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!