the back of a sword (called a hilt) is not unusual, referred to as a non-lethal sword technique in the real world. In this instance, instead of holding back with their attack it implies they hit them with a blunt end instead.
NEXT: 10 Useless Pokemon-To-Ability Combos
