In the four months since its launch Pokémon GO has extended itself into more than just gaming - into
the course curricula of at least two Poké-Pioneering universities, and as a transformative educational art project. Entitled "PokéNatomy - An Unofficial Guide to the Science of Pokémon," the book dissects, expands, and explores the original 150 Pokémon in breathtakingly beautiful and detailed illustrations.
PokéNatomy re-imagines Pokémon through the lens of modern biology. According to the project's Kickstarter page,"Now, for the first
time ever, you can get the incredible scientific world of Pokémon in print in a
high-quality, fully illustrated, unofficial guidebook, designed to help people
of all ages understand the power that's inside!" With one week of the Kickstarter campaign to go,
In the exclusive interview below, Christopher (Chris) Stoll, the creator and illustrator of PokéNatomy, talks about about Pokémon GO beyond gaming, and PokéNatomy as a bridge he between pop culture and the life sciences.
Pokémon GO is worth studying
"I believe sincerely
that Pokémon GO is worth studying, the free to play augmented-reality game has
been downloaded almost half a billion times and become an incredible success
for its small studio, Niantic. The game can serve as an example for aspiring
game developers, and it certainly made enough money to capture the attention of
entrepreneurs," said Chris.
He continued, "It is easy to scoff
disdainfully at gaming trends, but I believe we must not avert our eyes from
properties that capture the popular imagination, no matter how crude or
simplistic they may appear. There is real merit in studying the success of
Pokémon GO and aspiring to understand how the application gamifies physical
activity, using reward systems to encourage exploration. Pokémon GO may well be
the first step into a world where powerful game-like incentive systems integrate
into every aspect of our daily lives, encouraging good nutrition, exercise, and
intellectual exploration. I believe the game should be studied in academic
settings, and its merits, risks, and limitations understood by a new generation
of designers and inventors."
Chris concluded with a warning, "I don’t, however,
believe that studying the game exclusively involves playing it. I hope that
these courses involve serious discussion of the game’s technology, cultural
significance, and incentive systems. If the game is merely being participated
in, rather than being examined and discussed, I’d consider these courses
terrific wastes of fertile young minds, money, and time."
Bridge between pop
culture and life sciences
"I believe we are at a
point in time where the public wants science to be a part of the entertainment
landscape," Chris said, continuing, "More and more, scientists who tackle difficult and unintuitive
subjects can use pop culture to communicate with the public, and especially
with young people. However, there is a danger here. In a world where
astrophysicists are regular consultants on science-fiction movie sets, and
anatomical diagrams of Pokémon can amass tens of millions of views online, the
boundary between real science and popular entertainment is thinner than ever."
He elaborated, "In the push/pull of
science and entertainment it should be science that influences popular culture,
and not the other way around. There are already perverse incentives in place
for aspiring researchers to capture the public’s attentions and imaginations,
and earn funding through popularity. If we are not careful pop culture could
come to dominate scientific discussions and direct the attentions of the public
towards entertaining, but ultimately unscientific, endeavors."
Basic understanding of Biology required
On the topic of some scientific knowledge required, Chris said, "To me, popular culture
needs to be supplementary to a foundation of scientific understanding. My
Pokénatomy pieces require a basic understanding of biology to be enjoyed. Each
Pokémon is based upon real-world organisms, and only once I have a grasp of
each organism’s basic scientific principles do I begin to tease out the more
fantastical elements. These illustrations are intended to reward and engage
with viewers who have an understanding of basic Biology, and are rooted in real
scientific principles."
Chris continued, "This is not always
easy, as some Pokémon possess bodies and abilities that totally defy the laws
of physics as we understand them. There’s always a temptation to just invent an
organ and label it the “fire sack” or “psychic gland” and leave it at that. I try
to resist that unscientific urge wherever possible, and in those cases where
hard-science is unavailable I try to present interesting and alternative
perspectives on these characters based on the theoretical rather than the
outright fantastic."
Untapped public desire
"I don’t believe that
my work strikes the perfect balance between science and popular entertainment,
but it seems to me that there is an untapped public desire to see these
elements mixed. I hope that in some small way, my Pokémon illustrations
contribute positively to this trend," he concluded.
