Pokédex/Anime/Main Series

When a young Sam was accidentally warped to a future of his own time, explained to him how the Pokédex works, unknowingly giving him an idea. This is an example of a. This means the idea for the Pokédex came out of nowhere.

In Pokemon - I Choose You!, Ash receives his first Pokédex, apparently nicknamed "Dexter". Throughout the series, Ash uses it to either identify he isn't familiar with, check a Pokémon's moves, or identify Pokémon on request. Occasionally, though, Ash will scan Pokémon he has already seen, likely to either refresh his memory or out of curiosity.

In Pokémon Emergency, Officer Jenny tells Ash that the Pokédex can be used as an.

In Mystery at the Lighthouse, tells Ash that a Pokémon Trainer can use their Pokédex to exchange their Pokémon.

In The Evolution Solution it was mentioned that the Pokédex entries were written by Professor Westwood V of the Seafoam Islands. Unlike the games, entries in the anime are pre-programmed into the database and do not require catching to give full information. In this way, they act more as a true encyclopedia than a data recording device. However, it should be noted that information relayed to the user may vary from time to time. This may happen even if the Pokédex remains unchanged in any way.

To look up information on a particular species, Trainers may simply point the Pokédex at an individual or manually enter it in. The Pokédex will then display a picture and read the entry out loud. In the, it was revealed that it can identify the Pokémon's level and learned moves, even for wild Pokémon. Apparently, a picture or video recording of sufficient quality can also be scanned for information. Attempting to identify a Pokémon not native to the region the Pokédex was designed for yields the message "no data".

In Kanto, Johto, and Unova, the Pokédex has a male voice, while in Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Kalos it has a female voice. The upgraded Pokédex Ash and received at the end of All Eyes on the Future! also has a male voice in the Japanese version.

Like in the games, the Pokédex has gone through various designs. This includes its shape and way of opening, display, as well as the aforementioned voice. The Unova Pokédex redesign in the anime is significant, as it shows all the viewing angles from the Pokémon, with the exception of the back.

Trainers without the luxury of a Pokédex may have access to other means of finding information. Some use high-tech computers, like in The Thief That Keeps On Thieving! or Shingo in Wired for Battle!. In several episodes, James uses a deck of cards, which slightly resemble cards.