The Poké Ball

The Poké Ball is one of the most recognizable symbols in the pokemon industry. Its notable appearance features a top half that is red, the bottom half that is white, and in the middle is a white button that would be pressed to open the ball. Every trainer in the pokemon universe uses Poké Balls to catch wild pokemon and add them to their team. Usually, trainers would carry numerous Poké Balls on their person at all times, as pokemon in the wild can appear at any moment and may take several attempts (and several Poké Balls) to capture. 

There are numerous forms of Poké Balls trainers would find during their travels, such as; Great Ball, Ultra Ball, Master Ball, Net Ball, Heal Ball, but the most common is the Poké Ball. The reason for many variations of the Poké Ball is that each different Poké Ball has certain strengths or advantages over others. For instance, the Poké Ball is the weakest form of ball, but the cheapest and commonly sold. The Ultra Ball is a stronger version of the Poké Ball, but is more expensive and harder to find. The Net Ball has a higher chance to capture the pokemon if it’s a bug or water-type pokemon. 

Originally, Poké Balls were made from a native fruit called apricorns. They were found in the Johto region of the pokemon universe before the Poké Ball was mass-produced under Silph Co. “The insides of the apricorn were carved out and fitted with special devices which housed the pokemon.” (Pokémon Soul Silver)