The State of Nominations, Part 6

I was actually debating on whether to write up this post with its topic today, according to the previously established schedule, because some important and intriguing Pokémon information had just come to light, and the nomination process has effectively slowed down quite a bit from last time. That said, I finally settled on this topic to keep the morale going. So, for the state of nominations this time, not only has the process itself apparently slowed down, I've also been slow with the process myself.

To wit: the number of total distinct nominations has only increased by 7 to 81. Fortunately, the number of approvals also increased by 3 to 37, a small number that is still better than none. One of my rejected nominations became superseded by another approved nomination, thereby increasing the latter to 9 and decreasing the former to 26. There are also now 9 nominations (up by 4) that have not been decided, and the hope is that they will be soon. The numbers really tell the tale. 

There are currently two hassles that I have with nominations. One is that I have not been out as often to make them where I desire due to other things that I have going on, though that might speak to a better personal well-being. Another is that it has recently put a strain on Pokémon Go running on my phone, most often resulting in a "force close" after taking one or both of the necessary photos to make a nomination. This may be especially so if I don't restart my phone before going through the process. Because the phone camera is invoked as part of the process, it becomes understandable that the process may be burdensome on some phones, and now my phone seems to be part of that group of phones. Either or both may need resolution in a radical manner.

In the meantime, I've identified many more places that I can stand to nominate, far beyond the 7 I'm allowed within a period of two weeks. At the same time, because I would rather not have to make several trips to nominate places, more so because of current conditions, I would need to nominate as many as possible within possibly the one trip to make them. This might also demand a special trip just for that purpose, which may not be entirely impossible, but the effort will likely be quite demanding. Yet, it would also have to be quite necessary.

Things have really indeed slowed down on the front of nominations, but it doesn't mean that no progress has been made on that front. Some is obviously better than none, and more is more likely to occur as things progress. Again, the issue of whether this will make it again on its regular schedule will have to be decided on the next time, but the hope is also that the next time will provide answers just as this time did. For the time being, the process itself will have to continue regardless of (or while working with) current conditions.

One year ago: Standing Pikachu Keychain

Two years ago: The Merits of Sleep

Three years ago: Elite Four: "Courses" vs. "Selections"

The Leek and Pokémon

A couple of years ago, I discussed the link of a certain archetypal fruit with Pokémon, as something that I and many other people like. This time, I'd like to discuss a vegetable that, while it may not represent vegetables in an archetypal manner, still has a good link to Pokémon affairs. That would be the leek, one of the many vegetables that are part of the onion family. It's a simple vegetable, but its link with Pokémon may not be so simple.

Those who are well-versed in Pokémon will recognize the two Pokémon that are most intimately connected to this vegetable, which are Farfetch'd (both Kanto and Galarian) and Sirfetch'd. In fact, both species are pretty much for whom the vegetable becomes relevant. For the former, though it may be described as a "stalk" in the case of its Kanto form - perhaps in part due to its shortness - it is evidently a "leek" regardless even for, due to its distinct appearance, whether short and swift (Kanto) or large and almost awkward (Galarian). Of course, for the latter, the "leek" is sharp and commanding, ready to strike fear into opponents. Either way for the two Pokémon, the "leek" is a combat device of important proportions.

It also becomes obvious that for the species of concern, the leek becomes inseparable. One cannot think of one without the other, especially if that person happens to be a Pokémon fan. This is easily demonstrated by things that occur on the Internet. A popular YouTube channel that shows simple cooking videos occasionally features leeks or its next-of-kin the green onion in some recipes, and often one will see a figure of Farfetch'd - or more recently Sirfetch'd - in the scene where said vegetable is being prepared, often by chopping it down. The creator obviously realizes the connection and includes it. Moreover, the creator is Korean, and I don't need to say much more about how Pokémon is popular there too. Meanwhile, back to Pokémon, a popular reference web site for Pokémon Go is named LeekDuck, which is a totally obvious reference to the ways of Farfetch'd.

Outside of Pokémon, in Japanese pop culture, the leek is known for being associated with a virtual diva of sorts, and for the uninitiated, it would seem that the two might have a link to Farfetch'd as above. In actuality, the origin of this association can be traced back to a meme that also involves leeks and something Japanese, but that something is completely different to both the virtual diva and Pokémon. The overall link between this situation and Pokémon is nonexistent, except that the original meme can be "reformatted" to fit in Pokémon, in which case it can involve Farfetch'd somehow. It can be said that the two are coincidental in regard to one another, even if it were to be thought of otherwise.

It should be conceded that the "leek", especially in regard to the above connection, may be considered a misnomer. The Japanese (commonly) use a kind of green onion that they call negi, which has a specific reference to the Welsh onion and a general reference to other and/or similar plants in the onion family. The "leek" might have come about in the process of adapting Japanese terminology into English for certain pop culture items, which obviously could include any or all of the above references to the plant, Pokémon or otherwise. Overall, it is neither entirely wrong nor entirely correct, but the process may still be regarded as reasonably making sense in certain respects.

The leek clearly has a linkage to Pokémon, even if it's only by way of two particular species that wield them for their combative purposes. But it's a significant link nonetheless, as the association works out in their favor, even in the face of a possible terminological confusion. As a vegetable, it's not exactly representative (as an archetype) of its kind, but for a certain Pokémon representation, it can be regarded as being very much representative.

One year ago: Cosplay: Isekai

Two years ago: A Merchandise Dream

Three years ago: Unified Centers and Marts

The Future of LINE Pokémon Stickers

Recently, I had obtained the rest of all available Pokémon stickers on LINE. The stickers have come somewhat far since the beginning, but so have LINE stickers as a whole for other properties and creators. In fact, aside from animated and/or sound stickers (which some Pokémon sticker packs have), LINE stickers have developed in different ways into different kinds as well, and Pokémon stickers have yet to have any of these different kinds. That being the case, it seems plausible to discuss how those different kinds can apply to Pokémon stickers for possible future packs.

Some stickers on LINE can now look different in addition to being just images within chat sequences. There are now "big" stickers which are double the size of ordinary stickers. There are also "popup" stickers which display a screen-filling image when tapped, as well as the related "effect" stickers which display a background image and animation instead. Pokémon would be a natural for any of these, as it is very vivid; I can imagine "big" stickers that have lots of Pokémon in each sticker, "popup" stickers with different Pokémon showing all that they can do, and "effect" stickers that contain visualizations of Pokémon moves. Those are but a sample of the rich visuals of Pokémon, and much, much more can stand to be realized in any of these forms.

More recently, some stickers also allow text to be inserted in them, allowing them to be made truly unique. Text is not new to LINE stickers, as many packs contain stickers with text (and some are even purely text), but what is new is the ability to put in text on already-made stickers: "custom" stickers allow on the order of a few characters, while "message" stickers allow considerably many more characters. It may be possible to conceive a message sticker pack with various human characters of Pokémon with a variety of expressions and speech balloons that could contain text to say different things. For a "custom" sticker pack, perhaps this is where Unown and their letter-like forms could play into somehow, for a more mysterious flair than most other Pokémon stickers. The ideas may have to be well thought out, but the execution should have interesting results. 

There is one last kind of stickers, but this one may be kind of dicey. Stickers with sounds are commonplace today, but there's a neat form of this kind that is less commonplace: music stickers. They are called as such because the sounds that are heard from these stickers are well-known songs or pieces of music. While it would be neat if Pokémon could get a pack of this kind of stickers, there could be language issues as Pokémon songs exist in different languages (though primarily Japanese and English) as well as rights issues for the songs, and therefore it would be hard (if not impossible) to realize this for Pokémon. But if "the stars align", anything may just happen, including these stickers. 

LINE has diversified its profile of stickers with different kinds of enhancements after they were introduced in the beginning. So far, though, Pokémon stickers have only used the most basic of these enhancements, being animations and sounds. What lies in their future on this social media service is the usage of the other kinds of enhancements in order to have even more stickers with appealing qualities, and this is not entirely impossible, especially given the multitude of visual possibilities of Pokémon. Combine that with these new enhanced sticker possibilities, and they should result in more vividly Pokémon chats as well.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/28/2019

Two years ago: A New Age of EX Raids

Three years ago: To Teach and To Delight

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/27/2020

Even though I've broken a certain pattern of posting, that doesn't mean I can't still update on matters of Pokémon Go, and there's this month's event rollup at hand. So last month, I noted that one of the remnant happenings in the last week were to set up for a big month of events; in fact, it's not just big, but Mega, as Mega Evolution was introduced last month, coincidentally on the very same day I made last month's rollup. That is the exact remnant happening that sets up the overarching events in Pokémon Go this month, and now it's time to discuss them.

The first week of the month featured Mega Raids in all their glory. Mega Raids were increased in number and Trainers could battle in them with increased power. It was clearly the time to battle in them as many times as possible, and there was an added incentive: if two million were won worldwide (a "Global Challenge", in effect), Mega Pidgeot can also be battled in Mega Raids, and this did indeed happen - it became available two weeks later. It was at this time Field Research tasks for extra Mega Energy appeared, though they remain a quibble regardless. As an aside, there were more of certain Pokémon related to other big-sized Pokémon and the possibility of a Shiny Lotad for those who didn't partake in its Limited Research ages ago. The focus was still on Mega Raids regardless.

The second into the third weeks of the month focused on using Mega-Evolved Pokémon in certain battle venues. To that end, there was particular emphasis on using and evolving a Mega Beedrill, as Field Research provided ample Beedrill Mega Energy for that purpose. As an extra aid and challenge, a Timed Research became available to reward more of that Mega Energy and focus one on the battles. Other asides that occurred during the time of the event involved a prevalence of Bug Pokémon, different Pokémon used by Team Go Rocket, and the possibility of a Shiny Ledyba. By winning 275 million battles, Mega Houndoom can be battled, but it will still be another two days from today before it appears, so one will have to be patient, especially later on for collecting its Mega Energy.

The fourth into the fifth weeks of the month fielded an emphasis of Mega Evolution and Buddy Pokémon. Snapshots of Buddy Pokémon could result in surprises by species with current Mega availability, all of which could also be Shiny. To facilitate doing lots of things with (Mega-Evolved) Buddy Pokémon, lengths for Poffins and Mega Evolution were doubled and tripled respectively. As with the previous event part, a Timed Research set provided aid and a challenge, but the latter becomes significant as completing the Timed Research is the key for another set, but that will be pertinent next month. The big asides for this part were big Pokémon appearing all around, including in the wild and raids, as well as the possibility of Shiny Doduo.

Like last month, there were also (and are to be) some remnants. Soon, those who did not pay up for Pokémon Go Fest and obtain Victini through it will be able to get a Special Research for it. Legendary raid bosses for this month rotated on a weekly basis from Heatran to Cresselia to Articuno to Zapdos, each potentially Shiny and providing their own challenges. One event also was just not meant to be: the planned Go Battle Night, which was supposed to be three days ago, was postponed along with all its bonuses. I and Handoyo actually previewed this in the second episode of our podcast, so we had been expecting it to happen, and it didn't. As a final aside, Jessie and James as they appear in balloons are due to leave at the end of the month, so those who have not dealt with them need to deal with them soon; balloons appear more often for a greater chance to encounter them.

Much of the happenings this month were indeed Mega in size in order to herald in one of the most fantastic forms of Pokémon to exist, after its introduction in Pokémon Go earlier last month. The Mega excitement will surely continue, perhaps not at the same scale as its initial introduction, but enough to remain significant. And of course, right now it's only the tip of that iceberg, and future updates will serve to reveal its true scale, certainly with other events in tow to keep Trainers engaged in Mega affairs.

One year ago: 1000 Posts!!!

Two years ago: Meet Meltan

Three years ago: Pokémon Stuff at a Neighborhood Store

More and Yet More LINE Pokémon Stickers

I've discussed Pokémon stickers that can be gotten on the chatting and social media service of LINE a few times, and the process of me personally getting them is rather opportunistic, only when I have the chance to get them or when circumstances are right to permit me to get them. But being that I as a Pokémon fan enjoy them, I therefore will get them at some point in time, and recently I just got all of the remaining sticker packs available. Coincidentally, those are all animated sticker packs, which are the ones I tend to obtain last since they have fewer stickers (24 against 40 for a non-enhanced pack), but as they say, often the best ones are the last ones, and some of the ones I've gotten are just that.

Here are the rest of the packs I've gotten:

Pokémon: The Oaks - Those who know Pokémon well should know who the Oak family is: it's the family composed of Samuel Oak (the professor of Kanto), Samson Oak (his cousin in Alola), and Blue Oak (the rival of Red), and they're all here in this pack, though almost all are for the said professor. They're all present in comic book style, accompanied by words in distinct characters, with expressions that could be considered zany. My friends like to use the stickers in light-hearted situations, and that seems to be the best time to use them, aside from whenever the fancy strikes.

Pokémon Pixel Art: Gold and Silver Edition - This sequel to the "Pixel Artwork and Sounds!" pack clearly involves the original second-generation games, and sounds and images taken from them. Unlike stickers of the previous pack, which are static but contain sounds, these contain both animations and sounds. They all contain recognizable situations from the two games, characteristic people and Pokémon, and neat animations. While their usage may be a bit abstract and in some cases limited, they appear quite captivating for their retro appearance and highly nostalgic quality.

Pikachu, Switch Out! Come Back! - The odd title of this sticker pack comes from an early version of the message that appears when switching Pokémon. That said, the sticker pack is uniquely odd as well, as they all feature the illustration work of a guest artist who is known for making illustrations of a very comical nature. Not only are these stickers incredibly silly, they are also incredibly hyper as well, with some fast-moving animations. True to its message, all the featured Pokémon are of the first generation (some Alola forms included) - or perhaps it's the other way around. It seems this pack is so popular that it was followed up with a sequel, and...

24/7 Pokémon - ...that would be this one. The silliness and hyper nature of the previous pack continue across the stickers of this pack; some familiar Pokémon from the first pack return, and there are a few more "guests" from later generations. While they are billed as "cute and adorable" - and maybe in some ways they are as such - I still stick to my descriptors of "silly" and "hyper" for them. If some stickers of the first pack are nonchalant and active, for this one, some are even more nonchalant and even more active, which may not be a bad thing. It was what made the first pack welcomed among fans and likely spurred the demand for this second one.

The sticker packs of this last batch, which enable me to catch up with all available Pokémon stickers, are some of the most interesting as well as funny and crazy. I would suppose that in that way, they are some of the best, as hinted by the adage. There hasn't been a new Pokémon sticker pack since last year, when the very last sticker pack I detailed here was released, so some wonderings about their later future may be in order. Right now, there is no need to wonder about their current future, which is to grace the chats I make with friends and other people on LINE. That would seem to be more opportunistic than the opportunities I took to obtain these stickers.

One year ago: The Name of the Game

Two years ago: The First English Anime Opening Theme

Three years ago: Strong Opinions

Road to 25th Anniversary: Expectations

After having made the initial post that "kicks off" the road to the 25th or silver anniversary of Pokémon last month, and after being reminded of it by way of a song of historical proportions, I thought I had to keep it in memory. Being that I'm a Pokémon blogger, the natural thing would be making another post on it, and so this post happens. This time, I thought about discussing a specific theme as a guide, and looking at the state of things, that theme seems to be "expectations" that may be had for the anniversary. While it may be considered that I've touched on this in my previous post, I'd like to address this in a different way within this post.

That would be my personal expectations against those of everyone else. My personal expectation is that the anniversary to come for Pokémon is a big one, bigger than others that have preceded it, and therefore it should be quite different than those previous anniversaries. In a way, it demands "pulling out all the stops" with as much (unique) celebratory material as possible. And yet, due to current conditions, which may persist up until the moment of the celebration, it may not be wise to celebrate too much. It is somewhat of a dilemmatic position that otherwise wouldn't be without current conditions. The challenge within the times that lead up to the anniversary will be to conceive things to enliven the moment while still being able to live, essentially.

For the others, it may seem that the upcoming anniversary is just like any other anniversary for Pokémon, but that may be because no peep has been heard from them at this point in time. Given that it's early yet, some may choose not to have expectations at this point, even though I'm certain that they are as highly enthused as I am about this special and gilded anniversary. That seems to be a good approach, perhaps as a learning experience from the National Dex brouhaha that is still fresh in the minds of some fans. Once the anniversary creeps closer and closer, then it may be time to have some expectations, or perhaps to expand a few older ones. In that way, the big anniversary can remain as enlivened as ever.

Still, already for the upcoming anniversary, some expectations can be identified. There's the long-conjectured "Sinnoh remakes", which have captivated minds since the first conjecture way back for the 3DS despite never being realized. There are the remnants from the Pokémon Presents videos earlier this year, as New Pokémon Snap and Pokémon Unite, which only have been glanced upon (and the latter has gotten some restricted insights recently). And then there are dynamically going expectations (literally), as a conjecture for expanding the Let's Go series to Johto as well as other additions to Pokémon Go, of which some are practically inevitable, as new species from Generation 6. Those are all a lot of expectations to be fulfilled on the road ahead.

Meanwhile, I already have something to expect of my own, which is the creation of this post again to cover developing details on this major anniversary as it comes about in a few month's time, only with different things to cover, which should already be beyond expectations. It's a wonderful time to come for Pokémon, even if current situations make this and other things that much less wonderful. Perhaps right now expectations are best suppressed (or at the least redirected to other things) while the momentum builds up. But it's only natural that they'll eventually come about, and once they're realized, there would be fewer of them... or maybe more will be expected from this great time for all.

One year ago: A Raid Split?

Two years ago: The First Japanese Anime Opening Theme

Three years ago: Enhancements in Shuffle

The HIStory of the Future (and Now, with Pokémon)

Every day create your HIStory

Every path you take you're leaving your legacy

Every soldier dies in his glory

Every legend tells of conquest and liberty

Every day create your HIStory

Every page you turn you're writing your legacy

Every hero dreams of chivalry

Every child should sing together in harmony

-- "HIStory", Michael Jackson

Like anything that has lasted for many, many years, Pokémon has a very lengthy history of all its own. It's a history closing in on two and a half decades in length, and it may be said that currently fans, players, and everyone are on the road to that very milestone. They are the makers of that long and rich history. But I'd also like to think that the makers of that history also lie in the characters belonging to the conceived visions of the world of Pokémon. With that, I'm reminded of this minor hit song from the King of Pop as well as the lyrics contained within it.

Considering the song as a whole, it is quite motivational. It's to inspire people to do good things to make the world a better place, given everything that has happened. This is fairly evident by all the voice clips related to world history, as well as the verse and pre-chorus parts. Then there's the chorus, which I've quoted above in its extended form as heard in the second half of the song. It's also the part that evokes Pokémon visions the most as I'm reminded of the song within these recent times.

There may be lots of ways to interpret, imagine, and connect the chorus, but I'll detail what comes to my mind. The "paths of leaving legacy" could be construed as the many routes in the main series games, or the efforts fans take to express their interest. The "dying soldier" is a strong reminder of Sorrel's Luxray in the 20th movie. The "legends of conquest and liberty" obviously brings up Pokémon Conquest and the things that transpire within the game. From the first half, these are all already significant.

The significant connections continue in the second half. The "pages of written legacy" evidently has a personal connection in the form of this blog. For the "heroes who dream of chivalry", there are all the protagonist Trainers whose Pokémon battles on the field are to be fought fairly with the greatest honor and respect for each other. Finally, the "children who sing in harmony" is representative of the children found in all Pokémon things and who are interested in Pokémon in general, perhaps enough to sing together.

Again, these Pokémon visions for the chorus may be different for another Pokémon fan, but if they are pretty much along the same lines, then that may bring fans together, especially now with a significant milestone for Pokémon ahead. All the Pokémon "HIStory" that have happened to today are important, and so should be the future history, which might just bear even more semblances to the chorus above. All that is left is for all fans to revel in what's here and what's to come. Perhaps another line that follows the chorus above would sum up everything nicely:

All nations sing, let's harmonize all around the world...

One year ago: Performance Critique: GACOS LEVELUP J-Song

Two years ago: New Pokémon, New World?

Three years ago: Pikachu with Regional Caps

Making Time, Taking Time

For those who have noticed and read my posts over the past few days, something might have become evident: I broke the pattern of posting that has essentially been in place since the start of June, in that I would post something related to Pokémon in general (but not really to Pokémon Go) for two days, followed by something related to Pokémon Go for two days. Now that the pattern is effectively broken, I thought I would call attention to it as well as discuss prospects for future posts alongside a guiding theme for that.

That guiding theme is stated in the title of this post. For a certain activity involving kids, it is best to be able to do so when one can make a time for it, and once one makes the time, it is best to so by taking the time to do it. In some ways, this could conceivably be considered to apply to (certain) Pokémon activities as well, being best when time is made for them and time is spent on them. In my personal case, though, I'd like to think that I have made the time and am taking the time for all the Pokémon things that I do - including for this blog - in addition to the other things that I do, and perhaps that would apply to others as well.

That said, regarding making time and taking time, I do want to reiterate that this isn't a Pokémon Go blog - it's a Pokémon blog, for everything about it and then some. It just so happens that a great amount of my time has been made and taken for Pokémon Go because that is what I have time for at present, including when I go out for errands, becoming a time filler when that occurs. Eventually, I do intend to deal with the main series games again, for example, as soon as the time is befitting. For now, a lot of things are go, go, go - in more ways than one.

Speaking of go, go, go, there is one hot thing that went and then stalled. That would be my podcast with Handoyo, which has gone for two and a half weeks now without a new episode (and therefore no update on the supposedly "Weekly" Challenge). Since we did talk about great future plans for it, it would seem like a "very funny joke" (not) if this podcast fizzled just as soon as it started, perhaps all because we couldn't make time and take time for it, which brings me back to square one, the guiding theme I had already set out. Things may take a bit more time.

So now that the pattern has been broken, I'm free to post on whatever I like or need to cover, certainly still related to Pokémon. But whatever I do - it could be within or beyond the games - I still have to make the time and take the time for them, as well as to write about them as posts on this blog. Some things will naturally still be present anyhow, including the at-present ties to Pokémon Go, but making time and taking time should help to bring out new things. Sure, the guiding theme may be for kids activities, but Pokémon as everyone's activities seems to fit the bill too.

One year ago: Doubleheaders and Such

Two years ago: Cosplay: Panniversary 2nd

Three years ago: Pikachu and Poké Ball New 2DS XL

The Place of Pokémon Go in the Pokémon Ecosystem

In the world of technology, the term of "ecosystem" may not be a strange term to those who recognize it. It is popularly used to describe a certain device company and all its devices, which interact in similar ways among themselves. Pokémon games can (recently) be said to have possessed such an ecosystem, and the mobile installment of Pokémon Go is also a part of that ecosystem, in addition to the game being an "ecosystem" of its own. It therefore seems worth it to discuss this topic with a particular emphasis on Pokémon Go in both respects, regarding its places in both.

I've already noted about Pokémon Go being its own ecosystem about a year ago for its third anniversary, and it really is true. The core of this is of course the game and the device needed to play the game. Not much more is needed than that, but one can certainly augment that with a Go Plus device of some sort, and that would indeed be a part of the ecosystem. The game can also link with Niantic services, as with Niantic Kids to let younger fans play and Wayfarer to review and help add new locations, making these part of the ecosystem as well. And then there are the necessary links to and with Nintendo's side of things for the greater Pokémon ecosystem. The major point is that they have interactions that make up the "ecosystem", just like that family of devices and the natural phenomenon they take their name from.

As for the greater Pokémon ecosystem, Pokémon Go has a lesser role in that. The biggest link it has at the moment is with the Let's Go games, being that one can transfer Pokémon to them and receive a Mystery Box in return; from there, the transferred Pokémon can move to Pokémon Home. The Let's Go games essentially become the current gateway for Pokémon Go to the rest of the Pokémon ecosystem, comprised of Pokémon Home and the new main series games of Sword and Shield. The direct link from Pokémon Go to Pokémon Home, which has been stated to be in the works, has yet to be realized, but once it has, it will make Pokémon Go an even more crucial part. So, at the moment there is not much to speak of for its role, but the minor role is still significant nonetheless.

From these, the place of Pokémon Go can be understood. As a part of its own ecosystem, Pokémon Go becomes front and center, essentially the sine qua non that makes the ecosystem come to life. As a part of the greater Pokémon ecosystem, Pokémon Go is minor at present with its only established indirect link, but stands a chance to become further important with a direct link. In the former case, the place of Pokémon Go is the "anchor" for things that are purely related to it and is key to them. In the latter case, its place is as a "support" for the Let's Go games in a direct way and the main series games in an indirect way; in general, Pokémon Go is not isolated as with other spinoff games that may have little to do with the main series systems, and can serve its links well.

In a technological sense, an ecosystem necessitates interrelationships between its parts, similar to the devices I've hinted about. Pokémon Go very much seems to have that, both being the central point of its ecosystem and being a helpful branch for the most major of Pokémon games as well as Pokémon Home as the service that is intended to tie them up and make them work well together. I'll never (again) own one of those connected devices I've hinted about, but I'll be perfectly fine owning the connected parts of a Pokémon ecosystem and making them work for my needs.

One year ago: Cosplay: GACOS LEVELUP

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/22/2018

Three years ago: Riot of Pokémon Color

Item Runs in Pokémon Shuffle

Before starting a stage in Pokémon Shuffle, a player may have the choice to use any or all of a selection of items to assist playing the stage. Depending on the limitations of the stages and the Pokémon that one has available for playing the stages, sometimes the items may be absolutely necessary, and other times they might not. The usage of these items gives rise to a specific term: "item run", which refers to the way the usage of items is carried out. The term is of linguistic interest to me, but it is also of interest to discuss its realization. 

There are two common ways that this may be realized. The first is a "full item run", by which all available items are used to play the stage. Those with underpowered Pokémon are likely to opt for these runs for some stages, as it may be to clear the stage in question. The second way it might be realized is as a "no item (or itemless) run", which is clearly not using any items whatsoever to play the stage. Those who possess Pokémon that have been fully powered up and/or enhanced are likely to play some stages in this way and be able to save some coins for other endeavors, including other "item runs". Of course, playing a stage with just a few items is quite possible, but in many cases, "item runs" come down these two cases. 

What slightly complicates matters is that not all items are available on every stage. For example, some Competitive Stages may have only a small subset of items available for use, and other Special Stages - most notably the unlocked Ultra Beast stages - disallow items from being used. While it may be hard to consider a run as being "itemless" when no items can be used in the first place, the limited available items in some stages may still constitute a "full item run" so long as as the items are being used. Aside from these complications, "item runs" can virtually take place on any stage in any condition. 

As an aside, but still somewhat related, there is a facility that makes a "full item run" not only feasibly possible but also convenient. For stages with a number of available assist items, an Item Bundle option is available that essentially allows the use of all of those items. Instead of using coins to pay for them or using up spare items, one pays for all of the items with a Jewel. It might seem costly to use up a Jewel for this purpose, but it may be even more costly to spend coins or item stocks, especially if coins are hard to come by and it is desirable to save up item stocks. Usage of this option essentially entails a "full item run" as all available items are put into play, but it works well in that regard.

Players of Pokémon Shuffle will always have to contend with the items available for use on a stage, and this leads to "item runs" for the relevant stages. They may be "full item runs" to take in all the necessary items (with or without an Item Bundle) to help out the Pokémon as much as possible, or they may be "itemless runs" to go through the greatest challenge with the best Pokémon available. Beyond the term being a simple linguistic descriptor, there is quite a bit that goes into the consideration of how it's to be executed for the myriad of stages in Pokémon Shuffle.

One year ago: Remember, Remember

Two years ago: Community Raid Days?

Three years ago: Pokémon and Party Games

Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/20/2020

Community Day for Pokémon Go comes around again, and this time, there are or were scenarios from the past. One of those is that this month's Community Day and the one for the next month (October) were decided by voting in August, much like how June's and July's were decided by voting that took place in May. One difference was that voting took place later after the event's edition in the month and not during it, which should have freed up efforts a bit for the "campaigning" for the vote. After the voting took place, a clear winner and an interesting runner-up came out on top. As with July's edition, I'll discuss October's when it becomes pertinent, which means not now.

For now, there is this month's. The winner of the voting last month was... Porygon. It's a humble Pokémon, considering its lore and history in Pokémon, which I shall discuss eventually, but not in detail here. For its final evolutionary stage of Porygon-Z, the special move it receives is Tri Attack as a Charged Move, which unlike its brethren in the main series does not potentially inflict a status condition and instead potentially lowers Attack or Defense in PvP; this move is therefore PvP-oriented for Pokémon Go. As for the regular bonus, it is only triple XP for captures, which should be quite significant for sub-Level 40 Trainers and valuable nonetheless if only as a possible way to prepare for other significant things.

For those who have been with Community Day since the conditions of the world took a turn for the worse, it is known that some things were changed up to make things more viable, so I won't discuss this too much. In fact, to describe things succinctly, the "perks" of this month's edition are essentially the same as last month's, another "past scenario". That includes the optional (but I dare say, highly recommended) paid Special Research, for which this month is entitled "Decoding Porygon", which is a nod to the Pokémon family's virtual or cyber nature as well as its digital lore, all of which are explained through Professor Willow throughout the Special Research. 

Now, Porygon evolves with certain usage of items in the main series games, and it's no different in Pokémon Go, though Candy is still involved as with any Pokémon. It needs an Upgrade to become Porygon2, and then a Sinnoh Stone (as the aggregate stand-in for the Dubious Disc) to become Porygon-Z, along with 25 and 100 Candies respectively. To supply these items for those who lack them, an additional Timed Research of one page was added solely to reward some of the items. This Community Day is therefore unique - as unique as the Pokémon species family itself - in featuring two evolution items and three generations, in contrast to Swinub and Ralts, which only featured the Sinnoh Stone and two generations.

My friend from last month returned in order to play along with me and my raid subgroup, which is now his raid group as well. I used the opportunity to regroup with a few of my friends there, in addition to getting some outside exercise by walking. While that did mean playing outside, I also tried as much as possible to stay safe given what's still going on. I also got more or less good results, with a Porygon of almost the best stats possible, plus candidates of each member of the family for PvP, and two spare Porygon-Z. As for Shiny Pokémon, I obtained 15 Shiny Porygon, which is passable along with the special surprise of a Shiny Articuno. This outing could be considered to be productive. 

Porygon and its kin are known as a group of virtual Pokémon with a "past scenario" that wasn't too promising. However, the present scenario of a Community Day for it as a voted-in winner is rather promising, especially when properly executed no matter where one may be. It is also the prelude to a future scenario involving the Community Day for its fellow runner-up, but that's for next month. I may have to review my scenario for that as well. Scenarios aside, virtual Pokémon such as Porygon and its family are still Pokémon, and a Community Day for it is a fitting tribute in Pokémon Go style, especially as the resulting winner of a voting by those who demand its special capabilities and more.

One year ago: The Friendly Manual

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/20/2018

Three years ago: Meeting, Parting with, and Missing Friends

On the Transcription of Pokémon Things

I mentioned in my overview post for the first episode of my podcast that I had undertaken the process of transcribing that podcast (in addition to the ultimate goal of translating it). Transcription is actually something I like to do for a few things, not the least of which are Pokémon things. I suppose that because that I'm fond of matters related to languages and their background principles, I got interested in this activity. In some ways, though, the activity is fundamentally important to some linguistic affairs, so I'm not too far off. But for Pokémon things, it can be important too.

What I'm fond of transcribing are things related to the Pokémon anime, in particular full episodes of it with the English dub. Of course, as shorts like Twilight Wings are still part of the anime, they are fair game for transcription as well. Beyond the anime, lots of Pokémon or Pokémon-related things can be transcribed. A podcast like the other day is certain, but other things may be relevant as well for the process, like commercials and promotional videos. This process is essential if not for one thing: to create captions or subtitles for those hard of hearing. I'm not hard of hearing myself, but it's a useful reference nonetheless, both for myself and others.

The one big thing about this process is that it takes time, as I had indicated in the other post. Admittedly, the other day translation was also involved, so it took a little longer. Even if it weren't involved, the process still takes a good amount of time, which is why I haven't done it for a long time, and just as I planned to get back in the swing of things for the purpose of my podcast, I ran into this obstacle. It takes a good time to note down the things that are being spoken, type them up, and then to verify everything to make sure they're right. But once someone takes the time to do so, the results are there for pretty much all time, especially with good management. The utility itself is worth the time.

As I've stated, I'm fond of transcribing the anime episodes, and I keep the results of this small project handy; eventually, if time permits, I may consider making another one. For the Twilight Wings shorts, the ones that haven't been captioned make good fodder, but the project will and should include all of them for the sake of completion. The podcast I started with Handoyo is indeed a prime target (more to the point of it being personal), but again, I'll take it up when the demand arises; I'm open to do so for others as well, and this could be a potential outlet for commissions given what I'm capable of doing. The possibilities seem to be plentiful enough.

I feel that as I've done this activity, I've done myself a good favor. It benefits me in terms of languages and linguistics by providing myself with language materials for other purposes related to them. It benefits me in terms of Pokémon by providing useful written references for whatever may concern this franchise, which I am deeply attached to. In the end, both can be described through one word: enjoyment. I enjoy working with transcriptions as a part of or segue to linguistics, and I enjoy working with Pokémon things no matter what. And it's great to know that they both can come together in some ways.

One year ago: Taking Sides on Shiny Pokémon

Two years ago: Raid Time Length Change

Three years ago: Competitive Stages in Shuffle

GOtcha Podcast Episode 1: Mega Evolution in Pokémon Go

OK, so I had planned on putting up the English translation of Episode 1 of GOtcha Podcast, the initiative that Handoyo and I started, as a post. I spent nearly an hour translating (essentially as I'm transcribing) the podcast, and I didn't even get through five minutes of it, and the entire episode is 38 minutes long, which means I would need to spend lots of time for just even one episode. Future episodes are to be at least an hour long as something we agreed upon, which means even more time to make and certainly to translate. I've decided to shift gears and give an overview instead, which is faster and easier to write considering everything, and had been the plan all along even for a different podcast. So here I go.

This episode of the podcast takes the title of "Mega Evolution in Pokémon Go" because it had just been introduced - the day before we recorded, in fact. The "What's Happening" segment, accordingly, features us talking about the particulars of Mega Evolution both in Pokémon Go and in the main series games, essentially comparing the two systems in their general principles (Mega Stones vs. Mega Energy, how this feature is more or less non-permanent in any case) as well as what has been put into Pokémon Go at that time. We also indirectly discussed the "quibbles" of the Pokémon Go system as was the case when we recorded, which at this point have been mediated to some extent, though the principles remained the same. Later on, at the end of the "Pokémon trivia" segment, we also discussed potential good practices for Mega Evolution, also with additions for the things that had been discussed prior.

In the "Pokémon Trivia" segment, I took over explaining about Charizard (as well as the Charmander family where relevant) as one of the Pokémon that had just been given the capability for Mega Evolution in Pokémon Go. I also discussed their recognition, including their related features, as the family of a starter Pokémon and factoids about the names of the Pokémon in the family. As someone who hails from playing the main series, explanations of unique things for it were also in order, including for more recent iterations. Statistics and moves also were in order, though I tried to emphasize the Pokémon Go aspect naturally for this podcast; this also included it becoming an event fodder (Community Day and as a Clone Pokémon). Being a popular Pokémon, I also highlighted how it is popular, including its appearances in the anime.

Handoyo, being a PvP maestro, then took up the "PvP Corner" segment. At that time, Go Battle League had entered the Master League phase of the previous season, and he discussed some of the meta picks for that purpose based on a certain ranking on a website, though with explanations and observations, especially regarding moves for them that may be unobtainable at the time. Being just the pure Master League, many Legendary Pokémon obviously made it on this list. For the accompanying Premier Cup without their presence, a few Shadow Pokémon appeared as alternate picks compared to their non-Shadow counterparts since they have stat behaviors that are characteristically different from each other. We closed up the segment with a few tips of our own for both of these and prospects for the Go Battle League, particularly with Mega Evolution.

For the remainder of the juicy details, I recommend listening to the episode in the podcast. Though slightly out of date by this point (and will always be the case for later overviews), it may prove to be a good starting point. Eventually I may just transcribe and translate the whole thing, but perhaps only if there's a sufficient demand for it. Handoyo and I, we're busy people, and even at the moment we still don't have a definite plan (at least, after a previous one didn't work out) as to when we'll record Episode 3, but I have faith that we can make time for everything, including for that. In any case, this is the starting point for the both of us in this initiative, as rudimentary as it is.

One year ago: Raid Failures

Two years ago: A Restarted Fever?

Three years ago: What I (Really) Like About You - Pokémon

Progressing Through the Go Battle League

I've already discussed about the ranking system of the community adjunct for PvP tournaments involving Pokémon Go, as that which belongs to the Silph League Arena or SLA. Now it seems apt that I should discuss about that which belongs to the official side of things, which would be the Go Battle League. This is something that I haven't addressed since the implementation of the feature over half a year ago, and now is a good time as any to discuss it. For an added perspective, I'll also couple it with some of the experiences from my fellow Pokémon Go Trainers as well as myself.

As I've noted, the Go Battle League has 10 ranks that can be achieved through battling in sets of five battles at a time and fulfilling certain requirements. While those requirements have changed over time, some general things can be observed. Typically, the first few ranks simply demand battling to advance - winning or losing doesn't matter - and in effect they're the easiest to get through. Most ranks in the middle demand not only battling but also winning, and the number may be greater than the number of battles in a set, making it necessary (and not so easy) to go through multiple sets to get to the next rank. At the highest few ranks, a rating is conferred to a Trainer, and advancing requires increasing this rating, which indeed may be downright difficult. For those who aim for the top, these are the challenges that they need to go through.

Some changes have or had also occurred in the way one battles. For a bit of time after current conditions worsened, one could continue battling until one won a battle if one lost all five battles in a set; it was essentially to allow one to earn at least the first reward in the set, and once that happened, a new set then started. This change was supported by some and opposed by others, and it was reverted after some time. Rewards for winning battles have also changed every so often to keep Trainers going, and this has included Pokémon that can be caught as a reward. Even so, some of the changes may be considered to be dubious, considering prior conditions (regarding Scraggy) or general situations (regarding Pikachu Libre). Then, an additional format had been implemented, which can and does lead to other possible formats, but this needs its own discussion when the time is right. Further changes will certainly keep things lively.

As for experiences from myself and others, there is actually quite a bit of those. I find that since most Trainers (may) be well prepared for the SLA, which utilizes the Great League, there is an imperative to battle hard and fast during the Great League phase of a season to elevate ranks as much as possible, after which one may rest easy... or not. That's because the most grueling portion is increasing one's rating after getting to the ranks that necessitate this. For someone with only mediocre skill like me, it seems easy to watch my rating tumble after losing even just once. By the experience of more skilled Trainers, a large number of (consecutive) wins and therefore time almost becomes necessary, and that may prove to be a deterrent instead, even for someone of the caliber of my podcast friend. I find it easier not to worry about things anymore after this point and just to "enjoy the ride". Those whose rides are not yet over will still have their work cut out for them.

Trainers who wish to achieve PvP success in Pokémon Go certainly won't overlook the Go Battle League as the official path for that. It does, however, have its intricacies, some of which have become apparent and/or changed over the course of over half a year since its addition. Within that time, I and some of my fellow Trainers have observed and gone through them, and we've discovered the good and not-so-good things with them. Great hopes are still abound in PvP for those willing to make efforts to advance in Go Battle League while coping with its intricacies, which should also mean great success as well.

One year ago: At a Starry Night Time

Two years ago: Approaching Field Research Tasks

Three years ago: Restarting Go Fever Among Players

The Firefighters of Pokémon

For the longest time, I've been attracted to a certain movie featuring firefighters, though I've actually never seen the movie and don't know how I would go about to watch it now. It's an old movie, but only not much older than Pokémon, about half a decade or so. More recently, I've been reminded of the heroics of certain real firefighters in different cases. Being that I'm a Pokémon fan, I tend to think of the world in terms of Pokémon, and I automatically think about firefighters in a Pokémon sense.

Those who are well-versed in the anime will recognize that an early episode did indeed deal with firefighting. In the episode, there was a traditional squad, but there was also a Pokémon squad in the form of a number of Blastoise shooting water jets to douse the fire. What this means is that Pokémon firefighters can and do blend those in a traditional sense with those of Pokémon sensibilities. The latter can assist the former in ways that are not even realistically possible, not only to fight the flames but also to ensure the safety of all concerned.

On a smaller scale, Pokémon could still be called to fight smaller fires as in the Pokémon Ranger series. The Rangers would need to scout for and capture Pokémon according to the scale of the fires they can fight, keeping in mind that they can only be used in an ad hoc manner. If there are multiple Rangers, they could work like a traditional firefighting squad, except with Pokémon sensibilities through and through. Overall, the nature of the firefighting would be purposed yet variable for the efforts that would entail putting out the fire.

As expected, Pokémon of the Water type nicely fill in roles for the team that douses the fire. But for the team that attempts to save people and things during a fire, a few of the Pokémon roles could be unexpected. Due to its strength and possibility of carrying people, Machamp could be enlisted to help in rescue, in order to get to hard-to-reach places and move people away from danger. Speaking of danger, the dangers involved in firefighting and rescue could be considered the same as with the real world, only perhaps a little more dangerously.

The heroics of firefighters are always something to be praised, as they attempt to salvage places from being razed by fire and rescue the lives that may be present. The heroics of Pokémon firefighters may seem to be just as if not more heroic due to the special abilities that may be present and be potentially useful to make firefighting proceed in a more dynamic way. On that note, this Pokémon fan may just need to see the movie that has been of interest and expand horizons slightly by doing so.

One year ago: Pokémon Cable Bite Accessory - Pikachu

Two years ago: An End to Jumps

Three years ago: Pokémon Suits in Cosplay?

On Public Communication with Pokémon

I had the idea for this post a couple of months ago, but in a way, I wasn't sure how I would go about discussing it. I wanted to discuss about public communication that involves Pokémon - that much being certain as the topic for it - but I wasn't sure what else I'd include. However, given that now I have a podcast in addition to this blog, that seems to have indicated a new direction for the topic. There's a certain social quality about communication made in recent times, including for a pop culture item such as Pokémon. And that seems to tie in well to public communication involving it. 

In my personal case with this blog and the podcast, the social quality becomes quite apparent. With this blog and the podcast, I have the potential to reach not only a select number of people, but a great number of them, as is true of just about any social media in current times. There is a need to be rather expressive in communication using them, in particular according to their constraints. On this blog, I can write to extended lengths and stand to include a variety of media, but with the podcast, at least for the current moment, the spoken word becomes the most important thing. Either way, I need to say many things and say good things as well in order to preserve my good standing.

Because Pokémon is a pop culture object, I and others can stand to talk casually about it. This would be rather evident and obvious for the podcast, which essentially involves me in casual conversation. And it's no surprise that most social media posts about Pokémon that are designed to engage fans have a casual tone to them. If the topic is more weighty, such as the state of official competitions, then a more formal tone is likely in order. I'm inclined to think of the posts on this blog as being somewhere between the two: I don't have to be too casual if I can be objective about things and I don't have to be too formal if subjectivity is involved. Still, as this blog is written and partly due to my training in formal writing, it may sound a bit more formal than it should be.

Not every Pokémon fan has to communicate about Pokémon, of course - at least not broadly. Those who just need to work on playing and enjoying the games or anything else Pokémon may need no more than to talk to one or a few people for assistance, or to corroborate on certain matters. Those who do want to get more involved in broader matters - like helping out many fellow players or like me in delivering perceptions and updates on Pokémon things - will certainly have to communicate publicly. In this latter case, consideration of ways to publicly communicate is important. That's what led me on this blog since I consider myself to have a way with the written word, even if at times it may not be the case (three years ago, see below). The podcast will also surely have its influence on my spoken word abilities as things progress.

In general, people are social creatures. They need to communicate with one another in order to be able to survive. If they happen to be Pokémon fans like me, then Pokémon will likely be involved. More specifically, for a select number of them, public communication will be involved, and this will force them to consider how and in what way messages regarding Pokémon are to be conveyed. This is very much true for me with the two communicative initiatives I now have going. And for as long as the fans are there and the content is there, much will continue to need to be communicated to reach out to them publicly.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/15/2019

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Trading Stickers

Three years ago: Am I Writing-Challenged?

It's Time for GOtcha... Podcast

All right, this has been kind of hinted over some of the posts from the past couple of weeks, but it's something that I'm somewhat pleased to finally get off my mind and out in the open. A year ago, I threw out the conjecture that I may be willing to create a podcast, given enough time to say what I want to say and do what I need to do to get that going. And while that hasn't happened by the virtue of my own efforts, it has happened thanks to a collaboration with a really good friend. I now present... GOtcha Podcast, a podcast about Pokémon Go and a little about Pokémon in general. The podcast is under my friend's name, but I have a stake in it regardless, enough that I can call it "mine".

With that in mind, I want to formally introduce my friend, partner, and host for this podcast. His name is Handoyo Saputra, and he's actually not a stranger to this blog. He's the "Techno Captain" that I addressed also about a year ago: he manages said web site in addition to what he does day in and day out. He's also a darn good Pokémon Go player, even competitively; he's the little-known first Ace (yes, the SLA rank) in our country that I referred to in an earlier post, and though he's been on a recent downturn, he's knowledgeable enough that I still consider him a good reference. We have maintained our presence in the past few SLA tournaments by our raid group, including one where we ended up battling each other. We consider his PvP prowess and my Pokémon involvement to be a good match for this podcast.

The idea for this podcast came about a few weeks ago. Handoyo pitched the idea to me and I immediately agreed. The next week, we started recording the first episode, and this was hinted by my post on social values of Pokémon Go, as we recorded that very day. Episode 1 was quickly wrapped up, edited, and uploaded, and we were off to a great start. The next week, we worked on Episode 2 and even had a great time; that's when Twilight Wings came up in the discussion. It was also then that further issues of copyrights came up, which I duly noted in my discussion of Let's Play videos. We had already planned Episode 3 to be made, but other things came up and we've had to shelve it. But I'm sure that the time will be right soon and we can get working on it.

In our initial planning and episode, we set out to include three segments of different content, and we did. The first is updates on events, happenings, new features, and so on and so forth in Pokémon Go. The second is trivia on a featured Pokémon or perhaps a family of them if relevant. The third is what we call "PvP Corner", as special discussions on the hot-and-happening PvP scene. All these segments will continue to be part of the podcast as things go on. In the second episode, we started off with an introductory segment, though this could easily be repurposed - more on this shortly. We also added a new segment at the end called "Weekly Challenge" where we set goals on things for us to achieve, similar to in-game International Challenges that crop up during special times, but more specific for us, and we would compare progressions each week. Since Episode 3 hasn't been made, we may be considered to have "extra time" to complete them. Apart from that, we seem to have a good thing going.

As can be surmised, this was intended to be a weekly podcast. But with Episode 3 being delayed, it seems that we might try to make this whenever the week permits us to make it; I suppose this is a personal hope of mine (and maybe his as well). Special editions are perhaps not out of the question as well if and when something big in Pokémon Go comes up - and current situations die down - and we can be there for it, cover it, the whole nine yards. In a later edition, we might also try to invite a few special guests to be interviewed, using that variable segment; perhaps they could be top local players, other fans, top national players, and so on. We might also look into other means of recording if that can be the case, especially once we ultimately desire for this to be available on YouTube as well. Right now we're only doing voice, but visuals will surely become important for a YouTube edition. As with any social initiative, we're also open to user input to make things a whole lot better.

I've been part of podcasts before as guests (see above), but this is the first time I'm in the "co-host" position, and I have to say I enjoy it. Handoyo and I have our regular outlets for informing the masses through writing, mine being this blog and his being the news portal, but this podcast is certainly another thing. It represents our combined efforts to bring out something engaging for the Pokémon game we have in common, being Pokémon Go. We have our perspectives - being that I'm a longtime Pokémon player and he has a way with PvP - and that makes this podcast unique, perhaps enough to appeal to those who don't play Pokémon Go. We really enjoy playing Pokémon Go as something that exists within the breadth of things that are Pokémon, and if our experiences playing the game and making this podcast are of any indication, we can take that enjoyment to Pokémon in general, and bring along listeners for the ride.

The podcast can be heard through the following services:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6L9926mTSbAekglsFrQ4V4

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/gotcha-podcast

While the podcast is in Indonesian, I've been cleared, in a way, to provide an English translation for the episodes, which will be on this blog... eventually. That will take time, of course.

For now, I hope you enjoy. Let's keep going, and see you next time!

One year ago: The Appeal of the TCG

Two years ago: A Pokémon Watch

Three years ago: Three's Demise

Competitor Ranks of the Silph League Arena

I've written about the Silph League Arena (SLA) every so often, as the online community competitive adjunct for Pokémon Go, and at times there can be something to discuss about it. At this time, I've found that its competitor ranking system is quite fascinating and relevant in some ways. It is indeed important, as it is how all the competitors become compared to one another in their proficiency in the various tournaments that various communities organize as part of that major competition.

The system is rather simple. As the competitors - Trainers - win rounds and battles, they progress through the ranks and come out higher than other Trainers. Yet this can also work in the opposite way: if they don't win, it may be possible for them to move down in rank, particularly if they're on or near the border between ranks. The number of competitors also factor into the ranking quite a bit; more Trainers that are involved in a single tournament make it more likely for a Trainer to advance greatly through the rank progressions - something that I can attest when I participated in the big national tournament over a year ago. Apart from that, the system presents itself very well.

The most common ranks of Trainers in this system are the lowest three ranks: Trainer, Rival, and Challenger. Everyone obviously starts at the Trainer rank, and after some successful tournaments, they can move up to the Rival and Challenger ranks. In the season that ends this year, I was only at the Rival rank since I didn't participate in many tournaments, let alone become successful in them. In the year before, which involved the national tournament as above, I progressed to the Challenger rank - and perhaps, if it weren't for that tournament, I would still be stuck as a Rival. In any case, I'm still just a low-to-middle rank competitor, and others are much better than me and possess higher ranks.

Those higher ranks would be Ace, Elite, and Legend. A Trainer would have to be significantly good at battling, even winning many tournaments, in order to achieve these higher ranks. A select few of my Pokémon Go fellows have achieved the Ace rank, while the top national Trainers (who they might just be in contact with) are of the Elite rank, and the top of the very top Trainers in the world are of the Legend rank. Unless I get better somehow, I don't have much hope of reaching these lofty ranks, and it especially wouldn't be possible with this year's season ending soon and a new one about to start soon after, where everyone starts anew. This is yet another important point.

The SLA is a big competition, as it involves all Trainers all around the world. But for such a large competition, its ranking system is remarkably simple, save for the effort that is required to advance. Considering all that occurs in the tournaments and competitions, that simplicity seems to set its competitors or Trainers free. They become free to compete in and do whatever it takes to come out on top, which could be a lot of effort. The effort is still rewarding for Trainers of Pokémon Go like me who want to say and prove they are the best.

One year ago: Personal Branding

Two years ago: To Judge and Be Judged

Three years ago: Catering to Old and New Players

Let's Talk About Household Creatures

Me: I kind of want to explore a certain subject from both a realistic and Pokémon perspective. So I thought I'd do a "Let's Talk" about it.

Ash: Why not? Let's talk it over. Maybe I'll enjoy your perspective and you'll enjoy mine.

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["That's fine!"]

Me: OK. So this time I want to discuss about "household creatures" - creatures that you and I might find around houses, whether it's real in my world or in the Pokémon world.

Ash: That's neat. I think you and I might have a few of those.

Me: Indeed we do. But for this discussion, I'd like to limit it to a few, three in fact: dogs, cats, and rats. Those three are pretty common in my real world, and they should be for Pokémon too.

Ash: I think I see what you're getting at.

Me: Let's start with rats. Some time ago, I dealt with an actual rat problem, and it wasn't pretty. These can be very pesky.

Ash: Well, they can be the same for Pokémon too. You might have seen Rattata and Raticate in Alola - they're big, black, and troublemaking. It took Yungoos and Gumshoos to take care of them.

Me: I could have used their help, I think. The rats were quite terrible.

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

Me: Pikachu, you're very different. I know you're technically a rat, but you and your kin can be less destructive.

Ash: I wouldn't say that. Pikachu can have really great power, if you've seen what happened early on. And they can still do what rats do.

Me: True. I guess it's because I'm so used to seeing Pikachu of Trainers like you, not so much wild ones.

Ash: I know. It can have a way with your mind. Let's move on to the other two.

Me: So now we have dogs and cats. They are definitely lovable, more so than rats, and that should be the case for the real world and the Pokémon world.

Ash: Sure! Some Pokémon are dogs or cats. They can be great pets at home when people don't battle with them.

Me: Yes, I'm sure some are kept at home for that very purpose. Let's start with dogs. Houndour or Poochyena are probably too wild for home, but Snubbull or Lillipup should be great.

Pikachu: Pika! Pika pika! ["Yeah! I'm sure!"]

Ash: I guess I'd agree. That Stoutland that I met in Alola might have started out at home, maybe even from a Lillipup. It was found in a home after all. And who could forget that Snubbull in Johto. It might have liked to be more at home if its owner wasn't so fussy.

Me: And then it evolved into a Granbull, and that made for a heck of a time.

Ash: You can say that again. But the Stoutland was really nice, until it left. And that was sad for Litten. I understand your world lost a great cat some time ago that was like that Stoutland, so I know how you'd feel.

Me: OK, so this is a great segue into the last topic of cats. Lots of cats are present in my real world like that one, but Pokémon has its cats.

Ash: True. One I liked was May's Skitty way back in Hoenn. That was a neat Pokémon, and its Assist attack could make it do a lot of things. It was May's hero in some Contests, and it was impressive.

Me: As I recall, it was also very playful.

Pikachu: Pikachu! ["Quite so!"]

Ash: I can't disagree with you.

Me: Indeed. And then there's that Litten, which incidentally became yours.

Ash: Right! It moved on from Stoutland to become a part of my team, ready for new things. I am glad for Litten.

Me: You had to be. So, we've talked quite a bit about these "household creatures", but it seems our discussion has also quite branched outwards from the "household".

Ash: Yeah. I guess it means that they can be everywhere, not just in people's homes. But that's great for Trainers and just other people.

Me: Yes. Pokémon or not, we have to enjoy and respect them as they are and as they can be.

Pikachu: Pika! ["True!"]

Me: This discussion about some "household creatures" has been very enlightening. It was limited to a few of them, but they all have something to be thought about.

Ash: And I'm sure that you and I will continue to have great views on this and other stuff you might want to talk about.

One year ago: And Intelligence

Two years ago: Proud to Be a Clean Cosplayer

Three years ago: Poké-Mobile Devices

Getting Feline with Pokémon

Recently, I've found out that one of the most popular felines - cats - on the Internet had passed away, and I'm half a year late to the announcement. Yet I've also enjoyed the presence of that cat for a time, as I also enjoy (having the company of) real cats. Even as a Pokémon fan, I'm quite heartbroken to hear about the news. That leads me to think about all the felines or cats that have graced Pokémon from past to present and how much they mean as I enjoy both the real ones and fantasy ones.

Many generations of Pokémon have characteristic feline species. One doesn't need to look far to the first generation for Meowth and Persian, which can be annoying in their own ways. The Skitty family in the third generation looks almost like aliens as much as its two members are quite funky. The Glameow family of the fourth generation has two species with stark contrast between the two. Fifth generation has the Liepard family, which is quite sly. Back to Meowth, it even has two regional forms in later generations of decidedly different characteristics and even specific evolved forms for both. The felines that are out there are quite dazzling in appearance and personality, just like some real felines.

Interestingly, a few of these felines have a bipedal appearance, unlike (most) real felines that are quadrupeds. A few of these may still walk on all fours at times, but the ones I refer to are almost thoroughly known as bipedal creatures. With their appearance, it might seem to make them lose a little of their feline charm, yet by virtue of that bipedalism, they also identify themselves closer to people, the creatures that might appreciate them even more than those of their own kind. This has in a way been affirmed to be the case for a particularly famous Meowth. Whether or not this is the case for others, it's a total fantasy for cats or felines, and the people also benefit from becoming closer with them.

There is one more case of a remarkable feline. That would be the case of a certain Litten in the anime. It started off life by caring for an elderly Stoutland, who also taught it a great deal about things. After having gone through so much, the Stoutland departed, leaving Litten on its own. But it wasn't in vain, for Litten found its way to an even more charismatic companion. Though a canine or dog, the Stoutland bears some hallmarks to the (not so) recently departed Internet feline figure, including its old age, and now in a way I feel like the Litten to that Stoutland. Spiritually, Litten has moved on, and it seems to be a time for me to do so as well from the departing of that feline figure.

Nothing can replace that feline figure - not even the felines or cats from Pokémon - but at the least the latter has their unique charms. I'm quite content to see and enjoy the fantastic felines from this latter side as much as I enjoy real felines that I can tangibly interact with, and in the case of that feline figure, one that appeals through the screen for all its fans. Like the departing of the Stoutland (canine as it may be), it's just something to bear in feline form. Rest in peace, and now it's time to get back into Pokémon and perhaps its felines as well.

One year ago: This Is It

Two years ago: Cosplay: Club Cosplay Party

Three years ago: Pokkén BanaPassports

Multilingual Pokémon Go

Pokémon and different languages is a hot topic (for me at least) and much can be discussed about it. Along with the names of the Pokémon themselves, the games themselves are multilingual, not the least of which is the main series games... but I'll save the discussion pertaining to those some other time. Right now I want to discuss the multilingual topic as it pertains to its popular mobile installment, Pokémon Go. Behind its most common appearance as its English version, it is multilingual in ways that one may (or may not) expect.

Those who have witnessed players in Japan or at least have seen screenshots from Japanese players will note that the game is completely in Japanese. Less commonly, players of certain major languages in the world to which Pokémon has been localized have the game in the language of concern. The secret to this multilingual trick is simple: the primary language of the phone is set to that particular language. Thus, by changing the primary language of the phone, Pokémon Go can appear in that language. I don't have a chance to try out this trick as switching my phone's language may have far-reaching consequences besides switching that of the game, but I can stand to do it if I had an experimental phone.

For those of the respective major languages, Pokémon Go can be playable with the interface being in that language. For those not of the languages, Pokémon Go will likely default to English. This too has a simple reason, one that goes beyond the simple language aspect of the game. English is the international language of communication and trade, even in parts where it is not spoken much, and therefore it may be expected that some players will know English - perhaps to a reasonable degree and with basic reading ability - enough to play the game and be somewhat successful. One of my Pokémon Go fellows has Indonesian as the primary phone language, and other apps are localized, though not Pokémon Go - a simple evidence of this happening.

Lately, though, there may be evidence that Pokémon Go may be about to expand (or perhaps has expanded) localization efforts. A screenshot was posted of the Pokédex page for Bulbasaur, but it was in a language one would not expect: Thai, the language of the people of Thailand. Of course, since the Pokémon TCG is localized there, it may not come as a surprise that it would eventually appear in Pokémon Go. Given this, there may be similar hopes that an Indonesian localization may eventually be realized because of the local presence of the TCG in the country - at least, that's the hopes of another of my Pokémon fellows. What will come of this may remain to be seen.

Being that Pokémon has its fans in high and low places, possibly those with languages of their own, Pokémon has to try to cater to those fans if at all feasible and/or possible. Pokémon Go provides the facility for this through the same way that other smartphone apps are localized, and it may show great potential to be expansible for minor localizations of Pokémon. The English version will still be the norm for places and people who don't need to deal with Pokémon in their language, but it's nice to know that the facility is there for languages that enable this to happen.

One year ago: Gym Tours

Two years ago: (A Further) Local Ex-Raid, 9/10/2018

Three years ago: Cosplay: BJF - Shizen ni Modoru

More Music from Pokémon Go

Over two years ago, I wrote a post on (some of) the music of Pokémon Go. As stated, like any game and Pokémon game in particular, music makes a game. But the music I've detailed in that post only scratches the surface of all possible music in the game. Moreover, since Pokémon Go is a game that is frequently updated, there is the potential for new music to be added, and that has in fact been the case since then. I figure that it's time to discuss a few more music pieces from Pokémon Go, particularly of unique parts in the game that some may not realize.

When one plays with one's Buddy Pokémon, there is music that plays in the background. The piece is mellow yet upbeat, and it suits the friendly atmosphere of taking the time to play with a Buddy Pokémon, no matter what it may be. The music may be on the long side - more than what may be needed for all things that can be done to play with a Buddy Pokémon - but it may be quite captivating to listen to once one hears the music, and one may be tempted to play with a Buddy just for the sake of hearing the music. That still may be a good thing for the Buddy Pokémon, and the Trainer gets bonus ear candy.

Since they've made their way to Pokémon Go, Team Go Rocket has wrought havoc in all kinds of ways, and they have their own accompanying music pieces. The most important ones are the Grunt encounter music, which is more or less like the encounter music in the first-generation main series games but with the characteristic Pokémon Go instrumentation, as well as the Grunt battle music, which has a chilling aspect to it. Team Go Rocket send to intend to threaten Trainers even with their imposing music, but the same should also drive proactive Trainers to keep them at bay.

Even the most recent addition to Pokémon Go, Mega Evolution, has its share of unique music. The Mega raid lobby music is quite different from regular raids, and so is the raid itself. It has a dramatic feel that some would say is a carryover from the sixth-generation main series games, which is the point when Mega Evolution was introduced in them. The flavor of the music also tends toward a rock or electronica sound that suits the gravity of the situation, which is to face a Mega-Evolved Pokémon in battle to take it down and gain as much energy as possible for a Trainer's own Mega Evolution.

The three areas above still doesn't cover the entire breadth of music that Pokémon Go has, but they're sufficient to illustrate a point. That point is that the changes for an ever-changing game like Pokémon Go can reach into deep points such as the game's music, and it does. Though for many the music may be hidden by the virtue of them turning off the setting, music remains a key part of the experience, and it too has to suit. Pokémon Go is already unique in many ways, and the music makes it even more so.

One year ago: The Music of TCGO

Two years ago: Cosplay: Tachiagare

Three years ago: My Book of Days

Pokémon Documentaries?

One of the most popular game series of all time - I trust you know which one if you know about me very well - is on its way to having an officially sanctioned (in a way) documentary about it. Unfortunately, that game series isn't the one that becomes the subject of this blog, which is Pokémon. As such, it got me to think about the workings of a Pokémon documentary if one were to be made in the way that the documentary for the other game series is to be made. It becomes a possible idea and something to think about, given that Pokémon has pervaded this world for nearly two and a half decades.

Being that the documentary for the other game series involves the real experiences of those involved with that series, a similar full-fledged documentary for Pokémon would have to cover the same. The creation of the first games, the achievement of worldwide success, and the lasting power of that success are all possible ideas for coverage to be included in such a documentary. This coverage might also necessitate coverage of the hiccups along that path, though it may detract from the overall sense. Fans would be an integral part of this, so it would make sense to include them as well somehow. The overall content of the Pokémon documentary could resemble the one for the other game, but that wouldn't be a bad thing.

Though it probably wouldn't qualify as a documentary per se, concepts or objects regarding the games and anything related could also be covered to resemble a documentary. In fact, it may just be possible to take some of the concepts or objects and apply them as topics or themes related to coverage of the realistic side of the documentary. This becomes yet another segue to yet another important point: relative to that other series, which can be considered to be niche, Pokémon is so big and continues to be as such, and a documentary of a single part may not suffice. Multiple parts may be necessary to cover Pokémon through the years, and for continued coverage later on. There stands to be many directions for this documentary.

Those many directions are already evident in the "documentary" content already present in different corners of the Internet. Quite a few are related to Pokémon Go as the big Pokémon thing from four years ago, though a few touch on the real experiences that would indeed make a full-fledged documentary - one of them being the popular "incident" from near the beginning. Still others focus on pure gaming aspects, in one case speedrunning the video games and in another case being the appeal of the TCG. A full-fledged documentary would have to try to make sense of all of these, including how many parts they all can fit and the engaging stories they present.

The other game series I've touched on is indeed engaging for its fans, creators, and practically everyone involved. That seems to be why the planned documentary found favor with them. For Pokémon, there may not be anything in the way of official documentary projects in the works, but existing content can already provide insights on how things can be carried out for this initiative, for all the content that have been presented in the games and beyond, as well as the connections to the relevant people. And with nearly two and a half decades of existence, it may just be about time for this to happen.

One year ago: The New Flavors of Pokémon
Two years ago: Other Uses of Pokémon Go

Three years ago: Incubators in Pokémon Go