>"The end of isolationism meant a future that was as daunting as it was full of promise. For better or worse, Japan accepted it no longer had the choice of secluding itself from the rest of the world."

The lead up to 2010 was a high-stakes period for Pokemon. After 4 generations, fans became disillusioned with the repetitive and formulaic nature of the franchise. Generation 4 continued the trend of declining Pokemon game sales and television viewership. Meanwhile, the franchise had to contend with new competitors. RPGs like Elder Scrolls and Mass Effect were innovating the genre, and the emergence mobile games was changing the industry landscape.

Backed into a corner, GameFreak accepted that repeating the status quo was no longer an option. For the first time ever, Pokemon looked beyond Japan for inspiration for their next Pokemon region. It was not just a creative exercise, it symbolized Pokemon's decision to break convention and reinvent themselves. Their next region would be based off New York City. A region made up of only never before seen Pokemon, as a commitment to the American ethos of being a place of new beginnings. They named this region isshu, "one variety," as an homage to America's different ways of life being connected by one united identity.

Unlike previous generations, which heavily relied on Japanese folklore for inspiration, GameFreak designed Pokemon that reflected American society. Pokemon like Timburr and Watchog represented the working class American that breathe life into the grand cities of America. America's propensity to invent new subcultures was personified through Pokemon like Gothita and Scraggy. Pokemon truly took the time to appreciate America as a land of inherent contradictions. New York City can command both marvel and irreverence with its lavish buildings and its streets lined with trash, and this was captured in the design of Garbodor.

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