Throughout Pokemon's history, there have been several interesting items introduced, with each of them bringing exciting effects. Time and time again, flutes keep making an appearance, with them playing a significant role in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Unlike many other items, flutes in Pokemon are often imbued with special significance.
Pokemon such as Snorlax, Arceus, and Lugia have flutes associated with them, and even the anime series and movies have featured the musical instrument. The prevalence of flutes may be inspired by Japanese culture, though one doesn't need to know anything about the culture's history to appreciate the beautiful notes of the instrument. Should more Pokemon Legends games be released, it could be an opportunity for even more flutes to be introduced.
The Poke Flute
The one flute that most players are likely familiar with is the Poke Flute. It has appeared in many of the mainline games beginning with the first generation, and it has even made a few appearances in the anime series. Famously, it is used in Pokemon Red, Green, and Blue to awaken a sleeping Snorlax that is blocking a route. It is not strange that flutes appear so prominently within Pokemon from the beginning, as they also form a part of Japanese culture. For example, the shakuhachi is a long flute made out of bamboo. It is sometimes played by Buddhists who use it as a spiritual tool.
The Flutes of Ruby and Sapphire
It is all good and well to have a strategy when going into a battle, but it can be easily upturned if a player’s opponent uses the right Status effects. For example, Confusion can make a Pokemon accidentally attack itself, while Sleep makes a Pokemon unable to move for several turns. Some creatures are lucky enough to have a natural immunity to certain Status conditions. In Gen 3, flutes were introduced, and they gave players more ways to rid their team members of unwanted Status effects.
There are three flutes to deal with Pokemon Status effects. The Red Flute snaps a Pokemon out of Infatuation, the Yellow Flute rids a Pokemon of Confusion, and the Blue Flute awakens a sleeping team member. There are two additional flutes called the Black Flute and White Flute that affect what creatures players will encounter in the wild. If the Black Flute is played, the encounter rate for wild Pokemon will drop, though the level of wild creatures increases by 1-4. In contrast, if the White Flute is played, the encounter rate rises, though the level of wild creatures decreases by 1-4.
Flutes are made using volcanic ash, and they can be sold at shops for a bit of money when players are done with them. They were usable Items until Gen 5 and 6 when they are only valuable Items that can be sold. Sun and Moon brought major changes to Pokemon, including doing away with the Gyms and introducing Gen 7's Ultra Beasts. The games also eliminated all five Flutes, which is a bit disappointing. The Flutes of Gen 3 represent Pokemon’s first experiment with the musical instrument after the Poke Flute, and it was a relatively successful one that would see them tinkering with the idea more in future generations.
The Azure Flute and the Celestica Flute
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The Azure Flute is an item with an interesting backstory. It was introduced in Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, where it is used to access the Hall of Origin where Arceus is located. Arceus is a special creature in the Pokemon universe. It holds a god-like position, and it is said to have created the regions of the Pokemon universe. Naturally, developers didn’t want gamers to get their hands on a Pokemon this important too easily. Hence, it was originally decided that players would require the Azure Flute which would be distributed by The Pokemon Company. However, the flute was never distributed. According to Game Freak’s Junichi Masuda, this occurred because developers thought the flute would be too complicated for players.
Fortunately, the Azure Flute makes a return in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. At first, players receive a Celestica Flute. The flute is used to call on ridable Pokemon such as Ursaluna and Wyrdeer. These Pokemon are important, as they help players to traverse the natural landscape and reach new corners of Hisui's map. Eventually, the Celestica Flute transforms into an Azure Flute which can be used to summon Arceus. Players who have the Azure Flute and have captured Arceus unlock the Azure Flute in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. The Item can only be used once players have completed their National Pokedex. Once again, it is used to trigger an encounter with Arceus, giving players a chance to capture the Pokemon.
Melody’s Ocarina and Lugia
Arceus is not the only Pokemon that is strongly associated with a flute. In Pokemon: The Movie 2000, fans are introduced to the guardian of the water, Lugia. The catchy tune which summons the majestic Pokemon is played by Melody on her ocarina, which is a type of flute. That ocarina does not appear in any of the video games, likely because Lugia’s creator only made the creature for the movie, and was surprised when it was included in the second generation of games. The tune that summons the guardian of the water is an enchanting one, which is fitting, as Lugia has a sad backstory that intertwines with the tragic life story of its creator.
Music plays a big role in the Pokemon franchise. Lavender Town's eerie soundtrack has inspired many creepypastas, while Black and White subtly changes the soundtracks of each area depending on what season it is in-game. More recently, an Ed Sheeran song made it into Scarlet and Violet's end credits. Pokemon's love of flutes is yet another way the franchise shows its love for music.
