The Peak of Hidden Gems

And finally, there is the end of this Pokémon Go season, the Season of Hidden Gems. Taking an all-inclusive Pokémon overview approach as usual, it may be considered that all things related to Pokémon, including but not limited to Pokémon Go, took the principle to heart and unearthed their brilliant potential when the time came to do so. It is known that actual gems, however, do have variance in brilliance and color, and with that, the "hidden gems" as the Pokémon facets unearthed during this season also had their differences in brilliance and color.

For Pokémon Go, all the Go Fest events were concentrated within this month, but that didn't make them all the less brilliant; they just were able to show their colors vividly as they became unearthed. Even so, this season is known to be hot on the heels of a less brilliant (in other words, lackluster) season, and that may have chipped away even at the events of this season, making those "gems" not as brilliant as they should be. Yet given the reception of Trainers to them, it seems that they'll take whatever brilliance and vividness they got from the uncovered "gems" and then polish them in their own way.

Other Pokémon games, meanwhile, either had their brilliant moments early on (like the second anniversary of Unite), which showed a vastly different color compared to its later appearance at the World Championships, where every kind of Trainer presented their colorful and competitive best while polishing their own gems to a radiant brilliance. Then, Pokémon Presents showed off more and different colors of gems that represent current and future prospects in Pokémon games; some may only be starting to polish with a dull shine, while others are getting on their brilliant shine even right away. Trainers can only agree that the shining prospect is the only way to go (from this point onward).

Given all this, "hidden gems" are bound to appear any time, even as this season winds down. Yet endings are also beginnings, and a new season will surely begin the next day. For that, there is another "Hidden Gems" song, as with one I detailed earlier this season, that could describe the happenings of the next season, but that would seemingly be more appropriate to detail as that season starts, as it is surely packed with adventure.

If all the facets of Pokémon were to be compared to gems, it would be that each one has its own shape and shade, which also means a different shine for each. It may be very well to consider this season as a reminder of that, especially once the "gems" have been discovered and the adventure remains, whether now or later on.

One year ago: The Peak of Go

Two years ago: The Peak of Discoveries

Three years ago: Pokémon: Twilight Wings

Four years ago: The Start of a Decked-Out Adventure

Five years ago: Solidarity Making

Six years ago: Reunions!

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/30/2023

The end of the month is at hand, so it's time for the rollup of Pokémon Go events during this month. As I've stated, the entirety of this year's Pokémon Go Fest events also occurred within one month, which happens to be this month, so this rollup can be considered the "Pokémon Go Fest edition", in a way. It also may be considered in lieu of a preview for them that I usually do in past years, also as I've stated. In any case, all the events this month represent festivities of some sort, within and beyond the confines of the summer event that is now a signature part of Pokémon Go.

To start, the first two editions of Pokémon Go Fest representing Europe and Asia took place in London and Osaka respectively, on August 4 to 6. It was here and in North America (to be explained shortly) that Trainers got a taste of what to be expected during and after the Global edition; these events also came with "adjunct" global events for everyone to enjoy. For Europe and Asia, the "adjunct" event was called Glittering Garden, and it was focused on Grass and Fairy types, running from August 5 to 8. The main highlight was the debut of Shiny Petilil, while to celebrate, Pokémon of either type appeared in the wild, as Field Research task rewards, and in 2 km Eggs; each day, a different Grass-type Pokémon was also featured in parks and Showcases. Complementing the event were bonuses of halved Buddy heart distance, increased Candy and Stardust from hatching, and higher chance of Candy XL by Buddy walk, plus a Timed Research set for exploring and hatching. It was minimalist but appropriate for a first batch.

Fitted right in between the regional Pokémon Go Fest weekends were the Pokémon World Championships, and this came with its own celebratory event from August 11 to 15. This marked the debut of Passimian along with a special costumed Pikachu. Pokémon that make up winning teams of Trainers became the special feature in the wild, raids, and Field Research task rewards; Timed Research rewarded an Elite Fast TM and one Pikachu as above. Five Pokémon also had the chance to learn special moves viable for PvP that were featured mostly in past Community Days by evolution. During the event, Go Battle League sets were increased on each day and the Pokémon rewards were more varied in stats, and there were also special clothing items for the occasion. While not strictly a Pokémon Go celebration, it did celebrate the competitive side of Pokémon, and that is (was) important.

For North America, the edition of Pokémon Go Fest was held in New York City on August 18 to 20. Its "adjunct" event was called Noxious Swamp, and like the one from two weekends ago, it had focus types, this time Poison and Dragon; it ran from August 19 to 22. As expected, Pokémon of either type took the spotlight in the wild, raids (including Shadow ones), and Field Research task rewards; Timed Research meanwhile demanded Trainers to raid their very best. All these were framed with bonuses of doubled Candy from catching, an extra free raid pass each day, and more frequent (hourly) Team Go Rocket balloons. The featured types suggested an aura of shadiness, and that was indeed delivered.

As for the last weekend of the month, that was obviously for the Global edition of Pokémon Go Fest, and that has already been explained in detail in separate posts. Yet there are a few "remnants" that are still worth adding onto those explanations. Photo bombs were present, which mostly led to encounters with the special Pikachu. Like with the World Championships event, a select number of evolved Pokémon were able to learn some very special moves. The entire festivities were complemented with fashion items and stickers, while Trainers with tickets in addition to a greater Shiny chance could access six Special Trades each day as well as 7 km Eggs containing quite a few of the featured Pokémon. All told, these special features were just as important as the event itself was.

All of the above indicated how dazzling August was for those involved with Pokémon Go. A lot of the month involved Pokémon Go Fest and its various incarnations, while the World Championships became a feature of its own. Those are definitely markers of festivities, and they appropriately came in the penultimate month of the season. As a signature marker of Pokémon Go and Pokémon in general, they're also hard to beat or deny.

One year ago: Delving Further into (Enjoying) PokéToon

Two years ago: Raids on Different Platforms

Three years ago: Competitive Stage Progress

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/30/2019

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/30/2018

Six years ago: Stories That You Don't Know

Let's Talk About Blocks in Our Lives

Me: Well, um... This is going to be a highly unusual edition of "Let's Talk".

Goh: You haven't done one with us since May, and that was a special one-

Ash: That was my special day!

Pikachu: Pi! ["Yup!"]

Goh: Right - and then there was one in January. So this must be unusual, as you say.

Me: Yes. So let's get the ball rolling with the topic. This time I want to discuss blocks - as in obstacles or hindrances that we often face.

Ash: How about all the time? I'm sure it's more often than "often"!

Me: That's true. You know, I'm instantly reminded of all the times that Team Rocket got in your way.

Goh: That would qualify as "all the time"!

Ash: It does get old a lot, and yeah, that is a bad block.

Me: What about you, Goh? What would you consider as your blocks, not necessarily bad ones?

Goh: Well, there was that one time where I was trying to catch this Farfetch'd in Kanto and it kept hitting back almost every ball I threw at it.

Ash: But then you caught it!

Goh: Yeah, with a ball that it couldn't block. Now that was a lucky break.

Me: More recently, though, you had another block, and that was with your Project Mew deal - and it had something to do with Ash too.

Goh: Oh, yeah, that. Um...

Ash: Um...

Pikachu: Pika... ["Um..."]

Me: We don't have to discuss it now, just the gist of it. Essentially, it's a block.

Goh: I agree.

Me: So now we can discuss my recent blocks, and it has links to Ash as well. Now, as Ash knows from last year, this month tends to be celebratory where I am.

Ash: Oh, like one festival event from last year!

Me: Yeah, that. Unfortunately, it could be considered that some of the celebrations go overboard, and sometimes they block roads while people just don't seem to care.

Goh: That's a problem.

Me: OK, so the point is that last Saturday, I had been thinking of sending Ash somewhere, but I found out that enough roads were blocked that it wasn't practical for me to do this.

Goh: Oh, so that's why you ended up doing what you did on Saturday.

Me: That's right - and it was a good thing, because you could have been blocked too. But then on Sunday I thought I'd let Ash try his hand at doing what I did...

Ash: ...and I got to see for myself. Your friends and I got stuck in a car while going after Rayquaza!

Goh: That's the Pokémon of the sky! The battle must have been intense!

Ash: Yeah, but so was a parade on the road that blocked us.

Pikachu: Pika pika... ["That too..."]

Me: If that happened yesterday with all the business on that day, I'd never forgive myself for the block that it caused.

Goh: I can see that.

Ash: Well, we got through the block, and then you sent me somewhere after doing that while I tried to help you out... and I got to see for myself how you and I would have gotten blocked the other day. And I think we blocked ourselves too.

Me: Spare me the details; at least now we know about the possible blocks we may face, though not necessarily how to avoid them.

Goh: I see now why this is unusual. You don't usually hold back when you say you sent Ash somewhere.

Ash: It's not the first time, but I did make it... even if I got blocked.

Me: I do apologize for that. It's a real block.

Goh: But I guess if we learn anything from our experiences, there will always be some blocks to be faced.

Me: That's very true.

Ash: We'll still be around if you need to unblock a few things! We can still try our hardest even if things get blocked.

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Certainly!"]

Me: I suppose it might take a Pokémon touch to do so.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/29/2022

Two years ago: Respect for Veronica Taylor

Three years ago: The Social Value of Pokémon Go

Four years ago: Adventurous Families

Five years ago: Media Master

Six years ago: Catching Up

Half-Century of the Initiator of Pokémon

Today marks a special milestone or anniversary, which in relation to a person's life would be commonly called a birthday. And of course, if it's on this blog, then it has a relation to Pokémon in some way. The title indicates that the topic of discussion ties into a certain initiator as well as a half century - that is, 50 years. As such, today is the 50th birthday of that initiator, and given Pokémon, that would be none other than Satoshi Tajiri, and they becomes something important for Pokémon as well.

Given his age, his birth date then becomes placed smack-dab in the mid-1970s, specifically in 1973. It was a time when the world was starting to change radically in economic power, which might be a contributor to his childhood fantasies in the years to come. To conceive such fantasies while the world was changing is something completely reasonable, especially for a child living around that time. And it becomes evident that the memories of those times remained alive as they become incorporated in what now makes up Pokémon.

Fast-forward to today, Pokémon is now a little over a quarter-century old, which means that it's still only about half as old as the initiator is (the precise point was actually a few years ago somewhere in the midst of the 24th and 25th anniversaries). Regardless, it means that Pokémon has filled half of his life by now, and that is a fascinating point, even when those childhood fantasies have "evolved" - so to speak - from their humble beginnings, and can be played in various ways beyond the initial conception.

The age of 50 years is now going past middle age and is well past the youthful time when Satoshi Tajiri conceived the first playable instance of Pokémon, along with the involvement in a couple of other projects that relate to the other "cash cow" of Nintendo that has been going on for far longer than Pokémon. It means that games have also filled much of that life of 50 years, and that may be something that anyone who delves into games specifically - or any other area in life - would aspire to undertake, as long as possible.

While I've chosen to commemorate the occasion now instead of in past years (as evident by the posts below), to commemorate it at a nice round number like 50 is still quite fitting. And it might be the only commemoration I'll ever make on this blog, but it's still truly a significant one, in particular for the concern of Pokémon. That will seemingly always be the case, given the name of Satoshi Tajiri as its initiator, becoming something that can never be dissociated from the franchise.

So, happy 50th birthday to the great initiator himself.

One year ago: Pre-Stage Items in Pokémon Shuffle

Two years ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: Divided and United

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/28/2020

Four years ago: Allying with Characters

Five years ago: PokéVerbalisms

Six years ago: After the Faraway Tournament

Pokémon Go Fest 2023 (Global), Day 2

Day 2 of the Global edition of Pokémon Go Fest sees (or saw) Trainers heading toward new experiences in old, familiar ways, and that way would be raids. This was the case in the past two years, and it is or was the case today. Actually, it is an extended version of what took place on the previous day, as raids were involved somewhat; on that day, Trainers with tickets received nine free raid passes, claimed and used one at a time, which could be used for the aforementioned Pikachu, Carbink, and/or cowboy hat Snorlax raids. But more likely, they could also be used for two important monstrosities that lead up to today's main focus.

A few days earlier, the two "box Legendaries" of the Hoenn region, Kyogre and Groudon, returned in their Primal forms for the first time since Go Tour: Hoenn and could be raided for Primal Energy (though not their "signature moves" as it was at that time), including in not one, but two Raid Hours on Wednesday and Thursday. The raids continued into the festivities of this year's Go Fest yesterday and briefly today. Now, it is known that the struggle between the two could only be quelled with a third "box Legendary", who has been known in recent times to have a Mega form, and that's where things stand today.

Rayquaza is that third Legendary Pokémon, and starting today for all, it could be raided for its Mega Energy and undergo Mega Evolution. It appears as a six-star Mega Legendary Raid, which for the purpose of this event appeared intermittently from 11 AM to 6 PM as 5-minute raid boss eggs followed by 30 minutes of raid time (the time between 10 and 11 AM had Primal Raids, the brief "catch-up" period). Like yesterday, Trainers with tickets got the same nine passes as yesterday, which were most likely to be used for Rayquaza than on anything else, and this effectively became the main feature of the day.

To assist (provide a sense of purpose) in these raid endeavors, two sets of Special Research became available: one for everyone, even those without tickets, and another for those who have tickets, which is accessed after completing the former - much like last year, only this time with Professor Willow in the flesh. Field Research, meanwhile, were mostly focused on those raids, giving out essentials like Rayquaza Candy (XL) as well as Potions and Revives, which might have been in short supply to deal with the raids, especially if there were only a few people to undertake them with - even with double damage bonus and unlimited remotes.

For those who became tired of raids or needed to catch up on yesterday's affairs, all Pokémon from the previous day returned without rotating habitats, including the ones featured through the use of an Incense. It has to be considered, however, that they may have been useful in order to get the first few pages of both Special Research sets going, and therefore Trainers might have needed to work on them as early as possible before or during their raid runs. After that, it's only a matter of finishing the other necessities for this Go Fest, including any necessary (Mega) evolution preparations.

I undertook as many raids as possible with my raid group today, although some of them weren't considered as successful due to technical issues that (eventually) affected them and difficulties in getting around to the Gyms in the first place. Regardless, I did obtain the Mega Energy and other necessities - to be discussed at a later time - for the Mega Evolution of Rayquaza. After that, it was just going through what was left of the Go Fest for my needs and what I can do while still active. Further, all of this wasn't in part my own doing... but that also has to be discussed later on.

Now, with the conclusion of this Global edition of Pokémon Go Fest, the true "Hidden Gems" of this season have come to light. The season's end, however, is not for a few more days, so there might be a few more of those to unearth before the season ends and to bring to light and explain when that time comes, including the other editions of Pokémon Go Fest - yes, there are (were) others - as usual. That isn't something that is as plainly hidden given past years in Pokémon Go, but what they bring to the table, including this one, still constitute some hidden manifestations that still deserve to come to a sparkling light.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Fest 2022 (Global), Finale

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/27/2021

Three years ago: Road to the 25th Anniversary

Four years ago: Blogging on Blogs: The Pokémon Go Official Blog

Five years ago: My Pokémon Groups on Facebook

Six years ago: In-Town vs. Out-of-Town Events

Pokémon Go Fest 2023 (Global), Day 1

All right, so the time has come to "unearth" the prized possessions of this Pokémon Go season at this time of year, which would be the traditional Pokémon Go Fest events. If in past years I did that early on, this year I'm doing that at as they happen (or have happened), in line with the overarching "Hidden Gems" theme of this season. It just seems so appropriate in that way - and less because it slipped my mind - moreover because everything, including the regional editions, also occur (have occurred) within the span of one month. But first, I'd like to start with the Global edition, which occurs today and tomorrow as a traditional two-day celebration.

Like in years past, today's festivities ran from 10 AM to 6 PM. They involved hourly rotating habitats: Quartz Terrarium, Pyrite Sands, Malachite Wilderness, and Aquamarine Shores, in this order repeated once - all themed after precious stones, as is this season. Aptly, the Pokémon they featured were all roughly of the same color - pinks and reds, yellows and browns, all shades of green, and all shades of blue - in reference to the precious stones above. Along with their appearances were special costumed Pikachu wearing crowns of the appropriate precious stone, plus a Snorlax wearing a cowboy hat during Malachite Wilderness. All of these appeared for everyone, but those who purchased the ticket for the event and activated an Incense during the time period got to see Unown that constitute the letters of the word "DIAMOND" as well as a unique rare Pokémon for each habitat. The crowned Pikachu and Snorlax also appeared in raids throughout the day, and will do so tomorrow as well. Further, Lure Modules are extended to one hour, allowing some freedom in activating their various kinds, and photo bombs appeared throughout the festivities.

For Research, Field Research rotated hourly according to the habitats and may be completed as desired, with one of the rewards being Carbink, now debuting for everyone; Carbink also appeared through Incense and in raids. For those with tickets, each habitat had a Collection Challenge comprised of 11 selected Pokémon species, including the crowned Pikachu, to complete today or at most tomorrow when all the Pokémon reappear without specific habitats. Global Challenges also corresponded with each habitat to capture lots of Pokémon and unlock extra bonuses for the hour. Finally, the Special Research, which took Trainers on a "treasure map" journey with Professor Willow, ultimately led to the biggest gem of all in Pokémon: the Mythical Pokémon called Diancie as well as its Mega Evolution. It's obvious that the debut of this Pokémon marks the high point of this season.

I had the opportunity to attend a meetup by my raid group today for this event, although in the end, there was a bittersweet feeling from an external circumstance. Most everyone got through the Research aspects, including Collection Challenges and the Special Research, with some focus on raids (which is best left explained tomorrow, as it will become more key then). My Diancie wasn't all that great, but the important thing is still to have caught it and gone through the Special Research. Unlike last year, the Shiny chance was seemingly kinder this year, with everyone getting a fair share. What could be more important is what lies tomorrow for all of us.

Even with the given perks, any result is appreciable, and as is true of the current Pokémon Go season, that will likely uncover a few concealed niceties. After a more or less successful Day 1, all that can be hoped is a Day 2 that is just as successful - or perhaps more so. As a preview, after a down-to-earth Mega experience today, tomorrow's Mega experience will have to take to the sky, and it will have to be as big then as it is big now.

One year ago: Pre-Puzzle and Mid-Puzzle Items in Café Remix

Two years ago: Go Battle Night Burnout

Three years ago: Continuous Inspiration

Four years ago: Making Others (and Myself) Happy

Five years ago: Figure Gathering, Again

Six years ago: Cosplay: B-Bunkasai 2017 - Yume no Tobira

My "Project Mew" (Or, Why I'm Not Cut Out for It)

Those who have followed the "world saga" or even "Journeys saga" of the Pokémon anime will certainly also have latched onto the secondary storyline of Goh pursuing his Project Mew dreams in order to achieve his own dream of catching Mew. It's a lofty goal, and Project Mew is as equally lofty in its ideals. With that in mind, I may be considered to have my own version of "Project Mew" that I'm happy to undertake - most of the time - yet perhaps I wouldn't "be cut out" (fit in) for an actual, real to the core version of Project Mew that has much of the same demands. Both of these are fascinating and need to be explained, which becomes the reason for this post.

As explained in scattered posts throughout this blog, I deal with languages - specifically translation - as a way to help others and help myself in return. For this purpose, I am a freelancer, in that I pursue opportunities from those who can peruse my services, do what I do as best as I can, and then get rewarded for it - much like the Chaser missions of Project Mew. In isolated cases, the efforts might be esoteric or even impromptu, also like those missions, but I still lend my expertise on them, at least within reason. They could also turn out less favorably from time to time, but that's part of the deal, and so is Project Mew. All told, the resemblance to the Pokémon version of Project Mew is uncanny, even if it's somewhat different - especially as it doesn't require me to travel for it.

Meanwhile, as far as a "realistic" Project Mew is concerned, down to its core tasks, that is something I'm less qualified for. Such an undertaking will certainly require a lot of travel, and while traveling is par for the course for a Pokémon Trainer and something I don't mind, extensively is another matter. The physical tasks might also be rather demanding in effort, have certain associated risks, and leave little room for failure - all of which adds to heavy burdens and pressures. Finally, if anything, it seems that I may be slightly be impaired in mind and health, so that would factor in as a difficulty for the above efforts and may not mesh well with those. Goh is certain to be qualified for it, however, while I remain qualified for the other version above - my version.

Project Mew is regardless an encapsulation of the most intense things that a Trainer may be expected to deal with, especially in its ultimate objective of progressing toward Mew, in line with the objectives of Goh himself. That said, what I deal with in my area (languages) can be intense as well, even if it only remotely resembles the things that Project Mew presents for capable Trainers. Goh is nonetheless capable for it, while I'm capable of my version, without either of us having to cross into each other's territories and needing to do more than we should. I'm sure Goh himself would agree with that, as well as anyone who has followed his journey and dealings into that Pokémon enterprise.

One year ago: More Strides for the Daily Adventure Incense

Two years ago: The Magical Wonder of PokéToon

Three years ago: The Principle of Life

Four years ago: Expecting the Cards

Five years ago: PokéMusicians

Six years ago: Wallpaper: Ash XY Tribute Style

Ready System Not Yet "Ready"?

In one of my theoretical posts a year ago, I conjectured that raids in Pokémon Go could and should have a "ready system" like, say, the MOBA game next door, Pokémon Unite. I'm happy to say that such a ready system has been implemented, earlier as a test and now for pretty much everyone. Unfortunately, I'm less happy to say that the system currently possesses some quirks about it that discourage its use and what I may term as a "critical flaw" that has a premature effect - all suggesting that the system may not be "ready". As such, I feel the need to discuss it in a post.

As it stands, the ready system works mostly as expected: all participants need to tap a "Ready" button and confirm to declare readiness, and then the lobby timer is cut to 10 seconds, still allowing for last-minute changes before the raid begins. However, the system also presently works in another way: once the lobby reaches the maximum of 20 Trainers (by someone entering), the system is immediately triggered and the lobby timer is also cut to 10 seconds, with or without the confirmation of everyone in it. Further, sometimes with fewer participants, it seemingly only takes a close majority of them to trigger the system. So, the system could be said to be "either ready or not ready".

The first happening is as expected of the system and not much else has to be said about it - with one exception to be detailed shortly. The second happening is the "critical flaw" I mentioned, in that it allows the potential of errant incidents, like a Trainer that shouldn't be entering enters a lobby of 19 and throws off everyone else's preparations; the consideration is that just being in the lobby is not necessarily an indicator of readiness and shouldn't be treated as such. Finally, the third happening ought to be able to be prevented if the first happening is as expected, yet it seems not the case. For this last one, I would suggest delaying the trigger check of the system to, say, 5 seconds after the entry of each Trainer to give them a chance to prepare and actually be ready; a "host" system as I theorized could also help.

Notably, as Pokémon Go implements a ready system, Pokémon Unite updates its own: since I mentioned it as above, the system's time cut in that game is now 15 seconds instead of 10, which has to be said to be more ample even with the restrictions of the game. Considering this, the cut of 10 seconds as above seems insufficient, even if it does line up with the point where a lobby becomes "closed" to new Trainers, particularly those who attempt to join remotely. If Unite is of any indication, the time cut should be greater in Go; 20 seconds as I've initially suggested is perhaps rather feasible, and 30 seconds would be a bit too long. This would be more ample considering Pokémon Go is of greater complexity.

While the introduction of the "ready system" in Pokémon Go should be welcomed, at present, its quirks are more of detractors to the system and in one case can be considered as being a disaster in the making... or one that has already been made, if the above case becomes any indication. Yet it's such a useful system to have if it works in appropriate ways, and that does happen in one circumstance, affirming it as such. It is clear that the system is rudimentary at present and does require some improvement, and if that does happen some time in the future, then it would be fine to consider the system as truly "ready".

One year ago: The Fighting Cup of GBL

Two years ago: Flashback to a "Voice Chaos"

Three years ago: Real Fights Over Imaginary Battles?

Four years ago: Cosplay: B-Bunkasai 2019 - Orihime to Hikoboshi no Monogatari

Five years ago: Trainers and Musicians Alike

Six years ago: Pokkén Downturn?

Quickies: "Toward the Light" with Pokémon

The idea of (going) "toward the light" is an interesting one. It suggests a movement toward something bright and/or beautiful, as well as toward better things. It's no wonder that the idea has been used in at least one setting to express such a movement, whether spirited or poignant. As for the setting that ties into this blog - the Pokémon setting - that can be considered to apply in some ways, perhaps even now more importantly. And that makes for a fine discussion, even a brief one.

In the movement "toward the light", the Pokémon of the types that are reasonably close to producing that light may be involved, as the Fire and Electric types, Now it can be seen where and how they are taking Trainers to that light, as their capabilities are close to allowing the to produce that light. Yet it may be that they'll have to make sure that they are heading in the right direction, where the brightest light wants them to go so that they can become bright by that light as well.

Now, it seems there is a "toward the light" moment involving Pokémon that is becoming apparent for me (and likely many others as well), and that may be an understatement in any case. It's a moment that could also be considered years in the making, and "toward the light" is just one of many possible descriptors for it - and for all I know, it may be the best one and the only one I can think of. It's also slightly blinding, at least at the moment of making this post, so more will have to come.

Going "toward the light" seems to be regardless perfectly applicable to Pokémon situations as well, especially as certain members of that body of species can make their own light and possibly lead others to that brightness and beautifulness. It seems to be always pertinent as well, given the hopes and dreams of many characters and species that are in it - perhaps more significantly at certain points like now. There will always be some light, and there will always be some movement to it, even with Pokémon.

One year ago: The Dream Archivist/Historian

Two years ago: Survival Mode in Pokémon Shuffle

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Datamining Moments

Four years ago: It's Gonna Be...

Five years ago: A Mascot Reinterpretation

Six years ago: Local Hangouts and Pokémon

Holowear of Interest, Revisited

Hot on the heels of a post about a key feature of Pokémon Unite (and MOBA games in general to a certain extent) is another post that addresses that same feature in a different light, as the ones I have actual fascination or interest in. It was about a year ago that I made a post on the same topic, and much has changed since then; there are many new Pokémon and just as many Holowear to suit them. As such, it is fitting to update on that and see where my interest in them currently lies.

As expected, there are many new entrants in the "hopeless" category, the ones in the Zirco Trading shop that cost insane amounts of Aeos Gems and therefore money. Among them are Knight Style Charizard, Tourist Style Pikachu, Marine Style Dragonite, Cook Style Snorlax, and Pokébuki Style Espeon. Some of these are notably re-entering Holowear from prior Battle Passes or the monthly Unite Club Membership, so their steep prices are slightly justified. Their exclusivity status remains as such even after their initial offering, so it may be a long time before those who haven't gotten them (like me) can get them reasonably, if at all. For now, they are still fittingly in the "hopeless" category.

It is true that some Holowear can be gotten through Holowear Tickets in the same shop, but by now, most of the attractive ones may already have been gotten with the tickets one possesses. Such is the case for me, and the ones that I have left to get and the most attractive are Fashionable Style Gardevoir, Space Style and Big Ribbon Style Eldegoss, and Bonfire Style Talonflame (which I still haven't gotten). The rest of the bunch are Orange and Purple Unite Style Holowear for a variety of Pokémon, which I and many others consider rather drab and aren't even worth getting. All of the others above are, but it may be helpful to leave some room just in case new ones make it in for ticket exchange.

Then there are the ones that just remain unavailable, at least in the current circumstance. As with last time, Cake Style Crustle is one of them, and others that join it in this state include Pokébuki Style Blastoise, Theater Style Sylveon, and Elegant Style Mew. The only thing that differentiates these is that the very first one I mentioned is a "holiday special" Holowear and has a possibility of being obtained when that time comes, while the other three are Battle Pass remnants and will likely take a very special circumstance and consideration for them to be able to be obtained now that the Battle Pass is gone. It's hard (but not impossible, if the above is any indication) to hope that this might happen.

Even for someone - me - who isn't quite that interested in Holowear, some interest still remains, especially for the specific ones that I've mentioned above and may or may not be able to obtain due to certain prohibitive reasons. As I've said, this is just me attempting to "play into the system", as Holowear is part of the grand framework of Pokémon Unite as its general concept of "skin" is a part of MOBA games. And that is able to leave even some meager amount of interest in the feature.

One year ago: The Summer Cup of GBL

Two years ago: My Personal TCG Equipment Wishlist

Three years ago: On the Mining of Data

Four years ago: Mementos of...

Five years ago: Cosplay Events, Wherefore Art Thou?

Six years ago: Connection Issues?

How Essential Are Holowear for Unite?

The topic that is part of the discussion for this post might be one that applies more generally across games of the same genre (MOBA for Pokémon Unite), but it does have specificity for the game nonetheless. Certainly, the topic concerns the question in the title: how essential are Holowear and their associated processes (obtaining and using them) for the game? These are, of course, the implementation of "skins" in this game, and even in other games they may be a touchy subject. Yet as the topic applies to this game, the answer may be completely different and dependent on certain factors.

For those who have "invested" in the game, whether for the Battle Pass, Club Membership, or even just plainly purchased Aeos Gems for any purpose, including the recently introduced Prize Machine, the answer may very well be that it is very much essential, even necessary. While any or all these investments may not necessarily be for Holowear, it cannot be doubted that the prices of these investments may very well be close to what some Holowear cost, and therefore the Holowear obtained as part of those investments are necessary to be used as part of the deal. It's natural whether or not Holowear was the main intent.

Players who have not "invested" - which still includes me even now, as detailed in the Battle Pass post - will likely find them appropriate to be used but not an essential priority nor a requirement to obtain and use, taking whatever that can be gotten in stride and using that indifferently. If the point of a Holowear is to make the Pokémon look nice in battle, then whatever they use will likely fulfill that point regardless of how they're beheld, especially among those in the essential-and-necessary camp above.

It is likely that there would be very few or close to none who think that Holowear is completely unessential, especially if they're fervent players of this and other MOBA games. It's just a part of those games that perusing the feature is a natural consequence, even when freely available as it is here in Pokémon Unite in some ways. Further, if they're fans of Pokémon in general, this could be a possible main draw as Pokémon are rarely depicted with many of the outfits granted to them by Holowear.

So it is that Holowear has something for everyone, regardless of how much they're fans of MOBA and Pokémon, of which Pokémon Unite is both. And that is expected to play into their consideration of being something essential, which is likely to be so even to a meager amount. That should be something reflective of not only Unite but other MOBA games, even as it is quite special for this uniquely Pokémon spin on them.

One year ago: Cosplay: 77th Independence Celebration

Two years ago: Quickies: Officer Jenny, the Keeper of Order

Three years ago: Pokémon and Plant Eaters

Four years ago: The Price of Cosplay Costumes

Five years ago: Do Unusual Things

Six years ago: Futureproofing Transfers

Cosplay: Utsuru 8

Ash: Hey, Utsuru is back!

Pikachu: Pi! ["Nice!"]

Goh: Looking at your posts, this convention must be an annual thing.

Me: You're so right about that, except in the two "gap years" where there were problems outside. And as you know, we can't miss this one.

Ash: So what do you have for me today?

Me: Well, I had something really special planned for you today, but... it didn't make it in time. If it did, I'm sure Goh would be very pleased.

Goh: Wait... I think I know what you're talking about!

Me: Uh-huh, I think you know very well. Anyway, because of that, you're back with your Kanto-Johto outfit, the new version I've had for you for a while now.

Ash: That's OK - we'll wait until you're ready!

Pikachu: Pi pika. ["Absolutely."]

Me: Great, so you'll want to hang on for a bit. And you'll notice they did something different for this one.

Goh: I'm looking at the promos for them, and they went with a theme: sports.

Me: Yes, that's mostly because it's close to a certain local celebration, which does often have things that resemble sports.

Ash: I think Pokémon battling is a sport!

Me: So do I, but obviously they have different things in mind. That's why I send you - to promote us, what we like, and Pokémon.

Goh: That is deep. I'm with you all the way.

Me: Aside from that, though, I think most everything else should be pretty recognizable. You should have seen things that look familiar.

Ash: Yeah! A lot of communities and food stands. But I still liked them all.

Goh: I have the schedule, and I can tell some of them are bands plus dance and other groups you've seen, but a few of the others I couldn't tell what they are.

Ash: Oh, don't worry about that. They were all exactly that. There were also some competitions that weren't for me.

Goh: Oh! All right. Same old song and dance, or songs and dances - plural.

Ash: Yeah! You can say that again.

Goh: And... this character parade must be why you're here.

Me: Indeed. So what happened there?

Ash: I was one of the first characters to go up. But they didn't give me much time.

Goh: How much?

Ash: Less than 10 seconds. But the others had more time than that when they went up.

Me: Oh dear! I would cry foul on that myself. I guess we didn't get anything, then.

Ash: As you say.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["That's right."]

Ash: And three of the four judges are our friends.

Me: Oh. Well, then.

Goh: Maybe it really wasn't your day - so it was a good thing that the really special thing didn't happen.

Me: Goh, you absolutely have a point.

Ash: I didn't want you to feel bad, so after that, I went out and played a dance game that you used to play a lot.

Me: Hey, thanks! I'd heard of the new (old) machine around the place and I've always wanted to try it, but I haven't had a chance. But I guess, while you're there. Just be careful with the outfit.

Ash: No worries. I didn't play too hard.

Pikachu: Pi pika pi pika chu. ["I enjoyed watching you dance."]

Me: By the way, I have to say that the convention has always taken place in the same place for many years, and that's where Akazora Fest was also held. So obviously the place loves events and conventions.

Goh: It's a mall, right? They must love the traffic that they bring.

Me: That should be very true. And you must have met many of my friends.

Ash: I did! I even met one that you haven't talked to for a long time. He helped with the dance game too.

Me: This is the kind of thing that's valuable, even if we didn't get much from the competitions.

Goh: Oh yeah! How were they - the ones that didn't involve Ash?

Ash: They looked fun but too silly for me. They also had a "best community" contest, but that was just for popularity.

Me: At least they were entertaining.

Ash: I guess!

Goh: So, "Utsuru" must mean something to many people.

Me: It should. It's Japanese for "reflect" or more precisely "reflection"... which is essentially what we're doing now.

Ash: And it's been about ten years for it, since you sent me the first time.

Goh: That's a long time.

Pikachu: Pi pika? ["Isn't it?"]

Me: But that's very appropriate. It always does show the state of the communities in the area.

Ash: And you'll keep sending me here, right?

Me: For as long as there is time to reflect - like right now - that will hopefully always be the case.

One year ago: Deliveries in Café Remix

Two years ago: Furthering Eevee's "Eeveelutions"

Three years ago: More on Pokémon Go Gift Stickers

Four years ago: Red and Riley Keychains

Five years ago: The Apple and Pokémon

Six years ago: Cosplay: Nimatsuri 2017

3DS eShop Winds Down - Pokémon Games Too

This comes in as extremely late, but as is true of any late things, addressing them is better than not. Users of the 3DS, including those for Pokémon purposes, will have noticed that as of the end of March this year (five months ago), online services on the console have diminished somewhat. That is in part due to the closure of its eShop, which had happened in actuality at that point. It marks a "winding down" of things on the console, including for Pokémon games. Even then, a few things still remain (on the up-and-up), and that's something necessary to be explained.

With the eShop closed, it becomes no longer possible to obtain games and tools from it, although those that had already been downloaded will continue to function, as does anything in physical (cartridge) form, expectedly. If they relied on the eShop for certain online functionalities, obviously those will cease to function - although the base game or tool won't. For example, Pokémon Shuffle is still perfectly playable as most of the game is offline; players just won't be able to check in for rewards, play Competitive Stages, or buy more Jewels - and of course, this only applies to those who still possess the game on the console.

One crux for those who are invested in the main series games is that they are now effectively in a "grace period" for transfers, as the Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter are still functional, the former even not needing a subscription. Still, even with such a "grace period", it is still important to make sure that everything that needs to be transferred has been transferred, since the "grace period" will eventually come to an end as well. Some of what I had said earlier this year still continues to apply for as long as both are still functional, which ought to be taken seriously for whatever situation that might apply.

At this point, then, the only function of the 3DS is to catch up on loose ends on whatever Pokémon games that are there and, if possible (and already prepared for such), to bring them forward, as with a Bank to Home transfer. All the current happenings for Pokémon lie with the games on the newer console, the Switch, and not much is left for the 3DS except to serve a "background role". If anything, the fact that the transfer linkages that I have mentioned continue to function actively is something to be appreciated and taken advantage of, for as long as they are as such.

It is evident that the "winding down" above is not a "going out" - at least not yet anyway - but that would be the eventuality for this and other cases. The eShop of the 3DS has wound down and along with it quite a bit of the online functionality for things on the console, which should also mark the winding down of Pokémon activities that occur with the games on it. It's something expected after all these years, but then maybe so does the leaving behind of certain functionality for the time being to link it to the future, until it all ceases and Pokémon has moved completely to that future. 

One year ago: The Old (City) for the New Championships

Two years ago: In the Mix: Pokémon Presents, 8/18/2021

Three years ago: Too Many Items from Raids?

Four years ago: This Is My House

Five years ago: Local Ex-Raid (and Changes), 8/19/2018

Six years ago: Pikachu Image Pillow

My Current Woes with Café Remix

I've played Pokémon Café Remix for over a year now, and its "addictive qualities" have been affirmed many times over. Yet as much as I'm addicted, I also have a few current woes with the game. Last year, I had already brought up a possible "burnout" condition that I had with the game, and I've mostly gotten over that, but now my woes are slightly different from what led to that condition. They still deserve to be outlined in order to identify the lesser parts of my (and others') experience with the game.

One woe that is persistent from then is the condition of my team, particularly as the members participate in team events. There hasn't been one in a long time, but now that there is one, this condition seems to remain evident, and even a "solution" implemented by the de facto team leader does not seem to have an effect - although this may need to wait to be seen at the end of the event, which is not for a few more days. I also have not changed teams for concerns of abandonment or lagging behind, but if this current team event does have unfavorable results, then it may just be valid to let go of the concerns and just change teams.

The next woe may be related to either skill or technical issues, and that involves often missing the intended puzzle element to activate: for example, sometimes I grab a Pokémon instead of a megaphone or skill and vice versa. The reasoning for the skill issue is that I may sometimes lapse in thought and pick the wrong element as a result; meanwhile, the reasoning for the technical issue is that I play on a Switch Lite, which has a small screen and thus may be more prone to this mishap than say, a regular Switch or even playing on a phone. Whatever the case, it's still a woe that I have to address.

For the last woe, it may be something that others also have in common, much like the team woe above. Deliveries have changed since I first covered them, but now that I've gotten nearly all of the viable rewards from the feature, the non-viable rewards are seemingly out of reach due to their rarity, including the special rewards that are added in and rotated out every so often. It's a dismal situation that isn't likely to change... unless the delivery rewards change once again, which may be a bit too much to hope at this point even if the possibility might just still exist. This is truly a woeful situation.

All of the above woes currently have an effect on the addiction that I have for Café Remix, and though they won't completely remove it, they do have a removal effect to a certain extent. They're also not a lead-up to a "burnout", although they might conceivably lead to one in large amounts. At this point in time, that should become a consideration: to try to avoid pitfalls that tip everyone's enjoyment of the game to a "burnout" situation, for which my woes should have identified.

One year ago: Hard Times, Fun Times in New Unite Battle Arenas

Two years ago: Chiki Balls Pokémon Coins: Selections

Three years ago: The Power of Stories

Four years ago: Cosplay: STARNIFEST 2019

Five years ago: Cosplay: B-Bunkasai 2018 - Subarashii Maboroshii no Sekai

Six years ago: Battle of the Masters

My Land, Never Gone

I won't forget my land as long as I thrive

I will remember it throughout my life

And even if I go far away

In my heart, my land is here to stay

The land I love, my land, so great

I do appreciate

-- "Tanah Airku (My Land)" (adaptive lyrical translation)

For those who belong to or are affiliated with a certain country - Indonesia - today is an inevitable day, the day of commemorating its independence. There is also another kind of inevitability at around this time, with songs like the above, which itself contains a sense of inevitability (more on this shortly). Then, there is one more thing that is inevitable: my framing of all of that with Pokémon in tow.

I have to say that I've been in a somber mood about making this post due to several recent happenings, both personally and impersonally, but I realize it's not going away even if I close my eyes and turn away, so I decided to take it on. And I finally settled on this song as a (relatively) neutral center point of discussion that still ties to all of the above, including Pokémon as a focal point.

So, the inevitability of this song is linked to its inherence: that no matter where one goes or what one does, the land of their birth remains with them. To put that into perspective, even if I have to do something radical that changes who I am now to fulfill my Pokémon interests, this fact remains true regardless of what happens. It is no wonder that the patriotic value of this song is so high, and it comes up during occasions such as this one; I would think that someone going into space would also be reminded of this song. It's just quite inevitable in that way.

As for keying this (further) into Pokémon, every Trainer has to have a place they start from - a hallmark that I've pointed out a long time ago - and while that may not be a "land", the song could still similarly apply, in that the place can never be forgotten or detached from the Trainer's identity. It may be that after a long period of traveling, there's no place like where the Trainer hails from, and while that may only be one reason, it might just be the most important reason of all. It's one that ought to allow a place in that place for the Trainer after what is likely the extended journey.

My somber mood goes on somewhat - it's not going to dissipate quickly at this point in time - but life goes on, this day goes on, and most importantly, Pokémon goes on. As such, there's no harm to take time out to appreciate what goes down (or has gone down) today with a song that I'm sure resonates in the hearts of many who are attached to it. It's the least of what I can do today.

Yet it's inevitable that things will and ought to become better again, and I know that will likely involve Pokémon somehow. It's something inherent, never gone - just as my land would suggest, however my condition would be.

With that, I draw a big sigh and wish Indonesians like me a Happy Independence Day.

One year ago: Independence Numerology, Pokémon Style

Two years ago: Sparkling, Shining for the World

Three years ago: Rise Up and Live, with Body and Soul

Four years ago: ...And Social Justice for All

Five years ago: United in Diversity

Six years ago: Red and White Philosophy

Aligning Chess and Pokémon

In a post I made some years ago, I had mentioned that Pokémon battling is like a game of chess, taken from a discussion I had with other Pokémon friends or "fellows". And that has hardly changed today, with some battles - particularly of the VGC type - continuing to demand a mental capacity that is greater than that of the average person. Given this fact, I thought it would be helpful to try to see how the two can be considered to align.

For this, I consider VGC battling not only as the main representation of Pokémon but also as one of comparable complexity. The Pokémon on a team are like the chess pieces themselves, each one fulfilling specific roles as the pieces have movements. Each given Pokémon move is like the chosen piece(s) to move and when; the correspondence may or may not be one-to-one, but it may be reasonable to consider. While chess has what are called "openings" as selections of specific strategies, the complexity of Pokémon battling escapes what certain strategies can capture, although sometimes patterns can be generalized. Finally, both have moments of serendipity where highly questionable or possibly highly brilliant efforts can be realized. All this is rather simplified, but at least the basic ideas may be understood.

Considering the above, parallels can then be made for other one-to-one battles. Pokémon Go PvP can then be considered a "blitz" variant where turns are seemingly imperceptible (even though they're technically present and sometimes apparent, even with the battles being real-time). TCG battling can then be considered a radically slowed down version, a little akin to "correspondence chess". Adapting the board and pieces also then results in various battling styles that the turn-based game may have (or technically used to have). Again, there are radical simplifications, but it's still possible to see just where and how things line up.

Alternatively, if this is all a bit too complicated, then it might just be simpler to consider that chess and Pokémon have one parallel: the games of the former and the battles of the latter are fleeting moments that capture individual variation. This brings to mind a specific lyrical bait from a concept album-turned-musical about the former:

Each game of chess

Means there's one less

Variation left to be played

Each game got through

Means one or two

Less mistakes remain to be made

-- "The Story of Chess", from Chess

Well, whatever the case, it may be reasonable to consider that both Pokémon and chess are models of strategy in particular ways, and they both have legions of players and analysts (like me). That much too is an alignment in itself.

One year ago: Myst Pillars, Pokémon Pillars

Two years ago: Thoughts of Cards, Again

Three years ago: The Age of Post-EX Raids?

Four years ago: Capital Convergence

Five years ago: Getting Lucky with It

Six years ago: I Want to Splurge

The Matter of Mega Evolution in Unite

Along with the welcoming of Mewtwo and letting it in through the already-open door for playable Legendary Pokémon in Pokémon Unite, as noted, it also opens up another door: that of Mega Evolution in the game. That door has been closed for some time in the main series games - and may or may not be reopened any time soon - while it has been open in Pokémon Go for awhile at this point. And now, the prospect becomes totally new with Pokémon Unite, and there is a need to discern how this concept can be established there.

Thus far, only Mewtwo has the implementation of Mega Evolution, through separate Unite Licenses that allow it to evolve into its Mega X form (which active Trainers should have obtained) or its Mega Y form (which they should be able to obtain in the times ahead). This suggests a framework for future inclusions of Mega Evolution, in that it would have to be through particular Unite Licenses allowing for Mega Evolution; the case of Mewtwo sheds light for a possible case of Charizard - the only other Pokémon with branching Mega Evolution - which could conceivably have two more Unite Licenses for its Mega X and Mega Y forms. As for other Pokémon with Mega Evolution forms, they would have their own Unite Licenses for usage of those forms in battle.

Mega Evolution in any case has to be considered as presenting a wholly different ball game (ahem) compared to what is currently present in Unite, if the implementations in other games - most notably Pokémon Go - have something to say. Ground rules may then have to be established regarding their usage in teams as they do in the other games where Mega Evolution is present, especially regarding their restrictions (that arise by nature) as presented and implemented in those other games. And as with playable Legendary Pokémon, there might be a period of trial-and-error and adjustments to get their playability just right with all other existing Pokémon.

Still, any consideration of how Mega Evolution might be further realized in Pokémon Unite is purely speculative at this point and would likely have to wait for further developments - aside from that which has already occurred with Mewtwo. Yet it remains clear that the game may be shaping up for the inclusion and further implementation of Mega Evolution, and that is indeed a "Mega" matter to be discerned regardless.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Goodies, Round 4

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/14/2021 and 8/15/2021

Three years ago: Matters of Shadow and Light (Purification)

Four years ago: The Subtle Generational Spoiler

Five years ago: Don't Look Back... in Anger

Six years ago: Pokémon Desktop Wallpapers

The Matter of Playable Legendaries in Unite

Several months ago, Pokémon Unite took the radical yet innovative step of including Legendary Pokémon not only on its maps as a "boss", but also in and as a part of Trainer teams - in other words, "playable". And the first candidate for this was Zacian, clearly indicating that the effort is earnest. Yet it also came with its own slew of problems, the major one being that it was just too strong, and therefore adjustments had to be made so it can work and play well with others - and now it has, given its permitted usage in the World Championships. Of course, this does suggest a quandary regarding the situation, especially as it's likely to be repeated if more of them come into play... and that has become the case.

The next Pokémon to receive this treatment was none other than the venerable Mewtwo, which came along with the second anniversary celebration of the game, further with its Mega X form, yet another breakthrough - but one to be discussed separately. It also voids my theorized concept map involving it, but that's beyond the point. What is the point is that the situation repeated itself, and Mewtwo required adjustments on its initial appearance, within a day no less. At present, the situation has somewhat normalized, but the fact remains that the Legendary Pokémon had to go through a process to make it viable for play, and that's something to consider along with future developments.

It is evident that the first two chosen Legendary Pokémon for this purpose were those of the "uber" variety, which also explains the spate of problems that were had. While the effort and results are certainly welcomed, it might also be wise to dial things back the next time and include a Legendary Pokémon not of the "uber" variety, likely something along the lines of the three beasts of Johto - even if they are potential fodder for a future map. While the same issues may or may not come up, they could at least be easier to deal with.

Meanwhile, with Zacian and Mewtwo already in, more Legendary Pokémon are sure to come. When that happens, Trainers might seek ways to include them in play, or even ways to avoid them. Including ways to do so during map selection might be an idea, while Draft Pick could have an additional ban directed at a Legendary Pokémon. The former might prove harder to implement than the latter, but any solution seems viable enough once considered deeply, especially in this case with playable Legendary Pokémon.

Having Legendary Pokémon become playable in Pokémon Unite is a novel step, but it's not without its consequences, as detailed above. With the door having been opened, it's only natural to expect more of them, while keeping in mind that any potential problem with them has to be resolved for the good of all those that unite in Unite.

One year ago: Cosplay: Japan Overdrive 2022

Two years ago: Let's Talk About Cards for Humanity

Three years ago: Localized TCG: After One Year

Four years ago: Who's That...

Five years ago: Worldly Reverence

Six years ago: All in Good (Life)Time

Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/13/2023

Of all the editions of Community Day thus far, this one might be the one that many people have expected (though it may or may not have a relation to the edition this time last year, which fell exactly one year ago - see below). It comes in rather stealthily and rather powerfully, which can be considered the hallmark of a select group of ancient warriors. More recently, the featured Pokémon and its species family also have gained a certain repute for a certain hero, and even that may be an understatement. 

So, without further ado, the featured Pokémon of this edition is Froakie, the Water-type starter Pokémon of the sixth generation. As it is a Water-type starter, this edition's special move is Hydro Cannon, which is obtained when it evolves past Frogadier into Greninja; this last Pokémon is obviously the one of special repute. Not as much of a repute (but still significant) is the main bonus of the month, tripled Stardust for captures, which should still satisfy the hungriest of Trainers even now, as does the entire species family.

As for the usual cavalcade of bonuses, there are the double Candy and increased Candy XL chance, extended Lure modules and Incense, increased Special Trades and discounted trades, photo bombs of the featured Pokémon, event Field Research tasks, and bonus Frogadier raids after the main appearance period. The additional paid Special Research set is also present and called "A Bubbly Disposition", taking Trainers for a journey with Professor Willow about the species family. Special stickers and web deals round out the bonuses.

Then there is the local meetup, which returned to the park - now free from last month's restrictions - to round up as many Trainers as possible. And it did: this edition saw a breakout attendance from many of them in the local area, some who perhaps may not have been able to attend the prior edition for certain reasons. Whatever those reasons may be, it is certain that the allure of this month's featured Pokémon, along with giveaway rewards, presented strong reasons to attend and take part.

I evolved four of the Froakie I had: the best one, a Shiny Lucky one obtained on the spot, and two others for possible uses in Great League and Ultra League. None of the Shiny ones I caught fit into any of the categories for the giveaways, including the most examples, for which indeed there were very few. Yet that seems to be just fine, since I already had all the prizes of the giveaways in some form or another. I was also pleased with what I got, especially the stock of resources, though it could have admittedly been better.

Whatever the case, it seems heroic spirits were all around today and were felt for the featured Pokémon and its species family. That's a lot to be felt, especially since this is (or happens to be) the weekend of the World Championships - but that should be true regardless with the featured Pokémon and all the related elements for it. The stealthy and powerful qualities go hand in hand, and the Trainers who deal with them can stand to gain a piece of that action today and as Pokémon Go continues to unfold.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/13/2022

Two years ago: NGOCO Podcast: What's Up with Pokémon?

Three years ago: Get Sporty for Sports, Pokémon Style

Four years ago: The Changing of Boxes

Five years ago: Toy Block Pokémon?

Six years ago: Cosplay Briefings

Rarest Pokémon Merchandise

By now, Pokémon has accumulated a great deal of merchandise from its more than a quarter-century of existence. Much of the merchandise is common and/or easily filled in by similar items from that collective. However, there is also no doubt that some of the merchandise have gotten exceedingly rare that it would take special (and I mean very special) connections - not to mention possibly a lot of money - to obtain them. Based on the things that have transpired, I've gathered a few items of Pokémon merchandise that have the potential to be classified as the rarest of their kind.

While anything (primarily cards) from the TCG realm still rightly fits within that realm, once the item becomes out of play for the longest time, it is practically an item of merchandise rather than a usable item. Some of the most expensive cards are some of the oldest cards and therefore the rarest as well; at that point, they're treated more like merchandise (given requisite protection, sold individually, and so on) instead of a game item. More recent cards can also be rare and valuable as well, though the matter of playing with them becomes questionable with such qualities.

If a merchandise item is no longer being made or sold, they predictably become rarer with time. Such would be the case for ex-NYC Pokémon Center Statue of Liberty Pikachu plush dolls, which are no longer sold after its transition to Nintendo World, and thus it now has a guaranteed incredible rarity about it. For those who were fortunate to have picked it up, they might not have thought about how it would become rare in the future, but with this being the case today, it becomes rather apparent that the rarity is considerable and the item has to be maintained to keep that rarity.

Even rarer are items that are exclusive to a single occasion and/or groups of people.

That is the case with an item that unexpectedly happened into my possession recently:

The packaging says it all - this is a pin for competitors for the World Championships of four years ago, and that speaks of its exclusivity as well, as this would truly belong to someone who competed there... or was to compete, since this is still in its packaging. As such, this makes it perhaps the rarest Pokémon merchandise item I've ever possessed and this is certain to be one of the rarest out there.

Many more Pokémon merchandise items may exist out there that can qualify as very rare Pokémon merchandise, but if anything, these should be quite representative of the lot. The continued existence of Pokémon will assuredly mean more and yet more items down the road that can become very rare and therefore valuable, so this is an "evolving" topic as time progresses. In any case, the burgeoning collective of Pokémon merchandise ought to be an indicator that some things will continue to gain rarity, and that's something that collectors like me ought to consider.

One year ago: Dream Pokémon Food from Café Remix

Two years ago: On Pokémon Who Talk and Speak

Three years ago: The Fate of (Monthly) Go Fest and Safari Zones

Four years ago: Localized TCG (Not Quite) Taking Off

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/11/2018 and 8/12/2018

Six years ago: Cosplay: DANOBU 4

The Championships Come Home

Sorry, fans of soccer for a particular country, but there is one kind of championship that really is coming home. And that would be the Pokémon World Championships, as can be discerned by the overarching theme of this blog. Now, "home" for Pokémon means Japan as its place of origin, and that's exactly where it is: the World Championships are being held in Yokohama, Japan, starting today (Thursday for those on "the other side") and all throughout this weekend. It's a homecoming well worth celebrating for Pokémon after the World Championships have been held mostly elsewhere outside.

Even with such a homecoming, though, it can no longer be disputed that Pokémon is and continues to be popular all around the world. Yet Japan as its "home" still deserves some special love, and the form of the World Championships this year being there is one such love - not to mention events like Pokémon Go Fest, which did in part occur last week in Osaka, but that's becoming a digression. What's important now is the currently progressing World Championships and all the Pokémon things that are featured in it.

For that, VGC and TCG as the traditional (core) foundations of Pokémon continue to hold up the guard in this edition, and they are accompanied by the "new wave" competitions of Pokémon Go PvP and Pokémon Unite. While there are only four divisions this time (owing to last year's bow-out of Pokkén Tournament), they all have their own attraction and legions of followers, especially the team-based Pokémon Unite, which brings in 28 teams to this grand tournament. It becomes obvious that the spectacle is to be maintained, and if that doesn't do it, it's hard to say what does.

As for local representation, seven Trainers - one for VGC, one for PvP, and five as a team for Pokémon Unite - are attempting to make their way through this edition. It's the closest that the World Championships have ever been held to home (that is, ours and theirs), so it's something that has to be taken advantage of. While miracles may or may not happen for these representatives, just to be taking part in the tournament is already prestigious enough, and that's something others can aspire to in the times to come, at the very least next year or the year after that.

It's always a great time whenever the Pokémon World Championships are being held, and this time seems to be really great because this year it's being held at "home" as far as Pokémon is concerned. Wherever it's held, though, its competitors will surely feel "at home" with whatever Pokémon area they specialize in, enough to bring out their best and to see who comes out on top. On that note, I wish the best of luck to all participants, no matter where or what "home" may be and how things turn out when they come back there.

One year ago: The Currencies and Shops of Café Remix

Two years ago: Great League and Ultra League, Newly Remixed

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Feature Wishlist Realizations

Four years ago: Monthly GO Fest/Safari Zones?

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Personal Feature Wishlist

Six years ago: Cosplay Scrapbooking

By Experience or By Information?

Something that is a key point of this blog is that it is quite experiential, in that much of it is based on experience rather than previous information (materials). This is in contrast to other sites that post articles that are more often based on that information rather than experience, although that is more by necessity than by choice. Yet both seem to have their merits, especially when it comes to dealing with all the things related to Pokémon. As such, I've opted to discuss the approaches while framing them with what goes on in Pokémon affairs.

I was prompted to write this post by the dealings of a very special friend of mine (whom I've already mentioned in the nether reaches of this blog). As predicted, that friend also deals with articles on a web site, and one of them involves the recently rolled-out Routes feature in Pokémon Go. The only difference with my take on the feature - besides date of posting, for which the aforementioned article was published way earlier than my post - is that the article was made with the other approach, purely based on the information given by Niantic, whereas mine was written mostly based on experience with only slight supplementation.

Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong with either approach, as with any approach in general. I can write great posts my way, and the other approach can be used to write great articles as well. What can (and does) go wrong is if one allows mistakes to creep in, whether by including dubious sources or by mixing up certain things. I'm not one to say that I've been free of mistakes in this regard, as I've already stated at the beginning - and if so, I try to fix them wherever I spot them or whenever I am alerted to them - but as with certain ailments, prevention is better than the cure. Yet that can be a little hard to come by at times.

As a matter of fact, I would dare say that both approaches are not only necessary but also complementary. Case in point: Niantic does say many details (or not) about planned things - Community Day, as a very popular example - but the realization of those details may be very different, as in what happened with Squirtle Field Research tasks on its Classic edition. As such, I may be considered to do what Niantic doesn't - and so does that article related to my very special friend to a certain capacity. With all the things that Pokémon has going on, this has to become rather appreciable for many Pokémon fans who need information.

The takeaway from the above is that informative articles spun off of existing materials are useful and necessary, but so are experiential articles taken from actual happenings. Thus, the question I posed in the title of this post seems a bit superfluous as it suggests one or the other is good, when both are in fact just as good. Pokémon will continue to bring much information and lead to many experiences, and that should speak well for the necessity of both approaches when posts or articles have to be written about them.

One year ago: The Importance of Training in Café Remix

Two years ago: Realized Personal Social Media Experiments with Pokémon

Three years ago: Let's Talk About Events, Conventions, and Beyond

Four years ago: A Tale of Two (OK?) Performances

Five years ago: Ode to Magikarp

Six years ago: Snorlax's Awakening