Two Years of Evolution

Well, it's a little hard to believe, but it's now definite. This is my post on the final day of this year, and with it, I have blogged for two full years about Pokémon. On this occasion, I want to discuss something special. One of the key concepts in Pokémon is evolution, wherein one species changes to another species with more advanced features. I'd say the same could be said to apply to the posts on this blog in different respects, but these are still representative of an "evolution".

One of the things that have evolved in the posts on this blog is the length of the posts. When I started this blog, the posts were considerably short; they were maybe two or three paragraphs, and they were pretty short because the sentences were short and few as well. The posts could also sometimes fit on the page without scrolling due to their overall length. Now, many posts are somewhat long, with a few more paragraphs and several sentences in each of those paragraphs. It seems that since then I've "found my voice" and become comfortable in putting in more information wherever it is needed, especially if they highly contribute to the topic at hand. This evolution is a significant one, since blog posts rely to a great extent on the verbal content.

Speaking of the content, that has evolved too. There's still quite a bit of personal content, but there has been a bit more objective content regarding the games, which is in part thanks to me returning to play Pokémon Go, and then there is creative content with involvement of Ash and Pikachu in certain posts. Pictures and images have also grown in number; as people say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so the use of pictures are to supplement the words I already put down in my posts. If the previous kind of evolution is akin to species evolving into other species, this kind of evolution is akin to certain Pokémon evolving into their Mega forms in battle: it's minor, but nonetheless significant.

Throughout the past two years, I've developed the "means to evolve", so to speak. Each time I post is like making a contribution to my "XP total". When I post images, that's like furnishing an "evolution item"; just like how there are many kinds of the latter, there are a few kinds of the former, and I'm always conceiving new ones. In many of my posts, there are certain kinds of wording, and whenever these get included, that's like furnishing another "prerequisite" for evolution. Just like how different species of Pokémon evolve in different ways, my posts provide the different "means to evolve" as necessary.

Evolution is not an absolute necessity, as may be indicated in the Pokémon games and anime, but it is a natural step to take. For Pokémon that can and do evolve, that is a great thing indeed. That said, whereas evolution for Pokémon is finite depending on the species, the evolution of posts on this blog is gradual, continuous, and indefinite; that is still a great thing. Moreover, Pokémon as a whole also "evolves" as time passes, and that is its own natural step. As I continue to enjoy Pokémon and to cover things about it on this blog, I evolve as well; that too is a great thing.

For those who have been reading my blog from the beginning, I thank you for "having evolved" with me; for those who have just recently started reading, I hope that you do continue to read and that we may be able to "evolve" together. I'm sure that in the next year, there may lots of opportunities where we and Pokémon may evolve. Cheers! 😀

One year ago: One Year Full of Pokémon

One Day, in Life

One day in your life
You'll remember the love you found here
You'll remember me somehow
Though you don't need me now
I will stay in your heart
And when things fall apart
You'll remember one day...
One day in your life
When you find that you're always waiting
For a love we used to share
Just call my name, and I'll be there
-- "One Day in Your Life", Michael Jackson

A famous musician (not the one who sings the song I quoted above, but one who I've referred to in an earlier post) said that the lyrics of a song are subject to different interpretations than how even the musician interprets the lyrics, and that listeners are free to seek their own interpretations, perhaps with the musician's interpretation as a guide. For the song above, I have to say that I have my own interpretation, which given the context of this blog, is related to Pokémon - as well as today, as the penultimate day of the year.

This song is really about love and separated people (physically or otherwise), but it may loosely describe how people and Pokémon meet and part. This seems especially applicable to those who venture to many regions and meet and part with many people and Pokémon. These become something to remember or reminisce on certain days. In a sense, this song could be considered an adjunct to a couple of songs I've discussed before: one that sentimentally links Trainers and departing Pokémon, and another that sentimentally links Trainers and moments of departure, which just happens to be the post from last year (see below). It is these moments that could then be reminisced.

Philosophically and personally, this blog then becomes a realization of the reminiscence - only it's not one day, it's every day. Of course, it also remains as a feeling that exists among those connected to Pokémon. Sure, not every post has an immense sentimental quality, but each one has at least a little bit, and as anyone can attest, lots of little things build up to a lot. So overall, there's some sentimental quality in the posts of this blog, taken together.

As was the case with the song in last year's post, it takes a bit of interpretation to arrive at this frame of mind with the song I quoted above. But that seems OK, given the sentimental nature of the song and that the sentiments may also be felt with Pokémon. It too somewhat applies to this blog. In that sense, the interpretation is sufficiently valid, moreover for this one day, the second-to-last day before the new year. The reminiscence is felt for links and bonds in and with Pokémon, even as they become exposed on this blog.

One year ago: When I See You Again

Local EX Raid (Above and Beyond), 12/29/2018

And just because it's near the end of the year, it doesn't mean that Pokémon things let up. Today, I had an EX Raid scheduled in Pokémon Go, and this one has some neat things about it. For starters, this EX Raid took place at the Gym that, as I've mentioned in the previous EX Raid, could become an EX Raid host again. This is the first time I've been able to participate by having obtained the EX Raid Pass for this Gym. Like last time, the other Gym also hosted an EX Raid on the same day, but at different times; this one took place at 11:30 AM, while the other one took place at 6 PM.

Secondly, this is the first EX Raid to have a different form for Deoxys: the Attack Form. The turnover to the Attack Form occurred last week on Thursday, but the turnover only applied to EX Raid invitations and passes that were distributed after the occurrence. Previously distributed passes were still for the Normal Form, as can be attested by an EX Raid last week, which I didn't participate in. That would have been the last chance for me to obtain a Normal Form Deoxys, but I didn't take it, so it was the previous week instead. Perhaps there will be other opportunities.

The "above and beyond" tag certainly concerns these: the last EX Raid of the year, in a new EX Raid location, with a new Form for the raid boss. The only thing that probably wasn't was coordination; like last time, it was impromptu and minimal, so we did the best we could with who came, but that was just good enough. All the same, no one tried to take down Deoxys as partners or in a solo raid, though it could theoretically be done. No one also captured one with the maximum CP at this time. If these were to happen, that would have contributed further to the tag.

I wanted to focus on capture, so I took this candid group photo instead.

Further, now that a different Form of Deoxys has been unleashed, we may know what to expect. Deoxys started to appear about two months ago with its Normal Form. With the Attack Form now available, it may be another couple of months before the next Form appears, and so on and so forth. There may even be a couple of full rotations through all the Forms. But this is only a prediction at this point; past predictions have been known to miss, including for Community Day, and anything can happen. Right now, though, it seems convincing that the other two Forms will be unleashed somehow and at some point.

The Deoxys that I caught.

This EX Raid was in some respects indeed "above and beyond", though not completely, and it could have been more so. The good thing is that the opportunities for achieving something in that manner may already be evident. The next few EX Raids may provide even more opportunities to go "above and beyond", and I suppose it's up to us how far out we want to take things with them.

One year ago: In Lieu of a Book

Soul-Searching and Pokémon

It has been almost two years since I started this blog, and so I want to discuss another way of how it, Pokémon, and my life could be related. It concerns the concept of soul-searching. This is something that could be considered to be what I've been doing all my life, and with Pokémon, that has become a process of its own. That process then affects how the posts on this blog are written.

Over the course of my life, I've become exposed or exposed myself to different things, Pokémon being one of them. That exposure constitutes the soul-searching: I've gone from one thing to another to see if something is right for me. A lot of things aren't, but a lot of things are, and among those of the latter is Pokémon or things related to it. But from time to time, I always come back to Pokémon from other things. This seems to be a given, considering that there are many posts here that reference things beyond Pokémon.

In that sense, the posts on this blog - at least in part - represent the summation of my Pokémon experiences, among other things. Pokémon is something I know I can always come back to time and time again, and that is what has essentially happened each day that I post something on this blog, which happens to be every day. And though the soul-searching continues, with Pokémon, I have something that guides me to where I belong.

That reminds me of a certain song about soul-searching:

I've been searchin' my soul tonight
I know there's so much more to life
Now I know I can shine a light
Everything gonna be alright
I've been searchin' my soul tonight
Don't want to be alone in life
Now I know I can shine a light
To find my way back home
-- "Searchin' My Soul", Vonda Shepard

This song is really about love, but I don't see why it can't relate to this situation as well. Though life is big, I feel that I have something with me when it comes to Pokémon, and it's something that brings me back to "home". Forget the comedy show that this song is associated with; for me, this song bridges a link to Pokémon.

Still, my soul-searching continues. But for me, it will assuredly lead back to Pokémon somehow. And this blog is one way that shows exactly that - perhaps, even with this very post.

One year ago: From Journal to Blog

A Tripartite Conversation

"Tripartite" means that there are three parties that are linked to something. A tripartite conversation thus means a conversation with three parties - or speakers. I'm interested in having one of these myself. And in fact, I already have the parties: me, and...

Ash: Hi! What's up?

Pikachu: Pika pika? [questioning]

Me: Oh hey, I was just setting up this post so that we could talk together for a change. It's been a year since you helped me review the events or conventions that I sent you to, and I appreciate that.

Ash: Well, thanks! I know you know they're fun to go to, but I guess many of them look pretty much the same.

Me: Yeah, most of them are quite similar. Even we make it look similar just by going there!

Ash: Haha. I can see why you wanted me to review them, so it'll look different.

Pikachu: Pika chu! [agreeing]

Ash: So, I guess we'll be doing something different next year, right?

Me: Right, and I was thinking of doing it in this manner. We can talk about the events or conventions as they occur. It'll be a dynamic way of reviewing them.

Ash: I guess it'll be lively then.

Me: That's what I'm going for. I know we can do more than entertain people, especially on stage. I want both of us to have a greater voice on this blog.

Pikachu: Pikachu! [cutting in]

Me: You too, Pikachu. I'm sure it'll be great if we do it like this. Don't you agree?

Ash: Sure! Pikachu and I can help tell about events and conventions like this, and it'll be amazing. We already do have a great link after all.

Me: Then it's decided. Now we'll have to wait for another event or convention to come - which will be when the year turns over - then we'll cover it on this blog.

Ash: OK! Oh yeah, about this blog, I really like some of the most recent posts that were made.

Me: I'm glad! Which ones?

Ash: Well, I love the wallpaper in the post that you made the other day. I wasn't sure I would make it when that scene happened, but I did, and everything's fine. The wallpaper's really great too. I also like your thinking about the four pillars. It makes a lot of sense - they're things that I do too. And I like the nod you made in the EX Raid early this month. I want to catch Deoxys too. Maybe we can do it together sometime.

Me: They're all interesting, right? Pikachu, what do you think?

Pikachu: Pika pika chu!! [extremely pleased]

Ash: Hey, I should be asking that!

Me: Oh, sorry about that. I guess I wanted to interact with Pikachu as well. But then, that's the point of this "tripartite conversation", so that we can all interact somehow. Don't you think?

Ash: Yeah, I guess you're right. It's like the time you said you can hear my voice and I appeared, right?

Me: Yeah, it's kind of like that [see below], but now we've got Pikachu also. Anyway, it's a great thing. I can't wait until another event or convention comes, and we can do this again. We might do it for other occasions too.

Ash: That sounds great! I can't wait for that too. Until then!

Pikachu: Pika pika! [saluting]

Brilliant! Expect Ash and Pikachu to come again when an event or convention comes by next year, or a special occasion for that matter. It'll be something different than most of my other posts on this blog, but I suppose that's just as great as this conversation itself. It will surely happen again soon.

One year ago: I Can Hear Your Voice

Wallpaper: 20th Movie - Remember and Continue

There are two things that are long overdue in regard to me and desktop wallpapers: me wanting to change it, and the concept of the wallpaper that I wanted to change it to. Just a little while ago, I was able to finalize the latter, which enabled me to realize the former by actually creating the wallpaper. And I dare say, it's one of the simplest but most profound wallpaper creations I've ever made.

The title of this wallpaper is "Remember and Continue". The "continue" part is clear: this is meant as a rib on the "To Be Continued" screen present in much of the early episodes of the Pokémon anime. This is married with the more recent 20^th movie, which itself is an interpretation or nod to the Kanto part of these earlier episodes, especially the first episode of the anime (see below). For that, I selected a scene that would best represent the concept to be shown in the upper-left portion, which contains what would be the final scene of the episode. And to indicate the relationship, I placed the English logo of the movie on the upper right, while the appropriate disclaimers are placed above the scene, to not disturb the aesthetics of the concept. Now it's clear why this concept is long overdue; I intended to make this not long after the movie had been shown, but time got away from me, and I was only able to finalize it recently.

As for the "remember" part, that has to do with the Latin phrase that I've placed where the "To Be Continued" phrase is supposed to be. The phrase is a portion from Vergil's Aeneid, Book I, line 202, which means as written in the handwriting font on the bottom-right of the phrase: "perhaps at some time it will be a pleasure to remember these things", wherein "meminisse" is the Latin part that means "to remember", which completes the concept. There are many moments in the Pokémon anime for which this phrase could apply, but I've chosen this one for its relatively recent occurrence. Given the point at which this scene occurs, it seems to be rather an appropriate statement for the ones in the scene and the ones watching the scene.

This wallpaper was relatively simple to create due to its concept. It's neither typographically or pictorially complex, and the resources were sufficiently available to realize the wallpaper. It's not supposed to be any more complex than it should be, because that would detract from the concept, which is a reinterpretation of the screen from the anime. It does make me wonder why it took me this long to realize it.

Nevertheless, this long-overdue wallpaper has finally been realized. The concept may be a bit simple and slightly quirky, but the way it is, it's sufficiently meaningful and profound, just like how the movie itself is profound. This particular Pokémon movie is something that I'll surely remember; with this particular wallpaper, I'm even more inspired to remember... and continue, of course, with Pokémon.

One year ago: The First: Episode 001 - "Pokémon - I Choose You!"

Christmas Bash: Concept Album?

First up, Merry Christmas - for those celebrating, of course. This Christmas, I'm taking a different direction: I want to discuss the Pokémon Christmas Bash album in a different light. Sure, I've discussed it a few times, once near the start of this blog and even two songs from it in yesterday's post as well as the day before today last year. I theorize that the album can be considered as a "concept album" due to the elements present in the songs as well as the overall structure. This might seem like a strange proposition, but it's also a wonderful one.

A "concept album" is defined as an album with songs that, when taken together, have a grander objective. Though the term can apply to albums and music of different genres, the term is most famously linked with rock music. A concept album may also tell a story through its songs, giving rise to the term "rock opera" when linked with the aforementioned genre. Some concept albums have so much story power that they are turned into musicals, one of them being Chess, of which one song I also had previously mentioned in this blog. This becomes relevant given the Pokémon Christmas Bash album.

The very first song in the album indicates a setting: a Christmas party with all the then-principal characters of the Pokémon anime, including the villains. Through the songs, insights are gained regarding the characters and how they regard the holidays. As well, the progression of the party is felt with each song, with the climax being the Christmas Medley. Because of these elements and its structure, it's hard not to interpret the album as a concept album that tells a story, similar in vein to some albums that do almost exactly the same. The Christmas aspect is a secondary but complementary aspect.

This conceivably leads to the idea that this album could have led to the production of a (musical) Pokémon feature based on this album, as is the case with many concept albums that tell a story. Had it been conceived, this would have been, at least in part, a Western-influenced production, a rarity in a sea of Eastern-influenced Pokémon productions. Since the anime has taken a couple of different directions, it would be hard to expect this to happen now; however, the idea of writing a script or screenplay for this adaptation remains attractive. Perhaps I would like to do it.

The Pokémon Christmas Bash album remains a fascinating if not rather offbeat take on Christmas celebrations, one that provides an appeal for Pokémon fans to celebrate in their own way. And yet, seemingly more than that, it provides a story due to its structure, which is like a concept album. During the holiday times, a story like this is worth telling. And it certainly would make those times even merrier and more wonderful, particularly for Pokémon fans in this case.

And once again, Merry Christmas. 🎄

One year ago: Merry Christmas!

Keeping Homes in Hearts

I close my eyes and I see
My friends, my family,
The happy times that I shared
With all the people who cared.
I'll be so far away
From them on Christmas Day
And though we may be apart...
I keep my home in my heart.
-- "I Keep My Home In My Heart", from Pokémon Christmas Bash

The most poignant piece from the Pokémon Christmas Bash album has to be this one. It concerns homes and hearts, particularly those of voyagers, for which the former may be very far away. The most relevant voyagers that concern Pokémon, of course, are Trainers of various backgrounds, and so the song is very much applicable and relevant to them, whether actual Trainers in that world or those of the real world with the same spirit, like me and other Pokémon players.

The song itself is notable for featuring Brock and Misty in a duet. The first verse and chorus are sung by Brock, while the second verse and chorus are sung by Misty, and both take turns in the bridge before singing the final chorus together. Naturally, Brock makes a reference to his home of Pewter City and Misty makes a reference to hers, Cerulean City. The two are also involved in spoken exchanges that precede the verses. It is overall sentimental for the both of them as well as those who listen to them.

Personally, I'm not a voyager, though sometimes I wish I were. However, in my current situation, I'm "virtually" in a voyage in the same circumstances as the song. The distance is not only physical, but also mental; further, the "home" is a figurative thing, and is in fact not just one, but multiple. All the same, each one has something good that I keep in my heart, even when the situation is not quite merry, as the occasion would suggest.

And that may be something to keep in mind. In this day and age, it may be conceivable that a person may have multiple "homes", which in effect becomes their "voyage". But during a special time like this, it's worth it to simply just keep in mind the good things from each; I know I can do so, particularly with Pokémon by my side... and this song too. In that way, there are truly homes that can be kept in hearts.

One year ago: Cool Wintry Song

Quick Ball Tin and Pokémon Coin

The second part of the "time trip" which I started in yesterday's post involves merchandise from the present. It happens to be something - actually, two things - that I recently obtained within the past few days. They might be considered as separate merchandise, but since they come as a set, it's worth it to discuss them together and not separately. And for one of them, it might be hard to justify a separate post anyway.

The two things I obtained are a tin container in the shape of a Poké Ball (a Quick Ball, to be precise regarding the ball type), and a Pokémon coin found inside the container. First up is the tin. The tin is indeed ball-shaped, but it's also slightly flattened in the bottom part. The reason is obvious: so that the ball can rest without rolling. The button part of the ball is actually attached to the top part of the ball, and it's only decorative; it's not used to open up the tin, as I found out. The tin is opened by popping off the top part of the ball, which serves as an oversized lid for the ball tin. The coloring of the tin is amazing and is quite vivid, which almost makes me want to throw the ball... but the tin is too precious for that, and the original plastic wrapping for the ball contains a warning exactly not to do so.

That leaves the Pokémon coin. On the obverse side ("heads"), the coin displays Zoroark in a monochromatic image with silver print, which affirms that this side is as such. On the reverse side ("tails"), the coin displays a Poké Ball and the Pokémon logo. The Zoroark image is etched in, while the Poké Ball and Pokémon logo are reliefs. Philosophically, the appearance of Zoroark on the obverse image is somewhat remarkable; Zoroark is known as a tricky Pokémon - it is a Dark-type famous for the Illusion ability - and the tossing of coins, in particular for making decisions, may be linked to tricks, and so the two have some relationship. Personally, I'll take the coin for whatever it's worth.

Now, I mentioned "plastic wrapping" earlier, as well as some wording on it; the merchandise is actually official. In that case, this becomes one of the neatest pieces of merchandise that I own. I'm sure that it's designed to hold a few things that can be used for Pokémon-related gameplay. Its portability aspect is a little lacking, but that might be assisted by bringing it in a bag. At the least, the things that this tin may hold can be kept neat by the use of the tin. What's more, the coin may have a role to play with those things, which means that they are integrated. The prospect of these things is one that may be interesting to be a part of, just as much as the ball tin and coin are themselves interesting.

As for what those things are, that may require a "time trip" in another direction: the future. And for now, it's something that is yet to happen. Nevertheless, this ball tin and the coin is already great for today... which probably means so for the future as well.

One year ago: Perspective

A Pikachu Hand Puppet

I want to take a bit of a "time trip" with some Pokémon merchandise. The reason it's called a "time trip" is because I'd like to detail merchandise of the past and merchandise of the present. First, I'd like to start with the past, with a piece of merchandise I got before I started to write in this blog.

Some time ago, I purchased a Pikachu hand puppet. The first time I laid my eyes on it, I thought it looked interesting and somewhat well-made, but I wasn't able to purchase it then. The next time I encountered it, I purchased it right away, knowing that I may not have the chance to encounter it once again. It has since become a part of my wonderful collection of Pokémon things. And it's perhaps one of the more unique ones.

It's quite obvious that this is a puppet meant to be operated by someone's hand. To operate, a hand is slipped into the puppet, with the thumb going into one arm and the other four fingers going into the other arm. The fingers then deftly operate the arms to move in different ways. Now, I'm not a master puppeteer, but I'm certain that the head is manipulable through certain ways, including through a tab that I felt in the middle. Further, by my experience, the hand puppet seems to fit well on my left hand, which is my non-dominant hand; I've tried it with my right hand, and it always seems to come out lopsided. A better puppeteer might have a different experience.

Even if I don't exactly have the patience or the skills to operate this particular hand puppet, I can still treat it like a doll, which it is. In fact, I got the hand puppet from a shop that sells decorative items like dolls and image pillows, so it fits right in with the other items that the shop sells. The fact that it's Pikachu is just fine; perhaps if the starters were just as popular, they could have been made into hand puppets as well, but the popularity of Pikachu suits the situation well.

This hand puppet is a fairly intriguing piece of Pokémon merchandise. It was captivating when I first got it, and it's still captivating now. I'm not particularly dexterous at making it function the way it's intended, but at least I can try. But most importantly, it's a neat piece from the past that is still with me today.

That, of course, means the present, which will be for another post.

One year ago: I Claimed My Team

Dreaming Big, Making an Impact

I was going to make this post some weeks ago, but then I went into contemplation. I needed to think long and hard about the statement in the title of this post, especially its context and Pokémon relationship. I debated on whether to keep the wording (with slight modification) or to refer to it indirectly through some other expressions. In the end, I decided to keep the original wording and discuss it as it is, albeit with a slight grammatical shift. In any case, its connections with Pokémon are quite deep.

As for the statement's origin, some weeks ago, a TV program that used this statement as a slogan - but with the verbs in the imperative form - aired its final episode after having been on the air for a few years. The premise of the program was to present business owners who pave success and do good. I've only occasionally watched the program, in particular while writing the posts for this blog, but it's something that I enjoy in part when I do so. That said, I also can't help but think about Pokémon when considering its slogan.

Out of all the characters in Pokémon that I can think of, in my view, the ones that most embody this principle are Gym Leaders. In addition to being great Trainers outright, they can be (and are) influential to other groups of people. That is likely why they run and lead a Gym: so that they can be great(er) and be (more) influential to people. This includes the disciples themselves - who might one day succeed, then run and lead the Gym in their place - as well as the Trainers who seek their own form of greatness. They really size up themselves so that they can affect others.

To an extent, this statement can be considered to apply to another distinct group of Trainers: the Elite Four, the best ones of their region. They don't have disciples to speak of, but they are more or less influential to other Trainers and their lives, especially as their stories indicate. At the least, they become involved with them beyond the battlefield, making their lives that much greater. As such, this can be considered an adjunct to a post I made about a month ago regarding their capacity to "rule the world together"; they do so in the way that brings the greatest benefits possible, satisfying both statements.

What this statement entails is social responsibility; people can be and are involved in society to affect them beneficially and greatly. This was the point of that TV program, to indicate and show who exemplify this. It's not that big of a stretch to think that the same may be true for certain people in the world of Pokémon, in much of the same ways as people in the real world, except of course along with all the perks of the eponymous creatures. The program may not be shown anymore, but at least its memories will remain with me... and to an extent, with my enjoyment of Pokémon.

One year ago: Friend Faves

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/20/2018

I had debated on the right time to write the rollup for this month, and now seems to be a good time as any. The reason is that the most happening thing(s) to Pokémon Go have happened (PvP, "super" Community Day) - aside from the things that I haven't covered, of course. But that's the point of these rollups: to shine a light on the latter while keeping in mind the former, for which the merits are also worth discussing in some way. And that's still a good thing.

The most happening thing that I haven't covered this month (in fact, since October) is the changing of the Level 5 raid bosses. After Giratina left last month, Cresselia took over its place. By my experience, though, while Giratina was somewhat popular and in demand over the period it appeared, Cresselia was only so early on, and near its end, it faced stiff competition. Perhaps most were only interested to fill their Pokédexes and do no more than that. Cresselia then left, and Heatran took its place - a couple of days ago, in fact. Enthusiasm seems to be up and down for this one too, but it's still early yet. How things unfold will have to be seen.

And then there is that stiff competition. Last weekend over three days, both Lugia and Ho-Oh returned (once again) for a Special Raid Weekend, also with their Shiny forms, as they were previously released this year. For some people, it seems a bit much, especially since they've come back at least once in the past. For others, they're only too happy for another stab at getting one with better stats and/or their Shiny forms, or what they've missed. I didn't mind either way, as I could try for a Shiny Lugia and didn't mind helping the others. Unfortunately, I didn't get a Shiny Lugia this time around, but a Shiny Ho-Oh did show up. Perhaps this wasn't stiff competition, so much as it was a way of making things more lively, which it was. There may still be hope of seeing them in Field Research Breakthroughs.

As for this year's "last hurrah", that would be this year's edition of the Holiday Event. For this event, Ice-type Pokémon appear with greater frequency, certainly to coincide with the northern winter. As well, Pikachu appears with a Santa hat, for which it may be Shiny thanks to the Community Day earlier this year. Surprises are also abound among Eggs and newly unleashed fourth-generation Pokémon; to help, the first PokéStop spun each day will award a single-use Egg Incubator. Also, there are sectioned bonuses: four days of double Candy (right now), then four days of double Stardust, four days of double XP, and four days of halved Egg distance. Everything is for the merriment - I've already experienced quite a bit and will see more in the next few days.

These may be the little things in Go so far, but they're little big things among the big big things that have happened, and they have their own great qualities. That said, with this being the last month of this year, that pretty much wraps up the big and small events alike in Go, as well as the rollups for this year. It's not hard to expect even more little big events in the coming year, and when those happen, it will be time for more rollups.

One year ago: Movie Manga!

The Four Pillars of Pokémon

Philosophically, a "pillar" is a foundation by which something is supported, as a fundamental part of it. Thus, a pillar related to Pokémon is something that becomes fundamental to it. For Pokémon, this may be many things, including the games and beyond. Based on my interactions with many Pokémon things as well as its beginnings, I've determined what I would term as the "four pillars" of Pokémon, as the fundamental concepts related to it. These are the four pillars:

Battle. Pokémon was conceived as a characterization of pitting creatures against one another, and this is indeed present definitively in the main series games as well as Go. In other games like Shuffle, the "battle" is emulated, but it's still a battle nonetheless. The anime and manga automatically has to depict battles as well, and the concept remains evocative even in figure (merchandise) form. It's something that is hard to avoid: a consideration of Pokémon also considers what they can do against one another. "Battle" is thus a key pillar of Pokémon, no matter the circumstance.

Trade. Along with the characterization of battles, Pokémon also involves the characterization of exchanging one creature for another, for battle or otherwise. It's an expectation when there are two parties that desire something that the other has; consequently, this is well-established in the main series and also more recently in Go. Pokémon games that don't link with each other may not have this characterization, but the influence may still be present (like the Link Cable item in Mystery Dungeon). Trading even occurs in the anime, and the sale and exchange of merchandise could be construed as "trades". The significance is evident, at least in a good number of areas, and this is a pillar as well.

Collect. Even if battling isn't a primary objective and trades aren't present, those that deal with Pokémon may be inclined to possess at least a characterized record of many species, and at that point, this is where this pillar comes into play. This is something I've discussed previously in terms of extent, but even with varied extents, there's still something captivating about getting many species of Pokémon. It's true for Pokémon in game form, graphic form, and actual tangible form. This ubiquity, helped by human desire and inclination, establishes this as a pillar.

Friend. Despite the nature of Pokémon tending toward rivalry, there's a sense that beyond the crossfire, good amicable relationships can still be forged. The characterization of battling and trading still involves linking two parties, and through that, they realize that there is a shared interest, which then leads to friendship in good terms. Evidently, it is easier to battle in the games when a friend relationship is established. And for Pokémon in actual form, it just becomes something to enjoy together. The importance of this concept makes this a pillar.

These four concepts, even if not immediately apparent in some cases, have a role to play in shaping the ways of and in Pokémon. It's a given that battles occur between people, but it's also given that they might trade and or collect Pokémon as an aside from battling. And through all that, they can manage to be on good terms with each other as friends. Fundamentally, these become important and relevant whether they're in game form or actual form. In this way, they are indeed the "four pillars" of Pokémon.

One year ago: Nostalgic Returns

Screenplay Writing

This might seem like an odd topic to be linked to and written about Pokémon, but it actually has some relevance. Any production that is to be shown on a screen, like movies and TV shows, have to have some kind of a script (screenplay) written for them. Pokémon itself is no stranger to the screen, as it has a highly extensive anime series and a myriad of movies, one of which is a live-action production slated for release next year. Therefore, these productions conceivably need a script or screenplay.

The reason I've chosen to write about this in this post is because... I have the sudden urge to write one - Pokémon-related, of course. Over a decade ago, I took a creative writing class, and one of the lessons in that class was writing screenplays. The lesson was rather basic, and the end project for that lesson was writing a particular scene in screenplay format along with a full synopsis; it wasn't the entire screenplay for obvious reasons. Though I have grasped the basic principles, to devote myself to it, I'd have to seek further knowledge.

As for the impetus to write this screenplay, I was thinking about the early days of the Kanto saga after the shaky beginnings that Ash had, as he met Misty and then Brock. That portion of the anime could be supplemented by a side story to make it a full movie. The side story could involve Misty and Brock in greater roles to make it multi-faceted, but the primary focus would still be on Ash as he tackles their first two challenges. The only problem is of course that the new movies go by "a different story" so to speak, so anything new that is created would have to agree with this. But that shouldn't be a problem with a vision of their stories and the roles they would have.

This is all somewhat sudden and could be said to be random, I know. But on one level, it could be regarded as sensible, given the presence of Pokémon on big and little screens alike. It's practically standard for them to be scripted, as would be in a screenplay. That said, I'm not sure if this idea will ever get off the ground. Even if it did get off the ground, I'm not sure how it would become accepted. At least with much of the knowledge I possess about Pokémon and the scant I possess about screenplays - though this would be augmented in the process - the idea would be interesting enough to realize.

One year ago: Good (Life)Times, Again

Raid Dramas

I've been involved in raids in Pokémon Go for nearly a year now, and within that time, there have been amazing moments. There have also been less-than-amazing moments, even rather regrettable ones. Many of those regrettable moments involve some kind of happening that leads to wild reactions from raid participants, including me, and I've taken to call them "raid dramas" based on those reactions. I've got a few that have happened most recently as well as every so often.

The most common "raid drama" is perhaps the exit and entry of participants. Sometimes, a participant fails to show up in time to a raid for a scheduled battle time or misses the cue to enter the raid lobby, or several participants are unable to proceed for some reason after the battle has started. In any of these cases, it may be necessary for the other participants to leave the battle, then leave the lobby, and then re-enter with everyone. It's a simple process, but it's a tedious one, and it may not be applicable in some circumstances, like when the raid started just a few minutes before the raid boss leaves. However it happens, it may provoke mixed feelings, which is why it's not exactly something I'd experience too often on a raid. It is thus a "drama" in any case.

A less common "drama" concerns the locations of raids and therefore the Gyms that host them. I've written a bit about some of these Gyms, and they are exactly what are involved in this kind of "drama". Most Gyms are immune to location "drama" as they can be accessed relatively openly, but a few are located in odd places that may not allow them to be evidently accessed. Last evening, I discovered another such a place: the Gym is best accessed in a backlot, but that backlot is closed in the evening and the night, forcing it to be accessed by a nearby street, and even then right up against a house. It was something that almost got the best of me and some people in my raid group who sought a raid in it, which happened to be the last of the day. Fortunately, through some tricks, we managed to complete the raid, even really well for some. But by then the "drama" was obvious.

Another less common "drama" involves connection issues that occur with the network provider of my cellphone (or for that matter, with others as well). They sometimes happen when least expected. Early this morning, it was a portion of my fellows' that had a problem; later on, it was me and a friend who had a problem, and we regrettably missed a raid because of it. I was no stranger to it because under similar circumstances, I had missed a raid a few months ago, and if the connection issue had not happened then, I wouldn't have missed the raid. Sure, such issues may be avoided with a nearby WiFi hotspot, a WiFi tether, or a second network to use, but I'm not fortunate to have any of these available every time. It certainly makes for unpleasant "drama" when it happens.

Raids have been great, by my experience, but every so often, there are the snags as above, and when they happen, they can have the potential to (and do) create "drama". It's hard to expect that any of these won't happen again, but at least after having participated in them extensively, it's worthwhile to keep in mind that any of these could possibly occur and cause another "raid drama". It's just another facet that makes raids in Go more enigmatic, perhaps more than they should be.

One year ago: Hoenn Pokémon Are Go!

Pokémon Asia McDonald's Happy Meal Toys, Waves 3 and 4

As promised in my post for the Wave 1 and 2 toys, I'd cover the Wave 3 and 4 toys in another post, and the time for that is now. I have just obtained all four of the toys and tried them out, so it's time to discuss about them. Moreover, I sense that it may be hard to do this if I wait a few days, and based on that, it's important to do it while things are still fresh. Also, Wave 4 is indeed the final wave, as I'm told a different set of toys will replace this one soon - by the end of this week, in fact. Fortunately, everything's already in place.

First up are the Wave 3 toys. Wave 3 could be considered to be really a "wave", as it features a duo of Pokémon closely associated with water; the two are Psyduck and Totodile. Both are spring-loaded toys. For Psyduck, turning its tail makes its arms move to and from its head, emulating its "headache" expression, which is neat. For Totodile, pressing the middle set of three spikes allows the mouth to close, producing a distinct "snap". Actually, for the latter, the "snap" is a bit terrifying, but because there can't be sharp edges on these toys, it should be fine; it does allow the mouth to latch onto fairly small objects like sheets of paper (something I tested), so that becomes something to consider.

Next up are the Wave 4 toys. The two Pokémon featured are Torchic and Meowth, which are Pokémon known to be quirky in their own ways. The Torchic toy is mechanical, as it is a "bobblehead" style toy. The only thing that makes it different from a true bobblehead is that the entirety of Torchic's body above the feet moves, not just the head. The Meowth toy is hand-manipulated; its tail and both of its arms can be rotated to assume different positions, which makes it the only one aside from Vulpix in Wave 2 that has the ability to do so, though unlike Vulpix, the movement of each part is independent of each other. It's still pretty neat to be able to do so.

With that, I've obtained all eight of the toys, or in other words a complete set of them. It also helps that I got them in a timely manner, thanks to the information I received.

Overall, I'm impressed with the selection and quality of this set of toys. Regarding the latter, none of them involve any electronics, and they are all purely mechanical. Also, none of them need to be assembled (a hard proposition with the nature of these toys), which is a good thing. These are the exact concerns which I addressed in my general post about these kinds of toys. The featured Pokémon are pretty good too - despite the tendency toward water-related species - and even includes a Shiny form, which could help in popularizing this kind of form.

I say, it was worth waiting a few years to finally be able to obtain Pokémon promotional toys like these again, and this set is quite rewarding; it is easily one of the best. It looks like I'm due for a lot of fun with all the toys of this set.

One year ago: Balanced Systems Stimulate Civilization

Only for You, For Your Eyes Only

For your eyes only, only for you.
You'll see what no one else can see, and now I'm breaking free.
For your eyes only, only for you.
The love I know you need in me, the fantasy you've freed in me.
Only for you, only for you.
-- "For Your Eyes Only", Sheena Easton

A certain line always resonates when I think of Pokémon, especially one of its most lovable icons. It goes something like this:

"It's because... I always want... to be with you..."

Yes, that line belongs to the de facto series mascot Pikachu in its appearance in last year's feature film or movie, in a rather emotionally-driven scene. It carries a strong sense of attachment, which makes me think of something else with a strong sense of attachment, which happens to be the song I quoted above. Or rather, the song makes me think of this line.

While the song that I've quoted belongs to a particularly successful spy series, on its own, its messages are particularly strong. It's about someone who is "liberated" in the presence of someone else. In the Pikachu context, it is of course "liberated" by becoming Ash's partner and by doing things that it perhaps never knew it could do, in some ways much as described in the choruses of this song. This becomes something that makes a unique and strong relationship between the two.

On a different level, this song in a way can characterize my relationship with Pokémon. It's something that has "liberated" me to do things, sometimes even unexpected and wild ones. It's a bit crazy and over-the-top, I know, but to me, this is the truth, as I've expressed in an earlier post. I've pushed myself to enjoy many Pokémon things and even to express that attraction. It's something that would be otherwise if I hadn't and is strikingly clear, as the verses of the song illustrate.

Pikachu has expressed its attachment to Ash with the line above, and I express my attachment to Pokémon in various ways. In both cases, the connections are not only evident but are also one-of-a-kind, at least in my view. This surprisingly fits well within the context of this song, and I find it touching. I suppose, what we feel is really and truly "for your eyes only".

One year ago: The First-Generation Surfing Theme

Local EX Raid (Double or Quits), 12/14/2018

In this edition of the local EX Raid, numbers are the game. To start, this is the third week in a row that I've participated in an EX Raid, which is unprecedented; typically, I'd take part in one, wait some number of days or more before I have the chance to raid an EX Raid Gym (possibly missing one in the meantime), get the invitation for the next one, wait until the day for that to come, and repeat the process. However, sometimes I'm fortunate enough to be able to raid the Gyms and be able to directly participate in the next one, and this is exactly what has happened over the course of this and the previous two EX Raids. Two EX Raid Gyms also help in this regard.

Actually, make that three Gyms. Today, a Gym that in the past hosted only one EX Raid and seemingly never again, hosted one for the first time since then. And it hosted the EX Raid alongside this EX Raid, which takes place at the first Gym in my area that hosted EX Raids, only at different times; that one took place at 11:30 AM, while this one took place at 1 PM. That becomes the "double" part of the tag for today. In fact, some of my raid fellows took advantage of the situation to have a double EX Raid, to be invited to the other one they didn't get, much like how things were when EX Raids restarted back in October.

The other part of the tag, the "quits" part, relies on another numbers game... or the lack of numbers thereof. This EX Raid was quite different, as usually the participants were counted and coordinated, but this time no effort occurred in this regard; when I came, there was only one person, though eventually there were more as the EX Raid progressed. Even without rain (and only indications that it might rain at that point), those who came, which only numbered to a couple of handfuls, were interested in just "getting it done", and so we formed our battle flights in an impromptu manner. This still seemed to work well; my battle flight, with only six Trainers, took down Deoxys without too much effort, confirming its relative ease. Still, today's EX Raid can be considered to serve as an indicator.

Deoxys-on-the-Green™

It seems the number of Trainers interested in Deoxys is dwindling, perhaps because of its relative ease to raid and its current existence as only one of four forms. As well, it's a Pokémon that cannot be traded, which means the only two options are to keep any that are captured, or to transfer them to the Professor. It does somehow appear less impressive than when the EX Raids were with Mewtwo and there was quite a demand. Its other three forms are likely the key: release the other forms, and demand might just increase.

Surely when Deoxys "doubles up", many might just "double down" to capture one, or at least a few - it's "double or nothing". After today's "numbers game" with the EX Raids, it might seem that only a few numbers are the key success with them as they are. At least I've augmented my contribution for today, and I'm still interested to augment in later EX Raids, no matter what numbers or figures result.

One year ago: Tears of Life... and Being Moved to Tears

Trainer Battles Are Go!!!

It has been long overdue, gone through the rumor mill, and wondered about by many. But all that is now over. A long-awaited feature that has always been demanded in Pokémon Go is now present and live: Trainers can now challenge each other directly in Pokémon battles, which is referred to in short as PvP ("player vs. player"). I've had the chance to try out the feature as it went live today, and it's really captivating.

The format of the battles is a 3-on-3 battle, similar to a limited Single Battle in the main series games. As is the norm in Go, the battles are real-time and speedy: like Gym or raid battles, the focus is on attacking quickly with Fast moves while building up power to use Charged moves, but unlike the other two battles, Pokémon can't dodge the opponent as they can there. When one Pokémon uses a Charged move, that side is given the chance to build up even more power as it does so, while the other is given the chance to deploy a Protect Shield to mitigate damage. In any case, a Trainer has to be wise; in each battle, only two Protect Shields may be deployed, and while switching is allowed, if a Trainer chooses to switch Pokémon, switching then becomes disabled for 50 seconds. The speed and intricacy of battles keeps Trainers on their feet.

As to who and what can battle, any Trainer level 10 or over can battle with one another. The two Trainers have to be sufficiently close to one another to battle, just like in the case of trading... unless the two Trainers are already Ultra Friends or higher, in which case they can battle remotely from anywhere. If no one is available for battle, a Trainer may opt to spar against any of the three team leaders in Go, including against the other two leaders of the other two teams not of the Trainer's team. The two Trainers can opt to participate in battles in the Great League (CP limit of 1500), Ultra League (CP limit of 2500), or Master League (no CP limit), and battle parties consisting of specific Pokémon may be created for any of these.

To add complexity to the battles, all Pokémon now have the opportunity to learn a second Charged move, which may be used beyond Trainer battles, even in Gyms and raids. This isn't a cheap matter, as doing so will use up Candies and Stardust. But the effect may be substantial in helping to win battles, because by winning, a Trainer stands a chance to earn enticing rewards like Stardust and the currently highly-coveted Sinnoh Stone. In addition, each win in each League fills up the medal for winning in that League, and each battle with a team leader ("training") fills up the Ace Trainer medal (and thereby reactivates it), which was previously filled up by battling a same-team Gym under the old Gym system. These make Trainer battles highly lucrative.

I had the chance to try out battling remotely with a couple of my Ultra Friends today, and I ended up winning 7 and losing 1. These battles are totally a test of my ability to think quickly and act appropriately, in addition to making predictions on the spot as I do with VGC-style battles. Admittedly, this is somewhat simpler than that, but the system could be foreseeably expanded to resemble them someday, which I and another player had theorized. I also earned all the rewards that I needed to earn. My raid group is thinking about holding a get-together to extensively test out Trainer battles, and I'd be interested to join if circumstances allow.

This addition is a huge step for Pokémon Go. Pokémon from the beginning has always been linked to battling with one another, and this is a key thing in the main series games that was always suspiciously missing in Go. Now, it is no longer missing, and the effects are far-reaching to boot, in and out of the game. I'm certainly ready to give as much as I can in Trainer battles in Go and to find out where this leads, along with the other Trainers who will gladly do the same.

One year ago: Will You Be There?

Much Ado About Figures

A long time ago, when I first discussed about figures with a particular example of what I have, I stated that I am not a fervent collector of figures. Since then, I've either added to my collection or discussed about figures that I already possessed, and even joined groups about them. However, I still consider myself not a fervent collector of figures, even Pokémon ones. This is something that is (or has become) apparent for several reasons.

A primary determinant is cost. Many of the Pokémon figures or figure-like objects that I've collected are relatively cheap or even are the result of some lucky breaks. As much as I'd like to devote prodigious amounts of cash on figures, it's something that I'm not keen on doing just yet; in my view, there are other Pokémon things - or even just other things - that need my current attention. I've seen just how much some of these figures can go for, based on a discussion after the convention a week and a half ago, and I balk at the costs to get quite a few of them. At those prices, I'd rather try for other Pokémon items, and this would satisfy my all-around nature in being a Pokémon fan, though of course figures still factor into this.

Another determinant is space. In that first exemplar, I mentioned that I don't have a display space... and I still don't today. If I did, I'd probably have written about it in a different post on this blog. To that effect, for the few figures with packaging that I have, they still remain in their packages, which for now is still an effective display. Those with less attractive packaging have been put on display in some manner, though this may not be as effective as I'd like it to be. Eventually and ultimately, I'd like to display all my figures and Pokémon things somehow; the alternatives are something that I have to ponder as I go along.

Though I may not be fervent in the collecting aspect of figures, I am a fervent Pokémon fan, and that makes me fervent about different aspects of its figures. Style is something that I like to see in different figures, and I'm enthusiastic about seeing new styles and appearances of figures. Closely related to style is size, and it is nice to see how Pokémon can be adapted to figure form in different sizes. Certainly with hundreds of different Pokémon, I can conceptualize or imagine how some might be realized in figure form, including those that rarely become figures. All of these aspects are appreciable.

Collecting Pokémon figures is not exactly I'm deeply into, but despite that, I still collect some of them. As I am a Pokémon fan at heart, I still like them for what they are: a realization of Pokémon into a physical form. At present, space and cost become physical constraints, but in my mind, these figures still have room to play. The only thing left to do is to be able to physically make this a reality.

One year ago: The Rainbow Feather of Ho-Oh

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

Stage Coin Tricks in Shuffle

In Pokémon Shuffle, Coins are essential items. They are used to pay for items that are helpful in order to enhance stage progress, and some stages require them to be expended in order to play. Getting them also seems straightforward enough, by checking in or buying them from the Shop. And yet, these are also earned through playing the stages as well... but a player has to be crafty enough so that these can be earned as well as possible.

The simplest way to earn Coins through stages is to clear Main Stages or Expert Stages. Clearing a Main Stage for the first time rewards 200 Coins, while clearing an Expert Stage for the first time rewards 300 Coins. Thereafter, clearing any of these stages rewards 30 Coins. This is accordingly an incentive to clear as many of these stages as possible in addition to achieving the goal of capturing the Pokémon and earning S Ranks on them. Also, the "replay bonus" might be small, but as stages need to be replayed in particular for the above goals, this bonus can quickly add up, so it's not to be discounted. The real caveat is that the stages must be cleared to get the Coins; failing a stage (running out of moves or time) will reward nothing. A skilled player should be able to fulfill this requirement.

Clearing Special Stages also rewards the same amount of Coins as a Main Stage: 200 for the first clear, 30 for a clear thereafter. However, unlike Main Stages or Expert Stages, clear status is not retained for them after their periods end; this means that when they return for a different period, they can be cleared again to earn the 200-Coin bonus. Thus, it also becomes imperative for Coin seekers to clear these stages when they reappear for a different period. The only trick is to determine which stages can be cleared without spending Coins, which would void the purpose of getting Coins. As well, some Special Stages behave differently regarding Coins earned - Escalation Stages reward 200 Coins for the first level and 30 thereafter, with certain exceptions; the Pokémon Safari rewards 200 Coins on the first encounter and clear of each specific Pokémon, while repeat encounters reward 30, again with certain exceptions; and Competitive Stages reward nothing. This is quite important.

The most crafty way to earn Coins is from a stage itself. Some very specific stages throw in Coins into the actual puzzle grid, and these can be matched just like Pokémon; the reward for matching is a specific amount of Coins. A match of three rewards 100 Coins, four rewards 300, five rewards 500, and the very rare case of six (the maximum in a line) rewards 700. Depending on the stage, however, the typical clear bonuses may be voided, leaving these as the only way to earn Coins off of a specific stage. As well, Coins are treated like disruptions; in particular, they behave like blocks that can be moved and matched like Pokémon but don't disappear with time, which means that any Pokémon skill (like Swap or Stabilize) that may remove blocks also may remove these. This becomes a point of concern when using specific Pokémon while making the effort to earn coins. Needless to say, the stage must be cleared to get the matched Coins, as is the case normally.

All stages in Shuffle have their own tricks, of course, but earning Coins through stages may be the greatest trick in the game, in addition to just checking in for them and buying them outright. To earn Coins, a player has to be crafty about choosing the stages that have to be played and how to play them in order to earn the Coins that need to be earned. Whatever happens, the outcome will enable even more progression in other stages, which is almost a certainty for players with Coins at their disposal.

One year ago: Cosplay: Utsuru F!

To See and See Not

In the course of my progression through life, there seems to always be something that I could link or seems to link me personally to Pokémon. This time, it concerns the statement which becomes the title for this post. Recently, things tied to Pokémon have become something I either see or not see. It's a bit of a nag, which ultimately can lead to frustration as well - at least when things turn out otherwise than expected.

Seeing and not seeing has been quite applicable to Pokémon Go. While it seems like it does so even at other times, of late this has been a concern. Earlier, there had been a moment where I saw raids in one place and not in another, which had not been what I expected. And then the other day, I was prepared to put in Pokémon in a Gym when I saw smoke and sparks indicating the Gym was under attack, though I could not spot the attacker; I did manage to put in a Pokémon, but predictably, it came back within a couple of hours. A few hours earlier, I spotted a Pokémon that others as well as myself might desire, but then when I went to report others in my raid group, the Pokémon disappeared, practically voiding our chances. In all of these cases, something that I either saw or did not see became contrary to what I hoped, and the results tended to be disappointing too.

Some recent events, where I'd hope to display my interest in Pokémon, seems or have seemed to also be affected by the seeing-not-seeing issue. I've already mentioned this for an event the other day; things just escaped notice with the event, let alone for one of the competitions for which I now have an interest in. And then, I'm told there is an upcoming event for which I may want to take part, but before I could do anything about it, things went awry, one part of which may be due to the seeing-not-seeing issue. This too is a bit - actually, quite - disappointing personally since I'm sure that my interest in Pokémon could make a difference. The only glimmer of hope for the latter is that this is an "at least for now" thing, and there are still a few weeks before things are really sealed. The odds may or may not be in my favor.

There will always be things that I see and things that I don't see, and they'll affect me in different ways, especially if Pokémon is or could be made to be involved. In the case of recent happenings, this may be of undesirability. What is certain is that whether I see or not see, I still see Pokémon with me. And with it, I still expect to see progression that tends less toward disappointment and more towards excitement.

One year ago: A Pokémon Twist to My Phone

Cosplay: IJF - Cosplayer Rising Star

[AshKetchumMode]

My friend likes to send me to theme events on a whim, and that's what he did today. He had a choice to send me today or tomorrow, and he chose to send me today. That's because this event is really a two-day one... oh, I'm sorry my friend, it's actually a five-day one! But yeah, the only days that matter for us are today and tomorrow, and my friend could only deal with either one, and not both. It's also a far event, so that's a big problem too.

Actually, my friend had been wanting to send me to this one for a couple of years now, but then it always seems to conflict with some other event. We're lucky that this time it isn't, so we decided that it was now or never. It does seem like it's a good event based on what we were told, so that was the main reason for sending me here. Another is of course to meet characters and people who my friend likes to talk to.

There is yet another strong reason why I was sent today: the competitions are double, and on the other day, there are none. There was a singing competition and a character parade today, and... I didn't get in the singing competition. We found out that it was just too late to get in. But that's what happens when we only find out about things too suddenly, and that's what happened for this event. I did get to take part in the character parade, and that was great. The people that helped make it happen did seem to feel a bit overwhelmed, though, and I couldn't stay to find out about the results. Maybe I wasn't meant to.

The event seems a bit small, since it was held in a food court and just used the things that were there. Even a band that my friend really likes just used what was there, though they still sounded great. It's also only the day before the big last day, so it might be more crowded when it gets to that point. Next time, I have to come back when it's the big day.

My friend and I did get word on what we miss on the big day. We would be seeing a few bands, and that's good. We'd be seeing a few characters doing what they do, and one of them would be named a big star - this is impressive, but it doesn't apply to me or my friend. And we'd also be seeing a person we met just recently... *sigh* That would be the biggest thing we'd miss.

Pikachu: Pika chu! [comforting]

Yeah, maybe next time we'll see him, whenever that is. As for "next time" for this theme event, maybe that needs some thinking over. My friend and I will think it over as we keep doing our stuff.

[/AshKetchumMode]

One year ago: (Un)finished Business

Local EX Raid (and the Power of Us), 12/7/2018

This EX Raid is a wonder in many ways, not the least because of the tag I have given to it (more on this in a bit). To start, this is the first time since September that I've had EX Raids over consecutive weeks; the two EX Raid gyms have drifted in schedule enough to allow for this to happen. The schedule for today's EX Raid was also no different, as it was scheduled for 3 PM. Predictably, the rain was also an "attendee" to the EX Raid, even just before it began. That has to make for an interesting story.

And it does. I had intended to get to the EX Raid gym by finding transportation myself, but transportation found me instead. While I was seeking one, a friend passed by and offered to take me to the place of the Gym as he was taking care of his own errands. And he did, but as we proceeded to the Gym site, the rain came down harder and harder. We almost thought we couldn't make it by the time my raid group gathered, but as if by miracle, we did. I may not have gotten in time otherwise, and for that, I have to offer my thanks.

As for the EX Raid itself, there were so few participants this time (at least, the ones that reported), so there was talk about making the EX Raid a one-for-all thing. However, as the EX Raid initially progressed, there were overlapping opinions, particularly as there were indications that others may still come, and so everyone decided that those who wanted to raid early should join in battle right then and there, and anyone who came later can hop into an extra battle flight. This proved to be the saving grace for a few people who did indeed come later, which made the decision fortunate.

A visitor in a parking space.

The Deoxys that I caught isn't too shabby either. It is the strongest one I've caught so far, and as a bonus, it wasn't too finicky as the previous one to capture. That's a pretty good turnout for an EX Raid that is somewhat in disarray as usual thanks to the rain. I'm not sure if I will be able to catch one with the maximum capture CP, but I can at least try. There may be just a few more attempts left before Deoxys changes forms, which is an inevitability given its multiple forms.

And then there's that tag I mentioned. For what it took to get me here, and what it took to take down Deoxys and capture it, I couldn't have done it alone, even more so for the latter. They're things that happened because of everyone's involvement, and both are things that are worth telling and noting down about as the stories of today. Today's EX Raid is, effectively, a product of "The Power of Us".

(And yes, that tag is a rib on the English title of this year's Pokémon movie. There may or may not be something special about it for me soon, but I don't know...)

One year ago: The Shops of Shuffle

Pokémon Asia McDonald's Happy Meal Toys, Waves 1 and 2

A long time ago, I wrote about Pokémon promotional toys, in part because I had been expecting a particular set of them and hoping for a few new ones; nothing came out of it then. Fast forward to today, and a particular set has appeared. Two weeks ago, McDonald's in Asia started to offer a new line of promotional toys, and this made me delighted. So of course I had to get them to collect them, as well as to write about them on this blog.

I have to thank in part my raid group for this one. They were the ones who first broke the news about a week or so before the toys were released, and so I was able to plan accordingly. I could also confer with my figure group and find out what they know, then to pass it on to my figure group. I'm sure both the groups benefited from this exchange of information, especially those who sought the toys like me.

The toys are released in waves, and Wave 1 was two weeks ago. This first wave featured Magikarp and Squirtle; of course, as seen in the image, the Magikarp is no ordinary Magikarp, as it is the Shiny form. That made it "lucrative" among members of my raid group that wanted to pursue a Shiny Magikarp. The Magikarp toy is a rolling toy, which explains why Magikarp is lying on its side in the photo: the bottom fin contains a single wheel that moves the tail fin back and forth as it is rolling. The Squirtle toy is a squirt gun toy; it is supposed to be submerged in water, then water can be forced out by pressing its shell on the back. I haven't tested it so I could keep the toy pristine, but I could sense air being exerted when I push the shell, so it should work just fine.

Wave 2 was last week, and that is predictably Pikachu (the de facto series mascot) and Vulpix as in the photo. As a bit of a Pikachu fan myself, this is the wave I was highly expecting. The ones in this wave are sufficiently interesting. The Pikachu toy is spring-loaded, and pressing the tail allows the ears to move back and forth, which is admittedly kind of cute. The Vulpix toy is a simple mechanical toy, for which as its tail is moved from side to side, its head nods back and forth. The Vulpix isn't Alolan, but that's hardly a complaint, since I like the original Kanto form just as well. The ones in this wave are simple but are striking.

The four toys here are part of the first two waves, and there are four waves in all, for a total of eight toys. Wave 3 in fact will start tomorrow, and Wave 4 will start the week after. The great thing about that is I'm not pressured to collect every single one at one time, as long as I'm on it early, like with this one. But that also means the toys in the remaining waves will have to wait for their own post, which is OK. In the meantime, there's still something to enjoy about the ones I've already gotten.

One year ago: Watching and Re-Watching

More Weather Boosts for Types?

As I've noted in my post about weather in Pokémon Go, for each different kind of weather, certain types of Pokémon are "boosted". It means that the Pokémon of those certain types appear more often and stronger, even for captures and raids. However, the "boosted" types seem limited, even more so considering the kinds of weather that may be present. This leads to the consideration of having more types boosted for each kind of weather.

The way I see things, there are various issues. There are seven different kinds of weather, and each kind only boosts two to three types of Pokémon; that's only a minor subset of the 18 types of Pokémon. Weather itself is a variable thing, and furthermore, not all kinds of weather appear in every area. In my area, based on observations, I've never seen the Windy, Snow, or Fog weather appear, though there have been times where either the first or last kind could appear, but didn't; meanwhile, a few tens of kilometers away, Windy weather intermittently appears, more so than it does in my area. Further, the Snow weather conceivably only appears in the winter (in areas that experience it), precluding certain freak weather activities. In any case, I and players in my area are practically voided of the chance to have the respective types boosted, unless we travel far beyond and at the right time.

The solution is of course to have more types of Pokémon boosted for each kind of weather. Here's what I propose, based on the issues above:

• Sunny (Fire, Grass, Ground) + Dragon, Fairy
• Partly Cloudy (Normal, Rock) + Steel, Flying, Psychic
• Cloudy (Fairy, Fighting, Poison) + Ghost, Ice
• Rain (Bug, Electric, Water) + Grass, Dark
• Windy (Dragon, Flying, Psychic) + Ground, Rock, Bug
• Snow (Ice, Steel) + Fighting, Water, Electric
• Fog (Dark, Ghost) + Normal, Fire, Poison

This proposal is based on the consideration that the 18 Pokémon types are more or less distributed across the different kinds of weather, with two or three types each; this is extended to have the 18 types distributed twice across the kinds of weather, resulting in each kind having five types boosted with one kind having six to account for the one remaining type. The proposal is also based on the first four kinds being considered as the "common" weather kinds and the other three as "uncommon" kinds, for which the types boosted in one set are distributed in the other. These are also logically based on certain type weaknesses and some common sense. Done this way, equality is achieved.

Weather is undoubtedly a powerful determinant in Pokémon Go. The way that it is now, it seems it might be uneven due to its effects and certain conditions. Having more types boosted might even things out more and add an element of flexibility, fairness, and equality. It might just help further determine the actions that players can take in order to achieve more things in the game.

One year ago: Game Bugs and Fixing Them

A Sewaddle Keychain

If many of the merchandise posts on this blog are of any indication, it's that I love collecting keychains, particularly from theme events or conventions which I become a part of. And from the convention two days ago, I got this particular gem of a keychain, featuring a Pokémon that might seem uncommon but is actually relatable and quite important. Plus, the keychain is a thing of its own.

The featured Pokémon of the keychain is the Bug- and Grass-type Sewaddle, from the fifth generation. For those well-versed in the Pokémon anime, Sewaddle is (or was) one of Ash's Pokémon during the Unova saga. It eventually evolved into Leavanny over the progression of the saga, but it still leaves its memories behind. Mainly for this reason, I opted to have this Pokémon over all the Pokémon that were featured as keychains. But that's not the only reason.

After looking at the keychains that were offered, I wasn't satisfied with a great deal of them. Some were off in color, others were off in proportions, and still others were off in both; these definitely reduced their aesthetic appeal. But the Sewaddle keychain was sufficiently satisfactory in both regards that I was willing to make it a part of my collection. Combined with the previously detailed reason above, it was enough for the appeal factor. This selection process is reminiscent of the one which rewarded me the Cobalion keychain that I detailed last year in an early post about this specific type of merchandise.

For this one, the details are rather impeccable. The leafy shroud is well-designed, including the little veins above the head. Facial details are true and neatly colored. Even the feet have a dab of color, though this is not visible in the above photo. The Pokémon looks so good that I almost want to display it as a figure rather than use it as a keychain... and in fact, I might just do that. This is a perfectly fine mini-figure in that regard. The Cobalion keychain above can likewise be considered as such, and that further links the two.

I suppose I'm just quite affectionate about collecting Pokémon keychains. This one's well-designed and personally memorable that it's hard not to be as such. And even if this one fails to be a keychain, it is at least a mini-figure that merits to be displayed. I really like that. I'd like to collect more Pokémon keychains that are as impressive and significant as this one is.

One year ago: In and Out of Poké Balls