Black and White in Color

Ludonarrative Deconstruction and (Anti-)Monomyth in Pokémon Black and Pokémon White (2010)

Abstract

Since its inception in 1996, Pokémon has exemplified structured narrative gameplay; by the franchise’s fifth generation, Pokémon Black and Pokémon White (Game Freak, 2010), fans came to expect the same narrative style. Scholarship surrounding Pokémon has thus emphasized structuralist approaches, examining how the series has abided by systems of storytelling such as Joseph Campbell’s (1949/2004) heroic monomyth. However, with the rise of narrative approaches to digital media, a reconsideration of narrative in Pokémon is becoming increasingly necessary. The franchise’s fifth generation installments, whose deconstructive themes stand in ironic opposition to its titles, are especially illuminated by a critical narrative interpretation against Pokémon’s structuralist tendencies. By employing recent trends in narratological digital media criticism, in conjunction with Jacques Derrida’s (1978/2001) understanding of the “absent origin,” I assert that Pokémon Black and White emphasize a deconstructionist approach to intuitive gameplay and heroism, dismantling the traditional structure of Pokémon games and inviting a disruptive form of narrative play. Within this context, the interactions between players and Pokémon Black & White are significantly different from previous entries, undermining structuralist approaches to gameplay, heroism, and player positionality.