Passing It On: The Next Generation

As a Pokémon fan, and a dedicated one at that, I'm likely to carry my interest in it for as long as I'm around and as long as Pokémon is around. At the same time, it would be a good thing to think about the next generation of Pokémon fans. After all, they would be the bearers of a legacy that spans more than two decades by this point in time. Thus, I'd have to think about the passing on of this legacy to them.

I have to admit that I was quite inspired to make this post by something that was posted in my figure group on Facebook. One of the members posted a video showing a child being given several Pokémon figures, and the child was asked to name the Pokémon one by one, and most were correct. The child seems to have done a good job of naming the Pokémon, and is even lauded by the poster as "an eventual successor". I can't help but be impressed as well, and that is what led me to write this post.

It is certain that the next generation of Pokémon fans are the children who will be exposed to Pokémon, becoming attracted to it and enjoying it in the process. But in some sense, the next generation might also involve people that are "intermediates" between the current people who are fans and the children. If they become exposed to Pokémon as well and grow to like it, they can help carry over the attraction from the old to the young, becoming an in-between successor and predecessor. But it's clearly the younger ones who ultimately will "take the helm".

That just leaves the question of how they'll succeed. They'll likely do it in all the usual ways - play the games, watch the anime, and so on - but they might also do it in unusual ways or ways that have never been conceived before. For the former, it's quite possible that someone might read a strategy guide for a Pokémon game, then become interested to play the game; for the latter, virtual technology related to Pokémon would provide something almost realistic that might catch a person's interest. Yet, there is a sense that they must be guided as well; reference materials related to Pokémon beyond the games would help immensely in this regard. It even helps if there's an actual legacy for them to possess. It's something that could be furnished by current Pokémon fans, even me.

I am eager to continue to always be linked to Pokémon, but that's as far as my presence lets this happen. Fortunately, if the recent happening indicates, there are also eager fans that are one generation ahead. It would be nice to make sure that they can bear all that has progressed regarding Pokémon, thus having it with their lives too. I want this to be around for as long as possible, and if they'll take it up, by all means. I hope that I (and other current fans) are ready to do what we can to make this happen.

One year ago: Pikachu Head Collectibles