Rotom and the Old Notebook

In Platinum, the Rotom Event allows you to access a secret room in the Eterna City Galactic HQ. This room contains the machines for Rotom as well as two notebooks. One belongs to Charon, while the author of the second journal has been a mystery. This page will contain notes on the Old Notebook, how it relates to Rotom, and notes on its potential authorship.

Old Notebook

Here are the contents of the Old Notebook, in the English Platinum text, Japanese text, and a machine translation of the Japanese text.

There are some important differences between translations. Most importantly, the English version has a very literary tone to it, while the Japanese version is as if written by a child. Compare "Rotom is simply sensational" to "Rotom is cool." It is unclear why this change was made. If you are on 'team Cyrus wrote this', perhaps this change was made by localizers to act as a tell that it was him. Cyrus tends to speak in a formal tone, and was mentioned to be an excellent student as a youth. It would not be the first time that the localization changed a bit of dialogue to make it clearer who it was referring to. Nevertheless, this is a pretty radical and mysterious change.

The second most important change happens once when the speaker finds Rotom. The English says 'My search for ROTOM carried me far from home,' as if they were traveling. In Japanese, there is no implication that the speaker was far from home, simply at the trash dump.

Another change is in the startling of Rotom. The English is 'Seeing ROTOM hovering, I decided to startle it--normally I would not.' However, the Japanese suggests that the speaker is reversing a pattern - the speaker is normally the one being scared by Rotom. The speaker is trying a role reversal.

After Rotom disappears, another difference is that in the Japanese, the thoughts are internal, not said aloud.

Note that in the original, there is a tag at the end of each page "...Would you like to keep reading?" This has been removed for clarity.

English

"Our encounter was a sudden one.
It was when I found my toy robot, one that I had earlier misplaced.
At that instant, a Pokémon startlingly emerged from the lawn mower's motor!
Clutching my robot, I stared, transfixed by the peculiar Pokémon."

Translation

Our meeting was sudden.
When I found the toy robot I had lost, from its rusty motor a Pokémon suddenly jumped out. And… I just stood there, still holding the robot, staring at that Pokémon…

“The Pokémon hovered in the air, held aloft by a power unseen. “As if curious and unafraid of my presence, it floated toward me. “Crackling sounds accompanied it, as if from static electricity in the air. “Remarkably, it seemed the Pokémon was the source of this power! “In alarm, I flinched, certain that my face would be subjected to a shock. “Much to my surprise, the Pokémon seemed to favor me with a smile.” ...Would you like to keep reading?

That Pokémon somehow kept floating there, all light and soft, and came closer to me like it was curious. Was the Pokémon giving off electricity? The air around it crackled, like biri-biri snapping sounds… I thought, ‘At this rate, even my face is going to go numb!’ And then— the Pokémon looked like it smiled.

“Finally, I came to realize that the
Pokémon only wished to be friends.
“I have decided to name this most
wondrous Pokémon ’ROTOM.’
“Simple though it may be, ROTOM emerged
to me from the motor of a lawn mower.
“Motor and ROTOM...
Surely the link is obvious?”
...Would you like to keep reading?

That was when I understood it.
That we could become friends.
I decided to call
that mysterious Pokémon
‘Rotom.’
It’s a simple name, but—
Rotom appeared
from a rusty motor, after all.
A motor and Rotom.
You get it, right?

“ROTOM is a Pokémon that is simply sensational. “The fact that it can turn invisible is simply the beginning. “What makes ROTOM unique is its ability to enter and operate machinery!” ...This is about halfway through. Would you like to keep reading?

Rotom is a cool Pokémon. It can even make itself disappear. And best of all— it can slip inside all kinds of machines! What’s more, it can actually make the machines move! That’s Rotom!

“ROTOM and I became fast friends. We were perpetual companions. “The electricity from its body forbade contact, however. “We could not touch, let alone hug or hold hands, but we cared not. “For we were bonded on a much deeper, incorporeal level.” ...Would you like to keep reading?

Rotom and I were together all the time. Because of the electricity coming from Rotom’s body, I couldn’t pet it or hug it— but that was totally fine! Because Rotom and I were always connected, heart to heart

“A feeling of mischief got the better of me one day. “Seeing ROTOM hovering, I decided to startle it--normally I would not. “Perhaps frightened, ROTOM discharged power beyond its usual range. “I fell, stunned, into the arms of unconsciousness...” ...Would you like to keep reading?

One day, when I was looking at Rotom floating there softly, I tried doing the opposite of usual and I scared Rotom instead. But then… maybe Rotom was too surprised— the electricity from its body spread out more than usual, and I was shocked and lost consciousness…

“When I came to, to my horror I realized that ROTOM had disappeared. “I searched high and low for my friend in dismay and desperation. “’Don’t chastise yourself.’ “’The fault is mine. No harm done.’ “’Let us play as we always have.’ “Though my words poured out, my friend could not be found to hear them...” ...Would you like to keep reading?

When I came to, I realized Rotom wasn’t anywhere around me. I became frantic, running everywhere to look for it. (There’s nothing to worry about.) (I’m okay.) (Let’s play like we always do.) So many words were overflowing inside me, but the friend who would listen to them was nowhere to be found…

“My search for ROTOM carried me far from home. “It was in the town’s rubbish heap that I again found my old toy robot. “Curiously, our eyes met, then the robot waved a hand as if in greeting. “I knew then that I had found my lost friend. “I ran to it and hugged ROTOM tight, talking on and on.” ...Would you like to keep reading?

It happened while I was searching for Rotom. At the trash dump, I found the toy robot. When our eyes met, the robot somehow waved at me. I knew right away— it was Rotom. I ran over, and holding it tight with all my strength, I talked and talked to Rotom.

“The robot’s eyes lit up happily as I held it. “I’m certain that, within it, ROTOM was emitting lots of electricity. “Somehow, I felt I could understand ROTOM’s thoughts better than before. “Also, I realized that we would remain friends throughout our lives...” ...The notebook ends with this page...

Each time, the robot’s eyes glowed happily… I’m sure it was because lots of electricity was coming out from the Rotom inside. Somehow, I felt like I understood Rotom better than ever before. And that we would always be together, too.

Rowan's Dialogue

Once you get Rotom into a machine, Rowan shows up and talks to you. He adds an interesting detail, which is that researchers had found out about a Pokemon that entered a toy robot. Rotom in toy robot was ready to be presented to researchers when it disappeared.

This suggests that the toy robot Rotom mentioned in the end of the Old Notebook actually disappeared from the child's life for a second time, for unknown reasons. Being that the original toy robot appeared to have been thrown away by the child's parents, perhaps it was disposed of a second time. Or perhaps Rotom, being a mischievous Pokemon, simply disappeared.

There are no major translation differences here.

English

Ah, imagine finding you here! You must be eager to fill your Pokédex to be
searching even here.
What am I doing?
I visit a professor I know in Eterna every so often.
He tells me intriguing rumors of rare Pokémon
sightings and such.

A Pokémon that slips into electric appliances,
you say...
Hmm... That is somewhat off from what I’ve
heard about it.
Hmm... This is what I’ve heard.
Long ago, there was a Pokémon that merged with
a toy robot.
Should that Pokémon be recognized as a new
species or not?
Debates over the issue were about to start when
they were rendered moot.
The very topic of discussion—the Pokémon-
infused robot—disappeared...

Translation

Our meeting was sudden.
When I found the toy robot I had lost, from its rusty motor a Pokémon suddenly jumped out. And… I just stood there, still holding the robot, staring at that Pokémon…