The Magic of 25

I love all sorts of numerical or mathematical phenomena, as can be attested by some posts on this blog. Today, I'd like to share another one. It concerns a specific number that has a special meaning, and that number would be 25. And if it's on this blog, it has to have some sort of Pokémon connection, and it does... perhaps in more ways than one.

For anyone who has played the main series Pokémon games long enough, it's not hard to know what the number 25 refers to. #25 is the index number for Pikachu, the de facto series mascot, in the National Pokédex. Even so, it does seem like this index number is rather coincidental - after all, Pikachu could have easily been placed on a number slightly closer or farther than that. But if you ask me, it's a happy coincidence; the Pokédex is arranged roughly by appearance, and one does encounter Pikachu fairly early on in the first-generation games with a little fortune and knowledge (or always first in the case of the Yellow Version), so Pikachu is arranged where it's supposed to be. I can't ask for much more than that; it's magical.

25 is fairly interesting as well in other ways. Mathematically, it is a square number and the sum of two other square numbers, all of which have factors that are consecutive; it's something that those who study math can attest while learning about them, perhaps as part of learning the Pythagorean theorem. Elsewhere, 25 is one-fourth of 100 (thus, 25%), and 25 is the number of years in a silver anniversary. This very last part might become very relevant to Pokémon in a couple years or so, so I won't go into too great of a detail right now. For the others, it might be fanciful to think that Pikachu can be used to reinforce the concepts, but that's a bit wild.

The point is that the number 25 is important Pokémon-wise, as it is a number linked to (one of) the most well-known out of all the creatures that bear this label. As a Pokémon fan, I find it hard not to think of one when I think about the other, and I'm sure this applies to a number of dedicated fans out there as well. It's a fancy number for a Pokémon that can be fancy as well.

Oh, and that other bit of importance? This is the last post for this month, which happens to be the twenty-fifth month that I've maintained this blogging endeavor. That makes it a full 25 months of blogging about Pokémon(-related) things. It's as if I had planned it, but I really didn't. I guess it's still magical that way.

One year ago: Et Tu, Shuffle? (Thy Hath Bugs)
Two years ago: It's Been a Month...

Three TCG Booster Packs

A month ago, I detailed a couple of pieces of official Pokémon merchandise that may be connected in more ways than one, especially to something that might be part of the future. That future would be a TCG future, as the tin's primary content is three booster packs for the physical version of the TCG. This is the "future" part of the "time trip", which does not involve merchandise, but an aspect of how Pokémon is played.

Two of the booster packs are from the Sun & Moon series, while one is from the XY series. Each of these states that there are 10 cards inside, but after I've opened them up and looked at the cards inside, I found more than that in total across all three packs; there were 17 Basic Pokémon, 7 Stage 1 or 2 Pokémon, 2 Energy cards, and 6 Trainer cards, for a total of 32, meaning that at least one pack had more than 10 cards. Even so, with these being the only cards that I have, I can't make a workable deck, as a deck requires 60 cards, and I'm nowhere close to that. Plus, I'm desperately in need of Energy and Trainer cards to make a deck work.

Though I can't make these physical cards work for me right now, there is one consolation: each booster pack comes with redeemable codes for the online version of the TCG, which I luckily had already started. The great thing about the online TCG is that most things are already prepared, and that it takes up no space, unlike the physical cards themselves. I'm still learning anyhow, so I will need to deal with the online TCG for as long as I can before I work with the physical brethren. These codes will allow me to make some headway.

The coin, of course, is still connected; I know for a fact by reading the cards, even before I started playing, that a coin is used to add an element of chance to the game. As an example, some attacks dictate that a coin is to be flipped, sometimes several times, and the result depends on the coin flip. The Zoroark coin I have is one such coin, and there are more kinds of coins, which is also evident in the online version of the TCG. For now, the physical Zoroark coin serves its purpose.

I'll need more than these booster packs to get my physical TCG endeavors rolling on the right path, but these cards seem to be a good start for now. This is a rather distant future indeed, but the online TCG can help for that, and that is the here-and-now. And so the time trip continues, this time with a game element that is still related to Pokémon. The cards ought to show me what to do.

One year ago: Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Series 2 Figures
Two years ago: Always 21 - Memories of 21

Color Me (Shiny) Groudon

It's pretty much the end of the Hoenn Celebration in Pokémon Go, and after having raided Groudon many times, I'm assured of not being able to get a Shiny Groudon, at least on my own. It's something that has aroused the fancy of those in my raid group in more ways than one, including in regard to its color. It became a bit of a sensitive issue, much like what happened some months ago regarding colors of cosplay things.

Some remarked that the color of Shiny Groudon appear to be yellowish, based on how it appeared during the post-raid capture challenge. Meanwhile, others tried to determine what kind of color it actually is by comparing the color in images of it to various swatches of similar colors, and came up with colors that were closer to green rather than yellow. Personally, I subscribe to the common interpretation that Shiny Groudon is yellowish, even golden - akin to the gold of pyrite, also known as fool's gold.

The debate that I mentioned in that earlier post appears to still remain relevant. After all, it may be possible that some of the others viewed the image of Shiny Groudon in less-than-ideal conditions, leading to one interpretation over another. And even in ideal conditions, manual determination may be off due to perceptions that sway to the most noticeable color, given a whole batch of colors that only gradually appear different. At the least, this discussion has presented itself so I can synthesize the information and make my own conclusions; it also became an intriguing piece of conversation.

I and my raid group have had our fancy of Shiny Groudon over these past two weeks, with some being fortunate to get one or more, while others (like me) got none. In all that fancy, the discussion about its color had crept in and enlivened the situation, even if it didn't prove conclusive enough for a general consensus. Still, it did seem like we did quite a bit to celebrate what is supposed to be a celebration, including one of a different color... literally.

One year ago: More Pokémon Hanging Things
Two years ago: Fire Power!

(Scripted and Connected) Local EX Raid, 1/28/2019

Well, it's another local EX Raid in the area where I live. And Deoxys is still in its Attack Form, so there's not much to go on about that. That leaves the tag for this one, "scripted and connected". It's "scripted" because I intended to get this one, which happened to be in the same spot as the previous EX Raid. The main reason is of course documentation, so I could at least get a picture of Deoxys at the spot where the Gym is, which I hadn't done on the previous times. Fortunately, my efforts succeeded and I received the EX Raid pass for this Gym as intended, without having to deal with others.

Another reason why it's "scripted" is that the EX Raid invitation I sent to one of my Ultra Friends was warmly received, and the person I invited actually came. My experience with past invitations haven't been too well. One time, I was actually requested to invite a person and I did, but the person didn't come; another time, I couldn't contact the person I wanted to invite, and I ended up inviting someone else instead. Of course, now that I have 19 Ultra Friends (with more on the way), it becomes a task to decide who do I want to invite and who needs to be invited. This invitation involved such a decision. Perhaps I may have to have more considerations in the future.

Early evening with Deoxys in the park.

Now for the "connected" part. As can be seen above, I managed to take a picture of Deoxys before I captured it. This is not something that's absolutely necessary, but for the purpose of this blog, it does seem better to show things as they happen, and one way is through a picture as above. And I wasn't really worried about Deoxys, though it did happen to be the most powerful one so far for the Attack Form that I've caught, and it gave in on the second throw or so. Maybe I should have been a bit more careful, but at least things went well. This is one form of "connection", to be sure.

The other part of the "connection" is being able to raid further afterwards. About half an hour after the EX Raid boss egg appeared, another Level 5 boss egg appeared in a Gym that wasn't too far away, so that got raided as well. Much later on, I was able to participate in another Level 5 raid; in both instances, I caught both of the raid bosses, which made for a productive evening - the EX Raid being scheduled at 6 PM. I also engaged a friend in PvP combat, though I fizzled out in defeat. Whatever happened, I got "connected" somehow.

"Scripted and connected" seems to be the perfect tag for this EX Raid. Being able to do all I can (and more) makes this a good occasion. After not having participated in an EX Raid for two weeks, this makes for a nice way to get back, with everything turning out really well. The scripting and connecting continues, though, as I continue endeavors in Pokémon Go as well as prepare for the next EX Raid, as well as all other things Pokémon for the purpose of this blog.

One year ago: Cosplay: Japanese World 2018
Two years ago: The First-Generation Bicycle Theme

The Cards, Revisited

I intended to make this post on the two-year anniversary of a certain post which would have happened to be one week ago, but other things took priority. That post of course concerns "the cards" - that is, of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, or TCG for short. Back then, I couldn't write up too much about it since it was early on in this blog and my knowledge of it was rather scant. However, recently I've had an opportunity to revisit "the cards", and I've gained significantly more knowledge about it, enough to write this post.

In revisiting them, a couple of weeks ago, I took a very important step: I took the plunge and have begun playing the game by downloading and installing the Pokémon TCG Online game client from the official web site. This is the "online means" which I had mentioned in that original post and wanted to explore. Using my Pokémon Trainers' Club account, I was able to log in to the game and get started playing. The in-game tutorials proved to be a massive aid for learning the basics of the game, and there are even helpful reminders at certain points of the game, even in regular play. With these, I have become able to win quite a few matches yet lose some. It has served to be a good start.

Now I'm able to deliver my initial impressions about the TCG. Having never played the TCG before this time, I'm surprised at how simple it actually is, considering other trading card games I've witnessed in action and/or played. One of my Pokémon friends, who just happens to be someone I've discussed regarding time and life and when I was given a Marshadow, did remark on this simplicity, and I can see that my friend was right. It's hard to believe that I've never played the game since I first saw it, but I can understand with what went on in the past. It is certainly different now with the TCG Online being available.

The next step after this would be to take up the TCG in physical form, as it is how actual competitions play out, much like any other trading card game. One of the people in close contact with my other Pokémon fellows actually wanted to sell a TCG set, but I didn't take it up because it was too early and I wasn't sure if I could use it to its fullest potential at the moment. I'll have to seek possible opponents, which might be hard if I'm not close to them. Further, I'm not at the point where I can make decisions comfortably in the game without having to be reminded as in the TCG Online. Once I've gone to that point, I know I'll be ready.

I've noted in my first post about "the cards" that I'm interested in being part of a TCG future, and now I've gone past the "barrier curtain" for that, so to speak. I've already learned the basics and know how to play the game, and that's a great first step. What comes after that is perfecting my skills and finding a few other people to play with; this could take a while, but it's doable. All that remains is to find out where these cards will take me within this wonderful future, which I'm rather sure of.

One year ago: Changes
Two years ago: A Loss Is... A Loss?

SwitchCon

As a linguist who's a Pokémon fan, I love to break down any matter related to both. That includes terms that may be conceived by fans around me (like one in the past year). One of those terms is the term that I've presented as the title of this post. It's a term that applies particularly well to the people in my raid group in pursuit of Meltan, or any Pokémon Go player with similar goals. And of course, it involves the Nintendo Switch and a process that I've outlined with the LGP/LGE games on discussing their uptake.

Actually, I have to admit that the term as I presented above is a translated presentation of the original term as perused by the fellows in my raid group. The original term combines "Switch" - which is obvious - and a word for "gathering". In translation, "gathering" is synonymous with several words that begin with "con" like "convention", "congregation", and "conference", so that was what I chose. It's a bit of a neologism, and I don't expect for it to catch on widely, but at least I've presented the original understanding of the term and a way the term could be generally used.

Regarding its possibility for me, I'm not sure when I will be able to participate in another "SwitchCon" so that I could transfer one of my Pokémon to the LGE owned by one of my raid fellows and have another chance to open the Mystery Box to catch more Meltan. I also haven't traded away any of the Meltan I caught by opening the Mystery Box... after I had completed the Meltan Special Research, of course. I'd love to be able to have the chance to open up the Mystery Box again, but I'll need to have done away with the previous Meltan I caught that are subpar and have no plans for.

The situation gets slightly more complicated as one did take place at a regional gathering that I wished I could have gone to, though on a more limited basis. Meanwhile, a friend (who doesn't play Go) had informed that he has LGP and it's being actively played (in fact, it has been completed), which means that there is a second possibility for a SwitchCon to take place with my friend. It is as equally intriguing for some of the fellows in my raid group, though it would need to be discussed quite further. Perhaps all of us need to get together to really plan things out, and then a SwitchCon just may happen.

Though I don't know when the next SwitchCon will occur, it remains wise to think about how it might happen and with whom it might happen. Given things that recently transpired, these are good things to think about in the hope that it might be realized soon. It's also wise for me as a linguist to take note of language phenomena such as terms and to break them down for my understanding as well as others. And if they involve Pokémon like this one does, they become all the more relevant for me, as well as other fans.

One year ago: Private vs. Public Raids?
Two years ago: The Times They Are a-Switchin'

Keep Calm and Carry On Researching

There's something I haven't covered in detail despite having written about event rollups for Pokémon Go for over half a year. That would be Field Research Breakthroughs, specifically the Pokémon that appears after completing Field Research tasks over the course of seven days. The last time I mentioned them was in last August's rollup, and I have only occasionally hinted about them afterwards. Now it seems useful to take one post to explain them, especially on this day of the week.

Today is Friday, and regarding Field Research Breakthroughs, today is what I call "Premium Friday", because I always claim the Field Research Breakthrough on this day. The reason, which is easily deduced, is that most Breakthroughs are Legendary or hard-to-get Pokémon. Therefore, it's "premium" by the most common understanding. Sure, other people may claim theirs on different days, but this is the way I've always claimed them by way of getting a stamp each day, and it's easy as long as I have a completed Field Research task on the ready. It's a personal thing, but it's what works for me.

As for the Breakthroughs, they've gotten quite remarkable since I formally mentioned them last time. Entei became the Pokémon in September, then it was Suicune in October (as I hinted in an EX Raid), followed by Shedinja in November (which I hinted as I discussed the Sinnoh Stone). In December, things got real fascinating, as the Breakthrough was random between the three birds and the three beasts, with the former being potentially Shiny. That allowed for surprising things to happen as players completed their Field Research, and it did - some people got Shiny birds while others got beasts with good stats. For this month and the next, the Breakthrough is still random, but Lugia and Ho-Oh are added into the mix for an additional twist. While it means more possibilities, it also means more surprises as Field Research is completed.

And that contributes to why I titled the post the way I did. With the way that Field Research Breakthroughs are now, it's best to just continue to complete the tasks, earn the stamps (each day if need be), and capture the Pokémon. The Breakthrough is random anyway and the chances may need to be maximized, unless a player has extremely great luck. In other words, it's "keep calm and carry on..." the Field Research, that is, because it's vital for anyone who doesn't have any of the Pokémon (particularly their Shiny forms), are looking for ones with good stats, or are interested in getting some fodder for trading. All those reasons would certainly apply to me.

In any case, Field Research Breakthroughs are safe (or unsafe, depending on viewpoints) for the next month. After that, things remain to be seen. But I'm not worried - I'm sure I can keep up my Field Research efforts and get some good things. That's surely benefited by remaining calm as well.

Now, I think I can already sense the next Field Research tasks to complete for next week's Premium Friday. I'd better get ready.

One year ago: Performance Critique: ACC 2018 Single Performance
Two years ago: Keychains!

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 1/24/2019

After having played Pokémon Go quite a bit over this month, I've been able to determine something about the past few events that have occurred: they're somewhat regressive yet strangely progressive. It's like what happened last year for April Fools, only less jocular and more substantial, plus contextually relevant to the game. So now it's time to recap what has happened in that regard with this month's edition of the event rollup.

Earlier in the first half of this month, there was an event called the Hatchathon. The Egg surprises from December's Holiday Event were effectively continued with this, which becomes the "regressive" part. The "progressive" part is that the Candies and Stardust obtained through hatching Eggs were doubled, which should have resulted in possible future interesting Pokémon candidates. I gained a maximum-CP Budew and Azurill along with the event, while others got different ones, like a much-celebrated Shiny Azurill. Given the bonuses, it definitely made a good start to the year, no matter what got hatched.

In the second half of the month, there is the Hoenn Celebration, which still continues today up until the middle of next week, closing up the month. With this event, third-generation Pokémon takes over appearances (as a bit of a regression from the recent fourth generation), and this is also complemented by event-specific Field Research tasks, Shiny forms for Zigzagoon and Taillow, and the move Grass Knot exclusively for Breloom. Further, to the joy of my raid group, Kyogre and Groudon returned as Level 5 raid bosses, and both could be Shiny as well. This also becomes the first time since last year that I'm able to raid Groudon, though by now I haven't encountered its Shiny form; others in my raid group have been more lucky, though it is still rather hard. The last few days of the event may hold some surprisingly progressive opportunities.

As part of the Hoenn Celebration, a few days ago, a new one-day event called Limited Research was held. This was the thing I hinted about a few days ago while reviewing an exhibition. The scheduling and timeframe was much like Community Day, and my area got Sunday, the same day as the exhibition. Over three hours, all PokéStops featured tasks that rewarded a specific Pokémon, which in this case was Feebas - plus its Shiny form; in that way, it was reminiscent of the Squirtle Community Day last year. Though my efforts were limited due to the exhibition, I still found it neat; it's a totally new paradigm and it can stand to be repeated differently in the future. I'm already looking forward to it.

I suppose it's OK to regress a bit in order to progress, and these events in this month seem to allow well for that. They bring back elements of the past to move forward on the future path. It is perhaps just what those playing Go need right now, like myself. What might develop in the future might just result from what happened recently, and at that point, there may be yet another opportunity to recollect from way back when, even today. It does seem like it can and could go both ways.

One year ago: Local Ex-Raid (and More), 1/24/2018
Two years ago: Electricity: Harness, Don't Exploit

Islands and Continents

There have been strong indications recently that the region for the eighth-generation Pokémon games - which will be on the Switch and likely be due later this year - will be set in an insular region based on the UK. With the regions for the main series games in the world of Pokémon being based on real locations, it would be natural to consider that there would be regions based on continents and islands. Yet perhaps this characteristic could be mulled over a bit more, especially regarding what they mean for the present and the future.

At present, there are four "continental" regions (Kanto, Johto, Unova, and Kalos) and three "insular" regions (Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Alola). The upcoming UK-like region is insular, which means it would even out the "insular" regions with the "continental" regions again. I say "again" because it would do what Sinnoh did four generations ago in making even Hoenn with Kanto and Johto: two "continental", two "insular". Whether or not this may continue in the future is not for me to say and could be considered jumping the gun a bit, but this could conceivably continue somehow. Of course, this may also be considered coincidental and that the meaning isn't much.

Even if they were to become unbalanced again, at least having both continental and insular regions is still natural, especially considering the current real world from which the regions were based. It's hard to imagine that things in the games keep happening on insular regions all the time, unless we're living in a water world and only islands are present. Likewise, we aren't living on the Pangaea of millions of years ago that may be rare in terms of large islands, so it just doesn't jive. And though either of these scenarios may happen in the very far future, for now we're safe - we'll still have continents and islands, and the world of Pokémon will still have them too.

That seems satisfactory enough: main series regions in the Pokémon games embody the spirit of "natural" and "current". They're parts of the world we know, just presented slightly differently, but more or less as we know them geographically today. And that's even before the creatures are factored in. That should give fans something to hope as more information about the new games with the UK-based region come to light soon, as well as things to expect in the later future of Pokémon based on the here and now.

One year ago: Passing the Guard
Two years ago: Two Pokémon Pillows

Fan Art... for Me!

I haven't brushed up (pardon the pun) on my Pokémon art skills recently, not even after I made a post on "artistic routine" some months ago. It's something I currently cannot focus to improve, which was true then and is still true at the moment. However, that does leave room for others to make remarkable works of Pokémon art, including someone who's a real fan of Ash/Satoshi... and of me, through my cosplay! The person happens to be the fan I mentioned some time ago. I'll discuss the fan aspect even further in some other post, but for now, I'd like to discuss the art aspect.

One of the more recent ones that the fan shared with me is a very colorful drawing of Ash with his Unova outfit tossing a Poké Ball. Of course, the real reason why this drawing was shared is because it is a "birthday gift" in some ways, which is highly evident due to the greeting up on top, and... because it has my name emblazoned on it, to the side! Ash's facial expression is rather neat and the pose looks really good; I should think about physically replicating this pose. The colorful background is what heightens the visual impact, despite being made on notebook paper (ignore the lines and the We Bare Bears image off to the side). It's a wonderful gift, and one of the more interesting ones in the past few years.

Backtracking a bit, one of the first works shared by the fan to me is a "humanoid version" of Eevee. It looks creative yet simplistic enough to be realized in cosplay, and one of my fellow female cosplayers could perhaps realize it - after all, there's a girl in the drawing. With the way that the drawing was made or its picture was taken, it does seem a bit reddish, though; a willing cosplayer could think about the light-brown color of actual Eevee and adjust all the parts color-wise. Further, this does remind me of a fellow cosplayer who did cosplay a humanoid version of Eevee, though it seems we never synchronized our plans. So, I do hope that maybe someone would be willing enough to do it now.

Moving forward, the most recent one that has been shared is another colorful drawing of Ash, this time with Pikachu, as well as a mixture of sparkles on the right side (with Ash and Pikachu) and a flurry of Pokémon things on the left, including a banner with the character names in English and Japanese. The visual impact is likewise similar, and the expression is also neat. The "To:" label on the upper-left corner also indicates that this is another birthday offering for me, but it could easily be for someone else as well. Knowing that the fan likes me a lot, just as much as Ash, the former appears to be quite true.

The keyword with all these drawings has to be "appreciation". I see quite a bit of appreciation for Ash and Pokémon, as well as quite a bit of appreciation for myself personally. This is quite remarkable considering the links that we have with one another. I too appreciate the effort that had been put into each one. My Pokémon drawing skills may not be up to snuff presently, but at least I can still admire and discuss the qualities of these ones. These are truly stellar pieces of fan art - in more ways than one!

One year ago: Costume and Cosplay Checklists
Two years ago: Pokémon World + Hero's Come Back = ...

Takara Tomy Arts Manmaru Pokémon Netsuke Sun & Moon - Torracat

One thing that's important for a toys exhibition like the one that was held the other day is a lot of toys and play items, in particular those that can be gotten from gacha machines, something that so happens to be popular among those who enjoy things of Eastern origin (like Pokémon) and everything associated with them. I like them, and so many of my Pokémon fellows, specifically the ones who collect figures. I had the opportunity to obtain one the other day, and the one I got seems really good.

The one that I got is a part of a series of five items, and it happened to be one of the more cheaply offered item series. The appeal of the series appears to be because of its cutesy sitting appearance. The five featured Pokémon in the series are Pikachu, Eevee, Torracat, Poipole, and Stufful; as evidenced, through the draw, I received Torracat, though I was rather hoping for Pikachu or at the least Poipole. But that's the risk you run with gacha items, which may turn out to be not what you were hoping to get. That said, I'm still OK with this one.

Torracat appears extremely detailed in its sitting pose, which is atypical for a quadrupedal Pokémon. This detail even goes to its backside, which is not immediately evident in the single picture above. It hangs by way of a metal hook and a red braided string rope with a loop at the end. This feature tells me that its usage may be a bit different than what is expected; it could be considered as a decoration for gadgets or any hanging items rather than as a keychain, but it could conceivably be used for that purpose if the keys are handled with care, along with the item.

I don't force myself to be a gacha person, at least not too often; I just take what comes naturally, like when I received this item. Some of my figure fellows, however, would probably be willing to expend funds and effort to get everything like in the set above, and I respect that. But with the quality and artistry of the item above, I'm not too displeased. In fact, given sufficient funds and the ability to encounter the same machine - perhaps at an exhibition as above - I may just return for another round.

One year ago: Cosplay: AsiA Cosplay Competition 2018, Day 2
Two years ago: Dreams of Itasha

Cosplay: Toys Week Season 2

Me: All right, this one should be neat. This theme event - or rather, an exhibition - is about toys, games, and play things, but characters like you are welcome.

Ash: That's great! There are figures, dolls, and little cars everywhere. And I see lots of things that you might like.

Pikachu: Pika pi-ka! [enthused]

Me: Yeah, but I can't necessarily buy them all, unlike catching Pokémon. I'm too short-funded for that. I'd have to think about the one thing I want and to get that one.

Ash: Oh, like when you thought about sending me here, right? Didn't you have to decide about that?

Me: I did. I was torn between my own Pokémon agenda and sending you here. But then I decided on the latter so that I could get in touch with more people. Besides, you did help out with some of what I was supposed to do, right?

Ash: Right! I helped you out in catching-

Pikachu: Pika pi! Pika pika! [interrupting to cut off]

Me: Wait, wait. I'll do the explaining on that one on some other post real soon. Thanks, Pikachu.

Pikachu: Pika! [compliments]

Ash: Oh, right, sorry. Well, at least I got in the character parade, but it seems like there's a lot that got in too, more than 40 or so. Oh yeah, the ones who held the parade wanted me to pose as well, like someone that people say is "bizarre".

Me: That's neat and unique; I've never heard of doing it like that. And how'd you do?

Ash: I changed the Z-Power pose a bit as if he could do it. You sent me with my Alola outfit complete with the Z-Ring, so it was right that you sent me with that. About the results, as you planned it, I couldn't stay long enough to hear about them. Maybe it'll be OK, but we won't know right away.

Pikachu: Pika... [wondering]

Me: Well, yeah, that's the thing with faraway events like this. We may or may not be lucky to hear about the results, depending on the length of stay.

Ash: By the way, I got you in touch with your figure friends again. I like being with them.

Me: So do I. They're an interesting lot, and it's great to be with them. That's part of why I decided to send you here, so you can do that.

Ash: And I got you something good by a machine draw too.

Me: Really? That should be good. I'll write something about it too.

Ash: This was so great. I hope there will be one like this again sometime.

Me: I hope so too. If it's anything like this one was, then I definitely want in - certainly with Pokémon too!

Pikachu: Pi, pikachu! [excited]

One year ago: Cosplay: AsiA Cosplay Competition 2018, Day 1
Two years ago: All in the Cards

Peace

I noted in my post about rivalries that it took me quite some time before I finally addressed the topic. I may have just the reason why that seems to be the case: I'm a peace-loving person. I'm not an advocate for hostilities to resolve any kind of conflict, nor would I want to be involved in them directly unless push comes to shove. And yet, with Pokémon involved in my life, this might seem like a contradictory situation, being that "battles" are involved. But there's still a sense that this can and does work out somehow.

In a post about sports that is now about one and a half years old, I noted that Pokémon battling may be considered the sport of the Pokémon world, notwithstanding conventional sports that may exist alongside, with or without a Pokémon twist. This is practically my consideration for what Pokémon battles can and should be, as something that is done in situations of peace. Though the games do show that Pokémon battles can take place in hostile conditions for conflict resolution, I would consider them as a last resort personally. I'd prefer to participate in them as athletes would in other kinds of sports... for which real Pokémon World Championship battles (VGC and TCG) could be considered to fall into as well, under the banner of "e-Sports", and may deserve a different discussion. As for rivalries themselves, I'd prefer to have mild ones that preserve good relationships rather than intense ones that create bad ones. In that way, peace can still prevail.

What I do in the real world and what I would do in the Pokémon world could be considered to have some parallels. I want to do something that is beneficial for the multitude, but not be necessarily involved in the front lines of conflict. An example that is shown in some Pokémon games is farming or ranching with Pokémon; it's perhaps something I would do in the real world if I weren't happy with what I do now and I had the skills to do it, while I'd heartily accept doing it in the Pokémon world. That doesn't mean I don't want to or won't get involved in Pokémon battles, again as the games indicate. There, I'd still consider it a game or a leisure activity that I'd take part in to support others who initiate them on a regular basis. And then this parallels what I do with the Pokémon games in real life.

A wise person once said that a person who avoids struggle, conflict, or debate, even if the person is right, is a good person. I won't disagree with that; that seems to be a good way of life in the real world, and perhaps the Pokémon world. Even so, it seems in either world I won't be able to completely escape conflict - especially considering the other topic of rivalries - and I may have to resort to doing something to resolve it. But if I can miraculously remove myself from the conflict yet still have it be resolved, then that would be a great thing indeed.

I suppose there's still room for peace in both of these two worlds. No matter what I do, I'll still be involved with both of them. It's only right, then, that I do good things in my real life and my Pokémon life that would sidestep much of the hostility that can make them a lot worse. In doing so, I can attempt to preserve peace as much as possible in and across the two worlds. And to end this post, I present a greeting from another game series that nicely sums up what I discuss:

Peace.

One year ago: Suspending My Disbelief
Two years ago: Ash, Satoshi, or... Ali?

Rivalries

In the two years that I have written about Pokémon things on this blog, it's a bit hard to believe that I haven't written up in detail about the topic that makes up the title of this post, though I have only occasionally mentioned it in a few posts. As I've mentioned in my post about the four pillars of Pokémon, one of those pillars is "battle", and this is naturally expected to result in rivalries among contenders, which happens to be so in different ways. This becomes something important to be discussed as well.

The virtual rivalries - as in the main series games - are certainly a part of this. They've been with the games since the first moment, which also means that this is practically dictated. It's rather obvious that in the world of Pokémon, there are others that are willing to continue to battle against someone else in the course of one-upping each other, which makes them rivals. The fact that the player is given one is a not-so-subtle reminder that this is really the case, and because of the mirroring between the virtual world and the real one, it does not become hard to expect that the same occurs in the latter.

In fact, it does. Though I'm somewhat out of touch with VGC, I can detect some rivalries among some of my fellows; it's not intensely heated, but it's a real rivalry nonetheless. Even Go can have rivalries - recently I detected one between one of my raid fellows with a player that seems to be outside of my raid group. It has come to my attention, however, that the player has joined my raid group and the two have become aware of each other and the rivalry. Whether this will heat up again soon is another matter, but the two cases prove that rivalries can be and are real.

In some sense, however, rivalries can also be indirect. Rangers in the Pokémon world could be considered to be rivals of one another, perhaps by comparing their degrees of helpfulness, though they are not really meant to be as such. On a more realistic level, parameters could be used to compare players of Go, and a system of such parameters has indeed been created, based on my observations. They're indirect because the ones involved don't deal with one another in immediate contact, but because the point is to see if others can be one-upped, they can be considered rivalries in a way.

Rivalries are not a pillar of Pokémon, but they could be considered a consequence of those pillars, in particular the pillar of "battle". This is something that does and has to happen with people who are constantly trying to one-up each other. Based on what I've seen, I won't be able to escape it while I'm still with Pokémon, and I suppose I'll accept that, just as I'll accept the fact that I have to discuss it in detail sooner or later on this blog... as in, here and now.

One year ago: (Almost) A Pokémon Party
Two years ago: Pokémon Art Academy - More Than Just Pokémon Art

Wonderful Opportunities

As my previous-year posts below indicate, today is indeed my birthday, again. This time, I wish to discuss about opportunities, specifically ones that involve Pokémon. This is something that I've become alerted to earlier today after a talk with one of my peers. And I do believe that these can be (and are) wonderful as well, especially with Pokémon in tow.

When I met a fellow player by chance during last December's "Super Community Day", I thought nothing much of it. I thought the person is great, although more special once the person joined my raid group. However, a little later on, the person informed me that the person, along with some immediate family members, runs a clock and watch shop that is easily approachable from where I live... and in fact, I had already been to it once to get one of my clocks repaired, but I never thought much about this either. This is wonderful indeed, even more so because it resulted by way of playing a Pokémon game, in this case Go.

I then decided that I needed to go back to that shop, and I did. The next time I went to the shop, we met and and talked some more, along with taking care of a few things in Pokémon Go. Further, I was given this:

This is a tag that the shop provides for free in case someone wanted to purchase a clock or a watch as a birthday present. The writing actually says "Happy birthday - best wishes for a long life", in translation. There are actually several varieties of this tag, and this happens to be the Pokémon variant, identifiable with the Pikachu face and Pikachu-yellow background, as well as Pikachu on the lower-right corner. This tells me that the person and family may have at least been aware of Pokémon even before I met the person, which would be wonderful as well. I chose to discuss this tag today for obvious reasons.

This is one kind of opportunity that I seek, which is to have fun and let others join in on that fun. Another kind of opportunity that I seek is to do good things and be rewarded for them. In some sense, upon meeting the person, we have sought and fulfilled these kinds of opportunities by playing. Of course, by posting in this blog, that may help to fulfill both of these opportunities, though the results may not be currently and/or fully evident.

What I can say is that with Pokémon, I have some chance to seek and fulfill these opportunities. Everything that Pokémon offers may let me do so in different ways, including the case of above with Pokémon Go. I'm certain that anything else that I choose to do that is related to Pokémon will reveal more opportunities. And if they're as great as what happened above, then they're truly wonderful.

It's a wonderful day. Happy birthday to me.

One year ago: 30 Going on 10... Or Something Like It
Two years ago: A Pokémon Party?

Pokémon Conversations

A day ago, I woke up to an interesting Pokémon happening, not unlike another one that happened a few days ago. As soon as I checked my phone, I was drawn into a dynamic conversation about the behavior and properties of certain Pokémon, including Mega Slowbro (particularly regarding how it moves on land) and Mega Heracross (particularly its lack of wings). I found this rather enlightening and wondrous, and so I had to discuss the nature of these conversations - that are more related to specific tidbits of Pokémon things and less about the overall games, anime, or whatnot - on this blog in a post.

Certainly, the conversations can be as above, in discussing the features of Pokémon. Beyond what the Pokédex texts tell about them and any other related information, there may still be some room for suppositions. Observations may also contribute in this regard, for which a few were given above. Another friend contributed a different example today, regarding the geta-like appearance of the feet of Shiftry and how its movement is or could be similar. With over 800 Pokémon, there's bound to be something that escapes (or instead maybe catches) attention of fans like me and therefore become worthy of discussion.

The merits of human characters may also be discussed. A fellow Pokémon fan, also a few days ago, also attempted to start up a discussion about the ways of Brock as the "hopeless romantic". These may be a bit more speculative in nature due to subjective impressions, but to explore and possibly gain insights about the characters. And of course, they're humans after all, so we stand to gain insights about ourselves in the process. This too is a wondrous thing.

Though non-creature and non-human elements or things may be discussed as well, since they serve mostly to complement them and not necessarily be a main attraction, this would become highly speculative. It's hard to discuss about them objectively when there's not much to go on about them beyond their appearance and what they can and/or are supposed to do. Even so, these can prove to be helpful aids or pointers in the discussion of the other two tidbits.

As social beings, it's hard to imagine people not getting into conversations with one another. It's harder still being presented with all the detailed things in Pokémon and not to discuss about them. On that note, it's totally valid for the conversations as above to occur, especially if these help to elucidate matters that may seem obvious at the surface but complex deep inside. I find that sufficiently wondrous as a Pokémon fan, which makes me expectant of what detail might be discussed next.

One year ago: Be the Best... or Be Different?
Two years ago: My Pokémon Anime Epoch

Keeping Up with VGC

As much as I try to keep up with everything about Pokémon, there are some things that I (inevitably) lag behind with. One of those things is VGC battling using the main series games, which is undoubtedly a pinnacle for those really interested in Pokémon. This is something I've mentioned in a post about being stuck in disillusionment two months ago, and now it seems to be something I have to expand on. Admittedly, it's gotten somewhat troublesome personally.

The structure of VGC this (competitive) year seems to compound the problems. As I've previously noted, it's actually divided into the three series of Sun, Moon, and Ultra. I tend to be slow in the preparation of my teams, so this structure presents the challenge that if I don't prepare teams quickly enough, I'm left in the dust... which I am. The series just transitioned to the second one (Moon), so I'd need to prepare teams that fit this condition. But perhaps the biggest constraint is that I'm now also preparing my future, Pokémon or otherwise, and though VGC would qualify for the former, I have to take what I can move into and contribute the most at the moment, and VGC doesn't quite yet measure up.

In that sense, I've become like a friend who I might have mentioned previously, and whose situation is much like this... at least, the last time I checked. We may still be in the same boat. The only really major difference is that he's somewhat more adept than I am in VGC, and he was actually one of the few that offered assistance as I reported in a post last year. At this point, it may be infeasible for assistance, which means if I were to craft a team, it would be primarily with what I can scrounge up, which seems to have always been the case with VGC and be why the priority is low.

I'm still fond of VGC, though; three years ago, I had participated with a better-looking team, though still scrounged up, and didn't really make headway regardless. I'm also in occasional contact with those who are still into this. Most importantly, this concerns the main series of Pokémon games, which is something I'll always play - it's the reason why I have this blog today. Any efforts I've taken regarding this area of Pokémon is surely worth to be discussed on this blog, which is an incentive to still maintain some interest in it. Yet for the time being, it has to be contained somewhat.

VGC has been problematic for me on many occasions, but this time may be the most problematic of all because I can't seem to keep up. But if this post is any indication, I still maintain observation on it, because it's just as much part of Pokémon as any other things related to it. And I'll still observe, observe, and observe - but then I'll jump back in when the time is right. At that point, I can then say that I have kept up.

One year ago: Here Comes an Ex-Raid
Two years ago: Cosplay: AsiA Cosplay Competition, Day 2

Pokémon Theme Park Ideas

A few people have postulated that Pokémon could be realized as a theme park in some form, as a way to generate even greater revenue for the franchise. Personally, this idea seems good enough; I've been to a number of theme parks, and one with a Pokémon theme may be enticing for both people and finances. I've even played the PokéPark series of games, which alludes to this concept and contributes to it. However, this concept could perhaps be mulled over a bit more before being realized, which becomes the purpose of this post.

While PokéPark is suggestive of a fantasy theme park, it might not be the best idea to directly realize its presented concepts as an actual theme park. The reason is because, of course, the concepts are highly related to Pokémon - as in the creatures themselves. Thus the concepts might not be applicable to the human side of enjoyment, unless they are to be reworked in some way for that. Fortunately, Pokémon has many elements that involve people, so it is preferable that these elements be realized first.

That does lead to the issue of realization. As Pokémon is one of Nintendo's franchises, it would be fitting to realize it as part of a "Nintendo park", with its own section. If only one park was to be realized, this could be a good solution, with one or two attractions each for both the people side of things and the Pokémon side of things (for example, a "battle zone" for the former and a "Pokémon experience zone" for the latter). A Pokémon Center would naturally be present to cover all the remaining bases. This solution may at least be workable.

Even so, Pokémon is something to behold on its own, even financially, so the solution that makes the most sense is to have a Pokémon theme park all on its own. This idea opens up all sorts of possibilities for organization (by region, by type, or even by themes as above to name a few), and may even be inclusive of some of the concepts in PokéPark. A Pokémon Center remains a necessity even for this solution; it's something that has to be present even for this idea. The details remain something that has to be explored.

I'd love to see a Pokémon theme park, as do all the other fans that have postulated the idea. If the PokéPark games haven't suggested that this is something really great, reality suggests that it may be so. The included concepts may have to be thought over some more, but there may just be a way to make everything work. Whether integrated or separate, it's almost certain anyone who enjoys Pokémon would be attracted to come, have fun, and contribute something. And that should be pretty nice if it means more enjoyment for us and more revenue for the franchise.

One year ago: Playing the Meta Game
Two years ago: Cosplay: AsiA Cosplay Competition, Day 1

Pokémon Go Community Day + Local EX Raid, 1/13/2019

Today, I got a 2-for-1 deal. Usually, with the way things are in Pokémon Go, I'd participate in either Community Day or a local EX Raid on one day, but not both in the same day, let alone concurrently (although March last year came quite close, being one day after another). Today, that's exactly what happened: both were on the same day - today - and concurrent with each other. And that necessitated a few changes in plans.

Usually, I'd go to the place near where I live to partake in Community Day by spreading Lure Modules all over the PokéStops there (with others who do the same), but because of the EX Raid, that wasn't possible. Instead, I went to the place where the EX Raid takes place and spread Lure Modules in the surrounding area. It turns out the extensive number of PokéStops there allowed for this to nicely happen, even if it seemed fewer. As well, "invisible forces" seemed to contribute more than I did in this regard. The initial procedure remained the same as any Community Day, which began at 10 AM in my area: walk around to catch as many Pokémon as I could. The exception was that I had to get back to the EX Raid Gym by 11 AM...

...which was when the EX Raid took place. The EX Raid also notably happened at the same Gym that hosted it around two weeks ago. The perks for this one are the same as that one and need not to be explained. Things also went much the same way, by forming impromptu groups to take down Deoxys in its Attack Form. This was even more pertinent given that it happened in the midst of Community Day, and most were interested to just "get things done" and get back to the main and more important objective of Community Day. I have to say that things were quite effortless, if the actual raid weren't already so: Deoxys obliged only after two balls thrown, which is really great. After that, it was back to Community Day as usual.

No, this is NOT the Totodile EX Raid.
I just had to hurry up from Deoxys.

The perks for this Community Day were Totodile (which automatically means Hydro Cannon as the special move for its final evolution of Feraligatr), the standard extended Lure Modules and Shiny forms, and accelerated Egg hatching - the last of which is immensely helpful. It's a little sad that Totodile just missed being with last year's Johto starters, but it doesn't matter; perhaps it might return in December as everything did last year. Another perk is that in my area, everything seemed to go off without a hitch - with the only exception being that most Totodile were a bit subpar - though in other areas there have been reports of sparse appearances. As well, those other areas had their Community Days earlier yesterday; this scheduling was actually instituted for the bonus periods in December, so I suppose this was to replicate that. But now it's other areas that get problems first, before my area.

Meet the "min" boss...

Back to the EX Raid, since this EX Raid is with Community Day, I don't have a tag for it in the title, the first one since I began to take part in them. If I were to suggest a tag, it would be "max and min", because it was more "maxed" on Community Day and diminished on the EX Raid. Further, today in an alternate EX Raid that happened at 6 PM, some caught a Deoxys with maximum CP, while the Deoxys I caught earlier today was the one with the minimum CP, which is odd, but just a splendid case as it is for the maximum. The tag seems to be rather appropriate.

I wouldn't rule out having more EX Raids concurrently on the same day as Community Days, even though it seems that either may detract from the other. The EX Raid scheduling may soon drift to allow this to not happen for quite some time. But if it does happen again in the future, I'm all for it, especially if the area facilitates for both. At least now I know what to do and what to expect.

One year ago: My Pokémon Show
Two years ago: Pokémon and Cosplay

These Sides of Paradise

There's a strange connection between two songs titled "This Side of Paradise". One of them is a rather minor hit by a well-known singer. The other one is a Pokémon song, serving as the English ending theme to the seventh movie, titled Destiny Deoxys in English. Other than the fact they have the same title, the connection between them seems scant. But it could be regarded as wonderful too.

I wanna know what they're not tellin'
And I don't wanna hear no lies
I just want something to believe in
Ah - it's a lonely lonely road we're on
This side of paradise
-- "This Side of Paradise", Bryan Adams

This song, with its three verses and three choruses plus a bridge, is hopeful and a little fantastical, even if it may not sound too optimistic. It can be considered an "honest plea" for the truth from someone on the darker side, as the chorus quoted above indicates. If anything, it suggests that there may be hidden hope, for someone living on a different side of "paradise". And if that hope is uncovered...

This side of paradise, is where I want to be.
This side of paradise, for you and me.
This side of paradise, what you get is what you see.
And I never thought I'd see a place as nice,
This side of paradise.
-- "This Side of Paradise", Bree Sharp

...then it may lead someone to the brighter side, to where the real "paradise" is. That's where this song comes in with its two verses and two choruses. It's quite optimistic, and it's also quite inviting. Perhaps it may be considered as an "answer song" to the other song, since some similar concepts are addressed (darkness and light, taking to the skies and going to space, and togetherness). Fundamentally, it's a full realization of the suggested hope.

Interestingly, both are rock songs and share a similar structure: verses followed by choruses. In contrast, the first song has a male vocalist, and the second has a female vocalist. The "answer song" theory makes sense in this regard, if it isn't already apparent considering the similar concepts described above, and no matter how coincidental it might be for the two songs concerned.

I've always played the songs in conjunction and in the same order above due to their exact same title, and with the above considerations, it just seems like that is meant to be. The latter song may not have been created with the former song in mind, but they do seem to connect somehow. I suppose that is the wonderful thing about them aside from their shared titles; these sides of paradise may just be where things are really at, especially for this Pokémon fan.

One year ago: Another Big Shuffle Update
Two years ago: In-Game Trainer Name Inspirations

Pokédex Texts and Information

The other day, a friend who likes Pokémon to some extent and I were talking about how certain species of Pokémon could be perceived differently among people. The issue that was brought up was similar to a question raised last year about what animal a specific Pokémon resembles. I reasoned that to pin things down, there would have to be a certain unity in the information provided about Pokémon. This certainly relates to the all-important source of information about them, the Pokédex.

In a different post, I've already discussed how certain games may have different Pokédexes based on their organization. This seems to extend to the texts that explain how Pokémon look and behave. One text may explain one set of characteristics of a particular Pokémon, while another may explain a different set of characteristics. To some extent, this is respectable, as the limited space for the texts doesn't permit every single characteristic to be explained. And yet, there is a sense that the texts have to be harmonious somehow.

Some characteristics are already standard and well-known, like types as well as heights and weights, and these have to be referenced or alluded in some way. A characteristic that is standard but perhaps not as well-known is the species identifiers of Pokémon, something that I and others were made aware when we were quizzed on it during a particular figure gathering. This could be something that is more often referenced and be made more well-known. Beyond that, other characteristics can be indexed so that information on Pokémon don't conflict with what is already known, even though some ambiguity might still remain.

It would be impossible to expect that every single Pokédex would contain every single piece of information related to Pokémon, but at least some of the pieces of information and their texts could gracefully indicate what is already definitely known about specific Pokémon, even with a minor allusion. The rest would be up to everyone else to extrapolate... and at least, that task would be easier and less prone to differences in perception, as I and my friend discovered back then. Hopefully we can "remain on the same page" about things that relate to certain Pokémon species.

One year ago: A Song for the Lonely, et Cetera
Two years ago: My Path Through the Main Series

Custom Pokémon Merchandise

In discussing Pokémon merchandise made out of ceramics in my post the other day, I mentioned the possibility of custom merchandise, though I stopped short of explaining how this could possibly be realized. A custom merchandise would be one that I would request to be made, which can then be sold not just for me, but for other people as well. It almost alludes to doujin or indie merchandise, only the conception involves me personally. And it's something that has a great deal of possibility.

In the case of ceramics as in the other post, I could perhaps request some kind of Pokémon figure to one of the ceramic shops; they then would oblige and produce the figure for me, and perhaps produce more to account for the possibility of other interested people in the figure. Granted, they may need incentive for the production, but they might just consider it for others that may be interested in the same. Regardless, this would become Pokémon merchandise that is primarily uniquely created for me, and thus "custom".

A similar process could apply for other custom Pokémon merchandise. I'd submit a merchandise suggestion (for example, a notebook with a certain design) to a maker, then the maker would create the merchandise and be open to offer it for sale to others. It's still "custom" since I have a contribution to it and I conceived the idea, even if the novelty is decreased by it being offered to others. It would remain truly "custom" if it was truly for me and no one else.

It does seem like the way that this merchandise is, it blurs the line between "creation" and "merchandise", which happens to be two tag categories for my posts on this blog. At the least, anything that I've personally created by my own efforts and shared here will get the "creation" tag, which it otherwise won't. And if it's something physical that I can offer or can be offered to others as a gift or for sale, then it would get the "merchandise" tag. The "custom" merchandise would then really stay "merchandise" by this line of reasoning, even if I ended up being the maker.

Even with the great deal of Pokémon merchandise out there, whether official or indie, I'd sometimes have the desire to have something that's unique and personal. Custom Pokémon merchandise would definitely fill this void. I could request it to be made with me in mind, or perhaps I could even make something of my own and then offer it to others - while keeping one for myself, of course. Now I'm even more intrigued to see that it can happen.

One year ago: A Pokémon-Pikachu Balloon
Two years ago: Where It All Started

Pokémon Ceramics

Near the place where I live, there is a locally famous place named "Ceramic Alley". It's named that way because there are several ceramic and pottery shops that peddle many interesting wares, including some based on popular culture features. The last time I was there, I hadn't found any related to Pokémon, though perhaps if I looked harder, I would find some; they may even be open to requests for custom wares, including related to Pokémon. This is something that has prompted me to discuss about this kind of merchandise.

Due to the fragile nature of this kind of merchandise and given the friendly-to-all nature of Pokémon, this is one kind of merchandise that may not be expected to be officially expanded. However, some form of ceramics may be expected to be available, and included among those are things like mugs and bowls. These are reasonably basic and have the potential to be enjoyed by anyone who likes Pokémon. Admittedly, though, this may appeal for the older of fans, who will have the care for even these basic things. Beyond the basics, things get somewhat intricate.

A possible kind of ceramic merchandise for Pokémon could be a savings container, most likely in the shape of certain Pokémon. This would be impressive, but to keep it that way, it would have to be designed with a plug (for retrieving money) to maintain use rather than designed to be broken to do so. Then, there could be various holders for plants or candles and so on; these would have to appeal to those who enjoy those things in addition to Pokémon. Figures too could be made out of ceramics, but these would be expected to be heavier than their plastic counterparts and require a lot of care. This last part seems to apply well for any of these.

Ceramic Pokémon merchandise is an intriguing idea, if not for its complications. Even at its simplest, this takes some amount of care and appreciation, which only increases with complex merchandise. But for any really dedicated Pokémon fan - like me - they could possess just enough of them to be interested in this kind of merchandise. I certainly do, and I have quite a bit, especially considering that locally famous place. I may have to come back to Ceramic Alley to satisfy myself regarding merchandise of this kind.

One year ago: Hitching a Raid Ride
Two years ago: A Tale of Two Shirts

A Pokémon Case Analytic Scenario

As I've mentioned in my post about the Detective Pikachu game, mystery adventures are something that I enjoy outside of Pokémon. Bringing this back into Pokémon results in the aforementioned game, as well as the upcoming movie based on this game. This doesn't stop me from wondering how cases might arise involving Pokémon and how they might be analyzed. Today, I have one possible scenario... or rather, this scenario came to me in a dream last night, something that every so often occurs.

In the dream, I was tasked to find a Floatzel in a neighborhood, which had apparently appeared. There were signs that it appeared at certain times, and I came to this conclusion after consulting with different people. Further, I also determined that the Pokémon came because it was seeking another Pokémon, which was Politoed; anything that apparently looked like a Politoed seemed to be the trigger for the Floatzel to appear. Knowing this, I displayed a silhouette of a Politoed, and indeed the Floatzel came. In the rest of the dream, I tracked the Pokémon with a camera, which also involved an additional interaction with a passing Yanma. This is a remarkable vision that I just had to note down and read over.

What is additionally remarkable about this dream is that I did all the analysis by myself, without the aid of Pikachu as is the norm in the game and the upcoming movie. With my capabilities, it may be something that I can do even now, but it might take extra effort and time. Therefore, the alternative interpretation is that Pikachu was there to guide me, but it was transparently presented in the dream. All the decisions I made and the actions I took to get Floatzel to show up were the results of my own reasoning, but also helped by the insights provided by Pikachu. Either interpretation seems valid enough.

There's still quite a bit of time before the Detective Pikachu movie comes out for me to obtain a copy of the game and play it through, so that I achieve full understanding of the game in preparation for full understanding of the movie. Regardless, I will still enjoy mystery adventures in and out of Pokémon, and yet, having the latter with the former is an excellent thing. Another one may just perhaps present itself to me at some other time through a dream, as the one I had last night did.

One year ago: The Three-Count
Two years ago: On the Subject of Go

Family Affairs

Some of the members in my raid group are actually related by blood as a family, or have a family that participates in playing the game. The latest of these is a member who is the nephew of someone who joined a little earlier, the latter of whom is in fact someone I actually introduced to the group. This fact has prompted me to discuss how Pokémon can become a family affair, for the games and beyond.

The example of a real family playing Pokémon Go as above is a perfectly fine example, as the game is very much accessible for anyone who owns a smartphone; children are even facilitated to log in to Go by way of Niantic Kids, something introduced some months ago to let them play. But then families have different members, and they may become interested in different aspects of Pokémon. The older ones may prefer something as simple as Go, while the younger ones might be more interested in the complex main series. Between them, there may be those who are just or additionally interested in non-game aspects like the anime and figures. There is something for everyone to like.

Of course, a family consists of the nuclear family - parents and children - as well as the extended family with all the relatives. It might be hard to see all of these enjoy Pokémon in some way, but it would definitely be impressive. The nuclear family that enjoys Pokémon is already something to behold. Further, if this enjoyment can be passed on to the next generation, this may be the progenitor of a larger family that enjoys Pokémon in the future. Pokémon has already been around only for a fraction of a lifetime, so in the years ahead, there may very well be more people in families that enjoy Pokémon, and that should be a great thing, especially if it's made to happen.

It may be some time before I see more family members in my raid group. Until then, the ones that are already present are quite indicative enough that Pokémon can be a family affair. The family members don't have to take part in every aspect of Pokémon, but a few may suffice. They can even pass the attraction to others of the same or different generations. That seems to be what has happened in my raid group, and this is something that can happen with any other aspect regarding Pokémon.

One year ago: Rethinking Salt
Two years ago: Tournament: Local Friendly, 1/7/2017

...With Gatherings and Safari Zones for All

Today, there was actually a Pokémon Go gathering that served all the regional raid communities in my region; I didn't go, however, because I wanted to recover and take a break after yesterday's event, as well as other reasons to be detailed below. And then, later this month, Brazil will be getting a Safari Zone event, for which I don't have the means to go, and even if I did, it would be too far. The meetup and event have prompted me to discuss about them, in particular for my area.

The regional gathering is a great idea, which makes me (and some others in my raid group) wonder why we didn't hear about it in advance - it was only informed to my raid group a couple of days prior to the actual event. Perhaps if we did, we'd have the chance to send in a few (more) representatives and make actual travel plans; the gathering took place in a town I've never been to and wouldn't dare to go except with a few friends and a definite plan. That way, we can at least enliven the festivities. If possible, this should be made a regular occurrence to give everyone the chance to meet and expand our networks. Moreover, the next gathering could be held and hosted in a different town or city, preferably a major one - even mine - to allow the chance for more people to come. I might not hesitate to join if that's the case.

And then there's the issue of Safari Zones. My area is not likely to get one, but a different area in my resident country would be more attractive and perhaps would draw players from everywhere. It might be a stretch, but I and a few of my raid group fellows would likely want to join in. Such an event would also be highly publicized through the game and otherwise, like previous Safari Zone events. If the necessary prerequisites can be fulfilled, it might turn out to be a great success. Some months ago, I had heard that there was a proposal to request one by mass communication, but nothing seemed to come out of it. Given that even Brazil is getting one, it would be amazing if a Safari Zone actually happened.

The gathering is a locally specific and independent initiative that has some worth of being coordinated further to allow more to join. Meanwhile, a Safari Zone event would be a larger event that would be grander for not only local players but also international ones that wish to join in. Either way, a future prospect for any of these two things would bode well for me and many other local Pokémon Go players. It would be rather nice to be able to play this one game, incredible, with gatherings and Safari Zones for all.

One year ago: More Odd Poké-Pika Things
Two years ago: A 3DS Story

Cosplay: Bunkasai XXI

Me: Well, it looks like we have a chance to have that thing we talked about a week ago. I didn't think one could come so soon.

Ash: So what's the deal with this one?

Pikachu: Pika pika? [inquisitive]

Me: It's a school event. It seems to have a lot of backing, so that's why I sent you here.

Ash: Oh, I see. I guess because of that, you'd think it'd be popular right? But I don't see much - just a small stage, a few stands, and lots of students.

Me: Yeah. I suppose it's because it's held on a Saturday that things are slow. If it was held on a Sunday, it'd be a different story. Let's check out the competitions.

Ash: Let's see... there's a character competition and - is that someone singing? I guess there's a singing competition. But I got told that everyone else had already signed up for that.

Pikachu: Pi. [disappointed]

Me: Well, that's OK. Let's just go with the character competition. I had heard there was that other competition, so I sent you with the Sinnoh outfit to prepare. Plus, it's a tradition, you know, whether or not that one happened.

Ash: Right. This is my first time here... and I guess it's the first time for this school theme event?

Me: A friend of mine just told me about that, and yes, it's true. It was her school, and they're holding something new. Yet I can't help but think that it's rather school-oriented.

Ash: Pikachu and I can see that. Everything's a bit here and there. Seems it's a good try for a first time. They've even got a dance competition, which is always popular. Maybe it'll get better next time.

Pikachu: Pi, pika pika. [supportive]

Me: I suppose so. By the way, how's the character competition?

Ash: I didn't win. It was me against 18 or so others, and only the best three won. And it was a simple street competition without performance. At least I had fun.

Me: That's what counts. This event is standard but somewhat minimal, even odd. I feel almost guilty for sending you here.

Ash: No problem. And I know that you had to decide on sending me here, but I think you were right when you did decide. And it seems fine to start off this year with something small like this one! Right, Pikachu?

Pikachu: Pi! Pika Pika! [approves]

Me: Sure! Expect more of these throughout this year. Be ready.

Ash: We will!

Pikachu: Pika! [adding to agree]

One year ago: The Music of Go
Two years ago: Alt+0233 and Its Kin

The Loading Screen of Go

There are a lot of things to like about various Pokémon games. They can be part of the gameplay itself or some other aspects that are still tied to the games. The ones I'm discussing in this post fit into the latter category. I happen to enjoy the loading screen of Pokémon Go, which appears after logging in or directly after the company logos. The reason is that it's attractive, and it changes.

Of course, this wasn't always the case. As I've noted in my post about three food chain axioms, the loading screen originally contained an image of a Trainer walking on a bridge with a Gyarados beside it, appearing as if about to devour the Trainer. This is along with the customary warning to stay alert and the progress bar on the bottom. The illustration was rather simple, but it seemed to get the point across: that the warning on the screen is to be heeded. The exclamation point in a circle only helped to strengthen the message.

Since then, every once in a while, the image has occasionally changed, in particular for a notable occasion. The occasion can be the introduction of a new feature (for example, Research) or a special time of the year (for example, Halloween). In fact, the image just recently changed to celebrate the occasion of the new year. With all the changes, however, the warning and progress bar has remained, though slightly de-emphasized, if I may say. Yet the warning still applies and the progress bar remains an important indicator.

I certainly have my favorite images from all the images that have been presented. The recently added PvP feature was commemorated with an image of two Trainers battling each other, one with an Electivire and the other with a Lucario, and I love the vividness of the image. The New Year image seems to be a continuance of this, featuring the same Trainers and Pokémon - with some additions - looking up at the sky filled with fireworks, some forming "2019" to indicate the new year; this continuance aspect is rather remarkable and likely the first time it has been done. Another one that I like is the one for the 2017 Holiday Event; it mostly features Pokémon, but it's still rather festive. The art team for the images seems to try to do its best to make every image look great, and for that, they have to be thanked.

The Pokémon Go loading screen may be a relatively small part of the game, and one that is quickly forgotten once the actual game loads, but it remains a part of the game nonetheless. For such a small part, it also seems to receive quite a bit of attention with its image being changed every so often. I still like that, and it makes me like the whole game and playing it as much as I do like this small part.

One year ago: Team Assistance and Secrecy
Two years ago: "They can imitate you, but they can't duplicate you..."

Home and Heart... and Hope

Look to love and you may dream,
And if it should leave then give it wings.
But if such a love is meant to be;
Hope is home, and the heart is free.
-- "Hope Has a Place", Enya

A week and a half ago, I discussed about a Pokémon song about home and heart. The titular phrase of the song has two keywords, "home" and "heart". This reminds me of another song which contains those two keywords in a phrase, along with a third, "hope" - and it's the one for which the chorus is quoted above. The distance between both songs is a little great, but it's something that Pokémon helps to bridge.

Here's where the singer's statement about interpretations - which I've discussed in yet another distant song - comes into its own. Like that other song, this one hints at love between people, but I don't see how it can't involve Pokémon also. The bond of those who deal with Pokémon (including Trainers) may be just as significant and emotional as with other people. And in the context of this song, they may all be just the ones that give hope. The third verse in particular is evocative of the people who make their way through life with Pokémon, for which it may be the different creatures that give different hope.

As for relating all three keywords, that takes a little bit of a deeper thinking. Whilst the other song can be considered to evoke "home, close to home", this one can be considered to evoke "home, away from home". But for someone whose journeys may take one far, far away or even just a little closer to home, either one seems to be just as important, especially with Pokémon in tow. Wherever home is, it seems just enough to give hope for anyone, with a little attachment.

It seems a little fanciful to think about both songs in this way, but it's imaginatively sweet and a little inspiring as well. It's hard not to think about homes in the hearts of people, as well as those that give rise to hope. Whether the latter would be people or Pokémon, they are wonderful indeed. As far as I'm concerned, anyone whose lives are linked to Pokémon, like me, might find the evocations in both songs appreciable - and I do.

One year ago: Now Accepting Donations
Two years ago: Confessions and Concessions