Justification for Writing My Blog

It has come to my attention, as well as that of those who are closely associated with it, that a local, online news portal for fans of Japanese culture, particularly that of the otaku subculture (including, of course, some things related to Pokémon), is due to close at the end of this month, or to be more proper, at the start of the next month. I'm not affected too deeply by this closure, but those who are fervent readers of news from the portal, which includes a number of my friends, are likely somewhat affected. Even so, I've recognized the news portal from my early years of Pokémon cosplay, so I identify to a minor extent. Further, the imminent closure of the news portal has made me consider the justification of my Pokémon blog, which resembles a news portal in part, due to some of the content.

The news portal has been around for 8 years, which means that it started life 1 year after I started cosplaying and 4 years before I started this blog. Over that time, the news portal has really grown into what it is today, a full-fledged news portal complete with social media outlets, as explained in the article announcing its closure. Meanwhile, after close to 4.5 years, my blog still only a shadow of what the news portal is, and without extensive social media outlets. Despite this difference, it still seems to be right, as my blog is solely devoted to topics on or around Pokémon, and it has a more personal nature, even creative, rather than being fully objective just like a news portal. In that sense, it's like comparing apples to oranges; as to which one is which, that may be for others to decide.

Regarding that justification, even with nary a confirmation that I'm doing things right, I still perceive that this blog is the right thing. For one thing, it actually supports me in my actual line of paid work, as it maintains my language skills for the purpose of getting meanings into and out of it, particularly to another or even others. For another, it helps to maintain the interest that I have in Pokémon for many, many years, well past that of the news portal or even my cosplay efforts. Both of these are right, as is my dedication - and in fact, one reader has noted this in a comment in a recent post to the point that it might beget something good for this blog. Much will still have to be discovered, but at the least I've come upon that which seems to be the right path for everything, including Pokémon.

With that, the justification is still there, and I'd like to make this blog persist for as long as I possibly can, in order to achieve as many things as I possibly can as well. It may not be comparable to what has been achieved by an 8-year old specialized news portal that deals with not only Pokémon but the bigger and broader world of otaku (sub)culture, but the basis of the achievements may just be the same, as this blog and that news portal deal with the written word to inform about phenomena occurring in parts of the (sub)culture. When it closes, the news portal will surely be missed by many of my Japanophile friends, and a little bit by me, but it may very well pave the way for things that are similar in spirit, even smaller and more personal things as I have established for this Pokémon blog.

One year ago: Low-Bit Fantasies with Pokémon

Two years ago: Field Research Task Reporting

Three years ago: The Myth of Shiny Pokémon

Four years ago: On Skateboards and Pokémon