Like a Fierce Double Battle

I'm in the middle of a run of errands - many errands, in fact, and they go on one after another, like a chain. It feels like I'm handling two Pokémon in a double battle, and it really is. Double battles, however realized, are not particularly easy affairs. They require finesse and strategy to deal with multiple Pokémon and the chain of attacks that goes on. No wonder double battles have become the preferred format for the VGC competitions; how the finesse and strategy becomes actually realized also becomes something worthy of being watched.

With four Pokémon on the field, two Pokémon on one side and two on the other, there's a certain way in how things must be done. Moves must be coordinated so that they hit their intended targets, giving beneficial effects to one side and less so to the other. It's all a part of ensuring that a chosen strategy is able to be realized. One mistake or unexpected turn of events, and a strategy can break down in an instant. I have sensed this happening in quite a few double battles that I've been a part of as a contender as well as ones I've watched or know the history of, and it's not a pleasant experience.

Preparations for double battles are just as intricate as the battle itself. Stats have to be precise to support the desired strategy, in addition to moves, which realize that strategy. In my early days of double battling with the VGC format in particular, I was told that my moves were off and that I needed to change them to stand a chance of winning. Even though I've done so, I still find it somewhat tough to get an edge over my opponent. Plus, making sure that stats and moves can and does take a bit of time. It's definitely a bit like soul-searching, which I'm sometimes uncertain about.

There's something to be said for the spectacle and experience that is the double battle. A Trainer needs to stay on top on the battlefield to make sure things go according to plan, and off the battlefield to set the plan in the first place. It takes skill to make sure that these things are carried out in the best way possible, not to mention the practice and time that goes along with it. It makes it reminiscent of certain tasks that people need to do in real life.

And right now I've got a few of those of my own. So it's back to work I go.

Cosplay: ACOLYTES 2017

A wild event has appeared! Haha. But it really is wild in some sense. For starters, this is the first chance I've gotten to cosplay in an event after two months, and I'm happy to be back. Another reason that this is wild is because this event takes place in a venue that last year was the host to two great events that I attended, only separated by a matter of months. Finally, this event is a three-day event, but due to certain circumstances and for the sake of convenience, I chose to go on the last day - that is, today.

And today I chose to go with an old standby: my Ash Classic costume. I had been planning to use this one for a return to cosplay, and now is that chance. I had also used it last year for one of the events hosted here, but I didn't cosplay efficiently, so this is why I'm returning to it. Had I been able to go yesterday, though, I would have been able to participate in the cosplay walk, but I couldn't, so today I'm just street cosplaying. It still makes me happy regardless that I'm doing so with a Pokémon costume, which is what I like.

I have to say that I also spent a good deal of time (re)connecting with people who know me for my Pokémon cosplay. This is something that I enjoy when coming to local or regional events and I cosplay with one of my Pokémon costumes. I'm only too happy to cosplay Pokémon characters and to be able to relate and communicate through it. Of course, I always meet new people and cosplayers, and I'm happy to interact with them too. As a primarily Pokémon cosplayer, I feel delighted to have these connections.

By the way, "ACOLYTES" is short for Art-Comic-Lifestyle, at least the "ACOLYTE" portion. And this was very true; many stands were present in the event and they peddled official and indie wares related to the things that people like (as well as art and comics), which happened to be mostly Japanese things, including Pokémon. However, I ended up not buying anything due to budget constraints and most of the Pokémon wares were not novel enough. In the next event, I might just buy something to make up for this.

Overall, this was a pretty nice event for getting back to cosplay. It has let me release some pent-up energy I've devoted to cosplay. However, I also can't release too much, for something tells me I'm going to still need some of that energy for a few events in the weeks ahead. But as long as I stay true to my cosplay, I should have no problems. I'm excited to bring out my Pokémon cosplay yet again.

Under 100 Hours?

Around the time I began mastering the Pokémon main series games, which was during the third generation, I began to set a goal for myself, which was to finish the main storyline in less than 100 hours of play time. It was an achievable goal in many cases and also seemed to have gotten easier with each successive game. On the whole, this made for an interesting challenge with a time pressure, but it also allowed me to be somewhat lax while playing, in consideration of my game skills. Those skills can be said to have improved through this as well, at the very least slightly.

I should say that this challenge for myself is not strictly what is known as a "speedrun" - to play through a game as quickly a possible - though the way the challenge is, it does implicate a speedrun. More importantly, the challenge is purely a test of my abilities, not someone else's. I'm certain, because of my intuition and that a friend informed me as such, that someone else had performed better to fulfill the demands of the challenge than I have; the point is not to try to replicate exactly the feat of others, but to see if I can do it myself. And based on this, I can do it, just not as good as another person more skilled at the game.

In any case, this challenge did not detract from my effort to enjoy the game's main story and elements to the fullest. I purposefully did not skip sequences or battle animations, but I did set the text speed to "Fast" since I tend to read things quickly anyhow. The main story is a major part of the game's experience, as are elements such as battle animations; skipping them would make me feel like losing them, so I don't do it. Skipping a non-main story part of the game is permissible, but skipping a part of the main story itself is non-negotiable.

Will I attempt this challenge again? I surely have understood more about the main series than I did when I played these games with the challenge in place, so I could theoretically attempt the challenge and do better. At the moment, however, it's not a priority, as there are many new things in regard to Pokémon, and I'd rather explore, play through them all, and get a grip on their mastery. Mastering something to do with the old games is something that can wait, no matter how interesting the challenge may be.

Modern Games, Retro Flavor

I've already discussed how the Pokémon games went from sprites to models in my post yesterday, so now it's time to play around with these concepts. Specifically, I've got a neat and creative idea that also seems crazy and improbable, but I might as well throw it out. That idea is to take a modern game for the 3DS that use 3D models (preferably the new main series members X, Y, Sun, and Moon) and remake them with sprites, branding them with a "retro flavor". Given what has happened with the main series, it's personally a nice idea, though hindered by other sensibilities.

This idea primarily stems from the 3DS lag issue that I've continuously harped on about. If the lag stems from the use of the 3D models, then sprites can make up for this by presenting the games with an appearance that harks back from the past, but the games still run the way the modern games run. With that in mind, so many things and mechanics have changed in the games along with the sprite-model transition that it could also be neat to experience them the way they were previously experienced with the low-fidelity graphics of the sprites. So it's really just keeping the modern gameplay of the main series games but pairing them with a retro look similar to a previous generation - perhaps most notably the fifth generation as this is where everything graphical about sprites was most developed.

However, I know that such an idea does not come to fruition easily for a few reasons that I can already think of. One is that the nature of Pokémon games in general is looking forward, and even if it's a remake like Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, it's also looking forward since the new look is with those games, so it could feel odd for some people to have a modern game with a retro look. Even if it could be realized somehow, either its demand would not be high, or its demand would "cannibalize" the new look; in the former case it would be only for die-hard fans like me, and in the latter case, it would be for all fans. Plus, the eras of X/Y and Sun/Moon have already passed for the former and are in passing in the latter, making such a realization, if ever, only possible should these get remade, which would be a long time from now.

Sprites are a definite part of the history of Pokémon games, as are the current 3D models, and to meld them with the current gameplay is a novel idea, though it's more of a personal desire of mine and may not reflect the desire of others. By several other considerations, it's even more of an improbable idea. Retro is sometimes nice to look at, but it may not be the course of action in regard to the Pokémon games. Yet it still remains a conjecture, an idea that can be played around with, and with that much I am at least content.

Sprites, Models, and Evolutions

For the first five generations of its handheld games, Pokémon used sprites for game elements and in particular the monsters. Then in the sixth generation, the games turned to using 3D models. This is a notably remarkable change that represents a modernization of sorts, but it also has other implications, especially at the expense of pushing the 3DS system to its limits, something that I've mentioned in two posts prior to this one. It's still a change that had already been marked by many changes to itself, and this may then bode well for later changes.

Sprites are a necessary thing for handheld games of the past, since those are practically the only thing that handhelds were capable of showing on screen. For the Pokémon games, even a few sprites were still sufficient to show that a battle was going on, though things weren't truly alive in the scenes. Sprites also weren't colored initially like on TV consoles, but then handhelds gained the color capability, and naturally game sprites also became colored - a blessing for the Pokémon games since the monsters are supposed to have color, and now the battle scenes started to take life. When more than a few sprites could be shown on screen, the result was more fluid battle scenes, and when they could move quickly into one another, the result was animation, which meant more life into them. The pinnacle of this is certainly the fifth-generation games where all of these sprite features appeared in concert. While sprites were necessary, they also necessarily "evolved" in a way, as handheld capabilities increased, to increase the experience; so it was clear that the next step was to take up 3D models, which the 3DS provided.

In a similar way, 3D models could possibly take further improvements later on. If the current 3D models are weighty and slow down the system, then an optimization may be in order. The structure and movement of the models could be simplified, for example, but still in a manner that maintains details and lifelike movements. Size and scale may be altered, but just enough to compensate without much quality loss. Of course, console advancements could also render all of these workable in the current state, maintaining quality but not in a resource-hogging manner.

The important takeaway, however, is that there is always the need for constant improvement as well as making sure system capabilities are well-utilized. That's exactly what the sprites did as they developed - they made use of further capabilities of handhelds to deliver a more lively experience, which then gave way to the 3D models. Now they have to do the same, balanced against later console capabilities, or even at this moment on the eaves of Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. If one of the core concepts of Pokémon is evolution, then this progression is that in every sense of the word.

Supporting Doujin and Indie Stuff

I've already discussed some indie Pokémon merchandise and things that I've acquired from Japanese events, shops, or otherwise, from keychains to notebooks and even a shirt. All these indie, amateur things allude to the term of "doujin" - a word which literally translates as "clique" or "circle" but also refers to independently conceived derivative works, which makes sense because these are enjoyed by those that are in circles or cliques related to something they like. And what I and many people like is Pokémon, so obviously there would also be doujin and indie stuff for Pokémon. To some extent, I say that lending them some support is permissible.

On one hand, there's nothing like official (or at least officially licensed) merchandise and things. These are surely well-crafted and well-designed in terms of physical and artistic qualities. They should be prioritized if at all possible. However, indie merchandise and things can sometimes be as well-crafted and well-designed as official ones; at that point they are a gem in the rough and can be gotten for that reason. This is especially more true if those offer something unique that is not available officially.

Based on this, I'd say much of the indie wares I've obtained fit either criteria for quality. The pencil bag I obtained in March is a little odd in terms of art style, but it's totally unique and truly reflects Pokémon. The smaller of the two pillows I dropped in January is not so unique but its art and design is exceptional, so I like that I got it for that. The wall hanging also from March is a little bit of both. The only one so far that I'm a little regretful that I got is the floor mat, which falls a little short on both. In general I'm still mostly happy with their evident qualities.

I'm not opposed to doujin and indie stuff as long as they can measure up to their official counterparts and/or fill in a void in the official counterparts. Regardless, the official stuff is worth it and is a better priority. It all comes back to the word "enjoy" - that which can receive such a feeling in the best way deserves it. I'd say both of these kinds of things can deserve support by enjoyment to different extents, especially in regard to Pokémon.

Videophones and Pokémon, Then and Now

One of the things that the Pokémon anime is known for including is the use of videophones. Trainers - most notably Ash - contact other people, most notably Professor Oak, with telephones that allow the callers to view each other by the use of cameras. This seemed in the past like a technological fantasy that couldn't be realized, but fast forward to today, video calling is not only possible, but also commonplace. I find this transformation to be nothing short of amazing.

Way back when the Pokémon games were first released and the anime adaptation came into being, technology wasn't as advanced as it is today. Telephony was still using copper lines more than waves in the air, and they didn't have cameras, nor did most computers, which were mostly unequipped for calling others. Even then, the Internet was still in its infancy as a good deal of Internet access was also done slowly on the same copper lines. When calling someone, it was almost assuredly voice only. It almost looked like a different world.

Today, however, technology has advanced and even gone past the point where video calls as depicted in the Pokémon anime are possible. Many phones today are portable, free from land lines, and equipped with a front camera for video calls through certain applications. For computers, if they're hooked on the Internet and have a camera, which most are and do, they too can be used for video calling. Most importantly, today the Internet can be accessed rapidly through fiber optics and waves in the air, transmitting not only voices, but also images. Videophone devices exist, but they don't get as much use as the portable phones and computers of today.

Pokémon is by no means the sole precursor to this technological advancement, as other things have also featured video phones before its time. But while it may not be the sole precursor, it regardless can be considered to be contributory to the advancement. It might be hard to see other technological features in the Pokémon world be fully realized in the real world, but we can at least take steps in that direction. And when this does happen, I'm prepared to be amazed one more time.

Pokémon School

One thing that may have not been exposed or discussed much regarding Pokémon is schooling and education in the world of Pokémon. However, if the anime and the games are any indication, schooling does exist in the Pokémon world in some form or another. Schooling is somewhat of an obvious thing in this world, because as I've mentioned in one of my older posts on how everyone can fit in in the Pokémon world, not everyone can be one role or another - there have to be people in different roles. Evidently schooling and education play into developing this.

Any school has to have students, and the ones in the Pokémon world would be no different. There would be primary schools for children, secondary schools for adolescents, and academies for older people or special education. This is already evident in the anime and the games; the episode I reviewed way back in March shows a primary-like school, and there have been signs of secondary schools in past Pokémon episodes. And then there's the game of Pokémon Art Academy, which is plainly obvious. These are in addition to other schools that would be not unlike those in the real world that take in similar students.

If the schools and students are alike in the real world and the Pokémon world, then what is taught in the schools would not be too different as well. Primary and secondary schools would teach the basics and fundamentals, and academies would teach the rest of what is needed to know. Those working in Pokémon Centers and in the police force would benefit from such specialized knowledge. In any case, the progression would be the same; the only thing that's different would be the inclusion of Pokémon-related subjects, which is not hard to believe that it could happen.

In a world full of fantastic creatures, it's still a given that some people can't, don't, and/or won't pursue the ways of the people that directly and actively deal with them. So all those people have got to have some place to go, and school is the natural place for them. The "bones" are already in place from what can be abstracted from the games and anime as a whole, and it's not hard to believe the rest. With this in mind, it follows that schooling and education does not become a limiter in this world; instead, it makes the world that much richer.

Cosplay in a Bag

I'm always looking for ways to make my cosplay more convenient, in particular my Pokémon cosplay. I've devised a concept for that, and that is "cosplay in a bag". A fact of cosplay is that any kind of cosplay requires bringing the items necessary for cosplay, whether they be clothes for fabric costumes, armor pieces for armor costumes, and the associated props that go along with them; more often than not this utilizes bags of some kind. So you might say that my concept is obvious in regard to this fact - but my concept actually goes beyond this.

What I'm talking about is not only carrying the items for cosplay in a bag, but also making the bag a part of the costume and cosplay itself. Let's take an example of one of my costumes - Ash Classic, for example. What I want to do is that I want to have a bag that is the same or similar to what Ash carries with this costume, then I want to be able to pack the clothing, accessories, and props within this bag; when I go to the event, I take out my stuff from my bag, put them on or hold onto them, and then carry the bag with me as part of the costume. The bag then makes my appearance look more true to the character.

The "convenience" part of this is that I leave absolutely nothing behind (except trash, which only needs to go where it should go). This solution is inspired by the situation that I see often in local cosplay events: many cosplayers bring a big load of their items in a bag when they cosplay, but after they are fully in "cosplay mode", what are left are their bags, which have nowhere else to go unless the bags can be stowed somewhere safely or someone can watch over them - neither of which are always possible. It's a situation I've been in before, and the hope is that this solution obviates this need if at all possible.

The most enterprising of cosplayers can and should be able to develop this solution more elegantly for their costumes, perhaps even concealing it if need be. Personally, my application of this concept has been limited; I've only got one Pokémon costume for which this application has been implemented. However, I look forward to be able to implement this concept for as many of my costumes as possible, though undoubtedly this will take some time and effort.

This solution is by no means the final word; if it is more practical and safety can be assured, it may be better to stow bags or have someone watch them. It is purely a conceptual advice, a conjecture if you will, based on my Pokémon cosplay, for which this solution is really best suited for. The fact remains that cosplay also means bringing bags of stuff; it would be convenient if this was less of a hassle, and this is one solution I propose, one that I'm only happy to implement in my Pokémon cosplay.

I Love Cheap Pokémon Thrills

Baby I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight
(I love cheap thrills!)
Baby I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight
(I love cheap thrills!)
I don't need no money
As long as I can feel the beat
I don't need no money
As long as I keep dancing
-- "Cheap Thrills", Sia

I was out with a few of my friends today when I heard this song, one that I'd heard a few times before but have never thought about much. But when I heard it today, I realized that it makes sense given what I do with my attraction to Pokémon and its games in particular. I really do like cheap Pokémon thrills in the sense that I like spending the least amount of money to get some Pokémon fun, but not in the way that you'd expect.

What I'm talking about is that I like having Pokémon games that continue to have a lot of replay value for what I spend on it. Obviously the main series has this in spades as you can concoct a huge variety of teams for just about any battle, and the Mystery Dungeon series have extended ultimate missions that serve as a challenge for the best of the best. That way, I can say that it's a "cheap thrill" because I already have the game and I don't need to spend too much more on it to play out the game to the fullest - I just have to play and play. Though it's a little not cheap at the beginning, it's still cheap as long as it's being played.

For the new breed of games that allow purchase of items, a "cheap thrill" means spending as little as possible to achieve as many things as possible. I finished Pokémon Picross without spending any money at all, though it did take a long time to do it; I could have finished faster by spending for Picrites, but then after the game is complete there is not much in the way of replay value, so I'm glad that I have taken the time. Pokémon Shuffle, meanwhile, is an open-ended game (at least for now), so I don't mind spending a little so that I can make greater progress. I wouldn't go to extremes of spending like some other players, but a little may be fine the way I deal with these games.

Thus, "cheap thrills" for games, including Pokémon ones, means making the most of a game (that is, playing it) without spending more on it - or at the least much more - than what has already been spent. For that, Sia's song above really rings true that it is (and should be) possible to have fun without needing to have cash on hand or more than absolutely needed. It is what I personally consider appreciable and applicable in regard to many Pokémon games.

My Favorite LINE Pokémon Stickers So Far

I've had the chance to use the new LINE Pokémon sticker packs that I've gotten recently and the others since I got them way back. While I haven't taken to use every single one of the stickers, I've tried to use as many of them as possible, and from that, a few clear favorites have emerged. I can't possibly list them all in one post, but I can discuss a few that I like the most. And for me, these are the few that I'm enamored with the most right now:

1. "Teary" Pikachu (from Team Rascal Pikachu) - This sticker also serves as the "display" sticker for the sticker pack. The sticker is supposed to represent a feeling of sadness, but since the art style is comical - what with the word "Teary" itself in big letters emblazoned in front of Pikachu in the English version of the sticker - I just can't help making a saddened smile. A few of my friends on LINE have taken to use the sticker very often, and I have become fond of it as a result. I foresee using it often in ironic situations.

2. "OK" (from various packs) - "OK" appears to be a frequent message communicated in the Pokémon sticker packs, and different Pokémon appear to carry the message; Charmander does it in the Animated Stickers and the Chat Pals pack, while Pelipper does it (worded as "Roger!") in the Team Rascal Pikachu pack. Likewise, Inkay does it in the animated pack, Popplio does it for Chat Pals, and Eevee does it for Pixel Artwork. I love all these different interpretations.

3. "Oh dear" Vulpix-Alola (from Team Rascal Pikachu) - Like the "Teary" sticker above, what communicates the message in this sticker is the words "Oh dear" in big letters above Vulpix-Alola. It looks like Vulpix-Alola is "innocent" or concerned in a funny way, aided by the comical art style itself. I've just used it to express a slight concern and will use this whenever the mood strikes.

4. "Seriously?" (from Pikachu's Lively Voiced Stickers) - For this sticker, Pikachu says "Pi? Pika...?" in a long, drawn-out manner, and it has a suspicious expression. The word "Seriously?" appears at the end of the animation. It's a cute kind of suspicion, though, and I'll use it to add lightheartedness in that way.

5. "Question" Bulbasaur (from Pokémon Animated Stickers) - Really. Seeing Bulbasaur scratch its head with one of its vines with a "?" thought bubble is just plain funny, yet it does deliver a sense of wonder as well. I approve of this Pokémon-mimicking-human thing, and if it looks like my head is worth a scratch, then I'll use this to express that.

Three things seem to be in common by this selection of favorite stickers: comical, cute, and funny. If the situation warrants any of these feelings in addition to the very message that the stickers communicate, then I'll definitely use them for that reason. In any case, these are stickers that I will certainly continue to use as I communicate with friends on LINE, while bringing in a Pokémon flavor and certainly those three things.

On Pokémon Promotional Toys

Recently I saw a picture of a few of my Poké-friends gathering to eat at a globally known chain of fast food restaurants. As I know, this chain once had Pokémon promotional toys on offer, but that was a long time ago, and this specific case is best discussed in its own post to come at a later time. The point is that I enjoy these kinds of toys from fast food chains as much as any toy that features Pokémon; when done right, they really are enjoyable toys.

There are a few things that I favor when it comes to these toys. One is that I like and prefer when the toy comes pre-assembled. It would then be a simple matter to take out the toys and play with them immediately either at the restaurant or once outside. It's not that I dislike toys that need to be assembled; for such toys, I wouldn't take them out immediately to play, rather I would assemble them at home, then play with them. In a similar vein, I like and prefer toys that are composed of as few separate parts (that are not for assembling) as possible, because in that way there are fewer things to keep track and that could be potentially lost. Both of these preferences really tie into the factor of convenience.

As for the toys themselves, I agree with the notion that the toy shouldn't be just a figure. It should be able to do something interesting either mechanically or electronically. In this regard, I prefer the former than the latter, since mechanical toys last pretty much a long time. As with any other electronic toy, such a toy would need a power source, and once that power source goes dead, which could happen in a short time, so goes its concept, which would make me less pleased. Of course, the two could be combined so that once its electronic aspect is no longer active, the mechanical aspect would still provide some value. In any case, this would make the toy more than just a static figure.

I was hoping that when my Poké-friends posted that picture, there would be a new set of Pokémon promotional toys, which turned out not to be the case. Further, some time ago I was informed by a friend that a new set of Pokémon promotional toys was in the works, but nothing ever came out of it, even after being vigilant for a couple of months. Whatever the case, I'm always on the lookout for new sets of promotional toys and I anticipate its design; they remain a collectible interest as Pokémon remains my interest.

Movie Times

A friend asked me today if I like watching movies, and I do, but it's just that recently I haven't found the time to to watch them. There's always something pressing that comes up that prevents me from sitting down for a full one to two hours (plus) to watch a movie. The same situation applies equally well to the Pokémon movies or what I like to call "feature films" as they are the anime with a story extended to fill the length of a movie, and thus they are "features". Yet these are obviously the ones I like the most.

I've liked the Pokémon feature films since the beginning with the first one, which in English is entitled Mewtwo Strikes Back. Interestingly, that one I didn't watch at the cinema; I was somewhat late to the party and only got to watch it at home on a VHS cassette, back when these were still popular and DVDs were still fledgling. I redeemed this situation, though, by watching the next two movies at the cinema while still obtaining the cassettes for them to watch at home, and when 4Ever wasn't readily accessible, I got its cassette too, as well as the follow-up feature to the first movie. After that, I continued watching the movies at home on DVDs for the next three, and either televised or through other methods for the rest.

Like any movie, I appreciate how the Pokémon feature films have extended and enthralling storylines that keep me engaged for its duration. I'm just caught up in the action, setting, characters, music, and everything that make the films what they are. Sometimes, they even leave lasting impressions and memories that make me desire to watch them again, though I know time is not always on my side. The important thing is that I have the chance to experience them all for at least once, and that is sufficient to let me have a part of the experience in my mind, for they are all indeed experiences.

I've recently opened up a possible access for the Hoopa and Volcanion feature films, though I'm not sure when I'll be able to devote time specifically for them. The same is true of a few of the movies that preceded these two, though I've yet to obtain access to them. And going forward, the Pokémon feature films will always become an important agenda, especially considering that the next one will be the biggest one yet in terms of experience. That experience, and a few others, will have to wait - but I can tell it will be a worthwhile wait.

Only One Save File

Many role-playing adventure games enable the player to create more than one save file while playing the game. The main series of Pokémon games, however, allow one and only one save file. This is a situation that is hard to explain, but it may be reasoned through some observations regarding the nature of multiple save files as well as the Pokémon main series game save itself. This reasoning is by no means official, but at the least it's an attempt to provide an insight.

Multiple save files have pros, but they also have cons, and both of these need to be quantified to understand them. Having the opportunity to create multiple save files implies realizing the opportunity to make different decisions over the course of a game, which may be good in some cases. Players can work on one save file in one way and another differently without having to completely drop one set of efforts, though this of course demands double the effort. And even if this is not realized, multiple save files at least provide a crude base for multi-user capabilities (meaning: a way of letting others share and play one game), safely sequestering different progresses. Ultimately, though, multiple save files need more space to be stored than just one, which may not be desirable given certain circumstances.

Now what about the Pokémon main series? While it would seem like a good thing to have the results of making different decisions, this becomes impractical when there are many of them and they are spaced far apart, so one save file avoids a potential confusion that could happen within a single game. Furthermore, the main series game save is not only a record of the adventure but also every single thing possessed in that effort - all the Pokémon, all the items, and all the little details that go with them. With this in mind, there needs to be space to keep track of all those details, and it would be overwhelming to keep track of multiple copies of these.

But the most compelling possible reason for having only one save file is that the main series Pokémon games represent, in a way, the ultimate individual adventure, so having more than one save file (for someone else to play) is rendered pointless. Sure, one person may own both versions of a twin game, but the adventures are separate as the games are separate - it might as well be someone else playing it. This also segues into the matter of interaction among players to cooperate and compete together to work the games to their fullest extent, which the games practically invite you to do; if multiple save files are present, it can reduce this interactive aspect. It's a noble objective if nothing else.

Thus there are senses of practicality, workability, and interactivity involved in maintaining just one game file for the main series games. By keeping only one save, all of these are achieved or at least driven to be achieved by the player playing the game - and most significantly, by only that player as the one in ultimate control. It's a brilliant insight for a truly grand role-playing adventure, which Pokémon essentially is.

How Far Do People Know Pokémon?

As I was making my way through the neighborhood for a few errands, I met a bunch of children that know me well because I played Pokémon Go in front of them, back when the game was at its height of popularity. A little later, I met another child who was wearing a Pokémon Go shirt, which looked a little faded. This leads me to consider the question for which this post is titled. The answer plays into a few considerations as well.

First up is related to what I call the "Go factor". Because of the recent past popularity of Pokémon Go, this becomes an important consideration. I recall encountering a few people in the past who had trouble telling apart even some of the Pokémon of the first generation, which are featured in the early days of Pokémon Go. This tells me that they were into Pokémon Go simply because it was popular, and that they don't know much about Pokémon in general, other than maybe Pikachu. The same could be said to be true of people who made Go-specific merchandise or even just plainly exposed to the hype of the game, for which the children I met seem to be in the latter case. So the "Go factor" may contribute to people whose Pokémon knowledge is lacking, in addition to those who are just briefly exposed through other means.

The world of Pokémon is a big and extensive one, and thus it may be plausible for people to know only a minor part of it. They may play only the non-main series games like the mobile games that are now present, for instance, or they may have played the main series games but not caught up with recent developments - I know several friends who are in this latter group, having only played the GBA games as best as they could, but not the NDS games onwards. On the flip side, there could be people who watch the anime or read the manga, but not play the games. Their knowledge is thus sequestered, not fully developed, or not up-to-date to what is known today.

And then there are the major fans, the ones who know the ins and outs of the Pokémon games and media. They know the workings of the main series games to a large extent and can apply its knowledge to or otherwise work out non-main series games to a more thorough level. They also know how to relate and differentiate how Pokémon appears in other forms to the games. This may not be flawless, but it is nonetheless cohesive and thorough. I tend to think of myself as belonging to this category, as well as a good deal of my friends who like Pokémon and do show signs of the above.

Thus like the monsters themselves, people may know Pokémon to variously different degrees. But it's not all bad; in any case, it just means that people who don't know much or don't know certain aspects about Pokémon can be invited to know Pokémon further and in more depth, becoming greater fans in the process. Who knows - perhaps the children I met earlier today may really be interested to know more about Pokémon to take up its games and check out its media beyond Go, to which they were exposed.

Flying Quirks of Charizard

Three months ago, I discussed what it might feel like to ride Pokémon, and in that post I dropped an example - the one of Charizard, which can be said to be in part popularized by Ash riding his in the anime, and now through the Sun and Moon games. Charizard and flying, however, is also tied to a couple of quirks, one old one and one new one, and it is through these quirks that the merits of flying on Charizard can be weighed.

In the games, Charizard initially couldn't learn the move Fly. Even though Charizard had a well-defined height, weight, and physique (that of a wyvern, or a two-legged dragon), it made no sense that it couldn't flap its big wings in the sky and carry people with it. Eventually Charizard became able to learn Fly and game mechanics became in line with logical assumptions while the quirk disappeared. This is a good thing because in my view, respects have been paid in this case; it was only right that Charizard became able to Fly since all the signs were pointing to this as a consequence.

On the newer side of things, Charizard in Alola shares the same fate as Rotom: it's a "tool" Pokémon that is not found in the Alola Pokédex. This leads me to think that both (especially the former) filled in their roles because of their wonder, Charizard in particular being the renowned ultimate form of a starter Pokémon that is popular due to ubiquity. Charizard's flying ability is not affected by this quirk - in fact, this affirms it - but this still remains a bit of a quirk in light of its Alolan presence.

So really, Charizard is meant to fly and be flown on by its anatomy, and it's a common wonder for many Pokémon Trainers. In either case (and taken together), Charizard is well-deserved for flight opportunities. It's a natural thing given the circumstances; I'm sure Ash and everyone on their Alola adventure would agree on this.

What Kind of Pokémon Are You?

What kind of Pokémon are you?
How do you do the things you do?
Share with me your secrets deep inside -
What kind of Pokémon are you?
Are you loyal through and through?
Do you have a heart that's true?
What kind of Pokémon are you?
-- "What Kind of Pokémon Are You?", Dream Street

Lately, every so often this song chances upon my mind. There are so many good songs from the early years of the English dub of the Pokémon anime, and I feel that this is one of them. This song takes the types of Pokémon as a discussion point, and it was created back when there were fewer types of Pokémon out there; yet I think it's still relevant today, even outside of the anime. There is still a sense that types and personalities go hand in hand, in addition to the fact that types are one of the things that determine how the course of a battle progresses.

Since a Trainer can only have up to six Pokémon (which are further knocked down to four in-battle in the case of the VGC format and even three in the rare case of competitive Singles), it is impossible for a Trainer to have every type in a team, even when Pokémon with dual types are considered. Thus a Trainer has to pick and choose Pokémon with types that benefit a chosen strategy. Figuratively, what Trainers do in making their Pokémon prime battlers can be regarded as befitting the evaluative nature of the questions above, posed in the song's chorus.

As for the "personality" part, every Pokémon has different stats, abilities, and moves among other tidbits, in addition to the types they belong as. Things like these determine what they can or can't do in battle, and these in effect become the elements of their "personality". Any strategy that Trainers choose for their teams then becomes an amalgam of these personalities. So while a Trainer may not be singly defined by the personality of a single type, they may take up the personalities of the Pokémon they use, in particular their types. And that's an elegant way of thinking about things, especially in light of this song.

So now it's back to the question: what kind of Pokémon are you?

A Pokémon Forum Persona

Back when a good portion of communication on the Internet was done on online forums, I participated in a few of them. Of those, however, most weren't related to Pokémon, but all the same, I was able to meet a few people that like Pokémon as I do, or at the least appreciate it. It was this relation that allowed me to make connections and develop relationships with those people. It was also an enigmatic time with a lot of ups and downs, but there was also Pokémon to go along with it.

In those forums, in particular where Pokémon wasn't concerned, I also developed a kind of Pokémon "persona". Others began to know me as "the guy that likes Pokémon a lot", being that I incorporated it into many of my topics and posts. I and those other people also spoke and traded feelings about Pokémon, and this led to some long-lasting relationships even when the dynamics of online forums changed. I'm happy that this has happened, though.

One of those long-lasting relationships is with a guy whose screen name was "Sunner" or some variant thereof. Our relationship was kind of all over the place; I appreciated what he liked, he appreciated what I liked, and we both got a sense of each other. He shared with me his projects, and I shared with him my takes on them. Sometimes, we even went nuts about our stuff - but in a good way! 😁 Really, though, we recognized each other for what we liked; for me it was obviously Pokémon, though for him it was more closely related to animation. One time, he even shared with me a depiction of our relationship - he recognized my Pokémon persona and represented it as Ash, he encapsulated his as a swan, and in the depiction I was chasing him, a sign of our nutty relationship. It's all in good fun, though.

Coincidentally, it's his birthday today! If you're reading this, I wish you all the best.

These days, I'm more recognized for my Pokémon persona in other ways, but it's nice to know that this has happened previously in communication - through online forums - and it's fascinating to look back on this. I sort of miss the times we had when centralized social media wasn't prevalent and communication was more close-knit, though separated by sites. To carry a Pokémon persona in those days and to be able to link up with others that like it as well is nothing short of wonderful.

Strategy Guides and My Pokémon Experience

Strategy guides are extremely helpful things for any game and any gamer, including Pokémon ones. They're called strategy guides because they help in formulating a strategy for difficult parts of games. I've used them a few times over the course of my experience playing Pokémon games, and they're helpful in some ways and less so in others. Even so, I still find them quite appreciable in their relation to Pokémon games.

When I played the original first and second generation main series games, I used strategy guides extensively to plan out my next moves. I was free to develop my own team, but whatever I did next was often dictated by the strategy guides. In starting to play the third generation games, however, I found that I could progress through the game without a strategy guide or at least without frequent use, and that is what I did; since then I've made my way through the games without referring to them much and only did so when I needed a nudge in the right direction.

This, however, doesn't make strategy guides any less useful. They may still be useful for others to a greater degree in making strategies, but just lesser in my case. And even if they're not utilized as much in making strategies, they may still serve as references and documentation for that part of the game, especially if the part is hard and/or time-and-effort-consuming to replicate; I used a strategy guide, for example, to remind myself of what happened during the "Don't Fear Failure!" portion of Pokémon Ranger, being impractical to try to replicate it. Finally, strategy guides just make a good read to discover things, especially for Pokémon games, where many fascinating things may be going on and it's too hard to take them in all at once while playing.

So strategy guides seem to be useful in different ways; they may serve as full guides or just for occasional hints. Even if they're not used as such, they can still be used to refer things or just to read through. In any case they're still helpful for many gamers, including myself. I may not utilize them as much today as I did in the past, but I still have to thank them for their existence. They've escalated my experience with Pokémon games, one way or another.

"Don't Fear Failure!"

In revisiting the games of the NDS, one game comes to mind for one of its particular memories. That game would be the original Pokémon Ranger with the original capture mechanic before its revision in subsequent games. That is certainly an interesting memory, but not the one I wish to discuss at the moment. The one I wish to discuss is related to the very first mission of the game, which carries the title that I've used as the title for this post.

In the mission, players are given a chance to further develop their Styler skills by capturing several Pokémon, practice simple Pokémon Assists, and learn the mechanic of Target Clear, all of which are fundamental to the course of the game. The "failure no-fear" part can be said to be because this is the first actual mission of the game where you are thrust into the primary action, or because you actually do have to stray a few times before you complete the mission.

On a deeper sense, the title of the mission alludes to how no people are free from mistakes or errors or the like. So this first mission allows some of that while diving into the mechanics of the game. It also alludes to "picking up the pieces" after mistakes occur, which is indeed part of the prologue for the mission. In any case, these are good things to keep in mind in the world. I've recently just committed a mess-up of my own, and now I'm dealing with the effects after it has happened.

And keeping this in mind, now I'm going to have to dive back into the original Ranger game as part of my NDS revisit. It would not only be to take care of things in the game, but it would also serve as a real testament to this statement... which just happens to be checked by my current experiences. 😐

Going Back to the NDS

I've already explained the NDS Lite that became my workhorse for all kinds of Pokémon games, both in and out of the main series. Now that I've got some downtime, I want to do exactly as I mentioned at the end of the post, and that is to revisit a few of those games. In any case, revisiting is not a bad thing to do, as even my fellow Pokémon friend also did it, even while I was absorbed with my 3DS. So now I would be doing almost the same thing.

I've actually got some unfinished business to deal with on my NDS games. There are a few post-game issues that I still want to resolve on the main series games; I've toiled about the issues in my mind but they have remained a back-burner priority since I've left them. Likewise, there are a few things I still want to experience on the other games outside the main series, and they would make for fascinating ones. I see that now would be a great time to put away some of these issues and try for those experiences.

It would feel a little weird to go back to something that was conceived when there were not so many Pokémon and the Fairy type wasn't present, but that is exactly the experience presented with those games. It can be said that the NDS games are the pinnacle of the experience between the addition of the Dark and Steel types in the second generation followed by changes in the third, and the sweeping changes plus Fairy type in the sixth generation; the number of games released at this point only serves as a testament to this.

So, I'm going back to the NDS for a bit. I'm going back for the things I want to do, and I'm going back for the nostalgia. Both of them are equally fascinating and totally acceptable to do as I revisit the games of this era. At least it will bring peace and appreciation to my mind when I go back to the 3DS games afterwards.

My Trusty NDS and Pokémon Games

Before I had my 3DS Pikachu LE, I had my NDS Lite - and I still have it up to today, in working condition no less. It's not a limited edition of any kind; it's just a regular dark blue edition. It's actually a family gift which I highly appreciate, and I enjoy playing all kinds of Pokémon games on it.

I was gifted the NDS Lite with a case and a strap, which is fortunate considering there might have been the thought that the NDS Lite is going to be for long-term use, which turns out to be true as I can still play it today. The logo sticker is a somewhat new addition courtesy of a friend, just so I don't forget my roots.

The first time I played the NDS Lite, I didn't play a DS game on it, though. I used it as a spare GBA system since I can play GBA games through the second slot, a feature that would be deprecated when the DSi came out. So that meant continuing all my adventures on Sapphire, Fire Red, and Emerald while I was in the process of obtaining an NDS Pokémon game. That game would come to be Diamond as a main series game, followed by Platinum, SoulSilver, White, and Black 2 as my main series selections.

Of course, those are not all the Pokémon games for the NDS, as there are other Pokémon games besides the main series games. It was with the NDS that I really branched out to other Pokémon games besides the main series - Trozei, Ranger, and Mystery Dungeon are just some of the games that I played on my NDS Lite.

As a precursor to today's 3DS Pokémon games, the NDS Pokémon games are all respected classics in their own regard, and I'm glad I had the chance to play them. With this NDS Lite of mine, I hope to revisit them every so often.

Ghosty and Me

Remember my post on the Four Notions, which I said was popular among my fellow local fans perhaps in part through a local web comic? Well, that web comic has a few Pokémon connections as well. I read it every so often for some entertainment, and I feel even more entertained when Pokémon is referred to in it, which does happen every once in a while. I'm happy to also have some personal ties to the web comic in addition to Pokémon ties.

The web comic is called GHOSTY's COMIC, and the author is Raden Fajar Hadria Putra, commonly called by others as Fajar. Its stories are primarily told in Indonesian, though Japanese and English sometimes creep in. The comic's tagline actually references one of the Four Notions, the one for "splurge"; as such, most of the stories of the comic deals with daily occurrences that happen to those who deal with the Four Notions, though occasionally the comic will also refer to sudden, viral happenings. The art style is simplistic - all the characters look like humanoid blobs - but their different personalities still give readers a sense of what's happening. Color is also a relatively new addition; in the past, the comics were purely black and white. New comics can be seen on Facebook and LINE's WebToon.

As I've mentioned, the comic has a few Pokémon connections. The games and characters are sometimes referred to in the comic, though not with the actual names. In fact, the monsters are referred to as the English names of the monster plus the suffix "-dut". So Pikachu becomes "Pikadut", Charmander becomes "Charmandut", and Zygarde becomes "Zygardut", as examples. The last one particularly sticks in my mind for its reference, being referred to as an imagined action figure for the Complete Forme. Those who are fans of the Pokémon series and read the comics often start to refer to the monsters in this way. Along with all the other references, this makes for a humorous read.

Not surprisingly, the author himself is also a major Pokémon fan. I've talked to him online, and he says he started the same way I did, from the original Game Boy games. He also knows a lot about many aspects of the franchise, evidenced by getting a high score in a trivia challenge about Pokémon. All of these I find quite respectable as a fellow major Pokémon fan. I had the opportunity to meet him last year for a particular Japanese event, and it was a special one:

Yup, I cosplayed in that event as well. We interacted at the event mostly through the Pokémon feature of the event. He's such a warm guy to meet and it's totally my pleasure to have been able to meet him as a fellow Pokémon fan.

May the bonds of Pokémon stay within our hearts and may we be able meet again at other events. Oh (and though I do not expect this to happen all the time), may we "keep splurging (erring) and eat soy sauce and rice" as written on the T-shirt above. 😀

Pursuing Shiny?

I've already discussed the stories of the Shiny, the Pokémon that look somewhat different than their normal appearance. I've encountered them and so have my friends that play the Pokémon games. Now, their different appearance is what gives Shiny Pokémon value; due to their rarity, they are worth having for purely that reason. However, unlike some of my friends, I'm not interested in actively pursuing them for my own reasons.

As I've mentioned, Shiny Pokémon are incredibly rare; the Shiny Charm helps a little bit, but they are still rare even with it. In fact, the encounter rate was just raised in the sixth generation, giving them a fighting chance to appear. The Shiny Charm itself is obtainable by completing the Pokédex, a borderline gargantuan task for one person to do alone and still a major task as a whole. As for Shiny Pokémon themselves, they're different by appearance, but that's about it. They are otherwise identical to their non-Shiny counterparts.

That brings me to my reasons. Because of their rarity even with the Shiny Charm, I prefer not to be obsessed in capturing one. The Shiny trait is also not necessarily inherited when breeding, so this process is subject to the same encounter rate as captures, which means I don't wish to be obsessed with this as well. If I do catch or hatch a Shiny Pokémon, I'll accept it as it is, but nothing beyond that. If I can shape one into a fearsome battler, then that's great; if not, that's no problem.

Shiny Pokémon are great, but they shouldn't be the be-all and end-all for every Trainer to have; after all, the point is that they are rare, and if they weren't, then everyone would have them by now and they would lose their novelty. I'm fine with not fully active seeking them, though I'll accept them as they come. At least they make for interesting stories or conversation pieces when they do appear.

Shiny Stories

In the world of the Pokémon games, a Shiny is a Pokémon for which its appearance is markedly different than usual. It appears very, very rarely but may be encountered a little more often through the possession of the Shiny Charm. Owing to their incredibly low encounter rates, Shiny Pokémon have become part of quite a few stories and experiences by players of the main series of Pokémon games, and that includes me and several of my Poké-colleagues.

I personally have not seen many Shiny Pokémon (that I didn't encounter then catch, or hatch by myself), and in fact, the last time I encountered and caught a Shiny Pokémon was when I played Platinum on the DS. It was this Golbat that I promptly captured when I saw it three years ago on April 11:

Hmm, 42 is the answer...

It was interesting that this catch happened to be for the Pokémon numbered #42 in the National Dex, for the number 42 in some circles happens to have a "prophetic" quality about it. In that sense I was being prophesied to continue playing, and coincidentally at that time I was a bit divided whether to pause playing indefinitely. I got the answer that I needed, it seems.

My Poké-colleagues, meanwhile, are a little more spirited in finding Shiny Pokémon. One of them, who happens to be in a social media group for Pokémon as I am, has recently shared experiences in going back to the third generation remakes to hunt for some Shiny Legendaries, with good results to boot. Another in the same group also has expressed the desire to complete the Pokédex early just to get the Shiny Charm by way of asking others to touch-trade Pokémon until the Dex is complete. It's a commendable though a little forced effort.

The appeal of Shiny Pokémon may be different among us, but they certainly make for wonderful stories and experiences, which are as rare as the encounter rate itself. But like most things that are rare, they are valuable, so long as they are not fully forced upon. It's a difference that is worth appreciating in that regard.

Pokémon Go One-Year Anniversary

So it's very much official: Pokémon Go is now one year old. One year ago it was as if a franchise that was 20 years old by then got renewed with some fresh blood in the form of a revolutionary new game. The player base has rose and plummeted since then, but the game has remained more or less alive since then, getting a number of fixes and improvements along the way, including the second generation of Pokémon. It really made the world of Pokémon games more lively.

As I've mentioned again and again, up to now I haven't been able to replay the game due to technical reasons, but one year ago (minus a few months) I was able to at least taste the mechanics of the game. The first time I actually played it was late at night; I got the game installed on my phone then and immediately put it to the test. I even met another Go player as I played that late night. After that, I had the experiences and eventually ran into the problems I described in my initial Go post. Needless to say, this is an experience I still long for and might replicate should I become able to play the game again.

Pokémon Go can be said to still be at a young age at this moment. It doesn't have all the generations of Pokémon, and it could benefit from more features to make the game even more accessible. Therefore it's only natural to expect expansions to the game as long as it continues to be played to make even better experiences that even I could enjoy. Of course, nothing is as romantic as those first-time memories, and I think the lyrics of a local song speaks of my experience of that first play:

At the end of that road, one year ago
I remember, I waited for you
My princess, my soulmate
I don't know how long I waited - perhaps an hour
I was lost in thought
My first date boundlessly lost in my mind
-- "Setahun Kemarin" (One Year Ago), Kahitna (translated)

Hmm. In any case, thank you, Pokémon Go, for a great year. May we meet again soon.

I Side with Pokémon

These friends keep talking way too much
Sayin' I should give you up
Can't hear them no, cause I...
I've been here all night
I've been here all day
And boy, you got me walking side to side...
-- "Side to Side", Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj

Sometimes I get the feeling that people are trying to move me away from Pokémon. They try to convince me that something is just as good, if not better than Pokémon. While I'm open to new things (certainly with some reservations), I'm ultimately the judge of whether I'm suited for them or not. And no matter how they turn out in my view, I feel that they cannot be a substitute for Pokémon. In effect Pokémon is "irreplaceable" for me, and that is what prompted me to think of the lyrics for the above recent major hit.

Pokémon makes me do strange things, but then anything that people are a fan of can make them do strange things, so Pokémon is no different. Still, Pokémon also makes me do good things, and that's the "side to side" I'm feeling. Regardless of whatever I do, Pokémon is still there, so I'm not convinced that I should "give it up", even when other people try to (seemingly) talk me into it. And this is how the song resonates for me and Pokémon as something that I like very much.

Thus Pokémon in a way is by my side. It's not something that I can trade for other things; other things may come and go, but what is clear is that Pokémon remains with me. I may move from "side to side" due to my attraction to Pokémon, but it's a good movement with good feelings, and there is no replacement for that, or Pokémon for that matter. I side with Pokémon, and I'm all right with that.

The Subdued Hometown Themes

I'm feeling somewhat lax even though I've got quite a bit of things to do and now I'm just trying to do them all from home. Suddenly I'm reminded of the "hometown" themes in the main series of Pokémon games, the ones that play in the towns where the journeys start. They're all somewhat subdued, considering that they're essentially preludes to journeys full of excitement and chaos aplenty, which is how I feel right now - I feel like I'm anticipating something of that nature.

The most famous of these themes is of course the theme for Pallet Town, which is featured in the first- and second-generation games. A snippet of it is also played for one of the pixel-and-sounds LINE sticker, the one with the caption "Technology is incredible!". Understandably, anything from the first generation is considered iconic and by extension memorable, so the same goes for this particular piece. It was indeed the first piece that came to mind just now, and it's the piece that I have practically memorized the main melody of.

Still, that doesn't mean the other themes are any less special. The third-generation Littleroot Town theme is slightly bouncy but is nonetheless still subdued. The fourth-generation Twinleaf Town theme is somewhat extended than most of the other themes and maintains the subdued feeling longer before the repeat decreases it. It's these little things that keep each theme unique and enchanting.

With the memory of these themes in my mind, I feel I have become even more compelled to finish up those tasks at a good pace, yet not to become too rushed in doing so. In effect I do believe that excitement and chaos will reveal themselves after the tasks are complete. So like a Pokémon Trainer starting a journey, that is what I must resume now.

Spicy Tamato

I like spicy food (to an extent). And I mean spicy food with heat, as in the heat that results from chili peppers. Speaking of chili peppers, Pokémon can be said to have an analogue of this for its world, in the form of the Tamato Berry. It's part of a whole family of Berries that do interesting things for Pokémon in battle or otherwise, and it's one of the Berries that has a highly Spicy quality.

The inspiration for this Berry is quite clear. The name for the Berry comes from "tomato", a fruit of a plant in the nightshade family that is better known for its not-so-spicy quality. However, the nightshade family also does include the chili peppers, which are indeed well known for their spicy heat. So this Berry in the Pokémon world can be thought of as being emblematic of all the members of the nightshade family, though it better represents the tomatoes and the chili peppers. This could also explain its common illustration, which is as a tomato with spikes, indicating the spicy quality.

This Berry also happens to be memorable for its appearance in the anime. In one episode of the Advanced Generation series, Ash was looking for Berries to eat, and after stumbling on a few common berries, he encountered the Tamato Berry, which he tried... to his surprise, as it was maddeningly spicy. This not only affirms its highly Spicy quality, but also suggests that this Berry would be on par with some of the hottest, spiciest chilies in the real world. In that case, its usage would not be too different with how chili peppers are manipulated in the real world.

The prospect of a very spicy Berry seems not to make sense until it is considered that in the real world there are animals that thrive on chili peppers, so naturally some Pokémon would also desire or be suited to some spice. Like all the other Berries, the Tamato Berry would then complement or satisfy this. And perhaps some people (maybe not Ash) would also be accustomed to its spice; I can already tell that I could be one of those people.

Speedblogging Like a Ninjask

Some readers may wonder how I've been able to post everything that I have posted on this blog. It's actually not always an easy process. I know what I want to post about, but then time may become the issue. Sometimes I have a good few hours to type up a post, though I know that I may be pursued by time at any time; other times, I'm already pursued by time. At the latter point, that's when I have to incur speedblogging that reminds me of a particularly speedy Pokémon.

That Pokémon would be Ninjask. Ninjask is known as a speedy Bug type that gets even speedier, and this would be due to its Speed Boost ability, increasing its speed with each passing turn. The Speed Boost ability is by no means unique to Ninjask, but it was the first known Pokémon to popularize it when it newly appeared in the third-generation games. Some enterprising Trainers would even teach Ninjask the Baton Pass move, and in battle, once Ninjask maxed its speed, Baton Pass would be used to transfer the increased stat to another Pokémon. It is surprisingly useful in that regard.

In that regard, my speedblog does seem like I'm a Ninjask countering an opposing Pokémon. Two fairly recent posts, the "hounds and hyenas" and "only one ball" ones, were in fact made through speedblogging. I had already decided upon what I was going to discuss in my post, but then I became a bit pressured by other things, and this created a time crunch. As a result, I had to execute my speedblogging moves (composing and editing) as Ninjask executed its Pokémon moves. Those actions under time constraints can be just as complex as Ninjask at full speed, where I have to weigh my words carefully. In any case, the result was a flurry of actions as we worked our respective battles... and in my case I think I did just fine, winning the battle against time.

Speedblogging is now not an "if", but a "when", as there will always be situations that demand it. But rest assured that I won't stray from my goal of sharing with you my daily Pokémon experiences as it truly is what matters most for me and this blog. Even now I'm detecting future opportunities for speedblogging, and so very soon I will have to turn into Ninjask again to execute it. It's really not easy being a Ninjask.

My Offerings (or, What I Am Not)

I've shared what I intend this blog to be in my six-month post, which in a nutshell is a capitulation of my experiences so that others may take part in it. Logically, now it's time to share what I am not and work back from there. There are many different Pokémon sites on the Internet, and I feel that I have to be different to stand out; this is also aided by my own experiences, which may not be unique, but are still fascinating to share. To that end, there are a few things that I don't try to be with this blog so that I have something different to offer for Pokémon and its fandom.

First up, I'm not a news site. I'm not Serebii.net or any of its kin; I don't pursue the latest word on everything Pokémon, but I try to keep up as best as I can. Still, I do every so often report on the latest goings-on when I am able, such as the Pokémon Direct from a little while ago, and combine it with my perspectives. This last bit is important, for I will often save things until I can discuss them here with some weight - my weight, in most cases. Otherwise, it is not my job (or at least not at every moment) to report on everything new about Pokémon as soon as word is received; the other sites I mentioned can do a better job than me on this, while I can process what they report for this blog later on.

I'm also not a media collection site. Sure, sometimes I'll post pictures of official media to help illustrate my point, but I try to limit this so that I can emphasize my personal aspect. As a result, most of the media I post are personal pictures or creations that pertain as much to me as they pertain to Pokémon. I can vouch for my personal pictures and creations, but beyond that, I try not to transgress deep into others' media spaces and try to promote and share myself more in relation to Pokémon.

I'm also not a site for a fan "shrine". A "shrine" connotes glorification or sanctity, which would mean elevating things too much beyond what they are or giving excess special recognition. I'm all for special treatment - as in everyone or everything is special in their own ways - but if it means creating unnecessary separation or (heaven forbid) a "wall", then I do not approve. Instead, I promote respect and universality: Pokémon is for you and me, and there's all kinds of things about it to be appreciated. Let's enjoy Pokémon together.

This blog means something for me in sharing my appreciation for Pokémon and for others to join in on that, but there are also things that this blog isn't or shouldn't be considered as. By not attempting to be those things, I allow my own personal connections and experiences to appear more distinctly and make the blog what it is. Even so, I'm still one of many Pokémon sites on the Internet, and it wouldn't be hard to believe that we created our sites because we have the same feelings for Pokémon. That is the most important thing for all our sites, including this blog of mine.