Celebi is the True Definition of “Mythical Pokemon” in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

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Most Pokémon fans know the difference between Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, but they might not realize how long these terms have been used in the West. Although Pokémon like Mew, Celebi, and Deoxys/Jirachi were introduced early on, the actual terms weren’t consistently used until the fifth generation of Pokémon games. However, Celebi, which appeared in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, really captured the spirit of what would become known as a Mythical Pokémon back in the third generation.

In Japan, the difference between what we now call Legendary and Mythical Pokémon has always been recognized, meaning these Pokémon have always been considered Mythical there. However, the term “Mythical Pokémon” wasn’t used in Western releases until the fifth generation of the Pokémon games. It was the Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs game that officially separated Mythical Pokémon from Legendary Pokémon in how Western media talked about them. Understanding this difference is key to understanding Celebi’s role in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

How Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Treated Mythical Pokemon Back in the Day

When Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen first came out in Western countries, Mew, Celebi, and Deoxys weren’t called “Mythical Pokemon.” Instead, they were usually known as Pokemon you could only get through special events. Getting any of these Pokemon in FireRed and LeafGreen was very difficult because of these limited events, but Celebi was particularly rare in the Generation 3 games – even rarer than the other Pokemon obtained through events.

Distributing special Pokémon for events was much more difficult on the Game Boy Advance than it is in newer Pokémon games.

  • In-Person Only
  • Region-Locked Distributions
  • Hardware Dependence
  • Limited Advertisements (compared to modern Standards)
  • No standard in-game encounters

Who’s That Character? Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

Before the days of easily receiving Pokémon through online features, getting a Celebi in North America or Europe felt nearly impossible – even harder than getting Mew or Deoxys. While Deoxys and Mew were available through official events that often required visiting stores in person, Celebi was only distributed in Japan. This meant Western players had to go to great lengths, like importing, to obtain one, making it the most difficult Mythical Pokémon to get at the time.

We’ll have to wait and see if the Switch versions of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen include ways to obtain those special, event-exclusive Mythical Pokémon.

Celebi Was Probably the Rarest Gen 3 Pokemon When FR/LG Came Out

Getting Celebi in the Generation 3 Pokémon games was incredibly difficult. Unlike later games, there were no ways to get it through re-releases, the Nintendo eShop, online codes, or Mystery Gifts. The only options were rare, in-person events held in Japan, or obtaining the Japanese Bonus Disc for Pokemon Colosseum. Players in North America received Jirachi on their Bonus Disc instead, meaning there was no easy or reliable way to add Celebi to their games without physically attending a Japanese event.

Celebi wasn’t available to catch in the FireRed and LeafGreen games, and it wasn’t given out at any official events in Western countries. It also wasn’t included on the North American Pokemon Colosseum Bonus Disc. The only way for Western players to get Celebi was through the Japanese Pokemon Colosseum Bonus Disc, which meant they had to purchase it, have it shipped, and then complete the necessary steps.

  • Own Japanese Hardware
  • Own a Japanese copy of Pokemon Colosseum
  • Own a Japanese Copy of Pokemon FireRed or LeafGreen, with the National Dex unlocked and other tasks completed

Okay, so back in the mid-2000s, if you were a Western gamer wanting to get Celebi in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, it was a real hassle. We basically had to import the game and any necessary hardware, which meant waiting forever and spending a ton of cash – easily over $500, if not more. Meanwhile, getting the MysticTicket Lugia or Ho-Oh was tough because you had to go to a US event, but that was way simpler. Seriously, getting Celebi back then was on a whole other level of expensive and complicated. It wasn’t just a matter of effort, it was a huge financial commitment!

Very few players actually obtained a legitimate Celebi in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen – probably less than 1%. This rarity is what originally defined what we now call a ‘Mythical’ Pokemon.

Illegitimate Distributions of Celebi

There were a few ways to get unofficial Celebi in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen using common cheat codes.

  • Action Replay
  • GameShark
  • Save Editors

As a huge Pokémon fan who grew up with the original games, I can tell you that Celebi was incredibly rare. Especially here in the West, it was one of, if not the hardest legitimate Mythical Pokémon to get in the early generations. I remember when FireRed and LeafGreen first came out, most of us probably never even saw a real Celebi in gameplay – it was that uncommon! Mew was distributed early on for a few years, so it might have been equally scarce for a while, but for a long time, Celebi felt like the absolute rarest Pokémon out there, especially if you didn’t live in Japan.

Can You Catch Celebi in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch?

It’s almost certain that you won’t be able to catch Celebi in the original Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen game. While this release is celebrating 30 years of Pokemon, Mythical Pokemon like Celebi are always distributed carefully. However, Celebi might be easier to get this time. We don’t yet know how FireRed and LeafGreen will connect to other games, but worldwide events are much simpler now thanks to the internet, unlike when these games first came out.

Given the recent events, it’s likely that Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen will either launch with special distributions or receive them later on, potentially through Mystery Gift codes. However, this is just a guess, as Game Freak hasn’t confirmed anything about Mythical Pokemon in these games. At the very least, fans are hoping that completing the Pokedex in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen will be easier and more affordable than it was in previous games.

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2026-02-26 19:05