A Sun & Moon Doujin Manga

I've said in my post about doujin and indie stuff that some of them can be as good as official things; now here's a real doujin manga that is just that. It was first sold at a convention that took place earlier this year but far, far away, but then suddenly it popped up on what was really the first day of the event that took place yesterday. Needless to say, I went ahead and bought it so I could discuss it here, which does indeed mean that I sneaked onto the event on the first day for a preview as well.

One of the two people involved in this doujin manga is actually a fellow Pokémon player from my local group and it was this person as well who alerted me to the fact that it was being sold at the event. It should be noted that I saw another one of the person's creations take first place in the manga competition for this very event. Based on that, this Pokémon doujin manga should be good stuff, right?

And it is. Everything is so neatly designed that it's quite semi-professional in nature. Even the first few pages had some color as well, just like some professional manga. The typesetting on the pages are excellent, and the layout of the extra pages is typical but minimalist, yet effective. Overall, it almost could pass up for an official creation, though it really isn't.

As for the story, this manga is entitled the "Kanto Episode" for a reason: it is in effect a (possible) continuance of the events after the endgame of Sun and Moon. Without going into much detail, the story involves Lillie and some trials and tribulations in Kanto. And yes, Ultra Beasts are involved, almost becoming a crux of the story. It's quite entertaining, and I finished it in one sitting; that's how good it is.

I quite like this doujin manga. It's evident that the creators have put in lots of effort to make this manga what it is, as an imagining of what might happen beyond the end of the game. And given the achievements of one of the creators, it's not hard to expect that more excellent works may be coming from the person. If one or more of those excellent works are Pokémon-related, then I might just happily show my support with a purchase so that both of us may be pleased.

One year ago: Cosplay: ComiCamp 2, Day 2

Cosplay: Isshoni Tanoshimimashou 13

[AshKetchumMode]

My friend really likes this theme event. He says he has lots of links to it and everyone involved. I like it too, and I don't mind showing up in it. Everyone else does too, which is why it's popular every year. I'm amazed at how things have gone on since the first time I was sent here, and so is my friend. I'm sure people will keep coming the next time and the next.

For this time, I was sent with the newest and greatest outfit I have, which is my Kanto outfit from my special adventure. And for the first time ever, I and my friend were able to arrange things so that I can take part in the character parade. My friend has been waiting a long time for this and we're finally able to "play for the home team", or to be exact, my friend's home team. I like the response of the people who watched, but that was about all I got. Only three characters won prizes in the parade, but I wasn't one of them. I'm a little sad that I couldn't take one for my friend's "home team", but that's the way things are.

Pikachu: Pi. [flat]

I did get a certificate, though, thanks to my friend's effort to get me in the character parade, so that must be worth something for him. I'm sure of it.

As always, this is a two-day event, but as my friend said last year, not many people come on the first day, as there isn't really anything much to see and enjoy on the first day. On the second day, there is much, much more. One of them is a famous guy I saw last year at a different place. And yeah, this means I didn't see him with my Sinnoh outfit, but that's OK. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and I guess it had to happen now. He's a warm guy, though, and I had a chance to greet him. There might be something that he likes about me, but I don't know.

This is a good place to meet people and other characters. It happens that one of those other characters seem familiar, and this is true! I met Misty for the first time in a local event, which surprised me and a few of my character friends. We moved around for a couple of hours before she had to leave, but it was great. I'm sorry I can't show photos though, since the one who sent her asked me to hold back just in case. It was still really fun to go with her and meet everyone. If things work out, I'm told that there might be a chance to be with other Pokémon characters in the future. Maybe it'll be fun then too.

This one has been up and down but still quite fun. We all had fun together, just like the name of the event. It was an even better experience this year. I appreciate the efforts of my friend in sending me here, and I think he'd appreciate how great things have gotten. Keep it up, my friend, and let's see what will take place next time.

[/AshKetchumMode]

One year ago: Cosplay: ComiCamp 2, Day 1

Other Pokémon Competitions

I'm no stranger to competitions, in particular if they involve Pokémon. If you've been reading this blog, you'll know that I participate in VGC tournaments, albeit performing very poorly. I also participate in cosplay competitions with my Pokémon costumes in tow, though I also have not won much in this area. These are great competitions to be sure, but I'm also thinking of other competitions which involve Pokémon - or at the least allows me to incorporate Pokémon in them - as well as my chances of participation in them.

Recently, there was a local Pokémon art competition open to whoever could make great Pokémon art, whether digital or physical. I didn't partake in this one; even with what I've learned through Pokémon Art Academy, my skills aren't really up to snuff. And even if they were, I couldn't come up with a great idea given the circumstances at that time. Yet with this, there's at least some recognition that Pokémon makes great competition fodder in different ways. I'd like to see similar competitions for different fields, including ones which I can stand to participate in (like writing); it would be excellent to participate in them and try to get good results.

Even if a competition doesn't explicitly involve Pokémon, unless the competition explicitly involves specific other things, it may be possible to include Pokémon in participation. I had plans earlier for entry into a competition that could be made to involve Pokémon, but alas, this plan fizzled before it could become realized. One reason is that I needed to prioritize for a different competition (which will become apparent soon enough) and another is that it simply just wasn't possible to enter given the situation. The possibilities here are numerous, though it does seem that the involvement of Pokémon may also necessitate involvement of other pop-culture things. For me, my pop culture is Pokémon, so if it can be included, then it would make me happy.

For many people, Pokémon does invoke games; this is of course a natural thing given how Pokémon started life. Competition with the games is the norm, one that is standardized no less. Yet it may just be possible to have other competitions and have them involve Pokémon, whether specifically oriented to Pokémon or to pop culture in general. I'm quite expectant of them being realized, and I already have some plans for them should they become realized. They would certainly get my competitive juices flowing even further.

One year ago: Pokémon Floor Mat

Groups and Sub-Groups

Recently, I was asked by someone in my raid group if I wanted to join a sub-group for organizing and informing about raids in a smaller vicinity of my locale. I was willing, so I said "yes" and joined. And today, I had just joined them for the first time in a raid. It seems that this sub-group may just be beneficial after all, and it makes me think of the organization of Pokémon-related groups as well as how I've organized myself in them.

Recall that from a post about friends, I'm involved in both a local group and a national group of main series players. Both are somewhat useful for keeping up with others and Pokémon in general, as well as organizing bouts for practice or otherwise. It is also probably for that reason that the latter recently just expanded its communication channels, so that more people can get in and do the same. The scale of the two groups are different, but they may be considered equally as important if the goal is to seek as many people as possible to battle with, which may be crucial for VGC as well. These are surely groups I want to maintain connections to.

The story is different for other Pokémon matters, including Go. Go seems to benefit more from localized groups since it really is all about the world around players and the connections that form among them. I can already attest this with my local raid group and sub-group; many of the things we do can hardly be achieved with an all-inclusive national group. As for particularized things like Pokémon collectibles, a national group may suffice since the interest is individual, wherein it may still be helpful to connect and discuss about them. Thus these Pokémon interests demand specific groups on specific scales.

No matter the Pokémon things in question, groups are still apparently important. They facilitate communication, as people are social beings, for Pokémon and everything else. Scale, too, is a major determinant for interactions, whether they are demanded to be as broad or as specific as needed. With those considerations, I'd say I appreciate the chances that I have been given on joining Pokémon groups and will try to maintain them for the longest possible time, even for as long as I am a Pokémon fan, which will likely be for a long, long time.

One year ago: Out of This World: Episode 690 - "A UFO for Elgyem!"

Working with Shuffle's Item Limits

Some games place finite limits on resources or items, or at least those which a player can collect, for a variety of reasons. Pokémon Shuffle happens to be one of those games, and the game does possess collection limits on its items, which is something I've discovered with frequent play of the game. These limits are also something that I have to work with, in order to keep up my progress in the game.

The most evident limits are for the basic resources that are used in playing any stage, and they would be Hearts and Coins. Only a maximum of 5 regular Hearts (which are replenished each after a time of 30 minutes) as well as 99 extra Hearts (which are given by bonuses or exchanges) can be stored at any one time, if a Special Shop item is not being used; thus if I know that I've hit the maximum on this, I need to spend time playing to deplete Hearts so that I can earn more later. In the past, these were combined, which meant that any Hearts in excess of 5 had to be used before the game allowed Hearts to be replenished, which could be painstaking if there were many to deplete, but fortunately this was changed so that Hearts could be replenished while keeping extras. As for Coins, only up to 99999 of them may be kept at any one time; why this is not made a perfect 100000 is beyond me. In any case, I have to spend those Coins on stage items or otherwise once I hit that limit; in fact, I like to spend the Coins, then save up to hit the limit, then spend them again. Progress is evidently needed once these limits are reached.

Similarly, Enhancements have finite limits as well, and the limits are simple: 99 for each of the 10 of them. I've experienced this first-hand just like with Hearts and Coins, and at that point they just need to be used as well, so that more can be earned. What's a bit difficult about this is that the number of Enhancements aren't immediately visible nor are they quickly accessible, so they have to be frequently checked (by way of the Pokémon selection screen) to know their numbers. By my experience, once they pile up into counts of 80 or more, it's time to start putting them into good use for improving the abilities of Pokémon that sorely need it, and believe me, there are, though wisdom may be necessary in determining who gets what and when.

I confess, I tend to be a "hoarder" in that maybe I'm not so wise or a bit indecisive in making use of these items, and I tend to leave them be. That's how I came to know about these item limits in my progress through the game. It's just something that I have to take consideration as I go along. And yet, that's perhaps the intent and reason for these limits: to make sure that progress really does progress. It's perhaps a good way of putting my hoarding intentions aside and forcing me to play as intended.

One year ago: In Pursuit of Collections

I'll Be... The One

I'll be the one
Who will make all your sorrows undone
I'll be the light
When you feel like there's nowhere to run
I'll be the one...
-- "The One", Backstreet Boys

A lot of things in Pokémon are inherently tied to success. There's success in becoming the greatest Trainer, Breeder, Ranger, and so on and so forth. I've come to the conclusion that whatever one wills in or with Pokémon (certainly for the good of everyone), it may just be achievable. And that makes me think of this song by a popular boy band. Sure, a lot of it's about love, but for me it's much more than that, especially with Pokémon in tow.

I've already discussed something to this effect in regard to being different with Pokémon, so with this song, it could be considered an extension of that. Pokémon is different things to different people, and it's certainly not a single game series anymore. So, the fact is that this "being different" still rings true, and even more so when success is brought back into the equation. It makes me feel good that I can do many things with Pokémon and that any fan has the chance to do the same.

As for being "the one", that may be up to the interpretation of the individual fan. If anything concerning Pokémon really appeals, then it may be worth to put in effort for that thing, though it is certainly welcomed to extend the reach to different Pokémon things. Personally, I also think it is romantic and befitting that this matter can also be extended to the characters within the lore of Pokémon things, creature or otherwise, who may have greater-good aspirations of their own. Both of these are certainly wonderful.

I've made my strides of and for success, and the same can be considered for my fellow fans, as well as those within the lore of Pokémon. That success seems to go hand-in-hand with love and attraction, for which this song is so linked to. It's a great picture that will continue to remind me of this song as we make our Pokémon aspirations one step closer to reality.

It is my wish that when it comes to Pokémon, we all can be "the one".

One year ago: Shuffling in Alola

Pokémon Craft Figures - Mewtwo

The Pokémon collectible that I got from the convention that took place a week ago can be said to be quite hands-on. That's because the collectible is a figure that is assembled from its individual parts. That also explains why this post took so long to be realized, because I was only able to find time today to actually assemble the figure and make the supplementary documentation for the blog post. And then of course there were other Pokémon things going on, but that's hardly anything to gripe over.

All the parts of the figure come packaged in a pouch that is not much bigger than an index card and no thicker than a small plate. There are supposedly several variants of this figure for the featured Pokémon, but at the convention, there were only three pouches, and by the time the decision was made to get one, someone had made off with one of the pouches, leaving only two to choose from. Although the selection was supposed to be random (and therefore by gacha), the vendor permitted bypassing this for the last two, which contained Mewtwo and Zekrom. Mewtwo was chosen because it is closely linked with Ex-Raids in Pokémon Go, which I now enjoy.

The parts themselves are printed on paper that is glued to a thin foam sheet, or rather two of those sheets, while the base of the figure is cardboard. The good thing is that all the parts are pre-cut, so all I had to do was pop out the parts to start building. As for the assembly guide, it is in the form of an image depicting the fully assembled figure, which is nice but might be a bit abstract for some people, although the parts are pretty much clear in regard to where they are supposed to fit.

The build itself is very simple: just fit the parts into the indicated slots, and a figure should result, as per the assembled guide image. I found that for Mewtwo, it was easier to fit the upper body to the hip first, before attaching the appendages and finally attaching the figure to the base. The assembly is like certain animal skeletal model kits that I've assembled in the past, which also have plate parts like this one, though of course this one is much, much simpler. Attention to assembly is also necessary, for there is the possibility that some parts might break, but fortunately that didn't happen in my case and I got a great figure as a result.

This figure is relatively cheap and the assembly is not too brain-wracking. I'm not too fond of figures requiring (heavy) assembly as would be the case for certain figures depicting mechanical workings, but this kind of figure is just fine. I would see myself getting another one of this given the chance, and I could see myself possibly enjoying a larger version of this kind of figure with the exact same build method. Either way, I'm OK and ready to get hands-on to build a figure that speaks to my Pokémon appreciation.

One year ago: Crossovers!

(A Late) Local Ex-Raid, 4/23/2018

Wouldn't you know it, it's time for another local Ex-Raid. But this one's a bit different from the previous ones. While the previous ones were held within the late morning to the late afternoon, this one was held in the evening at 6 PM; in my locale, sunset is typically at 5:30 PM or so, and thus any time after that practically falls in the evening. Such is the case for this Ex-Raid. A fellow raid mate told me that this brings back memories of when Ex-Raids and therefore Mewtwo first appeared in my locale, as it was also held at the same time. This becomes an interesting footnote.

For this one, there were a few less participants, but that doesn't make it unnecessary to coordinate. In fact, coordination still becomes the key, as this is needed to ensure that everyone makes it to the end and gets a chance to capture Mewtwo. There was a chance that some people had problems entering the raid or got held back and had to arrive late, and based on the discussions I overheard, this was still the case. In the case of this Ex-Raid, I was placed into a later group; in previous Ex-Raids, I was typically part of the first (or only) group. Things have changed since the previous ones, as I'm now at a higher level and there are many more players that take part. Coordination therefore has to account for this.

The result of coordination is, of course, more efficient usage of our resources and better chances at Mewtwo. In fact, for this one, the battle was smooth - I helped to inflict damage on Mewtwo without using up all my Pokémon - and the capture was the same case, as I got Mewtwo within only a couple of throws. However, the Mewtwo I got this time was a bit subpar, though it may still be workable as it is. There may be better ones that await later on, and I certainly have those from previous ones.

By the way, I didn't cosplay today. Aside from not having any costumes that I can feasibly wear for the occasion, I wanted to try something different. In the past, I had bought a neatly though oddly designed shirt, one of two Pokémon-related ones. Since back then I wasn't playing Go, I wasn't sure if I could find an occasion to wear it. Now that Go is active and flourishing, I finally had a great occasion to wear this. I complemented this with black shorts for an all-black look.

Everyone's busy with Mewtwo.
I'm below the person in white between the birdhouses.

On the whole, this Ex-Raid was still effortless for me and my raid group. It's also a good thing that I got to experience what things must have been like when Mewtwo first appeared, with an Ex-Raid this late in the day. That seems to be a good memory for some, and to experience it becomes a good thing and a good memory for me too, one that I'll remember for some time to come, even as Ex-Raids proceed.

One year ago: Luffy and Infernape

Tournament: PTC18 Online Tournament 7

The latest in a series of crazy decisions in regard to Pokémon may be this one. Given my performance in the previous online tournament and my predilection about Pokémon in general, I probably shouldn't be here. But because the circumstances of the tournament itself were much like the previous one I joined, I was practically prompted to join. I myself (would have) had a lax and empty Sunday evening anyway, so this filled in the spot nicely.

The hard thing about this kind of tournament is that the coordination can be a bit tough. Since it's online, everyone has to connect with each other using the most available means, as well as with the help of 3DS Friend Codes and in-game Trainer names. But really, once the players connect and get set up with each other, it's just the battle that matters. When they don't connect, that's the problem, as unfortunately one participant had to drop because of that. Another one had to drop because of different issues, but then that still left everyone evenly paired up and available for battle.

Not much was different about this one from the last one. I lost all five battles again and didn't get an edge in any of them. The third battle was particularly fascinating and frustrating due to its progression, which was a bit of a "stall". The fifth battle showed the most promise, but one bit of technique on the opponent's side stopped that from being realized. Could it have gone in a different way? Perhaps, if I had a different technique of my own.

And yes, the team I used for this one was the same as the previous one, only with minor differences. Those minor differences also gave me a minor stroke of luck, but not enough to carry through to a victory. I had planned on something really different for this one, but it never materialized, and I was stuck with this team. I'm still not sure what could have been different, and maybe it's not for me to know just yet.

This also happens to be the last online tournament for this year's series. Though VGC 2018 carries on this year, this is the last one that is done in this manner, at least among my colleagues. I still hope that within the rest of that time I may be able to try different things and see if I can work things out. If that happens, then I may just be one step closer to becoming enlightened, whatever the circumstance may be.

One year ago: Costume Issues

Crazy Decisions

Sometimes I wonder what it took for me to get this far with my attachment to Pokémon and what I have gotten from it. Today, I may have an answer to that. While playing a different game, I became aware that I had to make a lot of crazy decisions, which may or may not turn out to be successful. It seems the same thing may be considered to apply to my attachment to Pokémon, as it can be said that I came to this point by way of many of those crazy decisions.

The series of crazy decisions that I took can perhaps be traced all the way back to the beginning. It was perhaps one of such that led me to a place where I could experience all (or at the least most) of the things that the franchise has to offer. The initial steps I took were perhaps the result of a crazy decision as well; Pokémon was at that time a different kind of game unlike those which I usually play. It's seemingly an even crazier decision to spend quite a bit of time on it trying to get good and to say that I like doing it, and the game as well. It was probably not within the right mind that I took to making those decisions, and today I've still not picked the fruits of my labor, yet the result is that I was set up for everything else Pokémon to come.

Even now, it seems crazy decisions have continued to persist. Cosplay might be considered as a crazy decision, and even my venture to the previous convention could be considered to have resulted from a crazy decision. Still, these decisions appear to show their worth with all the relationships and memories I've made through them all. This blog may also be considered as my latest crazy decision, in particular because I haven't received validation for it, even with the hundreds of posts I've made. Whether or not this will lead to a big validation remains to be seen, though it is my express hope that it does.

To me, these decisions are subjectively crazy because they seem out of my mind, in my mind and other people's minds. Looking at what has transpired, though, every decision that I've made in regard to Pokémon seems to be just as rational as they are crazy. They satisfy my mind, even if they appear to have been made out of it. Given today's experience, I would indeed say that my Pokémon experience is full of crazy decisions that I've made. And I'm probably ready to make some more crazy decisions to proceed with Pokémon even further.

One year ago: Tropius Fruit and Other Pokémon Edibles

Curveball Wisdom

One of the things that makes Pokémon Go special is that the player can really get hands-on with the throw of a Poké Ball to capture a Pokémon. One of the things that contributes to that is the fact that the ball can be thrown not straight to the Pokémon, but in a curve. It's kind of fancy, but it's also beneficial. And beyond that, it may also appeal to the mindedness of players, including me.

To execute a curveball, the Poké Ball is held down just like starting a normal throw, but then it is spun in a direction until it starts to "whizz" and "shine", at which point it is released for the throw. It takes finesse and a little sense of direction so that the throw actually goes to the Pokémon instead of missing it. The benefit, though, is well worth the throw; there is a slight experience (XP) bonus, but it also helps to ensure that most Pokémon will be captured. By my experience, this is quite true, as I did manage to capture most Pokémon when I threw a curveball instead of a straight throw.

As for the wisdom part, that entails the history and ways of players like me. Back when I started playing for the very first time, I threw straight throws, until a friend told me about the curveball method. At that point I started making more curveball throws up until the point where I became unable to play. When I was able to play again, I went back to straight throws until a different friend reminded me about the curveball throw. In a way, it could be said that I was being "practical" when not throwing curveballs, but then I became "pragmatic" when throwing more curveballs, considering the reminders as "wisdom". I can't see myself throwing curveballs all or most of the time since I tend to miss a lot of them for some reason, so it seems hard for me to pursue "excellence"; meanwhile, many in my raid group do just that and very rarely throw straight. I may have to rethink my approach and embrace more of the "wisdom".

I still find this little tidbit of Pokémon Go interesting. For those who are used to playing other Pokémon games, it may be believed that throwing Poké Balls to capture a Pokémon is straightforward. Instead, in Pokémon Go, it evidently may be given a bit of flair, a little like a pitch in a baseball game. It's that little flair that may lead to big successes, so it seems only right that it may have "wisdom", in a way. At least that's how it seems to apply to me and all my friends who play Go.

One year ago: The Music of the Poké Flute

Cracking the Case

Ever since an early age, I love a good mystery adventure, where cases are explored and cracked. I've read a good number of mystery-adventure books, comics, and novels in the past, though I haven't done so in more recent times; automatically, I also like movies, shows, and games of this nature. This precedent sets me up to like the latest Pokémon offering on the 3DS, which would be the game Detective Pikachu. I've already downloaded the Special Demo Version and played as much as I can play through it, and I can say right off the bat that this one is going to be really great.

Actually, my experience with this goes a few years back. At that time, a friend who also liked to play Pokémon games, demonstrated what is the Japanese version of the game, and mentioned how it's not available outside of Japan yet. From back then, I also recalled that there was also a petition to ask for the game to be localized outside of Japan. It seems that petition was answered, and the game as it stands today is now available for U.S. and European audiences as well.

Meanwhile, I personally have been queried if I have played the full game, and to that, I've responded that I only have the demo. One of my other friends have the full game, and he has finished it, in fact. When I asked my friend on thoughts about the game, the response was "excellent"; that friend of mine doesn't really play any Pokémon games other than this one, and yet my friend made it all the way through to the end, and that is saying something. As for the other friend I mentioned above, I'm not certain if playing the game will be in order, but the last time I queried, there seems to still be some interest in playing.

By all accounts, this is indeed a really great game. It suits my interest in these kinds of things, and it has even enchanted those not really into Pokémon to play. That it was asked for a broader release is a good thing too, because it means those who asked agree that it is as such. And now that I've played partway through the story with the demo version, I'm compelled to agree. I can't wait to get my hands on the full version and start cracking even more cases with a Pokémon twist.

One year ago: Oddest Things with Pikachu

Getting Social with Cosplay

I have to confess that there might be another reason why I might not win something from the cosplay parade or walk on Sunday: I skipped one of the requirements that stated I had to post something on a certain social media platform, which I happen to not have an account on, and at this point I'm not sure I should be having. Sure, I have a Facebook account, and I've used it once for a cosplay teaser, but it was dictated by convenience as much as it is by requirement. I've also linked my Google account for the purpose of this blog and for possible utilization of YouTube, but other than these, I have little else. It's a limiting factor to my cosplay efforts, but I do have good reasons behind it too.

By now everyone's heard of the FB scandal where it turns out there was much data about people leaked to certain parties. This is what makes me leery about usage of social media on the Internet; sometimes I just don't know or am not sure where the information about everything that I do on them ends up, even if I set the restrictions properly. I know the leaked data was due to an external link, but still, there might be a chance that all my other data might go around in ways that I don't know about. And that's important - once I'm on social media, I have to lose some of my privacy, perhaps even further when I'm on many social media platforms, so I feel I have to limit what I share; cosplay and Pokémon seem to be OK, but I may still need to limit that too. And of course, managing multiple social media takes time, something I have even less of today, even with Pokémon.

As for social media that's actually connected to cosplay, I do have one, but it's been such a long time since I've accessed and updated it that it's hard for me to say much more about it. But it does present an all-inclusive solution for anyone involved with cosplay, so it's a good thing; it's just that I've somewhat neglected it. There is another one that I do have, but it feels like I've been coerced into using it as part of a certain big event that I attended earlier this year, so I've neglected that too. I'm more inclined to get back into the former than the latter, but it would take some prodding, and even then I would be unsure of how.

I'm not antisocial, but I do feel I have to watch who I make social links to and where. Not everything in the real world is pleasant, nor is everything on the Internet. And if this means limiting my social media exposure, then so be it. I can't divulge everything about myself, but I'll happily divulge certain things at will if I deem them feasible. I'll still profess about Pokémon and post about my cosplay efforts - especially when it comes to Pokémon - on this blog and other social media, if it seems OK for you and me.

One year ago: Console Renewal?

And Again, I Dream

It seems every so often I have a Pokémon dream; I had one half a year ago and another three months before that. It's understandable; after all, I'm a big Pokémon fan, so there's a good chance that my thoughts on Pokémon pervade even into my dreams. And last night, I had one such dream, again. And yet again, it involves Ash and an odd story. Even odder than that is that the dream seems to be connected to the real world in a way.

Now for the dream. I dreamed that I became Ash's doppelganger in a different outfit, and I was meeting Ash himself. It was as if there was supposed to be two Ash within the dream. I was wearing his Hoenn outfit, and he was wearing his Sinnoh one. We were to meet in a place that remarkably looked like one of the sides of the place in my locale where the Ex-Raids are usually held. If you think there might be a Pokémon Go connection, you might be right, for the intent after that is that we're to be going around town and catching Pokémon, much like how things roll in the game.

What is perhaps the most memorable (and surreal) part of the dream is that we were also taking selfies with a phone - my phone, to be exact. We were having such a good time partaking in this activity that I thought I actually had the selfies on my phone. So when I woke up and realized what had transpired, I went to my phone to check, and sure enough, they weren't there. It was still a fanciful thought, and it may have come about by the selfies I and some cosplayers took during events or conventions. I do somewhat wish that it had happened for real.

This dream is just one of many of mine that are related to Pokémon. This one in particular seems to mash up elements from the games, anime, and even cosplay, all of which I take interest in when it comes to Pokémon. The fact that I wish that some of it were true, however surreal it might be, tells me that I still maintain a great interest in certain Pokémon things. And that's a good thing for me; it's something I wish to carry on for a good amount of time, perhaps enough to spur other dreams in the meantime.

One year ago: We're All Tied to Pokémon

Pokémon Go Community Day, 4/15/2018

For those who are wondering, yes, yesterday's convention coincided with this month's edition of Community Day for Pokémon Go. Perhaps a lot of things did, in fact, but I chose (or was prompted to choose) the convention over several things. And yet, the convention also afforded the opportunity to passably play through Community Day... even without the actual support of community fellows. But even then, we managed to support each other with our channels of communication during the game event.

As has always been the case, the event features a special Pokémon and its Shiny form, a select move, and special bonuses. They are in order Mareep, Dragon Pulse (for when it is evolved to Ampharos), and accelerated egg hatching among others. Remarkably, this is the first Community Day with a second-generation Pokémon and therefore one outside of the first generation, which Go started out life with. It becomes interesting now that all the players were "herding sheep", so to speak.

Unfortunately, for this edition, we in my raid group were once again split up. Notably, the person who I first met set up Lure Modules just like for February's edition and walked around. The rest of the others were split in different parts, including myself, obviously. Even so, the person managed to draw a good group and many there was successful, capturing multiple Shiny Mareep and evolving a good number too; I kind of wish I was there, but it seems things happen for a certain reason. Also, it seemed that at the start of the event things were not quite smooth as Mareep didn't seem to appear, so guess what? That's right, the event got extended like in February, but only for one hour instead of three to make up for the "Slow Start". Good things seem to happen when unexpected.

And since I cosplayed yesterday (and did indeed play while in cosplay), what better than to have the character explain how things turned out for me.

[AshKetchumMode]

Hey, herding sheep is actually fun! My friend didn't gave me much to work with, but it still was nice. Thanks to his help, I set up a Lure Module within the convention, and that helped a lot. I got quite a lot of Mareep, and even some on the way with a little help - even the first one I got was Shiny! I wish things were a little better, 'cause I think the convention messed up this event a bit for me and I didn't get any Shiny Mareep after the first one. It's a good thing the event got extended by a bit so I can get more Mareep and more Candies for later. I'd love to see if I can get in again next time!

[/AshKetchumMode]

Thanks, Ash; I'll see what I can do. I got a lot of Mareep as a result of this. It seems I may need to herd them again to decide which ones to actually keep, and so the "sheep-herding" continues.

One year ago: Dialectics

Cosplay: GAME - Games Animation Marketplace and Exhibition

[AshKetchumMode]

OK, so the event or convention - more like the second than the first - that my friend sent me to today is a bit different, but a lot of it is the same too. It seems to be a new one, since my friend didn't know about it before. A lot of the things here seem to be taken from games, which I'm sure my friend knows about. It's not hard to tell why they named it GAME, but it's a good thing it's more than that. We are lucky that it has cosplay, which lets me come.

Today I came with my Hoenn outfit, just to make things different. My friend likes this one a lot, and I do too. It's been a long time since I and my friend agreed to wear this outfit, and we're glad to use it again. I chose to be in the character parade because it's simple and we couldn't come up with a single performance in time. But maybe things are not so simple after all. After I and the other characters walked in a parade - actually a parade with us walking in a line - then we performed on stage briefly. I think I did well, and even the people watching responded well. Sadly, I didn't get to find out who won because my time was short. I'm sure things will be OK.

The rest of the convention was like many of the other ones my friend sent me to. I saw things to collect and also promotions, communities, and food. The place for it also just happens to be the same from a major one two months ago, which is so neat. But you know what's really different? The convention is free! Usually when something is held in the place, the entry fee is often expensive, but this time, it wasn't; everyone got in for no money. But I did have to pay to get in the parade, which I guess is fair enough. Everything's still neat.

Things wouldn't be much about games if Pokémon wasn't involved, of course. I saw many Pokémon collectibles, and I was able to get a cheap one for my friend, which I think he would like very much. On one of the walls, there was a Pokémon challenge with one of the games, and I'm sure he can complete the challenge. And then I saw a booth with odd plants, and one of them looks like a Victreebel - they even had a picture of Victreebel on the side! Haha. So some people may know at least something else about Pokémon.

There's something that my friend (and his friends) say after a game with others, and that is "good game, well played". I know I played the game somewhat well today, no matter how things turn out. The people at the convention also played the game well enough, and that makes me happy. I'm sure my friend is too. Right, Pikachu?

Pikachu: Pikachu! (enthusiastic)

[/AshKetchumMode]

One year ago: True Colors (...of a Logo)

Shiny Here, Shiny There

With all the Pokémon games in existence nowadays, some elements have become common to a number of games. One of those elements is the existence of Shiny Pokémon, the differently-colored variants of otherwise normal Pokémon. In the three series I play (main series, Shuffle, and Go), Shiny Pokémon are present in them all, though admittedly to different extents. Yet with all that, my views on Shiny Pokémon are still the same: it's either a lucky gift or something to be pursued but not actively.

It's fairly obvious that Shiny Pokémon are present for nearly all forms, even those that aren't supposed to be officially present. The odds, though, are rather low, so for me, I don't feel it's worthwhile to pursue them, even with the aid of a Shiny Charm. If both VGC and non-VGC players are of any indication, most teams don't have many Shiny Pokémon anyway, which leads me to think that many players are also practical in regard to this matter. I suppose that's fine, given that more efforts can be better devoted to raising a better team than to obtain a Shiny Pokémon; it's exactly what I would do. The breadth of Shiny Pokémon in the games is still nothing short of astounding and makes it a blessing to have even just one.

In Go, the presence of Shiny Pokémon isn't as extensive, but thanks to game events such as Community Day, they're well-publicized. I had a chance to catch a Shiny Magikarp just a couple of days back, and this is a long-standing Shiny form. Since then there have been many more Shiny forms, including during the time Lugia repaid a visit as a raid boss, which I experienced first-hand. The experience is about the same as the main series, so again, this is something I don't wish to pursue actively either, also taking cues from my Lugia experience. It is likewise very nice when the opportunity just so presents itself.

Shuffle too has its Shiny Pokémon forms, though they're even fewer and more selective. The good thing is that once they're captured, they're yours, so it's totally worth it to capture them when they appear. The last one introduced was Shiny Metagross, and it didn't take much effort to get this one. Like any different form, Shiny Pokémon have their own abilities and Mega effects, as does Shiny Metagross. It's hard to expect that every Pokémon here will have a Shiny form, but it is a remote possibility regardless. Until then, all the Shiny forms are still tantalizing to have.

Shiny Pokémon are still much a part of Pokémon as their normal counterparts, even if they're odd, rare, or both. The fact that they're becoming more pervasive is only a testament to this. However they are obtained, they're still quite nice to have, perhaps enough for any player (including me) to be entertained and to entertain others while making progress within the games.

One year ago: Friendly Plays

Go at Home

Players of Pokémon Go know that the game is played by going around in order to see and interact with all the elements of the game, let alone to succeed accomplishing many things in it. However, to some extent, the game may possibly be played at home, or for all intensive purposes, anywhere that a person chooses to reside or stay. It's not entirely impossible, though it also does depend on certain circumstances.

If a home or place of residence is large enough, then it might just allow for significant movement from one place to another, because that will aid in earning walking credits for Eggs or otherwise. It's especially helpful if it contains PokéStops or Gyms that are just within reach, which means that items and a battle venue are conveniently available. Moreover, with the newly added Research feature, there are always things that can be done for more items and Pokémon. As for Pokémon appearing, that may not be a problem, as Pokémon do every so often appear, and this can of course be aided with an Incense or a Lure Module (with a PokéStop nearby). So a good number of things that can be done outside can be done at home as well.

In my home, sometimes Pokémon drop in for a visit, like wild animals do in some other people's homes. The unfortunate thing is that I'm out of reach of PokéStops or Gyms, but that is alleviated with only a little walk outside, which doesn't exactly cut it for this. A local Go player, who sadly is not part of my raid group, seems to be lucky as his or her home is practically directly below a Gym, which would explain why every time I take out the Gym, it doesn't take long before it returns to the player, which then would be good for a short-term investment. What would perhaps be the ultimate scenario is to play Go on a large area such as a ranch, where it may allow for at least one Gym and a few PokéStops, which would be like playing Go in miniature. These would all constitute playing Go at home, no matter the scale.

The problem with playing Go from home is that not many opportunities for advancement in gameplay might be available. But at least if some elements are strategically placed enough so that they're accessible, then it may just be workable to play from home. Still, Pokémon Go is by and large a game for venturing outside, so eventually one has to go outside to interact and play well. Yet, there's no stopping anyone from playing the game where one resides if the opportunity presents itself to make "Go at Home" not only possible, but probable.

One year ago: Paint It, Picross

Wallpaper: Pokémon 20th Anniversary

Back when the 20^th anniversary of Pokémon came around two years ago, this blog wasn't around. It was regardless a festive time then because Pokémon was finally two decades old, something I had been eagerly expecting. Now I want to flash back to that time with a little creation that I made to commemorate that occasion, which is a desktop wallpaper. I don't foresee using it again, at least not for some time, so this is a good time as any to share about it.

This wallpaper actually uses an old concept of mine, which is to put the international Pokémon logo in the middle in all its grandeur, with an accompanying background of some kind. This was done to place emphasis on the logo, and therefore Pokémon as well. The text simply becomes special embellishment for the occasion. To further tie the wallpaper into the occasion, I also added the 20^th anniversary mosaic image; if you think the bits in the background look similar to the mosaic image, that's because they are - the background tile is a pattern edited to include the mosaic image, or at least its blended form.

Because of the presence of the anniversary mosaic, I was also able to "invert" the concept and create a second version, where the mosaic became the prime emphasis instead. This is the first time I was able to make two versions of a wallpaper with the exact overall theme and colors, but with some conceptual rearrangement.

The two versions are particularly evident in their contrast if both are placed in rotation. Modern OSes should have a tool of some sort that enables cycling of wallpapers, and I used one of those tools to set the two wallpapers in rotation. Oh, and about the text up on top? If you've read the first post of my blog, it's the same exact text as the one near the end of the post, and it may have some connections to a certain book project. So this too has been a proposed concept for some time.

The 20^th anniversary of Pokémon was particularly delightful, and to me, so are these wallpapers. They are then doubly delightful in that regard. As for more recent times, I'm eagerly expecting the next great wallpaper concept that not only speaks to excellent design but also my attraction to Pokémon. Perhaps it won't be long now.

One year ago: Pokémon Couriers?

O Charizard

I have to say that I do have a liking for Charizard. It's one of the most recognizable strong Pokémon from the first generation, no less because it's featured on the cover of the Red Version of the main series games, both the original and remake. It seems anyone who has been involved with Pokémon for a significant amount of time will recognize Charizard. However, anyone who has been with the franchise might also know some of its quirks. Yet even with all that, Charizard stands as a remarkable Pokémon.

Its namesake in English (and to some extent its Japanese name as well) is "lizard", but it's much more than that. It's appearance is more dragon-like, a reptile that has lots of connections to fantasy, and because it has two legs rather than four, it's classified as a wyvern. Its dragon connections become more evident as it fits the archetype of dragons breathing fire, so it's no surprise that it has two Mega Evolutions, one enhancing the dragon aspect, and one enhancing the fire aspect. It's versatile and mighty, which is why it's well-liked by players of the games, and even by characters like Red and Ash.

But then there are the quirks. I've already detailed about its flying quirks, though this is mostly historical and now it's well-established that Charizard has wings that can let it fly and carry people if need be. Its biggest quirk is probably how it behaves in the anime, more specifically how it relates to Ash, as his Pokémon or otherwise. It was unruly at first and for quite a long time, and just as when things got good it had to go in the saddest of ways. And most recently it was part of a decisive turn of events, which was also sad in some ways. These might call into question its mightiness, but this might also be considered relative.

If every story has two sides, then Charizard is definitely a story. It brings wonder in the best of ways, and yet it has also brought wonder in questionable and regrettable ways. It's still remarkable in that it provokes wonder regardless. Anyone involved with Pokémon will surely know of these wonders sooner or later given that they're pretty much set in stone. I'll still have a liking for it, and this may also be the case for Pokémon fans for some time to come.

One year ago: Romanticism of Tall Grasses

Bandai Pokémon Sun & Moon Pokémon Lover Mascot 6 - Wobbuffet

Some months ago, I covered a particular gacha item out of a series of similar items, which I received courtesy of a friend. Two days ago, during the Ex-Raid in fact, I received another item out of the same series, but the continuance of it for Sun & Moon. The fact that this series continues must mean that it is quite popular; fans seem to want similar items in similar style. Some consistency may, of course, be appreciated, and that definitely goes for this item.

For this series, the lineup is somewhat different; there's the ever-popular and ever-present Pikachu, along with Ho-Oh, Lugia, Ampharos, Sudowoodo, Wobbuffet (the one I have), Cleffa, and Larvitar. That's quite nice indeed, though with two Legendary Pokémon, it surely becomes more coveted. Substantially, the material appearance of the item is the same - it's a Pokémon image attached to a small chain with a plastic back, similar to some refrigerator magnets - but I have to say that for this one I like Wobbuffet's iconic pose, since it almost seems alive. I say this is well-crafted for this reason.

I should say that I did receive this gacha item in the fashion that it was intended: by gacha, by random draw, though not from a machine. One of my fellow raid mates brought a bag of these items to be given out to anyone who caught a Mewtwo with a high enough CP (which indicates certain high stats as well), and mine qualified. So I took the gacha plunge, and I was rewarded with Wobbuffet, as funny as it seems. It's a random draw, so it is what it is.

In a way, my previous desire of more items from the same series has been fulfilled with this one, even if it's not from the exact sub-series as the previous item. I like them both, and it's not hard to see why. The artistry is so neat that it urges fans and collectors to try to get more. And that's just what I might do, if I were to be given the chance.

One year ago: Evolution Revolutions?

Ex-Raids and Cancellations

Something that Pokémon Go players may or may not know is that Ex-Raids can be and have been canceled for one reason or another. It seems it might be natural; if something happens around Gyms available for Ex-Raids, whether expected or unexpected, it can become force majeure for the cancellation of one should one occur. I (and some of my raid group members) got to think about this when every event seemed to stack up on the day of the scheduled Ex-Raid yesterday, which did happen.

It's not hard to think about what circumstances might trigger the cancellation of an Ex-Raid. For example, last month there was a celebration in another area... only it wasn't really a celebration as much as it is a remembrance. Regardless, the nature of it was such that an Ex-Raid wouldn't have been possible (and would most likely conflict) anyway, and it was reported that the Ex-Raid scheduled for that day got canceled. It seems that this is a good thing.

As for what it takes to cancel an Ex-Raid, that's another thing altogether. In the case of yesterday's Ex-Raid, it might have been possible to cancel the Ex-Raid if enough players agreed, one or many players wrote to request cancellation, and enough strong proof was provided. However, as far as I can tell, there wasn't enough interest in doing so, no one wrote in, and the proof probably wasn't strong enough anyway; on the day of the Ex-Raid, it turned out that the area was accessible enough for the Ex-Raid to occur, and by then things had practically normalized and was like any other day when an Ex-Raid happened. So this is a good thing too.

The compensation for a cancelled Ex-Raid is Stardust and some Premium Raid Passes, which is pretty good when things are bad and pretty bad when things are good. The fact remains that it is possible that an Ex-Raid might get cancelled if the conditions make it near impossible to hold one. It's probably something that players don't wish to happen unless they will it to happen, but in most cases it is something that hopefully does not happen.

In the meantime, I wish others (and myself) successful with future Ex-Raids without a hitch such as this one.

One year ago: The (Current) Fate of the Megas

(Continuing the) Local Ex-Raid, 4/8/2018

One good thing about Ex-Raids is that once it occurs in a Gym, it is pretty much guaranteed to be able to occur there again. A few days after the last Ex-Raid, the Gym became active again and furnished Lugia raids, which I and my raid group took advantage of. Not many of us got a Shiny Lugia, but in addition to the opportunity, we did get Ex-Raid invites in return. Our time and effort spent was thus still worth it, as it allowed for greater things.

Speaking of greater things, this particular Ex-Raid was supposed to have over 100 participants, but some ended up bowing out due to certain concerns. As if that wasn't enough, there were many celebrations around my locale due to the anniversary of its founding. That meant a lot of traffic jams and diversions even around the place of the Ex-Raid, not to mention elsewhere in the area. Fortunately a good number of those that got invites did make it, which is a good thing.

As before, the battle proceeded smoothly and efficiently with nary a hitch. What makes things different is that this time I succeeded again in capturing Mewtwo; when the first couple of balls missed or failed to hold on to Mewtwo, I was quite nervous, but then one well-executed throw managed to sequester Mewtwo in a Premier Ball. The CP and stats were quite good too - even better than the previous Mewtwo that didn't make it; it was kind of a "payback" for that time. Oh, and my success is Red's success, as I cosplayed again so that we could both seal the deal. He has something to say too.

[RedMode]
Thanks. Now I can finally say that I've captured Mewtwo, and I've fulfilled the promise made last time. It is because of your help and the others' help that we got to this point and succeeded. I may or may not return for another time, but I'm satisfied that I - or we - can capture Mewtwo this time. I wish you success on other times while I wait for the chance to go to other events. I'm sure they'll be great too.
[/RedMode]

[Red] That's me, in the middle.
[Me] Isn't it nice how things look similar?

There you have it. Even if things won't be too different for the next Ex-Raid, I may try to change things slightly to make things interesting. Also in regard to changing things up, there's been talk about trying again to make a second Ex-Raid available in my locale, as in my neighboring area, it was reported that more than one Gym is available for it. I'm all for this, and I certainly will continue to participate and report on local Ex-Raids regardless.

One year ago: On the Road Again

Let's Go Research

Last week, Pokémon Go had probably one of its most significant and important updates so far: the addition of the Research feature, which lets Trainers undertake tasks ("quests") to obtain rewards, which may be in the form of items or even Pokémon. The latter bit is important, as the feature brings back certain Pokémon for capture, as well as for the first time ever, it makes a Mythical Pokémon available, for which the one available now is Mew. The feature itself is a neat addition in many ways.

Research tasks are divided into two kinds: Field and Special. Field tasks are received by way of spinning PokéStops, and these tasks change from day to day and place to place. Regardless, the tasks require completion of certain objectives (like capturing specific Pokémon or battling in Gyms) and once they are met, the rewards can be claimed - they are not too shabby either. Up to three of these may be taken at any time, but many of these may be completed and claimed in a single day. But the real prize is claiming completion of at least one task each day for seven days, which rewards items and a special Pokémon. It becomes another fun and active way to do things.

Special tasks are directly present, and for the purpose of getting to Mew, there are eight tiers of tasks. Each task rewards experience individually and other rewards as a whole, and each tier must be completed to move up to the next one. These tasks are considerably more involved and more difficult than the Field tasks, but the concept is the same: complete objectives, get rewards. Moreover, they have to be as such, considering that Mew is at the end of the road, and that is the incredible thing.

I've made my way through the first seven days of Field Research tasks and obtained Moltres as a result. Moltres is popular as one of the Legendary Pokémon present when raids were first introduced; getting it this way seems as special as a raid, though admittedly it takes time. Meanwhile, there are several stalwart tasks that keep me (and others) from getting to Mew, and this becomes an oft-discussed point within my raid group. A few group members have been able to obtain Mew, though, and that's pretty great. I hope I can follow suit soon.

These Research tasks are certainly fascinating and especially rewarding for all players, veteran and newbie alike. The point of Pokémon Go from the very beginning has been to get players moving, and I'd say this really does the trick while bringing in new challenges and opportunities. It's hard for any Trainer to say no to that, especially with exciting rewards that await. It would certainly keep Trainers on their toes - me included - while they go about their Go business.

One year ago: Caravansary

Icons, Images, and Such

As I've explained in my April Fool's post for this year, Pokémon Go changed its static Pokémon images to 8-bit icons taken from the main series games, and this is billed as an "innovation" as part of the joke. However, in some cases this change seems to work well, as in the Nearby tab at the bottom; sometimes the rescaled static 3D images seem unclear, while the icons are neatly visible. This has gotten me to think about how Pokémon are represented in icons, images, and other graphics, as well as the purposes they may have.

There are, of course, typical representative images of individual Pokémon. These have been around since the beginning, though they are also updated from time to time. In most cases they also show Pokémon from the front, though they can show lateral views as well. For the purpose of just showing or indicating, they are sufficient, though it might be hard to have them in the games. But for media that aren't games, such as books and web sites, they are especially useful. It's expected that every Pokémon will have one of these.

Then there are icon-type images. These may be even more restricted in which parts of a Pokémon to show and may be more optimized for small sizes. Such is the case with the 8-bit icons above, where the icons only show the most important details from the front-left side. This might be the reason why the icons work so well in the Nearby tab. As well, there is also a different icon set which is popularly used in the Pokémon puzzle games of Shuffle and Battle Trozei; they feature either a miniaturized Pokémon or the upper body or head of that Pokémon, as much as can be displayed within a small circle, and this is particularly noticeable in many icons from the icon set. These icons don't see much use elsewhere, yet at one time they have been used in an infographic for Go. It seems that these would be beneficial for any concise/small applications as well.

For the games, they may have their own specific kinds of imagery, including sprites and 3D models, which I've discussed in their own post. Different sprites can be made to have forward and backward views of the Pokémon concerned, while 3D models are all-inclusive. But then, not all games can have either or both, and there may be other types of imagery, including animated ones. The game dictates the graphics and therefore their purposes.

Pokémon are versatile, and it seems so do their graphics, which do take different forms and can be used for different purposes, as the 8-bit icon revival in Pokémon Go. A graphical feature of the main series makes its way to a spinoff game to a humorous effect, but is purposeful as well. I will somewhat miss the 8-bit icons when they disappear after a week, but it's nice to know that Pokémon graphics can and do work when they need to.

One year ago: These Foolish Things Remind Me of Pokémon

1000 Pokémon Species?

I play a variety of games besides Pokémon, so it's no surprise that I keep up with information about them too. And recently, one of those games just reached 1000 "features", or "facets" if you will. The game has consistently had a large number of these "facets", and for a good long while, the number has outpaced that of the number of Pokémon species. That leads me to consider if the number of Pokémon species will ever reach this lofty milestone of a number.

First, there are always some considerations. Currently, there are just over 800 species of Pokémon. On average, every generation comes out with about 100 new species, not including new forms. In the two most recent generations, the number has strayed just below this average. If this trend is taken to continue, then it's only reasonable to expect that the milestone will be reached by the tenth generation, presupposing that the calculation works out this way. Otherwise, given the circumstances, it may be reached as soon as the ninth generation. The milestone, then, seems to be at hand in any case.

The problem is that it may seem that there are things that keep the milestone from being reached. One of those is certainly the current number of Pokémon species as above. Even now, that's a lot of species to keep track and feature, for players and creators alike. That leads to the reasoning that the current below-average addition trend is to keep the species total from reaching 1000, at least too quickly. The technological limitations of the 3DS may also be an additional contributing factor that keeps the total species lower in recent times; time will tell if the Switch can provide greater leverage and make this feasible, even if it means more species to deal with.

Admittedly, 1000 is a nice, neat round number. Once there are hundreds, thousands naturally follow, and this is the first of those. Given how far things have progressed, it's not that hard to think that there will be this many Pokémon species soon, though not soon enough due to certain obstacles. Even so, with Pokémon still going strong, those obstacles are surely able to be surmounted, and 1000 species will surely be achievable, just like how my other game achieved its 1000 "feature" count.

One year ago: That Way You've Got

Gambling Not Permitted

If you play the Pokémon main series games, you might have noticed that the first-generation up to the third-generation games included the Game Corner with certain mini-games, most notably slot machines, that can allow the player to earn more coins out of coins to get certain things. In the fourth-generation games, these became spotty (or replaced with Voltorb Flip for example), and they simply disappeared from then on. The reason is that the slot machines are of course gambling machines, and with the games being supposed to be friendly to different ages, this just would not do, and gambling was ousted.

Understandably, for a good number of people, gambling is a scourge. It has the potential to be helpful, but much of the potential is also harmful. There are stories of addicts who can't stop spending their wealth to try to get more, and big losers who keep losing large amounts of money. It's just not a good thing to bring up people and possibly lead them to do this, and people who have understood this have taken to restrict (even simulated) gambling in games, at least for the oldest of gamers. Naturally, the Pokémon main series games follow suit to maintain appeal to a variety of ages.

I personally have had little interest in the gambling mini-games. I rarely obtained good results out of them, even on my best of days. Wherever the coins concerned were directly purchasable, I went ahead and purchased them right away, though I always ended up short for the higher rewards. I found Voltorb Flip to be a good replacement since it is almost completely logical and isn't technically gambling. Ever since these kinds of mini-games disappeared, I haven't missed them, except for Voltorb Flip.

Pokémon appeals to everyone, but gambling is a different story. By some standards, the latter is more of a bad thing than a good thing, let alone something that younger people should deal with. There may never be a trace of gambling in the main series games again, but that may very well be a blessing. Everyone can and should enjoy what this great big world has to offer without the need to turn over wealth to the odds.

One year ago: One Thing

Fondness for Latias and Latios

Players of Pokémon Go got a treat today. The reason is that the Eon Pokémon Latias and Latios are now the game's newest Tier 5 raid bosses, replacing the outgoing Lugia. Each is available in different halves of the world for a time, after which they will swap and be available in the other half; my half got Latias, and already my raid group is on it, though I'm sure when Latios comes, we'll be on it too. This exciting turn of events brings to mind a certain fondness I have for them, one that has been present since the Pokémon first appeared.

Considering the anime, their most well-known appearance is of course the fifth Pokémon feature film, which in English is titled Pokémon Heroes. It was as the movie became popular (and I became attracted to its setting), in fact, that I also showed a slight attraction to the two Pokémon. Of course, the movie turned out to be quite harrowing for the two, but that didn't decrease my attraction. They were a unique pair of Legendary Pokémon that seem more close-knit than others, and they still are today; it seems one just won't do without the other, as evidenced by their double raid showing.

In more recent times, they only seemingly became more ethereal. They became the bearers of their own Mega Stones starting with the third-generation game remakes, with dazzling purple Mega forms that only serve to unify the two further. Most importantly, they also allowed Trainers to "Fly" almost to anywhere and at anytime. This was obviously a revolution, as normally Trainers needed to have a Pokémon with Fly in the party in order to go somewhere. In that way, this was the precursor to the Charizard Ride in the seventh generation, owing to acceptance of the revolution. I do too, and this is such a fantastic aspect.

I'm so fond of them that I've come up with four nicknames for them: "Little Red" and "Big Blue", based on their color, and "Little Sis" and "Big Bro" based on their gender (Latias is female and Latios is male). I'm not sure if others are inclined to use them as well, but I think the nicknames are fancy and playful, enough for me to keep referring to them in this manner.

Latias and Latios are not the primary Legendary Pokémon of their generation, but with everything that goes on with and around them, they might as well be. They're special for any fan of Pokémon, especially if they play the games and even if the game is something different like Go. To that end, I'm sure I'm due for a good time with them now in Go, as well as how they've been all these times and they will be in the times ahead.

One year ago: A Story of Love, A Story of Passion

Artistic License

In another game series that I play, there is a term that gets around and is used to describe and relate how some parts of the games appear to their conceptions. The term is the same as the title of this post: "artistic license". I was prompted to think of this term as I was considering what to mention in regard to the "progress" of Mauville City. When really considered, it seems the term can and does apply to Pokémon (and its games in particular) in certain ways as well.

The term concerns the depiction of in-game objects, things, and places as they appear or function, and its comparison with how the actual forms of those would appear or function. For example, a place in the game may look a certain way with certain things, but in actual conception would appear very different despite still having the same things. Granted, the latter's idealized version may take a stretch of the imagination, but it's also that imagination that gave rise to at least parts of the former's realization; this discrepancy is what is covered by the term "artistic license".

As to how this is realized in Pokémon, the simplest example would be the cities and towns found all over. It's not that hard to imagine that these cities and towns are more or less like cities and towns in the real world; however, as they appear in the game, these cities and towns look much simpler for their purposes. That is where "artistic license" comes in, as the appearance is altered to suit the work, only including the necessary aspects. If the example of Mauville City is to go by, it would be that either the rectangular structure would be somewhat larger and contain more things than what are shown, or that there would be minor settlements outside, or both. The case for other cities and towns would be similar.

"Artistic license" will always be present so long as the realizations are different from their ideal conceptions, but that doesn't seem to be a bad thing - it just means the idealized situation is imaginatively bigger and more detailed/complex than what can be realized. Such is what seems to be the case for that other game series, and also the conception of cities and towns in Pokémon. It's still something to be considered between our imaginations and the depicted reality.

One year ago: I Found You, Black and White

April Fool's Day 2018: Stepping Back, Moving Forward

It's April 1, and that means it's time to revel in the day of shenanigans known as April Fool's Day. And from what I can discern, especially in relation to Pokémon, there seems to be a theme for this year's edition, which is "stepping back, moving forward". It means that there are a few things that are a throwback to the past, yet are the means for or indicate a way of proceeding to the future.

This year, Pokémon Go gets into it with an interesting throwback: all static images of Pokémon in the game (particularly in the Pokémon list, Pokédex, and the Nearby popup) are replaced with their 8-bit icons from the main series games. They all have a high degree of pixelation due to their expanded size in some cases, but strangely enough, they seem to work, save for certain cases. It's still a fun throwback that may also remind Go players of where Pokémon came from. While it may not drive some players to pursue greater successes in the main series games, at the least the reminder is a powerful one that serves to remind players of the long and varied presence of Pokémon. I'd love to see this implemented as a persistent but optional feature, though I can understand why it wouldn't if it involves some re-architecting of the interface. It's still pretty neat anyhow.

Also, for the day, my local association decided to change things up a bit and "switch" to a different fandom, one that involves young horses and wondrous linkages - I trust you know which one. It's a move that is understood with as much concern as humor, because some time ago, one of the local fans did declare such a switch, except on a more serious note. Thus it could be considered a rib on that, as it brings to surface an old issue. It should be noted that I appreciate the fandom, but as with other things, it only serves as a complement, not a replacement. Of course, if by some miracle they could cross over, then that's appreciable too. The "switch" is still worthy of a chuckle, and after that, things go on.

Meanwhile, I pulled off the same thing I did last year: cosplay, play mahjong, and enjoy the day with friends. This time, I did some of that from the comfort of my own home, as they paid me a visit, and I'm only happy enough to oblige. It wasn't as lively as I thought it would be, but it was fine. It was the least I could do, and it's loads better than spending the day alone, no matter how insignificant the occasion is to others. The costume was the same as for the Ex-Raid a while back, but that's a good thing, since now I think I'm affirmed of the direction I need to go with this.

Everything today has been all about looking back on certain past happenings while still maintaining a vision for the future. Thus, as I discern it, the theme is "stepping back, moving forward". Regardless of the theme, there's still the aura of April 1 and tomfoolery all around, so some jest is still welcome. I dare say that this year's April Fool's and shenanigans have been unique yet meaningful to me as a Pokémon fan; hopefully it's been the same for you as it was for me! 😄

One year ago: It's April Fool's Day!