(More) Plastic Poké Balls

I love things that are not just pretty, but also functional at the same time. That is the case with two plastic Poké Balls that I received just recently. They could be considered "working" Poké Balls, in a sense. They're part of a special Pokémon project that I'm planning to realize, but it won't be happening any time soon. Further, these Poké Balls are not new to me, as I also have some history with them. They're all worthy of some discussion, particularly in relation to each other.

These Poké Balls "work" because they can actually be opened and filled with things; they are composed of two plastic shells held together by a metal hinge and a latch. To open the ball, the "button" is pressed as if it is a real Poké Ball, which releases the latch and frees the top shell from the bottom, allowing the ball to be filled or its contents to be removed. The ball only opens partway, so some care is needed in manipulating its contents, and certainly the shells cannot be forced to open greater than what the hinge will allow.

As I've mentioned, I've had some history with these balls, and the history goes back all the way to last year. At the second day of a certain two-day event, someone gave me one of these plastic Poké Balls, because the person had many of them lying around and wanted me to have one, with the possibility of getting more if permitted. I appreciated the courtesy, but then I wasn't able to contact the person for more of them. Now with the ones I just received, I have three of them.

When I initially got my first one, I thought I could use it for my cosplay efforts, particularly on stage, in lieu of the fabric Poké Ball I use. However, I wasn't convinced it would hold up on stage, as these balls have a tendency to pop open given sufficient force, so I wasn't willing to take the risk. I may still be able to use these for cosplay, though I won't be throwing them all over the place; I'll just be holding on to them for poses and not much else. It may be worth a try.

I love the "working" aspect of these Poké Balls, even if other aspects come up slightly short. Their resemblance is extremely accurate, and they look great for exhibiting certain Pokémon things. They're surely a great part of my merchandise collection and they're sure to provide benefits for that project I'm planning. It's got both prettiness and functionality that aids for that, as well as for any other purpose.

One year ago: Cosplay: Tomodachi 2