In an apparent bid to connect with young gamers and nostalgic millennials on Twitter (or maybe to score exposure through a globally trending hashtag), the government of Canada on Tuesday tweeted about Pokemon.

More specifically, it joined millions of the Japanese media franchise's fans in celebrating a first look at two forthcoming Nintendo 3DS games: Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon.

Sort of.

".@Pokemon has been around in Canada since 1998!" tweeted the federal government around noon ET, referencing the year in which TV stations in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Australia and other English-language markets started airing English-language versions of the popular anime show.

Using the hashtag #PokemonSunMoon, which held strong near the top of Twitter's trends list for Canada all morning, it then asked, "Which Pokemon do you think is the most Canadian?"

This question proved tough to answer, given that the entire Pokemon universe was created in Japan — though not as tough for some, apparently, as the question of why @Canada was tweeting about Pokemon at all.

<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> Is this a question from the long-form census? —@thomaus

<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> really a government funded agency is talking about Pokemon?? This administration is a joke <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau">@JustinTrudeau</a>??? —@JKFreeBitch93

<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> The smug one that's destroying Earth with tar sands? —@LA_Denizen

.<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> Delete your account —@LukewSavage

.<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> canada is the digimon of countries —@wrangelisland

Ouch. Who'd have thought that Canada and Pokemon could spark so much snark together?

For all of the hate, though, there was plenty of love for the thread this tweet inspired.

The US media is nonstop Trump and bickering these days. Meanwhile, my country prefers to ask the tough questions. <a href="https://t.co/kSp2n66ho6">https://t.co/kSp2n66ho6</a> —@Hanumaniac

Only in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash">#Canada</a> would an official Twitter account tweet about <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> 🇨🇦🇯🇵😂 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OCanada?src=hash">#OCanada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ILoveMyCountry?src=hash">#ILoveMyCountry</a> <a href="https://t.co/4t1DCoAbfN">https://t.co/4t1DCoAbfN</a> —@jstich09

Please FOI the discussions behind this tweet. <a href="https://t.co/dEIDb29jp4">https://t.co/dEIDb29jp4</a> —@goldsbie

Some people even lobbed genuine suggestions as to which Japanese pocket monster could (theoretically) be considered more Canadian than any others.

Bidoof, an agile, beaver-like Pokemon (who is not part of the original 151) was by far the most common response among those answering the government's question seriously.

<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> Gotta be Bidoof, eh? <a href="https://t.co/V59P2QP0Ks">pic.twitter.com/V59P2QP0Ks</a> —@PKMNostrom

<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> Delibird! It's flag-coloured, generous, and if it bumped into you it'd definitely apologize. <a href="https://t.co/UXddNOABcK">pic.twitter.com/UXddNOABcK</a> —@MarcSRousseau

.<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> Definitely Sawsbuck. A beautiful deer that showcases the seasons? Absolutely Canadian. <a href="https://t.co/bxTf4CNFd5">pic.twitter.com/bxTf4CNFd5</a> —@Tabbychu

But the replies from those who answered with jokes, non-Pokemon characters, or hybrid creatures of their own design were perhaps most demonstrative of how Pokemon characters would look if they were designed by Canadians on Twitter.

<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MyqWilson">@MyqWilson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> the Pokemon that missed the NHL playoffs —@Avry

<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> it's Quatchi, Miga, Sumi, and Mukmuk <a href="https://t.co/9CCBNw8Kal">pic.twitter.com/9CCBNw8Kal</a> —@ewzzy

<a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> Whichever Pokemon has a "Sorry" attack that gives the enemy hp is the most Canadian. —@Christian_Rine

the debate is over; i will brook no dissent. <a href="https://twitter.com/Canada">@Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pokemon">@Pokemon</a> <a href="https://t.co/tWimuL3YVI">pic.twitter.com/tWimuL3YVI</a> —@meakoopa

Joking aside, today was a big day for Pokemon fans, with Nintendo's unveiling of three new starters for Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon: Litten, a fire-type cat; Popplio, a water-type seal; and Rowlet, a grass- and flying-type owl.

In less than a day, more than 1.1 million people have viewed a trailer showing them in action for the first time.

It is unknown whether any of these views came from the office where Canada's official government Twitter account is managed.