On Growing Up with (and Out of) Pokémon

Some time ago, I saw a comic and its associated comic dub that regarded an experience with Pokémon. One of the characters in the comic asked a different character about all the Pokémon things that the other character had, specifically what the character would do once the character outgrew those Pokémon things. Time went by, and the other character never found the answer to the question, simply because the situation referenced in the question never happened. It's a powerful message regarding a characteristic that many Pokémon fans might have, including me.

The issue referred by the comic has relations to the topic of childhood or children and Pokémon, which is a topic I've written about several times on this blog. It's a childhood fantasy that is realized virtually, and it is likely intended to remain as such. It's something I've referred to in the past by way of a quiz show answer, a song by the King of Pop, and even words found on a functional yet artistic object. It is perhaps enough for writing a book, or at least a section of it (perhaps by stringing these narratives somehow), and now I'm about to cover it again in yet a different way.

Actually, maybe it's not so different. The initial post in reference to the song above could be considered a partial treatise to the issue, and this post would expand it. Now, it seems that a key part of this is "passion", which I've noted in that previous post as something that some people don't grow out of. Once someone develops a real passion for something (and not just a simple liking, no matter how large or small), one is not likely or at the least has a very small chance of letting something go. That likely explains the character in the comic: said character has so much passion that the situation of growing out didn't happen.

I myself can relate. It's been... well, pretty much two decades since I've taken an interest in Pokémon, and I still continually play the games and enjoy just about everything Pokémon whenever and however possible. I've also had this blog for over three and a half years now, still with the hope that it can lead to a major involvement with Pokémon somehow. There's a lot of passion involved in all of those efforts, and it's not about to run out anytime soon, or ever for that matter. Likewise, for me the situation has not happened, and heaven forbid that it does.

In that way, I also don't know the answer to the question. For all I care, it should be left unanswered anyhow, something I don't need to know or, for that matter, anyone who has the same passion for Pokémon as I have. Supposedly, this is vital to keep someone going within a particular area, and this applies well to Pokémon, which becomes an area for many people as well as for me. I've definitely grown up since Pokémon was initially offered to me, and that holds true for many other fans out there. The hope may be that one continues to grow up with what they like, not out of it.

One year ago: Shadow and Purified Pokémon in Pokémon Go

Two years ago: Type Logic

Three years ago: Fun at the Beach... or Water Park