How to pronounce “Arceus” of Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ headlining Pokémon is Arceus, as one might surmise by the game’s title. While Arceus was first introduced over 10 years ago in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, a common point of contention in the Pokémon community is how to actually pronounce Arceus’ name. Some say it’s pronounced “Ark-ee-us,” others say it’s “Ar-see-us.” This matter is further complicated by the fact that Pokémon games generally don’t feature voice acting, which would normally clarify such pronunciation issues.

However, according to official Pokémon media, including the anime, as well as preview footage of Pokémon Legends: Arceus narrated by those working on the game, the correct pronunciation of “Arceus” is “Ark-ee-us.” Tom Wayland, who voiced Arceus in the anime movie, Arceus and the Jewel of Life, previously stated that the “hard c” pronunciation of “Arceus” was chosen over the “Ar-see-us” pronunciation due to the latter resembling British slang for one’s bottom.

However, that hasn’t stopped many from using the “Ar-see-us” pronunciation. Interestingly enough, some forms of official Pokémon media have also utilized the “Ar-see-us” pronunciation before. 2019’s Detective Pikachu notably featured a scene where the film’s talking Pikachu uttered “sweet mother of Ar-see-us” while being scratched on the chin.

Even with the “soft c’s” usage in Pokémon media in mind, it’s probably safe to assume that the “Ark-ee-us” pronunciation utilized by Game Freak and Nintendo throughout Legends: Arceus’ promotional materials is the correct way to say this Pokémon’s name, given it was derived from the developer itself, and also appears to be the most recent instance of the Pokémon’s name being said out loud by an official source.