...And a Hoppip New Year

Before it's too late, I'd like to wish everyone a "Hoppip New Year!"

Yes, it's a Hoppip New Year. That's how it is according to Pokémon Christmas Bash, a holiday Pokémon music album featuring the voices of the old English dub cast for the Pokémon anime. In it there are some unique songs as well as adapted classical renditions, including the album's ultimate vocal track, which is an overarching medley of a number of songs in the Christmas-holiday songbook. As it so happens, the final song in the medley is a rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - rendered as "We Wish You a Marrill Christmas" - which is then capped off by the phrase that you see here as the title of this post.

By now the album is over a decade old, but like many Christmas-holiday songs in general, the messages are timeless. I first heard of the album by way of a message posted on the web site of Veronica Taylor, the old English voice actress for Ash Ketchum, and while on a trip, I managed to get ahold of the album CD from a store I passed by. I still have the CD and case for this album, but I left it behind in the United States and don't foresee being able to get there anytime soon. Fortunately I already ripped all the tracks a long time ago so that I can listen to them whenever.

It has been said that some of the songs in this album are kooky; a popularly quoted example is "I'm Giving Santa a Pikachu This Christmas", which could be considered a signature song of this album by virtue of it having an off-vocal (instrumental, karaoke) version in the same album. Even the rendition of "The Christmas Song" in this album, sung by Team Rocket, is worthy of eliciting a chuckle. Regardless of this perception, I do believe that the songs are truly deserving to be played during the holiday season. They too are emblematic of those who love Pokémon as much as I do, especially during these festive times.

Why not. Let it be a Hoppip New Year every year for any Pokémon fan.