Holding Back: Pokémon Presents, 8/8/2023

So, the matter that had to wait until tomorrow - that is, today - is another edition of Pokémon Presents, the customary mid-year edition. In this way, my coverage of it may be described as having to be "held back". However, this edition also seems to reveal that the (usual) minds behind this edition, likely part of The Pokémon Company International (TPCI), have been "holding back" as well, at least in comparison to prior editions. Further, for this edition, I also have to scale (hold) back a few things for my coverage. That's a lot of "holding back", and it's wise to just go and deal with them.

August for Pokémon matters is always a buzzing time, as that is when the Pokémon World Championships are held in normal times. For this, I have to go ahead and say that I will hold back most of the details and save it for closer to this weekend, as that is when the competition will take place. It's an important affair, and it was chosen to be drilled down as the first matter that was discussed in this edition of Pokémon Presents. That much is already spectacular, but the spectacle is to be covered more in depth by me later on.

In the meantime, something that TPCI didn't hold back for this edition was coverage of animated content, of which there were three things over the course of this edition. The first is a miniseries called "Path to the Peak", which is based on the TCG and has a "western" look and feel. The second and third are "Paldean Winds", another game region-based web miniseries, and "Horizons", which involves the traditional anime. While the former stands on its own, the latter demands more explanation as... something I have or have not come to terms with. Either way, all of these I have to deal with "holding back" somehow.

Next was a "new old thing" involving a Pikachu with a strange affinity for coffee and solving mysteries. That would be a new game, titled Detective Pikachu Returns, for the Nintendo Switch. It harkens back to its 3DS counterpart and is in part a "port" of it, but it's also going to be a "rehash" as it will involve some new Pokémon that have been revealed since the time of that game. For those who can't wait, they'll have the full experience very soon in a couple of months when the game releases on October 6.

Then there was the domain of mobile (and/or spinoff) games and all their "shenanigans", which became a focal point this time around. Pokémon Go has its Go Fest as one of them, but then an addition will soon have its generational "shenanigan". Unite still has its "shenanigans" from its anniversary additions and is due for follow-ups on that. Masters EX has the usual new Sync Pair "shenanigans", while Café Remix has a new event on tap with the addition of another Pokémon from Paldea. And then there was Pokémon Sleep, which has become its own thing ("shenanigan"), but I'll "hold back" on this too.

Lastly, there were more updates on the Nintendo Switch front. The old GBC TCG game and the N64 Stadium 2 game became available on the Virtual Console, now enjoyable by current fans. Scarlet and Violet are still going with their content updates, which currently deals with the dynamic duo of Mew and Mewtwo, who can now be obtained with special characteristics for both. Capping off this entire edition was a major preview for the upcoming DLC for Scarlet and Violet and its two parts, one traditional-styled and the other modern-styled, as is the norm for the base game. The first is due out in September while the second is due out later.

Evidently, that is all a lot to take in, and that has resulted in the longest edition yet, at over half an hour. For this one, I also received "color commentary" from some streamers, and what I've got is that while the length is impressive and so was everything that was revealed, all of it was still within the traditional format and may have had a few editing flubs - which may be construed as a "holding back" of sorts. That may or may not be a good thing, but somehow it still manages to serve loyal fans like them and me.

Overall, the "holding back" seems a little too evident, even though the information on the Pokémon games weren't - though for my purpose, I have to do the same. But to cover as much as possible (and not "holding back") is still a rightful thing, both for them and me, and indeed a lot has been covered. Yet some things may still have to remain as such on both sides, and that may be the only concession, a fact that cannot be "held back" even for the multitude of fans that Pokémon has today. 

One year ago: Transitioning from Shuffle to Café Remix

Two years ago: Trainer Green and Ash XY Pikachu Figures

Three years ago: Into the Myst

Four years ago: Raid Stories

Five years ago: Evolution Is a Change

Six years ago: Historical Pokémon