Djinn
and Tonic
Well in most RPGs they try to make a strong difference between downed in a fight and actually dead. Normally dead meant totally out of the game completely. Or else a phoenix down would have brought Aeris and General Leo back after they died in game. Both had little funerals and were never seen again while anyone else in the party could just be brought back in a second with a quickly used item or spell.
Fortunately The Princess Bride was there to teach us the difference, by inventing the concept of Mostly Dead
[video=youtube;X90qKQAMh8A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X90qKQAMh8A[/video]
Also explained in greater detail here
Since Pokemon is generally a much more lighthearted series I sincerely doubt there are going to be too many character deaths on screen, especially not within regular combat. So I take it at face value that any downed pokemon is mostly dead until they can be healed up again after the fight. Creating a nice game mechanic for taking them out of the fight but not out for good. That might create a much greater challenge in the game to have the pokemon you spent so much time finding, catching, and leveling up only to have it killed in the next fight. Not to mention that it would be incredibly depressing all around. I cannot imagine what PETA would have to say if something like that was a regular mechanic of the series.
Fortunately The Princess Bride was there to teach us the difference, by inventing the concept of Mostly Dead
[video=youtube;X90qKQAMh8A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X90qKQAMh8A[/video]
Also explained in greater detail here
The step in between Non-Lethal K.O. and Final Death.
Game mechanics-wise, there's little difference between Only Mostly Dead and Non-Lethal K.O.. It's the general feel of the plot that is affected. Some writers feel that this cheapens death too much, or complicates Plotline Death, so they don't use this trope. On the other hand, it avoids that problem with Non-Lethal K.O. where characters get blasted with the Giant Demonic Hellfire Explosion of Death...only to fall unconcious.
Since Pokemon is generally a much more lighthearted series I sincerely doubt there are going to be too many character deaths on screen, especially not within regular combat. So I take it at face value that any downed pokemon is mostly dead until they can be healed up again after the fight. Creating a nice game mechanic for taking them out of the fight but not out for good. That might create a much greater challenge in the game to have the pokemon you spent so much time finding, catching, and leveling up only to have it killed in the next fight. Not to mention that it would be incredibly depressing all around. I cannot imagine what PETA would have to say if something like that was a regular mechanic of the series.