The Power of Stories

I recently heard an interesting story about stories. Two groups of people had come to a certain place to peddle their selection of goods. The goods they brought were rather similar in form and appearance. However, one of the groups also brought stories in relation to those goods - their related histories, processes, intricacies, and so on. As a result, the goods that were peddled along with those stories sold well, and in fact, they sold out. This story illustrates the power that stories have, and this speaks to me as a Pokémon fan.

The people who purchased the goods that sold out effectively were not just purchasing the goods themselves, but also were "purchasing the stories". By purchasing the goods, they were essentially buying tokens or mementos of those stories, and the tokens or mementos can then serve to allow them to recall and perhaps then to retell the same stories to others. Of course, possibly in the greater realm of merchandise, one may not have to purchase certain goods in order to possess ones that tell stories that can then likewise be recalled and retold.

I find that this situation can fit a Pokémon framework as well. While Pokémon is quite oriented to games, many of those games contain stories as well, and those who play will likely realize the stories behind them. If they do, and find the stories fascinating, then that might be one reason for repeat purchases of future games. Once the games have been played to completion, the story power might become enough of an incentive to keep the games rather than to let them go to someone. This has been my case for many occasions with the Pokémon games.

As for other things beyond games, the story power might be minimal or indirect, but it might still have a role. Merchandise that has links to the anime possess its own story power, being that of the anime itself; likewise, this is true for even the anime itself on physical media. For other kinds, it might not be the Pokémon story that matters, but the backstory of how one arrives to possess the merchandise, which might still be as strong as any related Pokémon story, if there are any. The story power regardless exists in some way.

The idea that I or someone else is not only buying a product but also a story behind the product is intriguing. It means that there is a certain added value that comes along with the product, and this added value can further be preserved through recollection and retelling. I'm rather certain that with Pokémon things, I and other fans would have the opportunity to possess those things as well as the valuable goings-on associated with them. For that to further embed a continued interest in Pokémon and its things is a wonderful thing indeed.

One year ago: Cosplay: STARNIFEST 2019
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