Quickies: Spirits of Setting Out

Something that may be inherent for many people involved with Pokémon is a spirit that incites or at the least inspires them for "setting out" or also "departure". Such a spirit may involve certain starting points or even midpoints like the "crossroads" that I incidentally also discussed last year on this day (see below). Even more than that, the idea can and would apply to the different people involved with it in different ways, which means different "spirits" as well. I thought I'd take a post to discuss and determine how that could be true for them. 

The different people would be the players (real people) and characters (imagined people) for whom the eponymous species relate. And for many of them, they'd also relate to the spirit of "setting out" likely involves actual movement from place to place, changing environments and certainly the Pokémon in them. It's a spirit that is constantly in flux, but for many of them, they wouldn't have it any other way, for it would be a realistic kind of "setting out". With Pokémon, that also means having many possibilities of their encounters.

Meanwhile, other people are certainly of the resident lot, and for them, their spirit of "setting out" may involve just the local places around them. Yet as anyone who lives with or around animals can attest, there's always something going on with them, so the "setting out" spirit involves facing the new challenges (or even some familiar ones) and continuing to deal with them. Thus, the Pokémon become the "animals" in this case, and the spirit can still apply, even for the most peculiar of ways - although the spirit itself is not as peculiar and just as strong.

Just the act of persisting in life takes a certain spirit of "setting out" to face all its dealings, and that may be even more so with a life that includes Pokémon. By moving from one place to another or letting time pass and doing something good with that time, a "departure" is achieved. It doesn't have to be a valiant one, and it would have to occur in all kinds of situations - perhaps by a certain suggestion - but "setting out" would still be on the order in some way. For fans of Pokémon, any of the forms it might take might just become the impetus for that.

One year ago: Pokémon Crossroads

Two years ago: Being Wary of Things in Pokémon Games

Three years ago: Looking Into Unite's "Regular" Events

Four years ago: The Pokémon DP Sound Library

Five years ago: Friendship Filters in Pokémon Go

Six years ago: To Eat and to Lure

Seven years ago: A Pidove Keychain

Eight years ago: Memories of Hoenn

Nine years ago: LINE Pokémon Stickers

The 2026 Go Championship Series Cup of GBL

Having discussed about (my) PvP moments in Pokémon Go, I thought I'd follow it up with a direct discussion about PvP itself, specifically a new "cup" or format that is introduced in this season's dealings for Go Battle League - something I haven't done in a long time. The new "cup" or format, as its title implies, is also set to become the one for the Championship Series of this year. It's an intriguing format for a fascinating setup, so I thought I'd deal with it and put up a bit of a discussion and analysis for it.

Compared to past years' mostly open-ish Great League format, this one introduces a lot of restrictions. It's still modeled on the Great League (CP 1500 or less), but now there are allowed and not allowed types: Normal, Bug, Dragon, and Dark are the former, and Flying, Fighting, and Steel are the latter. Pokémon of Legendary and adjacent classes (Mythical and Ultra Beast) are also not allowed, as are Mega Evolution. Further, four species (Froslass, Milotic, Politoed, and Seaking) are allowed regardless, and nine species (Crustle, Morpeko, and Wigglytuff among others) are outright banned. Its details already suggest a radical format, which may be what the competition needs to vary things up.

Bug types seem rather dominant for this format... and in fact, Spidops tops the list, with Ariados not far behind. A lot of species of the Normal and Dragon types also round out the top 20 or so, along with Seaking and Milotic as the best of the other inclusions. The Dragon types seem to make for pretty good leads, while the Bug types make for safeguards, and the Normal types can finish the job with all their varieties alongside their moves. This gives an indication of what teams to build using them, though as always Trainers can bring in their own selections for a little "variety" and "surprise".

For example, I've used Vigoroth, Ariados, and Malamar, and I've had a degree of success with them; I even came close to finding "mirrors" of this team. Of course, there's still some failures here and there for other reasons, so it may be worth it to try other team combinations, especially with what was suggested above.

With this new "cup" or format, the restrictions might seem somehow limiting, but it also does seem to allow a lot of creative freedom with what's available. Given its use as a Championship Series format, it becomes somewhat of a test for all the Trainers just battling casually under the format, as well as those who are actually using it competitively. Its purpose of weeding out the best of the best is surely quite evident for all.

One year ago: Catching the "Fancy" of Life-Size Plush Dolls

Two years ago: Let's Talk About The World Turning

Three years ago: New Intricacies of the Battle Pass

Four years ago: Quickies: Fireside Chats with Pokémon

Five years ago: Quickies: Staying Productive with Pokémon

Six years ago: On (No) Coincidences

Seven years ago: Cosplay: Tresno no Matsuri

Eight years ago: Hoenn (Fully) Confirmed on Go

Nine years ago: Space

My Best Moments in Pokémon Go PvP

I rarely discuss Pokémon Go PvP nowadays not because I'm rarely involved in its relevant dealings (although that is still somewhat the case now), but more because I just rarely expose what I'm doing in regard to this aspect. Yet I can still assure that I'm still somehow involved with it, and for that, I thought I'd discuss some matters related to the aspect. One of those matters is something that reflects my involvement throughout many of the years I've dealt with the aspect.

That matter is the moments I've had while dealing with it, and not just any of them - in fact, they're the best ones I've had. Admittedly, these moments may be considered few in number, but what few there are, they're pretty significant and their quality can be considered to outweigh their quantity. They're also pretty memorable, which is also part of the prompt for making this post.

A great moment would certainly being able to contribute to my team victories in Factions when I was involved with them for a time. To do that with a nearly flawless record and to bolster the resulting point total is still a great feeling, one that I may never be able to replicate again given my lack of connection with all things Factions nowadays. It is still apt to remember the moments. 

Meanwhile, a more common moment, even nowadays, is to be able to make it through a battle that I thought was going to lose and just barely eke out a victory. Of course, the opposite happens just as frequently and are less apt for me, but the ones that result in the narrowest of victories (like through a last-moment attack) are the excellent ones that deserve commemoration.

Of less common moments, I like it when I can win a battle using common Pokémon against a team of all Legendary/Mythical Pokémon, which has in fact happened a few times, in particular in Master League. It's a kind of validation that sometimes I don't need to have any or all Legendary Pokémon and I can work with what's (more commonly) available, and it makes for a triumphant moment. 

For other Trainers, their "best moments" will surely be different, but for me, the above "best moments" encapsulate my Pokémon Go PvP experience, which has been quite the ride even now. Whether I deal with it frequently or rarely, at least some of these moments may appear to make a great time.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 2/9/2025

Two years ago: Go Tour, For All Time (and Space)

Three years ago: Pokémon Consulting?

Four years ago: Having Faith in (My) Pokémon

Five years ago: "Colored" Moves in Pokémon Games

Six years ago: Coming Up Roses

Seven years ago: Cosplay: Eien no Kiseki

Eight years ago: Seeking Confirmation

Nine years ago: Time

Cosplay: Zettai Kizuna

Me: Back in the swing of things.

Ash: Oh, great! I was waiting for when you'd send me to something. 

Goh: But a break is always nice. 

Ash: Well, yeah - that too.

Goh: All right, so this is...

Me: A festival. A small one, but it's a festival. But it's a little bit far...

Ash: You're telling me! It was a bit outside your town.

Pikachu: Pi pika. ["More than a bit."]

Goh: Where was it? 

Ash: In a park I've never been to.

Me: Neither have I - so that's why I thought I'd send you there. 

Goh: So, um... the schedule - which you just gave me - doesn't look all that fancy. DJ and dance groups were all the entertainment. 

Ash: Yup, I saw them. Not too fancy for me and our friend.

Goh: So, it must have been the character parade for you.

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Well, of course!"]

Ash: Yeah! But... I didn't get anything. I even messed up a little.

Goh: Who were the other winners? 

Ash: Let's see... a yellow sword guy, a black armor guy, and a fighter guy were three of them.

Me: Sounds to me like we (and others) were just "entertainment" for them.

Ash: Yeah - I don't think even me being perfect in my Unova outfit would have helped.

Goh: Hmm, at least there was the park. Did you get to enjoy any of it?

Ash: It's a ~huge~ park, so I didn't go too far in it.

Pikachu: Chu~ pika! ["This~ big!"]

Ash: But I'll bet our friend would like to go in it on a normal day.

Me: Well, if the opportunity ever arises, then I'd certainly go there. It is, after all, somewhat far.

Goh: You'll make it a point somehow.

Me: Sure. In the end, today was just a "fun day" thing for us.

Ash: Even I went back early to you because of the distance.

Goh: Of course. That always matters somehow.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["What a way."]

Goh: Anything else our friend can tell us about this one?

Me: Well, the title means "absolute bond", so that might be a slight allusion to us.

Ash: Nice!

Me: And... this is likely the last one before a big rest period - though as with last year, there might be a couple parties and such.

Goh: Oh, OK. That means a big "break" for us. Also makes sense why you'd send Ash here.

Ash: Well, hey - great things all around. And I hope so for the "break" as well.

Me: You bet. It might just be an opportunity to "change up" the swing of things, in it and afterwards.

One year ago: Pokémon Food Memories

Two years ago: Poké-Clickbait (or Having None of It)

Three years ago: A Clash of Realms on Go Tour

Four years ago: A Leftover Pokémon Promo?

Five years ago: The Sweetness of "Attractors"

Six years ago: Memories and Mnemonics

Seven years ago: Pokémon Clocks

Eight years ago: (It's a Wonderful) Local Ex-Raid, 2/8/2018

Nine years ago: Serena-Shipping: "Heaven Help My Heart"

Smashing the Pidgey Alarm

Something that I struggle with sometimes is waking up at specific times, even with alarms that are set for that purpose. At times I'd wake up as intended and be ready for those times, but at other times I'd miss the alarm completely, perhaps even by going back to sleep. This problem would certainly not be unique to me, as I'm sure others experience it as well. In fact, for those who know, it has a Pokémon instance with a very well-known character, being of course Ash from the anime - and it relates to a key element with a certain Pokémon flavor.

Ash has an alarm clock with a Pidgey motif, and as seen in two episodes of the anime, it was apparent that some vision in a dream caused him to think that it was a Poké Ball, leading him to pick it up and throw it against the wall as if it were one. The result is that the clock gets smashed, which invariably leads him to miss something important; the first time was the Pokémon camp, and the second was the first day of his Trainer career as the selection of his first partner. In some ways, it was as fortunate as it was grave.

In the times where I don't wake up as intended, I feel like I have effectively "smashed the Pidgey alarm" in both literal and figurative manners of speaking, even if the alarm doesn't have a physical manifestation like the alarm clock as mentioned above. Solutions to the problem may not come easily, although I can always prepare them preventively and curatively. Nevertheless, the end result of having a "smashed alarm" beside me just like Ash did with his in those situations can still present itself even imaginatively.

For as long as I need to wake up at precise times to do certain things, there's always the chance that I'd miss it by a little, for which I can easily regroup, or by a lot, for which the "smashed alarm" situation applies. It's a real struggle for many things, even some Pokémon things in real life, and it's a struggle that continues to manifest in different situations and ways related to them. Still, thinking about it in a Pokémon perspective just shows how universally applicable the situation is, even in its fantasy that may just translate to the reality.

One year ago: Go Tour: True and Ideal Representations

Two years ago: The Colors of the Flabébé Species Family

Three years ago: Catching Up on GBL Happenings

Four years ago: All Star, All Pokémon

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 2/7/2021

Six years ago: Turning Around and Back

Seven years ago: Local EX Raid (with "Friend Boost"), 2/7/2019

Eight years ago: An Eye for Pokémon

Nine years ago: Conserve and Cooperate

The New Park Is Open

Good news for Pokémon fans: the new PokéPark Kanto, the actual real-life version in Japan as compared to games that bear the first word, is now open and fans are really enjoying it. I had already discussed many of its previewed details nearly half a year ago, and now I want to supplement those details by putting in additional tidbits that further highlight the attraction, certainly for the purpose of attracting more fans (and even me) to be able to go there.

Now, one novelty that has been recently highlighted for the new park is the park's own Pokémon Center - as in the facility that fans recognize for healing Pokémon. It's a model of the same facility found in the games, and it even comes with its own Nurse Joy and the interactive electronics that make the facility realistic as well as an experience by itself. Yet it's certainly part of the experience of the park, so one can't forget to enjoy the rest of the park along with this.

As for Pokémon merchandise that is encapsulated under the common modern understanding of Pokémon Center, the park has no short supply of them. But what might be in short supply is the cash that Trainers may have for and/or after buying them, since the merchandise has been reported to be somewhat expensive, even more so compared to a regular Pokémon Center. It seems prospective fans will need to reserve at least some cash to get at all the good stuff.

In order to enter the park, one needs to reserve tickets by the usage of a smartphone app designed for that very purpose. Yet it looks like fans will only be able to reserve tickets for the times farther ahead, since the times closer are already pretty much booked. And then there's all the necessary travel arrangements that are quite obvious even if left unsaid. Prospective fans will surely need to plan ahead in one way or another if they want to enjoy the park.

Celebrations for the new park are also in the games. Pokémon Unite has a Special Kanto Battle mode and event featuring a map that forces usage of Unite Licenses from Kanto, and Pokémon Go has raids that are to reward Trainers with special location backgrounds... or supposed to, as in typical fashion, there is a bit of a "kerfuffle" with it. Some form of in-game celebration is always in order, given the game roots of Pokémon and its continued appeal.

Of course, the real treat is certainly being able to make it to the park in person, which could be a little hard to come by, given the current circumstances and necessities for being able to do so. But once there, enjoyment is certainly the order of the day through the attraction that is the park and the goodies that can be obtained from being there. The park looks set to be a defining feature of Pokémon in real life, always something to seek for its most diehard fans.

One year ago: Best Ways to Shop for PokéCoins and Items

Two years ago: Living on Pokémon Islands

Three years ago: Rise of the Watery Naiads

Four years ago: Go Tour, Next Age and Next Stage

Five years ago: Movie Manga, Local (Re) Edition

Six years ago: In My Full Time

Seven years ago: The Feeling of Disaggregation

Eight years ago: Life with My Raid Group

Nine years ago: Alola-Exeggutor - From Humanoid to Coconut Tree Dragon

Getting "Nutty" with Pokémon

For those in the know, there is a certain thing from the U.S. that is actually very popular around the world, including quite so in Japan and in a way sort-of rivaling Pokémon there. I'm not too involved with it, but just enough to know and be entertained by it. Even so, it might seem possible to discuss it in terms of Pokémon and the other way around - to discuss Pokémon in terms of it. So, I thought I'd go and do just that.

A key part of the "certain thing" is a boy and his dog, which I don't have to say is quite similar to the relationship between Ash and Pikachu. They certainly care about each other in many ways, and I mean that for both cases above. Yet they might differ at times and in some ways, but everything still works out in the end - at least mostly in the former case. The bond is evident in both, and so are the implications that arise.

In a way, the former's pair has been described to be the combination of the "everyman and ideal self", albeit separately. Retaining this line of reasoning for Pokémon, any character in its world, beyond Ash and Pikachu, can be taken as measures of both - although it has to be admitted that Ash does have a lot of that "everyman" quality and Pikachu shows a lot of "idealism" for what anyone, person or creature, can be.

Of course, the "certain thing" is not solely about them. They have their friends, and likewise for Pokémon, there are friends and comrades for every situation. The former can be likened to a smaller, close-knit version of Pokémon Masters EX that doesn't really expand but still has a lot of what is going on in that game. And what goes on is a lot of bonding as well as some friction, as is expected in any human life and relation.

Getting back to Ash and Pikachu, the former has a shirt that bears resemblance to one that is owned by the aforementioned boy, in a way furthering the connection between the two. And though the imagination of Pikachu isn't too unusual - aside from an attraction involving a certain kind of red bottle - the Pokémon benefits from the imagination of his Trainer, achieving feats in battle that may just be unbelievable for others.

The "certain thing" remains a fascination for those in Japan, just like how Pokémon has in turn become a fascination for those in the U.S. and all around the world. Behind that fascination (for either or both of these), it seems easy to draw some parallels between the two things to understand them by way of each other. That's not a "nutty" thing, even if that "certain thing" is, in a way, for all the (Pokémon) kids at heart in a "peanut gallery".

One year ago: Filling the Week with Pokémon Go Activities

Two years ago: The Plush Dolls That Sit Pretty

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 2/5/2023

Four years ago: The Little Intricacies of PvP

Five years ago: Get Your Game On, Go Tour

Six years ago: It's (All) About Time

Seven years ago: First-Generation Glitches... Plus My Experience

Eight years ago: I Need a Laugh - Pokémon Humor

Nine years ago: Itasha Revisited