Tournament: Raid Group Forest Cup

Before the month ends, my raid group certainly has to hold the tournament or cup for the Forest theme, and that happened to be today, the very last day of the month. This month had a lot going on (aside from the obvious current circumstances), so the tournament was forced to be scheduled on this very day. That is still better than no tournament at all, since my raid group is in it for the long haul anyway and needs to serve the needs of its fighting Trainers as well as that of faraway guests thanks to the stand-in remote format.

Unfortunately, it seems the last-moment circumstance took a toll on the tournament. This time, only 17 participants were present at the time check-in was closed, and one dropped soon after with another dropped later on for continued absence during the matches, leaving 15. Three others didn't check in, essentially dropping out just before it started; 13 others stated interest but didn't follow up, which is a shame, since they could have made the tournament more lively. This tournament, by all standards, had a rather small number of participants, unlike most previous ones.

Like the previous tournament, the tournament staff also laid down a few ground rules. Using the 10-minute window for "technical difficulties", if a Trainer did not respond to a challenge request for a match within that time, there was the consideration to declare a loss for the not-responding Trainer, and this happened for the Trainer who was continually absent for the matches, who was eventually dropped after the third round. A timer system was also implemented, though matches that progressed rather slowly due to connection issues obviated the system.

As with some recent tournaments, I didn't do so well in terms of rankings: I was third from the bottom, not including the two who were dropped. However, in terms of winnings, they seem to be more evenly spread out; everyone won at least once and 10 won at least twice not counting bye wins. I salvaged my only match win in the third round and I had a close call in the fourth and a bye in the fifth; the rest was a washout. This was even with what seems to be a considerably OK team of Pokémon. Something about my execution doesn't seem to be right. Another interesting thing occurred: I only had to remove and add one friend (a common occurrence in remote tournaments as I've previously mentioned) and that friend is someone I wish to be friends with, while I fought the same Trainer twice in two rounds for the first time ever. Otherwise, things still turned out "meh".

At this point, everyone is ready to move on. It's the end of the month and the theme, and everyone is ready for a new theme and new challenges starting tomorrow - more on the former soon. At least before moving on, my raid group had the chance to hold the necessary tournament for the theme. Not many may have participated this time, but that's the least of the problems (aside from that which occurred with a few participants in this one). There is always a chance for certain happenings during the tournaments, and this tournament had a bit of that.

One year ago: A New Pokémon "Wave"

Two years ago: Off We Go... to Alola!

Three years ago: I Need More Rumble World Players

Team Rocket, Minus Motto

For those who have gotten acquainted with the Pokémon anime, the entry of the Team Rocket trio is a characteristic part of many episodes. The part where they recite the motto is something that is essential... or maybe that's what it seems. For some people, it may be that they can get by without the recitation of said motto. This might seem like a controversial idea, but it might be one that merits certain considerations for the situation.

After watching most of the latter episodes of the recent local dub of the Alola saga of the Pokémon anime, something became rather apparent. After they make their presence known, there was a jarring transition to the actual confrontation, which indicates that something was cut. Given the typical progression of the Team Rocket introduction, that something that was cut was likely the motto. The broadcasters might have deemed that the motto ate up time and/or too gaudy even for the children watching (the target audience), and therefore it was cut. For those who enjoy, however, it may be noticeably strange.

I myself have my own history with the motto. In the early days of watching the anime, I felt entertained by it. However, for some time afterwards, I felt less entertained and became averse to it, avoiding the motto recitation any way I can. This lasted for a good bit of time until at some point I just became indifferent to the motto, feeling "meh" about it - for lack of a better term - and this continues to today. I may be luckier than some people who felt the way I did but never recovered. In any case I may consider myself to still enjoy it, though to a moderate amount, which is better than not.

As stated, this seems controversial. Why would one cut or become averse to a hallmark of some infamous characters? The answer may be that it's blatant - blatantly repetitive, that is. The way the motto is, it remains constant over a long period of episodes, and as with anything repetitive, it may have the potential to aggravate, which can be said to have happened to me over that period of time when I avoided the motto. Further, the motto belongs to the antagonists, which means that it is not to be believed to be true; history has proven that even the untrue can become "true" with enough repetition.

The Team Rocket motto and its recitation is forever identifiable with the Team Rocket trio in the Pokémon anime. And yet, it may be that identifiable quality that may make some turn away from it, whether for a short or long term. One may still enjoy the Pokémon anime regardless, whether or not one misses this characteristic part. There may just be a reason why some choose to "surrender the motto" while they still "prepare to fight".

One year ago: Woodblock Art with a Pokémon Twist

Two years ago: Old Adventure, New Sensibilities

Three years ago: Ad Astra per Aspera... and the Third Games

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/29/2020

This month on the Pokémon Go event front, a remarkable thing happened. The major events harked back to a methodical pattern such as that present for February or March. They all also made use of the just-newly introduced Timed Research feature, which I've already explained earlier this month, so this rollup harks back to that as well. More importantly, the events all harked back to specific places that longtime fans of Pokémon will surely recognize. Rightfully, the major events are called the "Throwback" events, and they all hold something special.

The first Throwback was the Kanto Throwback, which happened over the course of the first week into the month. Most of the Pokémon that appeared in the wild were of the first generation, and some were also present in raids as well. The central point of the event was of course the Timed Research, which had to be completed within that week (and thus, it was this set that I discussed earlier). The ultimate reward for completing it is a Mewtwo with the special move of Psystrike, which should have been lucrative enough for most players. Since this was the first Timed Research, it served as a test and warm-up as well.

Over the next three weeks, there were more of these Throwback events. The second week was the Johto Throwback, the third was the Hoenn Throwback, and the fourth was the Sinnoh Throwback, which ends today wherever one is. Likewise, they all had their Pokémon featured in the wild and in raids, and each rewarded a different Legendary Pokémon with a special move, being Ho-oh with Earthquake, Groudon with Fire Punch, and Cresselia with Grass Knot. Each of them likewise had to be completed in time. There is actually an incentive for completing them all in due time, but this is better reserved when that happens.

As for happenings with the sets of Timed Research, there were quite a bit of variations in their paces of completion. The first one for Kanto seemed to be one that demanded a moderate pace, since it was after all the debut. The second one for Johto had the potential for rapid completion since some later tasks tended to cascade into others. The third for Hoenn was moderate as the first, and the fourth was slightly more challenging toward the middle, though this was then helped slightly. There have of course been some that completed the sets rapidly, but for those who took the time, they might have had the above perceptions.

Aside from the major Throwback events as above, this month had a throwback to something of last month: Incense Day, which happened near the middle of the month. Unlike last month, this month only featured two types, Water and Dark, which alternated each hour for the six hours. The type "guests" were Alomomola for Water and Scraggy for Dark (the latter being its first wild appearance), and Carvanha overall to represent both types as well as to have its Shiny form. It was minor, yet the Pokémon involved were neat and may have helped with the Throwback research.

The major events of this month in Pokémon Go were remarkable in that they dipped into the past to be tasted in the present. They were also remarkable for their usage of a feature with immediate introduction. The results don't seem to be shabby either, especially for the strange times that are the hallmark of the present times. Being that Pokémon has been around for a good long while, throwbacks like these are quite special. There's a certain relevance that has to be maintained, even with what goes on today with new times and new features.

One year ago: Lure Modules Evolve

Two years ago: The "Attractors"

Three years ago: A Hero Looks to the Sky

Pro Job, Fun Job

Today's post concerns a topic that I've had in mind for a bit of time but didn't know the best way to address it. However, with my adoption of Ko-fi, it has given a semblance of how to address the topic. In order for me to do many things involving Pokémon or otherwise, I need to be able to obtain (preferably) financial support of some kind. For me, that would mean having a "pro job" and a "fun job". It's a duality with complex interactions and demands.

My "pro job", as I've divulged in a post close to the beginning of the year, is as a translator, befitting my skills as a linguist. And I'm a darn good one; many people rely on me to do things in this area of concern, and I get good money out of it, particularly from one major source. I'm happy to do it, I like to do it, and it's what I can do best. Therefore, I have to maintain this somehow, and if at all possible, I could leverage it for fun things as well.

Meanwhile, my "fun job" is of course what I do with and around Pokémon. Going to events and conventions and participating in the competitions there is one way I attempt to earn something, or at least be compensated for my efforts even if it may not be in the form of finances. And then there is this blog, for which I still believe earnings can occur, which is why I initially opened donations and then just recently adopted Ko-fi. This too has to continue.

Both of these have to continue for additional reasons. One can take the pressure off of the other - my "fun job" can become a break from my "pro job", and my "pro job" helps when my "fun job" is not viable. In any case, I am still deeply passionate about Pokémon and if it happens that I can contribute to it with sufficient rewards, then I may let it (the "fun job") take a slightly greater precedence. Certainly, it does not mean letting go of my "pro job" as a necessary stopgap measure.

In a way, I'm leading a "dual life", one with my "pro job" as a translator/linguist and another with my "fun job" with Pokémon and everything else. Still, they are both within the same life and have the possibility of interacting with each other, so it can almost hardly be described as "dual". What remains the same is that both of them have to support each other and financially if possible. That's a big thing, but then so is my life with both the "pro" and "fun" jobs.

One year ago: Memories of Sinnoh

Two years ago: Helix Fossil Understands

Three years ago: Takara Tomy Pokémon XY Pikachu Plush Doll

Coffee in My Coffers?

At the beginning of this year, I made a "renewal" by making the leap into another kind of social media, Instagram. I try not to participate in too many social media, not because I'm antisocial, but because I may not manage them as well as I should - fact of proof, I've rarely posted in Instagram since I made my way onto it. But if I sense that it might be helpful for things in my life, including my efforts with Pokémon and this blog, then I will gladly partake in one. Such is the case for one that I've taken part in: Ko-fi.

I found out about Ko-fi from browsing a certain site that offers tools for games, for which those games may not be too far removed from Pokémon (or at the least Pokémon can very well adapt to), and the tools themselves may find some use in my Pokémon efforts. I followed the link to Ko-fi contained on the sidebar of the site and saw what it can do, and after quite a bit of consideration, I subsequently signed up. Much of it is indeed social media-like as I found out afterwards, but I also signed up for a far more important reason.

That reason is because Ko-fi allows people to support creators (its users) like me by buying them a "coffee" - thus, its namesake - that can then be used to support their works one way or another. This is a big thing that unfortunately hasn't happened since I opened the doors to donations over two years ago, at least in financial form, though "donations" may be considered to have occurred in different ways. Thus, I signed up to open another outlet for support, and now a Ko-fi support button is present on the sidebar of this blog for that reason.

This blog will continue to be my primary proving ground, of course, as it does what I need to do for that. What I can do, however, is to exhibit some really good posts from here over there to show I've got a good thing going. That also applies for all other things I do with Pokémon, including cosplay and playing the games. Many of the creators on Ko-fi also have similar interests, while I have them all within myself. That becomes a further reason why I took the plunge into Ko-fi. It is another place to show all the things I can do, and then be rewarded for them.

I consider that as the most important point of this new effort. There will certainly be further social interactions within Ko-fi, but there's the hope that some of those interactions will be able to generate financial support that may help to take things to another level, literally. It's something I'll have to manage along with all my other social media, but with this blog and all of the other Pokémon things I'd like to show, that should give me everything I need... and hopefully some "coffee" in my coffers.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/27/2019

Two years ago: Long Raid's Journey Into Night

Three years ago: A Test of My Resolve: I Still...

Friendship and Community

By now, unless one is living under a rock, Pokémon fans should know that the competitive series for the main series games this year has been canned due to the current difficult conditions. Those conditions may be quite depressing for many people, including the aforementioned fans as well as myself. However, there is one particular concession that has been made. This was detailed in the parting words of a bulletin that concerns the cancellation announcement:

"We hope that the spirit of friendship and community that are the hallmarks of our amazing fans and these events continue during this challenging time, and that you take care of yourselves and of each other."

What this means is that friendship and community are not only present among the fans, but also important and is what characterizes them. They are tied by the appreciation and interest they have for Pokémon, and they find ways to unite and organize. Moreover, they are what make the fans incredible. Many fans, including me, already do find Pokémon incredible, but to say the fans are as well is quite a statement.

Friendship is already an incredible thing, something I can attest often. It was a friend who made me feel good about continuing efforts in Pokémon, including this blog. A certain friend was also responsible for introducing me to a specific main series player community, which I still treasure today. I've even become a mutual friend to a few great Pokémon fans in their own right. That would be no less than incredible, I'd say.

Community too, for me at the least, has been an incredible thing for Pokémon, despite the occasional "moments". It becomes the place to share trials and tribulations about the games, fun details about appreciable things, and even happenings in the now. Anything that happens as part of these may be considered part of the dynamics of participating in one or many. Regardless, the above happenings are remarkably incredible for the community aspect.

The current situation is already difficult enough to deal with, and the cancellation of the main series competitions nearing their peak is even more difficult. However, Pokémon fans by the above statement has been regarded as having something special in the way they tie others together, and that is uplifting enough to warrant the continuance. It has been said that togetherness is a form of "amazing energy", and it seems I and other Pokémon fans can vouch for that.

One year ago: Gatherings for Blessings and Success

Two years ago: Reconsidering Trade Evolutions

Three years ago: What's Appenin' (Mobile Games)

Safe, Pleasant, and Beneficial for All

I've noted that yesterday's occasion of Community Day for Pokémon Go fell on a special day, and it was, at least for a good group of people. It's actually a day I've indirectly approached for a couple of older posts; it's a day with a lot of meaning for those people, though I suppose it can't hurt to involve Pokémon. This year, I want to consider something I've become aware of in the times leading into this special day, and that something is three very good qualities appropriate for those times that I'd also like to identify for Pokémon, for which the qualities are aptly in the title of this post.

The first quality is "safe". Pokémon has always appealed to everyone - children, teens, adults - everyone, even if the associated battles may get a bit too wild for some. It intends itself to be safe, and that's a good thing to be maintained. It has, in a way, "repented" from gambling, which is a good move directed to salvation. One of the guidelines for PokéStop nominations is the exclusion of unsavory adults-only places, which further confirms that safety is to be maintained. In any case, this safety has to be appreciated and to remain, for without it, some of the appeal would be lost.

The second quality is "pleasant". With the appeal as above, there are certainly bound to be pleasantries. It may be for an individual seeking achievements in the single-player games, two people seeking to outdo each other in battles of different kinds, or a group seeking to overcome the challenges of raid battles. Good results that happen are certainly the pleasantries to be sought. One may also just "enjoy the ride" through the entertainment that things like the anime and collectibles provide. There are many ways Pokémon can be pleasant, and that has to be a good thing.

The third quality is "beneficial". Pokémon can and does provide an outlet to do or even make good things. I have this blog to write in, but others can draw, shape, or create different things, and that has to be good for those who create as well as appreciate; it may even be impressive considering the whole of Pokémon. Meanwhile, done right, all good activities involving Pokémon can and do keep away people from doing bad things, which should be regarded as a good thing - I've even got additional, separate views for this. I'm sure that if one wills it, Pokémon can and is a good thing for all.

A special day like the one that occurred yesterday demands commemoration of special things, like the three good qualities that have been mentioned above. They're all special qualities that when applied generally are valuable for people and their relationships. Yet as much as this is so, I can't help but think it applies to Pokémon as well in an equally valuable manner. I consider that a great thing for my relationship with Pokémon, and perhaps it would do for others to realize this as well. Special day or not, they are worth remembering at any time for the good of everything.

One year ago: Best of the Rest: T-Shirt Contest

Two years ago: Read, Play, and Enjoy

Three years ago: A Camera and a Pikachu Doll

Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/24/2020

In current times, there seems to be a few things that have to be considered. Some of those things may relate to Community Day for Pokémon Go, which happens to be today, of all days, for this month. They may involve being able to do things within limited circumstances, or they may involve the possibility of taking some leeway to do a few novel things. I've taken some of them into my consideration to improve my own experience, while Pokémon Go seems to have done exactly that, including for that which happened last month.

To start, this Community Day features Seedot, a third-generation Grass-type Pokémon that can evolve into the Grass- and Dark-type Shiftry, and of course its Shiny form. The latter gets Bullet Seed as the special Fast Move that can be obtained through capture and/or evolution. For a change, the bonus this time is triple XP for captures. Due to the current conditions, this Community Day remains as a "Play at Home Edition", with many of the changes implemented the last time remaining the same, as the extended Incense, extended length, Buddy assist, changed-up Community Day Box (now with an Elite Fast TM to suit), and photo surprises. The latter considerations are ones that will likely continue to be as such for a foreseeable time, to be able to do many things while in a limited manner, though one may of course take liberties if at all viable.

Another thing that remained the same is an additional paid Special Research, this time called "Seeing Double". One of the things that make this new paid Special Research (as well as the previous one) fascinating is the lore they contain, in this case the Seedot family being a group of tricky Pokémon. Of course, that's not the actual draw of the Special Research, which is more the bonuses it contains for those who purchase. That being the case, the length of the Special Research and its contained bonuses are more or less the same as last month, but they are still valuable. For those who may still weighing this paid Special Research in consideration, which is also likely to continue, I say consider buying it if it truly is affordable; it's a win-win for the game and everyone, and it bodes well for the continuity of all who are involved. This is a novelty with staying power.

Meanwhile, despite my limited circumstances, I've been able to do quite a few things, even some novel ones. Due to the many new PokéStops around my area, I wanted to go through as many of them as possible to complete the Field Research tasks, to help my Buddy Pokémon, and to use a Poffin on it for the first time ever, which indeed very much helped and necessitated going out. The effort brought up my Buddy Pokémon to Great Buddy status, allowing it to bring back Poké Balls for the crucial final three hours. Overall, I also caught hordes of Seedot with a sizable Candy stock, and I evolved the best one possible, another for PvP purposes, and the best of the Shiny ones that I caught. Speaking of, I also caught 17 of them, but I ended up transferring the worst one owing to space considerations. This may (have to) be the norm for extended Community Days going forward.

There are also a couple of sort-of new things that went on along with Community Day this time around. There is a supposed livestream for Community Day, but when I checked it, it was a live stream... literally, making it reminiscent of that other "livestream from Galar" for the main series games. I'm sure there had been a few benefits from the livestream, but I didn't stick around to find out. Another one is an official voting for the feature Pokémon of the next two Community Days to come, not in Pokémon Go itself, but on its official Twitter account. The winner and runner-up will be the feature Pokémon as such. There appears to be two leading contenders that will likely become the featured Pokémon, though I can't vote because I don't have a Twitter account and don't plan to; still, the leading candidates appear to be very favorable to me and others. For this one, it is best to report on this later when the dust settles.

It has been two Community Days now that have taken place after the current strange times have befallen. Yet with those strange times, there still seems to be some room to consider new ways of doing things and a great capability for such, despite limitations. That, in a way, seems to be fitting for today of all days, which happens to be special in a way. What will likely be more special is for those considerations to occur reasonably now and then brilliantly in a bright future - for everyone as well as Pokémon Go and Pokémon in general.

One year ago: T-Shirts in Distress

Two years ago: Trading Items?

Three years ago: Retro Rendezvous

The State of Nominations, Part 4

This might be a strange post to make at this time, given my previous post on this topic was only about two months ago, and previous posts were within spans of four months. But there is a reason, and it's a good one: there has been significant progress with the nomination process that has affected almost all of my previous nominations. With that, I have to update how things go on that front as well as consider prospects of the nominations that I will make next. 

To date, I have made 65 nominations, which is only a minor increase from last time (58), but I'll detail why that is soon enough. Of those 65 nominations, 29 have been approved, 7 have been superseded, and 23 have been rejected. This is quite significant, because it means that the nomination process has majorly accelerated, taking care of most of my older nominations. Some of my newer nominations have even been approved within a mere few days of nominating them, instead of weeks as with older nominations; the record is now two days for a nomination I made last month. That also means my neighborhood and beyond have benefited from my approved nominations, and in fact, quite a few of the newly created PokéStops have also resulted in the creation of Gyms in their respective areas. That means more places and more possibilities to highlight and explore, for me and other Trainers. 

The reason for the minor increase is that a good number of my recent nominations have been for renominations, for something that hasn't been responded or has even been previously rejected. I count 7 of these renominations, all of which so far have resulted in approvals in some way. I stand to make further success with these renominations and will continue making them. Meanwhile, considering the 7 nominations that have been superseded, it means some people have good eyes for good places for PokéStops, and they likely (or in one case had, confirmed by someone in one of my groups) nominated them first before me. One nomination was in fact rejected, but it turned out it already existed as an Ingress portal and that efforts are being made to bring it to Pokémon Go; I consider it being superseded nonetheless, and this removes it from my rejection list. It's at least a good thing.

As for that list, the 23 rejections are still a lot, and some of them are for legitimate places that were rejected for odd reasons. One place, for example, accidentally contained a motorcycle with a visible license plate in the picture, as it was taken facing a road that is often busy, while another place had a clear picture that was claimed to be blurry. Of these 23 rejected nominations, I've identified half of them that can stand to be renominated rightfully and improve the areas that they are present in. A member of my raid group, who is an expert in nominations, has stated that it may take sincere efforts to make certain places be approved in the face of "wild" rejections; I would have to say that I agree, especially given my successes as stated above, and this becomes the drive to renominate them and to hope that they are approved to add to their areas.

There are some things that are still hanging. Not all of my nominations have been resolved; there are still 6 nominations from last year (2 from June, 3 from July, and 1 from December) that have not been responded to, and the hope is that they will be soon. The increase in possible nominations that I reported last time turned out to be an illusion, as it was deemed a bug and quickly resolved back to a maximum of 7. Meanwhile, an even more comprehensive (but not official, yet still based on official protocols) set of guidelines have been issued that should help both nominating and reviewing Trainers, but much depends on them following the guidelines - or maybe in some cases "bending" them" - to nominate places and then rate them accordingly for what is hopefully an approval to add to the places in Pokémon Go and beyond. They still shed light on prospective and non-prospective nominations.

Now that the nomination process has accelerated, it seems apt to make updates on this topic a little more frequently, and a two-month span such as between this and the previous post seems appropriate. The process remains significant in many ways for anyone concerned and demands to be continued as best as possible. That said, it seems a faster pace helps this very much, which bodes well for the prospect of nominations before and after they are made.

One year ago: A Friend and Fellow Pokétaku

Two years ago: Favorite LINE Pokémon Stickers, Again

Three years ago: Becoming a Connoisseur

Let's Talk About Some Moments

Me: It's been a while since we had a full-on conversation like this, what with events or conventions halted due to the things that go on in the world.

Ash: Yeah, that's true. So, I guess we're going to have one now?

Me: Why not, if you're up for it.

Ash: Sure!

Pikachu: Pika! ["Yeah!"]

Ash: What do you want to talk about?

Me: I figure we can talk about a few Pokémon moments that you and I are notably or neatly connected with, and others may relate to them as well.

Ash: You know, I've had some of them and you've had them too. So I guess this could be really neat, as you say.

Me: OK, so the first moment is when you went up against Liza and Tate, the twin Gym Leaders in the Hoenn region. You'll surely remember the Pokémon they had.

Ash: Lunatone and Solrock! Those were really difficult Pokémon to go up against. Pikachu and Swellow really did a swell job.

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Yes, we did!"]

Me: Likewise, they were difficult for me to go up against as well, at least the first time I met them. It took me several hours of effort before I could beat them, and I suppose within that time I achieved a "non-standard" way of doing so.

Ash: I got Pikachu to do a neat thing with the electricity to Swellow and they both charged in for the win. I guess you can call it cool, but it might also be "non-standard", as you say.

Me: See, that's the thing. For some people I know, it was a really weird thing, so after that, they got weirded out in watching you or others battle. Then again, those people are rather absorbed with the way the games work, so they probably don't have much to say about you in any case.

Ash: I can't say much about them, but I'm sure the game works differently than how things worked out for me. They don't have to work out exactly the same way, and I'm sure different games all work differently. They don't have to get weirded out by watching me - if it works out for me, it should please them.

Me: As you say, fair enough. I have to admit the way you dealt with the other Pokémon was spectacular. I'd go out of my way to be able to do what you did with Pikachu and Swellow.

Ash: Don't bend yourself over backwards. Whatever way works, works. For Pikachu and Swellow, their way is theirs, and I can only be glad they can do what they do. Isn't that true?

Pikachu: Pika pika, pika chu! ["Yes, I agree!"]

Me: Sure. So that one is pretty much resolved. Now, there's another interesting moment that happened not realistically, but imaginatively. Around two years ago, I dreamed a dream that had you in it, but it also had me in it, and I looked like you, more or less.

Ash: Whoa! That's a neat dream. I guess it would be odd seeing another one of me, but knowing that it's you, I would and could really have fun with you.

Me: I know, right? How do you feel about the place that the dream is in?

Ash: Well, you sometimes send me there, and it is really nice. I'm sure lots of Pokémon would be all around and we can go around to catch them all. We'd have a Wailmer of a time!

Me: Oh, and then there's the matter of taking selfies with my phone. I was excited about that until I found that it wasn't real. But how about you?

Ash: In my latest adventure, I can use a phone. I might not use it much to take selfies, but you doing it on yours would be a lot of fun for me too. It makes a really greater time. I love to have been a part of that dream.

Pikachu: Pika pika pika? [What about me?]

Ash: Pikachu seems to be asking where Pikachu might fit.

Me: Oh, I'm sure Pikachu is with us there; regardless, I'm glad to know you're glad for it. There's one more moment I want to discuss with you, but it's kind of a not-so-good one. I do want to talk about it with you since it's related to current happenings. Remember that time you got sick and had to stay in bed?

Ash: Oh. That was a terrible time. Because of a small accident, I was in bed all day. It wasn't fun, and I know you definitely agree about that.

Me: Yes, any which way you go, it was a really bad time. Now, it's unfortunately something that a good number of people have to go through.

Ash: I guess it pains me to see that happen, maybe as much as it was for you to see me when it happened for me. I hope you can stay safe and it doesn't happen to you.

Me: Believe me, I don't want it to happen either. It would totally disrupt everything. It is perhaps best not to discuss it any further. Speaking of the moments, there's one more important one. Happy "birthday". [Also see one year ago below.]

Ash: Hey, thanks! I appreciate it!

Pikachu: Pika pi-ka! ["Very nice!"]

Me: Nice, huh? So there are lots of Pokémon moments between you, us, and everyone. What becomes important is that we can appreciate all of them in context.

Ash: I get what you're saying. It's so nice that Pokémon can fit in so many ways for many different people, including us.

Pikachu: Pikachu. Pika pika pika! ["I agree. Very, very nice!"]

Me: I wouldn't have it any other way.

One year ago: After All These Years

Two years ago: GiRL (Gyms in Real Life)

Three years ago: To Japan and Beyond

More Virulent Impacts

Earlier in March, I posted about the impacts that the current global situation have on a few Pokémon-related things, for which sadly the impact is not few. Furthermore, over the course of two months, there have been more of those impacts on more things related to Pokémon. As regrettable as they are, I do have to discuss them on this blog for an added perspective and to keep things in the know. This time around, the impacts are quite severe - perhaps relatively more.

In January, a series of Safari Zones had been slated for Pokémon Go, with a lot of wonderful things planned for the people playing in the cities of St. Louis (in March - just after that first post, in fact), Liverpool (in April), and Philadelphia (in May, this month). However, due to the onset of the global condition, they were all postponed, with a new date to be determined later on. Tickets for the events had already been sold in advance, so this was a detriment for those who had planned on attending. To make up for this, the possibility of ticket refunds were opened, and a few of the special bonuses were still made available for those who purchased them, or in the case of select Shiny Pokémon, for everyone around the world. This is entirely a major disappointment for sure.

For fans and players of the main series games, they have their own major disappointment. I noted previously that the fate of the World Championships may be gloomy, and this has turned into reality: the grand tournament, scheduled for mid-August, has been canceled. As an adjunct to that tournament, the North America International Championships, scheduled for late June, have also been canceled. As a matter of fact, the entire competitive series for this year has been canceled, though points and invitations will roll over to the series for next year. This is obviously big for those who play, and this abrupt end means a big disappointment, even for the organizers themselves. Even so, there is hope that things will return bigger and better next time, and that may be something to look forward to.

Even on the entertainment front for Pokémon, there has been an impact. The anime in Japan is on hiatus; its production has been temporarily stopped and only reruns are being broadcasted, with no indication of when new episodes will resume. That is sour news to be sure, but there is an additional sadder news: one of the lesser voice actors but one for an iconic character, Kumiko Okae as the voice of Officer Jenny, has succumbed due to the virus disease. The news is certainly depressing for any fan of the anime, and they will certainly hope for things to normalize so that they may be enjoyed again.

The next bit, while not strictly related to Pokémon, has some personal ties and therefore I consider it related. The competitive arm of the World Cosplay Summit (WCS) has been canceled much like the Pokémon World Championships above. However, since the event itself is one with the competition, it may be considered not going to happen. I've always envisioned myself attending the event if ready, willing, and able, particularly with a Pokémon costume, and this is the reason for the relationship. Though in any case I am not able to attend this year, it may still be a neat goal for a distant future that I can work Pokémon into.

Five months have gone by in the year and so much has been put into disarray due to the global conditions, and that includes a great deal of things related to Pokémon. The ones that have happened recently may be considered the crux for everything. They are all surely regrettable, but what would be more regrettable is not having Pokémon in the first place to feel attachment to it. That attachment will likely still come in handy as a way to pass the time and wait for things to return, hopefully in a much better state.

One year ago: Respect for Rica Matsumoto

Two years ago: Throwing Poké Balls

Three years ago: Cosplay: East and West

More "Countermeasures" for Pokémon Go

Close to two months ago, I detailed a few things that have changed in Pokémon Go to allow "Go at home" (now officially dubbed "Play at Home" - perhaps good for a later discussion) to occur comfortably. I dubbed them as "countermeasures" since they are implemented to divert play from where it may not be possible, which is out and about. Those alone certainly may not be enough, so over the course of these two months, more of those "countermeasures" were added. The ones that were just added indicate that they are as intriguing as they are helpful.

One of those "countermeasures" involve Field Research. Now, it is possible to get a bonus Field Research task each day without spinning a PokéStop. At midnight local time, a task highlighted in green with the word "Bonus" will appear if one has an empty Field Research task slot, or as a fourth task if three slots are full (therefore one must have no more than three tasks to receive one). These tasks are meant to be doable from home, though one may have to expend something to do so. For those who don't have access to a PokéStop, this may be considered very helpful; across the board, this means more viable tasks and Breakthroughs, which are also very helpful.

Speaking of PokéStops, an objective of spinning them is to obtain Gifts that can be sent to those in the Friend List. However, if one is unable to access them, then one cannot get them. To obviate this, a Buddy Pokémon may now bring Gifts if one happens to be low on them - by my experience, approximately half of the current limit. The number of Gifts may not be a lot, maybe two or three, but they may help to keep up friendship levels no matter where and how one might be. It's a small "countermeasure", but it's one that at times may prove its significance, particularly when one is too absorbed in sending Gifts.

The next one is somewhat bigger and more significant. One can now raid any visible Gym in one's vicinity, even some faraway ones, through Remote Raids. To do so, one must possess a Remote Raid Pass, which can then be used at any accessible or visible raid at a Gym and raid just like those who possess a Raid Pass of any kind... or almost, as there are a few restrictions that I can't explain briefly now. So significant is this countermeasure that it has made Raid Hour viable again starting a couple of weeks ago and even today, though I did not partake in it owing to other businesses and limitations. Still, this "countermeasure" has made things especially nice and accessible for raids.

There have been a few other changes that have been announced along with the other "countermeasures" as above, though I would consider them not too much as one. I'd call them as "souped-up extensions", since that's what they really are. It is now possible to power up Pokémon many times at once, a task that was previously repetitively difficult; enhancement items such as Lucky Eggs and Star Pieces can be activated as much as needed up to 24 hours each; and PokéStop and Gym interaction distances were doubled, allowing one to interact with them from farther away. Regardless, in some ways, they may be considered as one or a few.

The current global situation has changed everything, including the way some things work in Pokémon Go. But along with that global situation, the game has proven that it can change and adapt with the times. As a result, the game has become even more playable wherever one is and specifically "at home". These "countermeasures" have to be appreciated for allowing play to continue adaptively while Trainers wait things out for the greatest countermeasure of all, which is the resumption of normal play. That one will still have to wait for the times to change again.

One year ago: Performance Critique: Bunkasai 2019 J-Song

Two years ago: Shiny Obsessions... Again?

Three years ago: Oddest Things with Pokémon

Better for the World

Pokémon has been around for a good long while, and that will become significant some months down the road, yet I would like to think this will start soon. Meanwhile, this blog has been around for some time, and it has become significant for its size, though it hasn't been so for much else. However, taken separately and together, they may be considered to have a common goal, which is to make the world better. In my view, that is at least what happens.

One good intent that Pokémon has (and started out with) is to preserve and encapsulate digitally childhood memories, particularly that of tall grasses and what takes place in and around them. While today Pokémon has gone beyond those tall grasses of yore, Pokémon continues to show good impressions, create good feelings, and make good strides with what is present and sometimes what is absent. That surely has the aim of making things better.

As for myself with this blog, my concern is attempting to bring out as many good things as possible with what I deal with Pokémon. Some things like tournaments, contests, and such might not go in favorable ways, but there may still be shreds of good things to take away. Otherwise, there are still some favorable things that I can present with the hope that they become even more favorable to the world of the Pokémon fans who read the posts on this blog.

In these hard times, it can be a tough challenge to stay positive. I even occasionally find it a struggle to express the things I want to express in my posts about Pokémon and the things that surround it and myself. But then I look back at my earlier posts and consider the current situation (which I did for this particular post), and realize that it may not be as difficult as the struggle makes it out to be. That helps make things better for my world involving Pokémon and this blog.

Making the world better remains a noble goal, if anything. Whether it's for the endeavors of Pokémon things or the posts on this blog, there is the realization that this is the only way to go, and one wouldn't have it any other way. There is a certain significance for that in addition to the significance that both carries. I'm only happy to carry that significance through my blog posts as Pokémon does its things and becomes ever more significant with time, even soon.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/19/2019

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/19/2018

Three years ago: On the Mystery of Dungeons

Trivia Questions and Answers

It's been about a month and a half since I participated in a certain Pokémon quiz, despite having no intention in the first place to partake in it. And with that, even though I flopped real badly on it, the quiz still leaves an impression on me. It gets me to think that Pokémon can play into this area, the area of trivia questions and answers. It's an area that stands to be expanded as Pokémon itself continues to expand, which also means a lot of things for Pokémon trivia. 

I've already participated in a few trivia contests regarding Pokémon. One of them, as detailed in the previous post, is the one by my figure group; another one, despite that I didn't explicitly mention it, is the same trivia challenge where I met a certain major webcomic figure. In all cases, the topics covered by the trivia questions were quite diverse, even though sometimes specialized as with the ones by the main series group and figure group as above. The scale of the potential stands as being quite large. 

The next challenge that becomes a concern is the creation of trivia questions for certain bits of Pokémon knowledge, especially if they are to be in multiple-choice format as has been the case for some of the contests above. It may prove to be confusing and/or time-consuming to create certain questions, so a "question bank" may have to be considered, to ascertain correct answers and provide red herrings for multiple-choice purposes. That "question bank" would allow questions to be made easily and quickly. 

The next step after making the trivia questions would of course be to make the trivia contests. Contests such as the one above for independent purposes are fine, but once a great amount of trivia questions have been formed, it is plausible to create a trivia game implementation. This could be a unique game, or it could be a crossover with certain popular trivia game implementations. An official implementation, moreover, could be something to spur more independent implementations, which further entrenches the trivia possibilities for Pokémon. 

Pokémon is already so big (and needless to say, continues to expand), which makes it have a great potential for trivia, if my prior experiences are of any indication. Anything and everything related to Pokémon may be regarded as significant information, and the knowledge of them may be tested for and by any Pokémon fan. It has been said that "knowing is half of the battle", and with Pokémon in the mix, "knowing" may just be the battle, no matter what may be the interests of its fans.

One year ago: Trainer Image Cards

Two years ago: Marathons...?

Three years ago: Pins and Pins

Everything Is Electric

No, no I could not give up

If you choose me I'll never leave

Some of us play with fire

Some of us live down in the sea

Some only come out at nightfall

Daytime is when they get their sleep

Some need trees and leaves just to breathe

But I'm different than all, I'm electricity!

-- "Electricity", Lil Uzi Vert & Honest Boyz

While on the subject of some hanging topics related to the Detective Pikachu movie, there is this one to deal with. During the credits sequence of the movie, there are two songs that play over that sequence. The first one is the main song of the soundtrack, which I've detailed in a post last year. The second one is this song, which is wonderfully eclectic in different ways, which I haven't covered, and now couldn't be a better time, with the anniversary of the span of posts related to the movie. 

The two artists who collaborated to make this song are unique in many ways. Honest Boyz is a Japanese hip-hop group composed of five people, while Lil Uzi Vert is a hip-hop artist who is also a big Pokémon fan, being that he has incorporated it into some of his songs. Together, they worked on this song, which has a good deal of Japanese lyrics in addition to English ones, of which the above represents the initial verse and the starting line of the chorus. The song is additionally produced by Pharrell Williams, who is well known for his own songs and ties up this collaboration together.

As suggested by the title of this song (and further by the starting line of the chorus), it ties into the central figure of the movie - Pikachu, and particularly the Detective Pikachu of the movie. The English lines above illustrate the theme of "differentiation" of Pikachu from other Pokémon, as in what makes it special. The Japanese lines can be interpreted to illustrate the theme of "impressions of life", as in what Pikachu may feel at different moments that are present all around life. The two themes are seemingly intertwined and illustrate the experiences of the moments present in the movie - thus, "eclectic".

Compared to the other song, which is fully in English, this song is part (tending to mostly) Japanese and part English, and therefore this song can be said to "throw a bone" to Japanese viewers, to make them feel appreciative of the Western-produced movie. The movie is already eclectic enough with a realistic depiction of Pokémon, and the course of Pokémon has been eclectic as well on both sides of the "pond". Yet besides being "eclectic", everything including the movie has also been "electric", making the song truly an homage to that.

One year ago: A Wonderful PikaWorld

Two years ago: Beyond Gyms and Trials

Three years ago: A Pokémon Pencil Bag

A Multicultural Cast

It's been around a year since the Detective Pikachu movie was released and I got to watch it a few times. Though I dedicated an entire week's worth of posts to cover various things related to the movie, there are really still a few things that I can discuss about it, and today's post will deal with exactly that. It's an old post idea that I never found the right time to write about, but with the one-year anniversary of the post for the main song of the movie's soundtrack (see below), I've decided to write about it.

The Detective Pikachu movie has a neat cast of actors and actresses, though many would mostly recognize Ryan Reynolds and Justice Smith, not so much the others. Even with that, all the major members of the cast taken together are representative of something important: the cast is multicultural, in that they all have different cultural backgrounds. This becomes a point of interest because they are different just like every Pokémon species is different, and this movie ties into Pokémon through and through.

For the two main actors of the movie, Reynolds is Canadian, while Smith is American with African-American (on his father's side) and Italian plus French-Canadian (on his mother's side) backgrounds; Kathryn Newton as the primary female supporting actress is also American. Bill Nighy, Chris Geere, Suki Waterhouse, and Josette Simon all have English or British backgrounds. Omar Chaparro is Mexican, Rita Ora (singer of the main song) is from Yugoslavia (specifically Albania), and Karan Soni is of Indian origin - as in, the country in Asia. Not to forget, Ken Watanabe is Japanese, as is Ryoma Takeuchi, the voice of Tim Goodman (played by Smith) in Japanese, who also appears in a physical cameo. That's indeed a long and diverse list of backgrounds, as diverse as the Pokémon featured in the movie.

Nowadays, some productions have taken to include actors and actresses of various backgrounds, so this is definitely an effort of that, regardless of it being intended or unintended. Being that part of the film was shot in London, it made sense to have a good number of English or British actors. The inclusion of actors of Japanese background obviously honors the origins of Pokémon from Japan (and made localization a little easier - Watanabe reprised his role in Japanese). All told, the cast list is multiculturally amazing.

A part of me has been instilled with the appreciation for different cultures, nations, and peoples, which for me translates into an appreciation for Pokémon with all its different species. Looking into the cast of last year's hit Detective Pikachu movie, there is an evident multiculturalism that only adds flavor to this movie, one that is pronounced with each time I watch the movie. It too becomes something to appreciate about the movie. This appreciation is something to be maintained, whether it involves this movie or Pokémon in general.

One year ago: Carry On Carryin' On

Two years ago: The Living Dex

Three years ago: Pastrana and Pikachu

Coming Full Circle

There are many things that I like in addition to Pokémon, as some of the posts on this blog indicate. I take them up in order to take a "breather" from Pokémon. But no matter what I do, I find myself coming back to Pokémon not just by my own free will, but the will of those things, quite seemingly. This becomes a fascinating phenomenon, one that can be described by a term. That term is "to come full circle".

The standard definition of the term is "to return to the starting point". A common additional stipulation for this term is that one expects or intends to do so, rather than to depart and never come back. The term has connections with other terms that contain the word "circle", such as "closing the circle", which means to refer back to the beginning to make an ending, or in other words "to wrap up". The main term for this post is exactly what happens with me and Pokémon. I seem to go off on tangents, yet I still manage to return to Pokémon. 

An example may serve well to illustrate things. When I was watching videos on YouTube, I had found one of the Pokémon videos I referenced in a recent post about them, and decided to browse through other videos that were closely suggested to the ones I've watched. After several videos, I ended up on a Pokémon video that is closely related in topic to that very first video I mentioned. I was "traversing the circle" of closely associated videos and ended up on another that is highly tied to the very first one. Thus, I "came full circle".

This happening may not be regarded as significant by others, especially those who don't have close orientations to Pokémon as I do. For me, however, it does mean quite a bit. It seems highly appropriate that the happening occurs, since Pokémon is what I like. In a way, it tells me that I'm still on the right path, and this would constitute an "affirmation" as well. I am certain that there is something that draws me in and keeps drawing me in, at which point I am compelled to keep enjoying it, or else to let others enjoy it - therefore, this blog.

The primary thing that I like is and remains Pokémon. However, I do (have to) venture to things beyond Pokémon every so often, which could be taken to constitute a relief. I still do come back to Pokémon, and the strangest thing is that it is those things that prompt just that.

With that, I do enjoy going from and coming back to Pokémon in a full circle involving other things I enjoy, and now it's time to close this circle to allow room for other "full circles".

One year ago: Everything Old Is New Again

Two years ago: 15 Minutes of Fame

Three years ago: Adventuresome Pikachu

Going Elite with TMs

Pokémon Go takes after many things from the main series, including the use of TMs to change the moves of Pokémon, something that I briefly discussed nearly two years ago in a post about those moves themselves. The problem with those TMs, of course, is that they can't do a thing about "special" moves gained from events like Community Day, Raid Day, and so on (except to get rid of them, something often undesirable) and since they change moves at random, it may be a trial-and-error process to find and settle on a desired move. That has been somewhat resolved with new, special kinds of TMs.

Enter the Elite TMs, one for each kind of move: Elite Fast TMs and Elite Charged TMs. Unlike the regular TMs, the Elite TMs allow a Trainer to directly select a desired move for a Pokémon, instead of relying on random choice, from the pool of possible moves for either kind for a Pokémon. The TMs also allow one to change to one of the "special" moves gained from the events as previously mentioned above, allowing a Pokémon to relearn those moves if for some reason they were lost with a regular TM or to newly learn the move altogether. This makes it an especially powerful kind of TM.

That power comes at a price, however. At this point, these TMs can only be gotten if one has reached certain ranks in the GO Battle League, and even then only at the end of a season, which takes a long time. Alternatively, one can pay up for a Community Day Box, as was true last month and will be true this month (more on this when that happens), but one can only get one of the box package, which is pricey and only contains one of those TMs. Likewise, the league reward is limited to just one of the TMs. Thus, not only are the TMs pricey, they are also limited as well by any means of getting them. 

Being that the TMs are rather limited, one must consider very carefully which Pokémon the TMs are to be used on and what move to change to. Due to their considerable value, at this point, the TMs are only viable to change to a "special" move, not so much to directly select a move, which may be made up with a handful of regular TMs that may be a little easier to get nowadays. A notable usefulness of these Elite TMs is to have a Pokémon learn two "special" moves, such as two of these for Charged moves; a few in my raid group have practiced this to have a certain Pokémon learn two "special" Charged moves.

These new TMs are undoubtedly significant with their power of move selection and "special" move options. At the same time, they are also very limited and/or hard to get, which means they have to be used very wisely. Though they are not all-purpose solutions for the former, allowing the latter is quite appreciable, especially if one may have missed out on certain "special" moves. The Elite TMs have to be regarded in the same "special" manner as the "special" moves that they allow to learn, at least for now. But what is certain is that they allow a degree of freedom to change moves in Pokémon Go, just like their main series brethren.

One year ago: Detective Pikachu Burger King King Jr. Toys - Arcanine

Two years ago: Round Pikachu Keychain

Three years ago: Cosplay: Isshoni Tanoshimimashou 12

Seeing Pokémon in Rice Fields

In my new neighborhood, the one I've been in for almost a year now, there are rice fields all around. By walking out of the typical entry point, I'm greeted with sprawling fields so sprawling that I can see settlements that are miles away. Walking around, I can see even more rice fields, whether wide swathes or small blocks, particularly ones that haven't been converted into settlements or businesses. As with many things, these fields remind me of Pokémon, and more specifically, it makes me see them, which is just as wonderful and to a good extent also soothingly fantastical. 

I'm sure that as rats and mice are sometimes occupants of rice fields, so I might expect to run into Rattata (likely a "local" Alola form) or even Pikachu every once in a while - the hope is that their evolved forms aren't too active or even present to begin with. When the rice fields are fallow, they might make themselves hospitable to Barboach or even Stunfisk, so one might have to watch out for them and clear them out before starting to plant. If there are streams present around the fields, Magikarp, Psyduck, and Ducklett might make themselves present, adding to the species richness of the rice field areas. At night, Kricketot and Kricketune might indicate their presence with their noises.

While the rice plants are growing, they might make fine places for Caterpie and Weedle to wander around in, which might invite the likes of Pidgey to snap them up. At the same time, Oddish might wander around the fields and become one with the rice plants. This will likely continue to occur as the plants approach their full height, which may not be as tall as some tall grasses, but may regardless allow some other Pokémon species to hide in them. I perceive that Spinarak and Joltik can make their way among the plants and become surprises for those that tend the plants. And if one looks out at night, one might find Volbeat and sometimes an errant Illumise with their lights aglow.

Once the plants reach full size and are ready for harvest, there is still the potential for Pokémon to be present. Murkrow, Taillow, and Starly might make themselves present, ready to attack the rice. A ready and willing Sudowoodo might be able to stop them from doing so. During harvest time, it may be possible for Yanma and Scyther to appear, the best possible time for them to attack. However, while the former might remain a nuisance, some of the latter might be on the beneficial side and help out with the harvest. After all the rice has been harvested, the growing cycle ends and everything may then start all over again at a later time.

It's somewhat hard to deny that my new neighborhood is almost considerably the countryside with all the rice fields nearby. For some local people, rice fields can and do evoke certain sentiments, much like how tall grasses evoke certain sentiments (and this post pretty much answers the type of grass I mentioned there). For me, though, with my Pokémon background, those same fields evoke Pokémon sentiments that are just as wonderful as those other sentiments. With that, I do feel content in my new neighborhood, knowing that if I look hard enough, there might just be Pokémon out there in the fields.

One year ago: The Exclusive Detective Pikachu Promotional TCG Card

Two years ago: Cosplay: INOCHI 2018 - Yuki no Hana

Three years ago: Cosplay Photography

Missed Pokémon Merchandise in Snacks

As evidenced by some older posts on this blog, I enjoy buying food that allows me to obtain Pokémon merchandise. It's a neat way of obtaining said merchandise while having a treat. However, over time, I've missed or had to miss the opportunity to obtain certain pieces of merchandise from or with food. Some local snacks in particular have included some sort of neat Pokémon merchandise that I've missed for various reasons, and now I'd like to detail them even though I don't possess them.

Most recently, a popular local brand of chocolate paste (not like a certain popular chocolate hazelnut spread, more like a chocolate confection in paste form), included some mini Pokémon figures that are somewhat tied to the local broadcast of the anime from last year. The problem is that the mini figures are obtained by buying a rather big box of that paste, and I'm not quite fond of eating the confection (which comes in individual tubes), let alone a big box full of them. One of my friends did buy the box and got a neat Poké Ball as a result; based on pictures, I'd say it's pretty impressive, but I wouldn't shell out for something I won't eat, particularly for just a small figure. Thus, I have to take a pass on this one. 

Before this chocolate confection, another brand of chocolate confection, this time also as well known internationally as locally, sold individual tubs of soft chocolate that could be licked and had a Pokémon merchandise tie-in. The merchandise takes the form of small whistles, which I must say is rather unique. For that reason, I had intended to obtain this, but the product and I kept missing each other, and thus I never had a chance. As with the previous merchandise, another one of my friends was able to obtain the goods, and that friend even said that the whistle makes a neat sound. I have to say that I regret missing this one, despite the nature of the confection being similar to the previous, though I'll gladly even consume just one for a single piece. 

Many years ago, when Pokémon was still in its infancy, a brand of bagged snacks had a merchandise tie-in in the form of "construction chips" that in large numbers could be linked to one another to create interesting shapes. The obvious problem is that during the infancy of Pokémon, I wasn't where I am, so I therefore had to miss them for that reason. Every so often, a person will reminisce about these "chips" and post an image of them, rekindling everyone's memories. Though these "chips" may still be found occasionally today as tie-ins, they are unlinked to Pokémon; only the ones from back then are linked, which are the ones of concern. I miss them as much as others who had obtained them once missed them. 

All these three pieces of Pokémon merchandise are as neat for their links to the franchise as they are to the way that they are obtained, which is by purchase of certain snacks. It is a shame, though, that I have or had to miss out on them due to a variety of reasons. But that won't stop me from planning to obtain other Pokémon merchandise offered with food in the future, so long as I am able and willing; it remains a neat way of distribution that makes me appreciate the Pokémon merchandise itself as much as the food that it is linked with.

One year ago: Watching in Style, with Friends

Two years ago: To Know the Unknown

Three years ago: You Are Blessed

(Preparing for) Shuffle's Last Stand

Around half a month ago, I suggested that like some recent mobile Pokémon game entries, Pokémon Shuffle may be on its way out, on both mobile and the 3DS. One of my Pokémon fellows seems to agree with this observation, so this may be an inevitable matter. Therefore, for players like me who are still engrossed in playing the game like me, it may be wise to prepare for this inevitability. It's something that one should consider doing no matter how far one is with the progress in the games.

One suggestion is to unlock as many Main and Expert Stages as possible. The Pokémon don't have to be captured and the stages do not have to be cleared with an S rank, but the former may help significantly with progress in other stages and the latter is absolutely necessary to unlock Expert Stages, being the criteria for them. Once they are unlocked, they may be worked on at a later time for capturing the Pokémon and/or earning an S rank, which may be performed if at all necessary. It may be somewhat of a relief to take up this suggestion.

Another suggestion is to start using up as many Enhancements as possible on caught Pokémon. Long-time players like me may possibly have many of these, and they should (and need to) be used to make significant progress, though some decisions on who gets what may still need to be made. This is also true regardless if one doesn't have many of them, and if one is even approaching the 99-item limit for each, the decision must be made wisely yet quickly. They are meant to be used, and therefore they should.

A third suggestion is to continue increasing the Trainer Rank and working on the Special Stages as usual. For the former, this also entails catching as many Pokémon as possible, which may be helped by the first suggestion as well as the latter half of this one. Many Pokémon are actually found in the Special Stages that are present for one to two weeks, and catching them would help significantly for this suggestion. Their bonuses aren't too shabby either as I've detailed previously, so it becomes important in any case.

There is really no official word for now that Pokémon Shuffle is going out, but with all the signs, the games on the different platforms may just be heading in that direction. It may be wise to follow through with the suggestions above and prepare for its end-of-life, which sooner or later will have to come and in this case possibly soon. It's been a wild ride since the games first started, and that ride may be about to get wilder as the games near their end. Whether one is far out or not as far, it may be worth to tame that wild ride of Shuffle before it's really over.

One year ago: Special Feature Film - "POKÉMON: Detective Pikachu"

Two years ago: Just Like a Rainbow

Three years ago: A Shout-Out to a Fellow Blogger

More YouTube Pokémon Highlights

I've lately been interested in browsing through quite a few videos on YouTube, something that in the past I have only done to an occasional extent. That is how I came upon the two videos I mentioned in a post I made about how pervasive Pokémon actually is. As I continue to browse through the videos on YouTube, I also continue to come upon videos with some relation to Pokémon, which satisfy my liking of it. In more recent times, I've come upon a few more videos that relate to Pokémon as much as they relate to life beyond it, which means a variety of things.

In the past, I've already stated that I'm a fan of music or rhythm games and enjoy them to certain extents. One of those games that happen to be under Nintendo's belt is Rhythm Heaven, which could be considered bare-bones and abstract but still can be as tricky as it is fun - I can attest from having played the games. Three creators have been enterprising in creating Rhythm Heaven and Pokémon crossovers, and the results are very neat, combining Pokémon visuals with the antics of Rhythm Heaven. It seems to be an idea that would be great if pursued officially, more so easily since the two are connected by way of Nintendo. I would like it as well because of my appreciation of the former and attachment to the latter.

As much as I like music or rhythm games, I also like music in general as well, which the musical posts on this blog can attest. Piano and ragtime music are two kinds that I enjoy, and needless to say, as a Pokémon fan, I would enjoy them both together. In one video, Tom Brier, a modern ragtime maestro, was put to the test of sight-reading the Game Corner music from the first-generation games and ended up absolutely killing it, applying variations as he played. In another video, a player piano was set up to play "Mezase Pokémon Master", a Japanese Pokémon song that I now enjoy, as a melodic instrumental version. Both videos are by the same creator, who is associated with video games and piano music, and sometimes incorporates them together as with the first video. Both are still nothing short of impressive to me as a Pokémon fan.

Speaking of crossovers with Pokémon, those are nothing new ever since the latter has gained an extensive fandom composed of people with diverse characteristics. Some of those people might also happen to like one of Nintendo's other offerings, which would happen to be Animal Crossing. One creator put together these two in a video by replacing certain AC characters with Pokémon, and the results are enthralling. The visuals look true to the AC games based on what little I've seen of them. I have to admit that I know next to nothing about the AC games due to my primary focus on Pokémon, but if a crossover game was conceived, I could very well consider purchasing it and playing it, thereby also expanding the scope of things that I like.

As it stands, YouTube is indeed something entertaining for everyone, including Pokémon fans like me. One will be able to find many Pokémon-related videos, so the videos I mentioned in this post are the tip of an iceberg - even less than that, actually. But in relation to the pervasiveness of Pokémon as partially the impetus for this post, they are all further indications of that pervasiveness, which makes me glad to be a continued fan. That should also apply to the creators on YouTube, who will surely crank out more videos like these, providing opportunities for me and everyone to become more entertained.

One year ago: Trading Styles

Two years ago: The No's of Go

Three years ago: Site Design

Playing Pokémon All Day

Pokémon is a major franchise with major games. As with any similar franchises with major games, the games may take a significant effort to play, perhaps even becoming all-day affairs. This possibility of playing the games all day is intriguing and becomes something that demands to be discussed, specifically by me as a fervent player, blogger, and fan in general. It is especially pertinent to my current daily experiences with all the games of the franchise.

The prospect of being able to spend all day playing the games is at a glance an exciting one. It would sound attractive to just about any player, especially I myself. At the same time, given the (other) things that one may do, it may not be exactly doable, at least in the strictest sense. For this post, if it is assumed that one would play for eight or more hours, then that would be considered "playing all day". This is an amount of time that may or may not be achievable for any one player.

In the past, on some days, it would have been possible for me to get fairly close to that eight-hour assumption of playing all day, though obviously I never bothered to clock my playing time to find out for sure. What I'm certain is that despite my other activities, I can at least squeeze in periodic times to play, and the total play time would be close to that eight hours. That could be regarded as a neat achievement with those circumstances, something that helped to cement my interest in Pokémon.

At present, my schedule of activities have gotten more packed and I don't always possess the capacity to play all day according to the assumption. Strangely enough, even with that reduced capacity, when the opportunity comes to be able to play all day, my play time might be spent nearly all at once with a few extra moments, or in major chunks of time. Likewise, I can get close to and sometimes beyond the eight-hour assumption even though I don't precisely measure my playing time. The achievement seems to remain, which is significant.

In the future, as my activities become uncertain and/or even more packed, this may not leave room to be able to play all day on as many days as before. Moreover, I have not achieved the goals that I set out to achieve for this blog. If the achievement of those goals were to occur, then I could conceivably keep playing and fulfill that eight-hour assumption just as before, especially with this blog in tow. I still have faith that those goals may just be achieved, which is why I have continued to pursue activities on this blog.

By now, it is undeniable that Pokémon has gotten and will continue to be big. The same is likely true of all its games. That seems to leave lots of room for the possibility of players being able to play the games for much of the hours of a day. Players who are as fervent as I am may be able to welcome that and be able to realize that possibility somehow even with everything that we do.

One year ago: Getting Lucky with Friends

Two years ago: A Place for VGC

Three years ago: Blue and Yellow Philosophy

Pokémon Stickers on WhatsApp

Every so often, I write about the Pokémon stickers on the messaging application of LINE, which I haven't written about in a long time, and that may be another viable discussion topic later on. But before that can happen, I want to expand the context. Many other messaging applications also support stickers, perhaps partially inspired by the ones on LINE. One of those messaging applications is WhatsApp, a popular choice for many users including myself. Some time ago, the application added support for stickers, allowing it to appeal as with other messaging applications with the feature. Some of those stickers happen to be Pokémon stickers, which allows me to discuss about them here. Even then, these are quite different, including the implementation.

Compared to some other messaging applications including LINE, sticker support in WhatsApp is somewhat rudimentary. Unlike LINE, no sound stickers are supported, and unlike a handful of other applications, no animated stickers are supported; thus, all the stickers are static images. Packs of stickers can be added through the "add stickers" feature when viewing stickers, but only a handful of packs are displayed, and the "Get More Stickers" link takes one to a Play Store search (on Android) for "WA Sticker Apps", many of which appear to be from independent providers, even for stickers that have official images. Therefore, much of the available stickers, including for Pokémon, can be considered unofficial. As well, for Pokémon stickers, these are sought elsewhere than by this method, though one will find the packs if one knows where to look. The situation is a bit complicated, considering this.

Adding to that complication is that one can create personal, custom stickers and sticker packs for use in WhatsApp, provided the person has the right tools and images. One would still need to look for them in the right places in order to be able to do so. Still, this is more a blessing rather than a complication, at least for the ones who possess the resources and the know-how. Some of the Pokémon stickers that I have were most likely created in this way by others, including a few from my raid group and beyond. For example, there are a few stickers that were created from fan art, or even official images from Pokémon Go and others that were then embellished with textual captions, including some that are locally oriented. It is complicated, but there is also a great potential for creativity and usage options, particularly if one is willing to share with the world.

And share people do. All stickers, even personally-made ones, can then be used in any chat, and those who read the chats can then "mooch off" those stickers for personal use by tapping "Add to Favorites" when viewing a sticker. All the Pokémon stickers that I have, in fact, were gained through this method, by someone sharing the stickers and me adding them to my Favorites list. I choose not to download sticker packs for the concern that they may be unsavory in different ways, and not to make stickers due to limited resources. Even with the limitations of this method, I have a pretty good assortment of Pokémon stickers ranging from common ones to unique, localized takes. The flavor of the stickers is a little like the ones I have on LINE, though with some distinctions owing to the possibility of new stickers being created.

Admittedly, there is something to fancy about the implementation of stickers in WhatsApp. It is literally an open implementation unlike that of many messaging applications including LINE, especially with custom stickers in the mix. Within that open implementation, Pokémon is still able to make itself present in the mix by way of the stickers people have conceived for the purpose of being used in the chats. It also becomes an impressive display of creativity, with the boundless possibility of conceiving new stickers and sticker packs. As a Pokémon fan, I become inclined to use WhatsApp further and to expand my sticker collection there, not to mention to expect further Pokémon stickers to appear and then be used there as part of the dynamics of my (Pokémon) life unfold through the use of the messaging application. 

One year ago: Looking from Far Away

Two years ago: (High Noon at the) Local Ex-Raid, 5/8/2018

Three years ago: Ash and Pikachu Keychain

Hanging by a Cliff

The idea for this post is kind of an old idea that I meant to develop and post in November of last year, but I didn't for reasons I'll soon explain. In the world of competitive battling for Pokémon Go, the Silph League Arena by the Silph Road is a key community organizer with its rotating monthly themed formats. However, it's not the only one; another key community organizer is Go Stadium, and it has its own way of doing things. That includes having a format of its own that really stands out. The name of that format is "Cliffhanger", which is why I titled this post the way it is. It's a neat format that deserves to be detailed in some capacity.

Unlike most SLA formats, this format is fully formulaic, even mathematical. Like the SLA, this format utilizes the Great League for a team of 6 Pokémon and the "species clause" (no duplicates) is in effect. All possible Pokémon for the League are distributed into "tiers" with specific point values; as of today, there are four tiers from 0 to 3, and the point values for each tier are 9, 5, 1, and 0. Each tier represents how high on the "meta ladder" certain Pokémon are. The catch is that one cannot exceed a threshold of points when making a team, which at present is 17 points. With the points as they stand, this means that no more than 1 tier 0 with or without 1 tier 1 Pokémon, or no more than 3 tier 1 Pokémon without a tier 0 Pokémon can be present on a team, with the rest being rounded out by tier 2 and tier 3 Pokémon to satisfy the point threshold.

This format takes the open Great League format and applies a few restrictions to make it balanced (as the division of Pokémon into tiers and specification of what are allowed) and predictable (the six Pokémon format common across Pokémon realms). It is also akin to the Voyager theme of SLA, but the restrictions aren't region-based. As evidenced by the "as of today" expression, the format has gone through some changes, owing to the gradual introduction of certain Pokémon and the moves that go with them; when I intended to detail this way back in November, the tiers were still simple, but today (officially tagged as version 3.0) there are more Pokémon in each tier, with some having moved up in terms of points. Therefore, unlike the theme formats of the SLA, which tend to remain as they are and if "updated" would get a new name, this is an ever-adaptive format that is expected to change as the landscape of Pokémon Go changes.

Now, I meant to detail this in November because this was the exact format that was used in a raid group tournament that I missed - sort of happily, for a different and more noble "call of duty" still involving Pokémon on that same day. Since then, I have been wondering about this format and if my raid group would deal with holding a tournament with this format again. It was only a couple of days ago that the version 3.0 specifications were announced, which was mentioned in a discussion in my raid group. However, I also learned that the execution of that previous tournament, which was conducted by usage of the systems for the SLA, led to a warning for my raid group and the suggestion that the two organizers cannot intermingle. The hope for another raid group tournament with this format now seems limited, given how my group is gravitated toward the official SLA formats and the current state of things.

The Cliffhanger format of Go Stadium is neat in that it ties more into open Great League in general, unlike the SLA formats that apply an overarching thematic restriction. Still, the intent of both are to improve the way things go in PvP battling, which explains why my raid group is interested in them regardless. As well, to be able to partake in them allows one to deal with different situations, from which the experience gained may be applied to yet other situations. It's something that competitive Pokémon Go battling is rich with, just as its community organization is rich in all sorts of ways.

One year ago: Folding Paper for Pokémon

Two years ago: Pokémon in Poké Balls Stickers

Three years ago: Cosplay: J-COSHOKAI 2 - Utsukushii Hana