Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/30/2023

OK, so there's quite a bit of ground to cover for this month's events in Pokémon Go and not a whole lot of time to do that. There's also a reason why I've saved the rollup for the last day of the month, and that's because things indeed happen all the way to this point. And it's only the first month of the season, but the multitude of events may be reasonable as a way to pick up the pace as the season starts. Having said all that, it's time to get this rollup going - and succinctly (as possible) at that.

The first of these events was A Paldean Adventure, the breakthrough event for Pokémon of this region in Pokémon Go, from September 5 to 10. The starters (Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly) along with Lechonk - with Shiny in tow - led the pack and appeared in the wild, Field Research encounters, and 7 km Eggs. Thanks to the completion of the Go Fest run last month, Ultra Unlocks manifested as Unown in raids, a Lechonk Timed Research, and golden PokéStops, as well as quadruple XP and Stardust. Complements to the event were Showcases of Lechonk, select older Pokémon species in the wild and raids, a Special Research set, Collection Challenges, and a new fashion item based on the Scarlet and Violet DLC. As a starting point, it makes for a good adventure, but then there was more.

Things continued with Ultra Unlock: Paldea from September 10 to 15. This saw the debuts of four more species from the region (Nymble, Pawmi, Bombirdier, and Frigibax) and their families where applicable; Pawmi also appeared as Field Research task rewards, Bombirdier became a raid exclusive, and Frigibax became a rare appearance and a possible hatch from 10 km Eggs thereafter. The specific Ultra Unlocks as well as a few other features from the above continued here, along with a paid Timed Research for a fashion item and Showcases of Nymble and Pawmi. With this, Paldea and the ninth generation now has a foothold.

On September 17, there was another edition of Research Day from 2 PM to 5 PM, this time featuring Oddish. They were encountered by completing Field Research tasks from PokéStops, with greater Shiny as well as XXL and XXS chance, plus Sun Stone item drops if lucky. A handful of Grass-type Pokémon in the wild plus Showcases of the featured Pokémon complemented the event. This event also seemed to tie in to a general Oddish "mood" that Pokémon had at that time.

September also saw the return of the Psychic Spectacular event from September 20 to 24. The focus this time was on Solosis (which could now be Shiny) and curveball throws (which increased in XP during the event). As expected, this Pokémon and a bevy of other Psychic-type Pokémon became present in the wild, raids, 7 km Eggs, and Field Research task rewards. Showcases this time were of Spoink, while Collection Challenges furnished Mega Energy for four species (also available as Field Research rewards). True to the key type of the event, perhaps some things were already predictable for it.

Some things were taken care of by the Out to Play event. It started on September 27 and will last until October 2. A focus of this event is Growlithe - specifically, its Hisuian form, which can be hatched from 2 km and 7 km (now) Eggs and be Shiny as well. It too appears as a possible Field Research task reward, and in free and paid Timed Research sets (the latter with Kanto Growlithe as well); they are also the feature of Showcases. Some "pal-friendly" Pokémon join Kanto Growlithe (and Arcanine) in the wild, while other "regional pals join Hisuian Growlithe as Field Research task rewards. Complements for this event are increased Kecleon appearances, increased XP and Buddy Candy from Routes, a web deal, and a new fashion item. However, most importantly, this event celebrates improvements to Routes, to be discussed later on.

As the last event of the month, Hatch Day takes place (or in my case, took place) today. This time, the focus was on Azurill, which hatched exclusively from 2 km Eggs obtained during the event and had a greater Shiny chance. Hatching also rewarded double the Stardust and double the Candy. Field Research gave out useful item rewards and Timed Research gave out a Super Incubator, which is always useful in this case; there were also web deals on Incubators. In some ways, it was fitting to hatch a closure to all that was going on. 

After all that has happened just in the first month of this season that promises one packed with adventure, it seems that promise has been fulfilled to a great degree. It began with Paldea and went through other regions, generations, and types - all of which are fitting for any Pokémon adventure. It even went as far as the final day, which may be telling of the pace this season will have (and be set with). Even with only the briefest of descriptions as time allows, the picture of adventures should already start to fall into place.

One year ago: The State of Nominations, Part 18

Two years ago: Pokémon Shuffle Personal Feature Wishlist

Three years ago: The State of Nominations, Part 6

Four years ago: Standing Pikachu Keychain

Five years ago: The Merits of Sleep

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

The State of Nominations, Part 24

I've written up many of these posts about the current state of my PokéStop nominations by way of Pokémon Go and Niantic Wayfarer, and they've been all different in some way each time. This time, though, it will be quite different substantially because of what's happening with both those nominations and my state of affairs. And I have to say, it's been a distressing situation for both. Regardless, it still has been a couple of months from when I last made one of these posts, so it's got to be made.

One reason for that substantial difference is that... well, I currently don't have access to my tracking data, so I cannot deliver my usual counts of nominations, including the ones that are accepted and are not (or in my own terms, approved and rejected). Heuristically, however, based on the last few notification e-mails from Wayfarer, I've had a couple of nominations accepted, quite a few not accepted, and a couple more appealed nominations decided - not for the better, unfortunately. The rejections are disappointing, particularly for the appeals that seemed viable, and I feel the need to rectify that with more (approved) nominations.

There's just one problem. It seems that recently, Niantic has been rather sensitive on nominations, particularly ones that may be said to not fit (comply with) the guidelines in some way, shape, or form. So sensitive, in fact, that suspensions or bans have been handed out for non-compliant players (specifically Trainers in Pokémon Go) and/or their non-compliant nominations. This becomes a rather alarming matter, and as such, I've decided to "lay low" on nominations for a while, especially with the way that ambiguities in nominations have existed and been treated. Yet if I do find something that is certainly deserving of a nomination and certainly meets the guidelines (without a shadow of a doubt), then it may be wise to make an exception and put in the nomination.

Also currently, I've joined a group for the purpose of assisting one another with Wayfarer affairs and in particular local nominations. The group was created partially in light of the above situation, and thus it serves a noble purpose in a manner of speaking. While a good number of people have joined the group, there is relatively little activity at present - though that may increase later on. Though sometimes I find it difficult to interact with others, this may be one group where that interaction may be demanded and useful, so I may have to keep tabs on it and interact whenever possible.

While presently my (and others') PokéStop nominations seem to be in a bit of a bind, it also seems rather certain that they need to continue in a certain capacity. The current situation may present a prerogative to tighten things up a bit and make sure things are in line. That may be something that will make a difference now and later, especially in Pokémon Go itself, even as the current situation is different in its own ways.

One year ago: On Death and Pokémon Species

Two years ago: The State of Nominations, Part 12

Three years ago: The Leek and Pokémon

Four years ago: Cosplay: Isekai

Five years ago: A Merchandise Dream

Six years ago: Unified Centers and Marts

Let's Talk About Problems and Solutions

Ash: Another "Let's Talk", huh? You must be fed up with something.

Pikachu: Pika chu? ["What now?"]

Me: You could put it that way. It's not that I don't have ideas of things to write about; I do - it's just that they need more development, and things have been coming up recently.

Goh: I get what you're saying. Sometimes it's helpful to have different perspectives, and that's OK - we'll help you somehow.

Me: Thanks for understanding. So, the topic this time is "problems and solutions", something that I'm sure we have from time to time.

Goh: If you put it that way... I'm reminded of my Project Mew trial at the ship in Hoenn. That had a lot of problems.

Ash: I heard! You had to team up with Horace to get through it - and then you had to battle too.

Goh: Yeah, that might have been a solution I didn't expect, but that was the solution, you could say.

Me: That's, of course, the natural other half to any problem. How about you, Ash?

Ash: I remember when I struggled with Misty for Togepi and Totodile. That was a real handful!

Goh: How did you two solve that problem?

Ash: Togepi solved it for us... but we had to battle for Totodile.

Goh: Fascinating. I guess you can say that some problems solve themselves, but others take some effort to solve.

Pikachu: Pika, chu pika. ["Nice, two ways."]

Ash: What about you?

Me: Remember when I sent you to sing last Sunday? Other than the problems you said you had?

Ash: Yeah, everything else worked out well!

Me: See, I thought there would be a certain other problem when I was preparing you for that, but it turns out it wasn't a problem.

Goh: So I guess it solved itself.

Me: Absolutely, Goh. But then some things are not as simple as that, as I had discovered some months ago.

Ash: Oh, was it just before the Rica thing?

Me: Yes - although I didn't realize it at the time. Now I'm still nervous thinking about it, and what's worse is that I've spent much for nothing. So I'm not sure how I'll ever solve this one.

Ash: Oh - I've just known about this. Really sorry about that.

Pikachu: Pika... [dejected]

Me: Lately I've also had some technology problems, and it seems even if I had the skills to try to solve it myself, I still wouldn't be able to, and it would cut into my time trying to solve other problems.

Goh: Sounds like you need my mom and dad.

Me: I wish I had their help, but I can only settle for their real counterparts, and they're not even like them. So now I'm just trying to solve things every which way - and one of those things even could have involved Ash.

Ash: Me?

Me: Well, I can't say much more than that, but that is (or was) definitely the state of the matter. In a way, it solved itself, but perhaps not in the ways we would like.

Goh: I think I know where this is going. And I really feel for you with these problems. You don't deserve them.

Ash: I agree!

Pikachu: Pi! ["Sure!"]

Me: But as I said earlier, problems have solutions at their other end. And a company I like used to - or perhaps still does - say that "there is always a way".

Ash: Hey, maybe they're always right!

Goh: I like the sound of that company, though. I think they could belong in or with Pokémon.

Me: On that note, it seems I'm problem-solving for some time ahead. I hope things come out like the problems you two had.

Ash: No prob!

Goh: You can do this!

Me: Great, thanks so much.

One year ago: Inventiveness vs. Misunderstanding

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/28/2021

Three years ago: The Future of LINE Pokémon Stickers

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/28/2019

Five years ago: A New Age of EX Raids

Six years ago: To Teach and To Delight

Quickies: Finding My "Mime" and "Rime"

Among the presently extant Pokémon species, the family of Mr. Mime is an enigmatic one. Its old Kanto form, coupled with the baby Mime Jr. from Sinnoh, are skilled mimers - clowns, psychic ones, in a way. Its Galarian form, along with the new Mr. Rime evolutionary form, are skilled tap dancers and swift movers on ice. Both may be considered to possess their own innate talents and are representative of such, as well as what their human counterparts might also have. To that, I'm reminded of my journey to find my own innate talent and how that has panned out.

In the past, I've had a tumultuous journey for that purpose. I hung on two things that I thought were my talents... until they turned against me. It seems that one of them was never my talent to begin with, while the other one was not in the right format in the first place. Now, with my moderate success in cosplay and singing - in particular by involving Pokémon - I might be able to say that those really might be my talents after all, the latter being in a more fitting format as a solo singer rather than in a group (choir). My "mime" and "rime" seems to have been able to be identified.

Many things have certainly went on since that earlier tumultuous journey, including for Pokémon and specifically concerning the species family above: it diversified itself (or more precisely, was discovered to have done as such) into four forms, encompassing two kinds of innate talents. While the Pokémon species family had a more natural journey rather than a tumultuous one like I had, it's still fascinating to see it settle on two kinds of talent and not just one. Along with that and my appreciation of Pokémon, I'm glad that in a way, I can discover my own "mime" and "rime", as these Pokémon did.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/27/2022

Two years ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: Two for the Show

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/27/2020

Four years ago: 1000 Posts!!!

Five years ago: Meet Meltan

Six years ago: Pokémon Stuff at a Neighborhood Store

Creating Unity and Oneness

A long, long time ago, a facet of culture billed itself as something that creates "unity and oneness". I was too young at that time to understand what that entailed, although I could sense some of the importance. Today, I'm surrounded by many more facets of culture, including Pokémon in particular, and I have to develop an understanding of at least some of them in order to make sense of today's world. Having rediscovered this facet recently, I thought I'd try to make sense of it with Pokémon as the main cultural facet I know best today.

I've discussed and/or alluded to the "unity" aspect a few times, including the discussion of a certain in-game skill and prior to a certain festival event. Based on that, it may be considered that Pokémon has the capability of creating unity in spades. And it clearly has to be created, for not only do the people need to become one with each other, the Pokémon also need to become one with each other - and then there's the mixture of both parties. There's even a Pokémon game - and a very popular one at that - where that really becomes the primary objective. It is then quite apparent that Pokémon carries a sense of unity to be developed (as an adjunct to "creation") among its elements.

Then there's the "oneness" aspect. Pokémon has been demonstrated to appeal to people all over the world, who become its loyal fan. One way of making sure that happens is to give leeway in translation and adaptation to make sure they can enjoy it in their own particular ways. While this could be construed to create a different kind of "oneness", it also preserves it in one way. As well, communities for all the different things and ways Pokémon may be enjoyed represent different kinds of "oneness" and is a strength of the fandom, but given the way they sometimes can easily blend, that also preserves the "oneness" that it has... and should have no matter what.

While that facet of culture from a long time ago still persists today much like Pokémon now, it has in a way shed its earlier claim. Yet for those who used to experience that bygone era, it may still be considered to ring true even now, especially as people like me are rediscovering how it had been at that time. Now, it seems, I'm able to understand where I am today with Pokémon by being able to understand where I was with that cultural facet. It had offered a sense of creating a single unity back then - and now, I can consider Pokémon to be able to do the same.

One year ago: The Original Dance Mix

Two years ago: The Challenge of Uniting Myself

Three years ago: More and Yet More LINE Pokémon Stickers

Four years ago: The Name of the Game

Five years ago: The First English Anime Opening Theme

Six years ago: Strong Opinions

More on Unite Surrendering: New Developments

Some time ago, I wrote about the fine (or not-so-fine) art of surrendering in Pokémon Unite. Much of the information in that post still continues to apply today; however, there has been a slight development in this area. Several updates ago, two new options were added to the main Settings area, and they deal with allowing a surrender to be automatically opposed. It's a drastic measure but one that may very well go with the play styles of certain players.

The first option concerns the enabling of automatic opposition. If set to on, then surrender voting will always be rejected by the player; if set to "first time only", the first surrender voting will be rejected, but the player will be asked what to do on subsequent ones; and if set to off, the player will always be asked on what to do (the state prior to the appearance of this setting). The second option concerns the display of votes on automatic opposition: if on, the voting will not be shown while the voting takes place, and if off, the voting will always be displayed regardless.

Even with automatic opposition enabled, it should be noted that a player will still have the option of proposing a surrender oneself for the team, and that may be a desperate or last resort option in certain battle circumstances. Of course, in other circumstances, a surrender is still possible even with one "nay" vote, and if that happens to be given out by a player who has automatic opposition turned on, it may be a little jarring when it occurs - especially if voting display is turned off. So, it is not a foolproof for totally preventing a surrender from occurring, but it can help to prevent premature and accidental ones.

As for its usage, I know one player who might have automatic opposition turned on and the voting never be shown. That player is adamant about playing to the end, even if it's practically impossible to win, and I've never heard of the player proposing a surrender. I myself have the first option set to "first time only" and the second set to not show, to give a chance for a battle to proceed, and if it's looking like the battle has been decided, then I can initiate or accept the next surrender proposal. In that regard, I may be described as more "liberal"; others may be similar to either of us.

For those who go all out on their battles in Pokémon Unite, the new automatic oppose option for surrendering may just be the thing to keep gameplay going even when it comes down to the wire. For others, it might be a stopgap measure of sorts to try to salvage a currently progressing battle. Whatever the case, surrendering remains a matter of somewhat delicate nature, and the new options ought to strike a balance between continuing and surrendering.

One year ago: Cosplay: Mini "Cyber" Gathering

Two years ago: The "Evolution" of Pokémon Go Special Research

Three years ago: Road to 25th Anniversary: Expectations

Four years ago: A Raid Split?

Five years ago: The First Japanese Anime Opening Theme

Six years ago: Enhancements in Shuffle

Cosplay: Bunka no Tenkai - Wonderful Japan

Goh: You weren't kidding when you said September would be busy.

Me: Indeed, and for this one, Ash will be on his toes, I think.

Ash: I'm ready!

Pikachu: Pi pika! ["Me too!"]

Ash: So what's this one?

Me: OK, so one half of the people who made Harusaki no Matsuri happen decided to conceive a new festival event, and they came up with this one to celebrate "cultural development" - hence the title.

Ash: Neat!

Me: And once in a while, it occurs relatively close to where I am, so it's a natural to send Ash there.

Goh: Well, that makes sense. And I'm sure you have competitions planned out for Ash.

Me: I sure do! Singing and character parade, a usual twofer.

Ash: And I'm singing...

Me: Something new for us: "Boku no Best Friend e".

Ash: Oh, that's deep. But I'll definitely make it work for you!

Pikachu: Pi pika chu. ["I'll go along."]

Me: For this, you'll want your Kanto/Johto outfit... although I was kind of hoping to make that special thing from last month ready for you.

Goh: Hey!

Me: ...But it's still not ready yet. So you'll have to wait a bit more. 

Ash: That's fine! Take your time.

Me: OK, that's settled. Now, you'll remember the place - it used to host two Japan Corner festival events, but this isn't part of that.

Ash: Oh yeah! I remember. But I also remember the crowds...

Goh: And it was just as crowded.

Ash: Yeah. Lots of people also came in because it was hot outside.

Me: But at least you got there. Tell us how the inside looked like. 

Ash: Lots of community and merchandise stands. Outside it was all just food.

Goh: OK, that seems reasonable. I guess now it's time to tell about how you did in the competitions.

Ash: I almost messed up the second verse... and I think I was a bit fast in the verses. But it was fine other than that.

Goh: This seems to happen a lot when you perform a song for the first time.

Ash: Yeah, I didn't think about that. 

Me: It seems we have to "break in" songs before we get used to them. What about the character parade?

Ash: I think I did OK. I was just a little short on the time they gave.

Goh: How much did they give?

Ash: 30 seconds.

Goh: I get you. Sometimes it's hard to judge. I guess that's that for us - I'm looking at the schedule, and there seem to be mostly... bands and dance cover groups.

Ash: Yeah! I saw some of them. There was a competition for dance groups too, and that was nice.

Goh: Oh, fun! But I'm sure you liked the bands.

Ash: One of them is a friend of ours.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["For sure."]

Goh: I see. And I think there was a martial arts community...?

Ash: I saw a little bit of them, but yeah, you're right.

Me: I think we've covered all the bases now... except one: results.

Ash: No win today for me. But some friends of us did get something.

Me: Hmm, figures.

Goh: It must have been a good try, though.

Ash: We have to try to nail it again!

Me: Of course. So, after we got that cleared up, let's discuss overall thoughts.

Ash: It felt just like Harusaki no Matsuri - if I didn't perform and was there all day.

Goh: It must have been, given the organizers were the same.

Me: I guess something went right today.

Pikachu: Chu, pika. ["Guess so."]

Ash: Just like you said, it kept me on my toes. You too, maybe.

Me: I guess that's appropriate too.

Goh: And next week is already the start of next month, so... next month might be a happening one too.

Ash: But you never know what can happen.

Me: Exactly. So keep your toes up - we'll need it.

Pikachu: Pi pika. ["Noted."]

One year ago: The Desire to Refresh

Two years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Sparring Halloween Cup

Three years ago: The HIStory of the Future (and Now, with Pokémon)

Four years ago: Performance Critique: GACOS LEVELUP J-Song

Five years ago: New Pokémon, New World?

Six years ago: Pikachu with Regional Caps

Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/23/2023

Now, after having gone through the Classic edition at the start of this month, it's time for the regular edition of the event. For this edition, there is seemingly an apparent theme, and it involves vehicles. These, of course, are things that span the gamut of planes, trains, and automobiles, some of which may be electric today. Also, some of these land-based vehicles may be called a "buggy", which may or may not suggest any linkages with insects, though the resemblance might be uncanny. These should be suggestive of this edition's featured Pokémon.

If that hasn't clarified things yet, then it's time to do so: this month's featured Pokémon is Grubbin, the Larva Pokémon that does look a little like a buggy car. That also means the rest of its species family, Charjabug, the "bus" of the group, and Vikavolt, the "sports car" or "jet plane". This last one gets the Fast attack of Volt Switch upon evolution, befitting its Electric type half; uniquely, the move is also learned by the second in line upon evolution during this time. Triple XP is the main bonus, and that makes it another "catch-up" edition for those under Level 50, to try to get to that point.

Because evolving Charjabug to Vikavolt requires the use of a Magnetic Lure Module, a Timed Research set becomes available to furnish one of these. Other than that, the remaining bonuses are of the usual cavalcade: double catch Candy and Candy XL chance, extended Lure Modules and Incense, discounted trades and an extra Special Trade, photo bombs and special stickers, Charjabug bonus raids, and certainly the extra paid Special Research, this time entitled "Plugging Along", exploring the species family's electric qualities. Like last time, web deals are the norm (perhaps by now, a standard one), and as always, Field Research suits the event.

Unlike last month, attendance for this edition was mediocre at my local meetup, which may be understandable due to the relative obscurity of the species family - perhaps in some respect its usage as well. It was still in the same place, just with relatively fewer people. Regardless, I was still able to obtain Vikavolt that met all my usual criteria, and I even got a Charjabug that was just on the borderline for Great League usage. Shiny forms were very few for me (and did not help much for giveaways), but a Lucky Trade helped to provide one of good stats. I also have to be happy with all that I did obtain during the event.

So it seems that whether the species family is a bunch of "flying batteries" or "souped-up vehicles", there's still a good reason to take part in this Community Day for all that can and should be gained, as is true of practically any edition. The atmosphere may or may not have been "electric" - as is true of my local meetup attendance - but the things obtained now can stand to make a "zap" later on. And that's something that anyone in any vehicle can only desire to make, at least in their own ways and not necessarily "bugging out" about it.

One year ago: New Factions Battlefields Plus

Two years ago: Unite Uptake

Three years ago: Making Time, Taking Time

Four years ago: Doubleheaders and Such

Five years ago: Cosplay: Panniversary 2nd

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

More on "Shundo"... and Not-So-"Shundo"

Having created a parody involving a term familiar to Trainers in Pokémon Go, I realized that there is more to explore regarding this term. Specifically, it is related to a bunch of terms that all pertain to Pokémon that have the best stats - even, the best of the worst - with all kinds of conditions. And they all can be linguistically explained, in particular with respect to how they are formed, how frequently they may be used, and how acceptable they are among Trainers in general. 

Regardless, all of the terms involve some kind of blending of the word "hundred" as rendered in Japanese (hundoreddo), as with the case of "Shundo" that I explained previously. For the other terms, their specific conditions are what apply to the formation of the terms. A Pokémon with perfect stats and no other specific condition is just called "Hundo", clipping the word above. A Lucky Pokémon with perfect stats is called "Lundo" (Lucky + "Hundo"), but if it's also Shiny, then it's called "Shlundo" (Shiny + Lucky + "Hundo"). All of these terms see frequent usage among Trainers and are therefore commonly accepted among them.

Then there are the terms for "the best of the worst". A Pokémon with 0% stats, the worst possible, is called "Nundo" (not/none + "Hundo"). This particular term is also of frequent usage and common acceptance. However, the posited term for the Shiny counterpart is of different origin and quality; the term, "Shero", is a blend of "Shiny" and "zero", which is a little out of place considering the other terms above. As expected, the term also has seemingly not found familiarity nor acceptance among Trainers, and they seem to prefer to use the other term with "Shiny" before it. It is thus a totally different story.

Other terms also exist or were posited, but they're rarely (if at all) used and their acceptability is also of questionable status as well. They are for ones that bear Shadow status ("Shundow", "Shadow" + "Hundo"; "Shindow", "Shiny" + "Hundo" + "Shadow") or even Purified ("Pundo", "Purified" + "Hundo"; "Shpundo", "Shiny" + "Purified" + "Hundo") or Legendary ("Legundo", "Legendary" + "Hundo"; "Shlegundo", "Shiny" + "Legendary" + "Hundo"). All of these appear awkward in some way, which might explain their lack of usage and acceptability; they may have a long way before they gain anything in these regards, if at all.

Even though there seems to be many of these terms - and perhaps many more hidden possibilities - the fact that only a few terms have come into frequent usage and great acceptance shows that it doesn't take much to describe the state of affairs regarding the conditions of Pokémon that Trainers catch. Still, much of that is still due to just how language works in the background and how that is reflected in the foreground, as Trainers explore that as well as the great world of Pokémon.

One year ago: Teams in Café Remix

Two years ago: Mallow and Ina, Chef and Contessa

Three years ago: The Place of Pokémon Go in the Pokémon Ecosystem

Four years ago: Cosplay: GACOS LEVELUP

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

Six years ago: Riot of Pokémon Color

Pokémon Go Tour for Other Regions?

Those familiar with modern Pokémon Go events will surely recognize Pokémon Go Tour, which has been going on annually for the past few years around February. Up to now, the event has had three editions and they have all featured regions of the main series games - Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn, in sequential order. These are all very well-known among fans and Trainers, even those who don't play the games. But what if the event could feature lesser-known regions, particularly those from outside the main series games? It's a possibility to be explored for one or more future editions of the event.

For the idea of this post, the consideration comes by the fact that the only three remaining Pokémon from the Sinnoh region, which would be the expected region to be next, are all Legendary or Mythical Pokémon that should have been implemented by now, yet haven't been as such - and one of them is known as a "deity" of sorts with many forms. While it's conceivable that the other two of them might debut simultaneously, that particular "deity" could present problems and may deserve its own event. Of course, given that Go Tour occurs at the tail end of the season, one (set) may debut at the beginning of the season and the other may debut when Go Tour actually happens. Still, the consideration of the idea might serve well for a future edition of Go Tour, perhaps as an "interlude" edition.

As for the "other regions" that could have a chance to be featured, there are several possibilities. The most probable "other region" would be one that is pulled from the Pokémon Ranger sub-series of games, the first of these being the Fiore region. It has a good diversity of Pokémon from the first few generations, which is why it would seemingly be a good bridge should the next Go Tour not be based on Sinnoh as expected. Another but less conceivable one is the Orre region; it is likewise an early region with a good species mix. The only problem is that the region is not very well-known except by the most dedicated of fans, so its possibility is quite low. This matter of being less well-known may be the core issue.

Having been present on the scene for a few years, Pokémon Go Tour has truly done a good job of representing regions by Pokémon species. This is quite the case that it might make sense to implement something "fresh" for it by representing a region not from the main series of Pokémon games, which it may have potential to do. In doing so, it might just make the less familiar regions more familiar among Trainers in Pokémon Go so that they may become more familiar with Pokémon regional aspects in general.

One year ago: The New (Old) Legacy Trainer Challenge

Two years ago: Pikachu Fidget Spinner

Three years ago: Item Runs in Pokémon Shuffle

Four years ago: Remember, Remember

Five years ago: Community Raid Days?

Six years ago: Pokémon and Party Games

Pokémon Brand Parodies, Third Take

Well, I can't stop thinking about making Pokémon parodies of various brands since I posted the previous (and the previous previous) compilation of them; they just seem to come naturally to me as a Pokémon fan. So when an idea comes, I have to keep track of it as I figure out a way of realizing them through image manipulation, and then once I have a few, I can get my creative juices flowing and actually make the parody. That is exactly what happened recently, and now I have a few more to share.

Shunda for Shundo Pokémon 

In the country where I reside, Shunda is a manufacturer of household hardware; their most famous product is ceiling boards, but they also manufacture products like wallboards and floorboards. Those undeniably might make a house a home for a Pokémon fan, but it's also undeniable that the company name is one letter removed from a Pokémon phenomenon that occurs in Pokémon Go - a Shiny Pokémon with perfect stats. So, I decided to bring back (or rather, apply) the phenomenon with this parody, the first one I made that concerns something related to Pokémon other than a particular species.

Ruangguru feat. Oranguru

Meanwhile, Ruangguru is a provider of virtual lessons that has become somewhat promoted in recent times for its importance in shaping the current generation of human resources. The name sounds rather similar to the Pokémon species of Oranguru, which itself is a characterization of a very well-known endangered species present in the same country. It is this similarity that led me to conceive the idea for the parody and then to execute it. Also, it should be noted (humorously) that Oranguru tend to have "their own thing going on", so they may or may not be helpful at all, considering the context of the brand.

Bombardier feat. Bombirdier

Bombardier is a manufacturer of vehicles from the great northern land of Canada that used to be an "all-rounder" but now just manufactures business jet planes. It seems such a coincidence that changing one letter of its name results in a Flying-type Pokémon species of the latest generation to grace the franchise. Here, it is depicted with the company's former graphical logo and wordmark, the latter of which is still unchanged in style but certainly changed to reflect the parody. The hope is that the planes are still agile and high-flying as are the Pokémon of this species.

Like in the previous edition, I also updated a previous parody for a more current sensibility:

Wuling feat. Wooloo (updated)

Last time, I posited that my previous parody can be updated to reflect the company's "five diamonds" logo, and so I undertook just that, showing two Wooloo joining their front-facing ponytails in a manner that closely portrays that exact logo. Now, imagining this vehicle company getting representation from sheep-like Pokémon - or more precisely, two instances of them - may not be so ridiculous after all, though it's still rather fanciful.

The search for ideas of Pokémon parodies of real-life brands is an ever-continuing one, even as of this edition. It is, in a way, a kind of soul-searching for just the right concept followed by the right execution. And if that happens to occur at the most perfect moment, then to move forward with them is a given, like with the ones that I have presented above. The creativity is thus a continuing one as well, especially for people like me whose appreciation of Pokémon continues in the same manner.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Goodies, Round 5

Two years ago: To Be a Snorlax

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/20/2020

Four years ago: The Friendly Manual

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

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

Emily Rudd and Her Pokémon Links

While I've mentioned One Piece and specifically its recently released live-action rendition, there's an aspect I should discuss in that moment that has some ties to Pokémon. One of its stars is Emily Rudd, and she plays Nami, navigator for the Straw Hat Pirates and a slick money lover. The character is a "rich" one in a manner of speaking, but then so is the person who's playing the character in another manner: she is a total anime geek, and thus perhaps she could be described as an otaku as well. Obviously, this becomes the entry point for Pokémon and all its related influences.

As she explained, she grew up on all the classic anime series that one would expect fans (even otaku) of this day and age to have grown up with. Not only that, she possesses sufficient knowledge of the backstory (lore) of these series, which would be something that is characteristic of intense fans. Emily also further possesses knowledge of an obscure series and can make recommendations based on specific series as well. All these make it evident that she is indeed one of these intense fans (or geeks, or otaku).

Certainly, that's where Pokémon comes into the picture. One of the classic anime series she mentioned is indeed Pokémon. While I'm sure that how Pokémon relates to fans in this regard will be different from one to another, they will likely make the identification in similar ways. She also mentioned of having a Game Boy Color and a collection of Pokémon TCG cards, both of which unfortunately are now lost, having been let go. She feels quite regretful in this regard, and if anything, that's a sign that she is a true fan and not just of the anime.

Now that it's been established that she is a Pokémon fan, could she play a role in a potential live-action rendition for that? Well, she already plays Nami, a character with orange hair, so she would seem a natural to play Misty, the Pokémon answer to this precondition. If hair color is not an issue, she would seemingly qualify to play Chloe, the daughter of Professor Cerise, if the "world saga" were to be adapted into live-action. Still, any role she plays might depend on her own wishes and the creator's wishes.

Emily Rudd by now is making waves (ahem) with the live-action rendition of One Piece and will certainly be busy with that when (if) more seasons are borne out. But through her viewpoints on Pokémon gained from interviews, it seems she would be right at home should another live-action rendition of Pokémon be realized. That ought to be very satisfying for any Pokémon fan, given that she establishes herself as one as well.

One year ago: Delivering an Authentic Experience

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/19/2021

Three years ago: On the Transcription of Pokémon Things

Four years ago: Taking Sides on Shiny Pokémon

Five years ago: Raid Time Length Change

Six years ago: Competitive Stages in Shuffle

The Shared (International) Journey of One Piece and Pokémon

If one of the festival events last weekend is an indication, I've been on a One Piece mood lately, which as I've disclosed at one point in time, is something else I appreciate to a good extent other than Pokémon. The latter's actual ties to the former are scant, other than a downplayed collaboration and a shared voice actress between them. Yet considering other related matters, the two may be considered to share some "spiritual" ties among them. As a result, they may be regarded to have a shared "journey" - one that also takes them beyond their origin of the Land of the Rising Sun.

As with that of Pokémon, the English dub for the One Piece anime was initially worked on by 4Kids Entertainment, but whereas the one for the former was mostly intact compared to the original Japanese, the latter's was shredded and reformed to remove the more mature aspects. Later on, the rights for the English dub transferred to another party - also just like Pokémon - but instead of continuing where it left off, the dub essentially started over, this time with closer following; it was arguably for the best, to mend the mangled nature of the predecessor. In any case, both franchises (series) at least now have English dubs of good quality.

They also (now) have pretty good major live-action renditions. Whereas Pokémon already had it earlier four years ago with the Detective Pikachu movie, One Piece just had a recent foray with a TV show-style series composed of a season of eight episodes. They've been released for streaming on Netflix, and they have received substantial praise for production and casting, a rarity for such efforts. In fact, so good is the series that it has been renewed for a second season, also a rarity in this regard. As for Pokémon, while there have been indications of continuing the live-action rendition, that seems to be still up in the air at this moment.

Speaking of Netflix, the English dub of the Pokémon anime can also be streamed through the same service, at least for episodes of the most recent Journeys sub-series and all its iterations, which includes a rather pivotal moment for its main character. This applies well to the first few hundred episodes of the One Piece anime, making this another part of the shared "journey".  This doesn't cover the entire breadth of either series, but it may be significant enough that those who haven't subscribed to the service may become interested to subscribe to gain access to all of either that is offered.

Perhaps most importantly, their shared "journey" is nearly of the same age. The first chapter for the One Piece manga was published on July 22, 1997, which means it celebrated its silver anniversary last year, given this as its "epoch". Meanwhile, that of Pokémon transpired a year and a half earlier, meaning that it's also older by that amount of time. Regardless, the long run of both franchises (series) means that a lot has transpired for both, even with their different origins, with Pokémon being initially a game. They also have their legions of fans, for which some individuals like me are in both camps.

Regardless, it ought to be considered that the theme of "journey" is firmly embedded in both franchises (series), even if this is realized in different ways according to the particular story facets of both, as well as their various incarnations as above. And yet, those incarnations also have parallels in many aspects, moreover as both are hugely appreciated by their fans - and will continue to be so - outside of Japan as the country of their origin. Spiritually, that's all the more reason for fans of both (who might be double fans, again like me) to remain as such and continue the shared "journey" wherever it might take them.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/18/2022

Two years ago: To Care and To Protect

Three years ago: GOtcha Podcast Episode 1: Mega Evolution in Pokémon Go

Four years ago: Raid Failures

Five years ago: A Restarted Fever?

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

Cosplay: Helloweebs on the Road & TM Town Festival

Goh: This is interesting. There are two events today?

Me: Uh-huh. Actually, the story is that one of them is a two-day event, and I sent Ash there yesterday. Today, I send Ash to the other one.

Ash: It's been years since this happened!

Pikachu: Pika chu pika! ["A long time!"]

Me: I know. It divides our concentration a bit, but I think we can handle it. So let's start with the first one.

Ash: OK, so you sent me there with my Unova outfit. It's been a long time too since you gave me that one.

Me: Yeah, I thought it might be something different, so that's why. (Oh, and this is also why I had the "weeaboo" discussion the other day - it's part of the name.)

Ash: But it wasn't too different - it was a festival close to your place.

Goh: Oh, maybe like Akazora Fest?

Ash: It was almost like that! Communities on one side, food on the other. But I didn't have to pay to get in.

Goh: How'd that happen?

Me: I have the answer for that. The festival is actually sponsored, so it's on them - but that's all I can say about that.

Goh: Neat! Was there a competition?

Ash: There was! ...But it was a character performance, and our friend couldn't set me up for it.

Me: Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. But there are good reasons for that, one of which has to do with the other event.

Goh: That's a bummer, but I can understand. Well, there had to have been entertainment.

Ash: Yeah, but just singers and dancers. And then there was me!

Goh: What did you do?

Ash: I got called on stage to sing for a challenge... but the song I sang was for a different character!

Pikachu: Pi! ["Yeah!"]

Me: All I can say is that I have a message from that character - hint: the character has a straw hat - and he thinks you're awesome, so you're welcome to sing the song.

Ash: I had lots of fun just being there with everyone!

Goh: That's awesome too. So, day 2 of that event is today - what would Ash miss?

Me: Oh, I can answer that. There would be a singing competition and a character parade... and just more of the same.

Ash, Goh: Bummer!

Me: Yeah, so sorry about that, but then there's the other festival event, which had been planned out well in advance. But in exchange for that...

Ash: I get to sing for myself today!

Me: Yes! Actually, for you and I both, and that's why we couldn't set up a performance. I've tasked you to sing two songs: a pop-rock song that describes some emotions that I feel and you could feel, and "Chiisaki Mono".

Ash: Oh, the last one! You want my Hoenn outfit, then.

Me: Sure!

Goh: That's different. You usually just send Ash to sing Pokémon songs.

Me: I know, but the pop-rock song is neutral enough that we can consider it fitting. How'd you do?

Ash: The pop-rock song was nice and really different. And... I think I teared up a little during "Chiisaki Mono". That almost happened to one of your friends too.

Goh: Wow.

Pikachu: Pika... ["Well..."]

Me: Yeah, it's a song with strong feelings. We can take advantage of this if a grand opportunity comes.

Goh: I'd love to find out about that if that ever happens!

Me: Certainly. Now, the entertainment here should be minimalist.

Ash: It was like the gathering from last week, but only with the games.

Goh: Yeah, that's not much. What about competitions?

Ash: Just a character parade. I didn't plan on being in it because I already sang, but I thought I should help it out.

Goh: So maybe we don't have to expect much.

Ash: No, but I got second place...

Goh: Hey!

Pikachu: Pika! ["Nice!"]

Me: At least we can consider it a reward for entertaining people.

Ash: It was fun for three hours or so. And I even kept myself busy capturing some Oddish.

Goh: That's pretty short - but that Oddish thing sounds fun too.

Me: Thanks, by the way. I guess... after that, you got to catch the remnants of the first festival event.

Ash: I did! A friend helped me get there. I saw the last of a dance group and a DJ - and a lot of people. I met a few of our friends too.

Goh: I guess the first event robbed people from the second one.

Ash: But I talked to a friend of ours, and I think the competitions stole people (characters) from each other.

Me: That's what happens when both are scheduled for the same day. Luckily this didn't happen in a city where there was four events or conventions in a single day at the same time.

Goh: Four?! I can't imagine.

Ash: I can't either.

Pikachu: Pi pika... ["Don't ask..."]

Me: So, the lesson here is that the organizers ought to talk to each other and work out solutions if this ever happens again. Well, at least we got something out of both of them.

Ash: I had a nice time at both connecting with everyone - and the prize from the parade wasn't that bad. We got lots of things.

Goh: And you two might just be in for more great things next time.

Me: Absolutely. It's amazing and interesting sometimes what two can make.

Pikachu: Pika pika chu. ["Sounds familiar."]

One year ago: Best Times for Community Day across Times and Places

Two years ago: (Un)finished Business, Again

Three years ago: Progressing Through the Go Battle League

Four years ago: At a Starry Night Time

Five years ago: Approaching Field Research Tasks

Six years ago: Restarting Go Fever Among Players

Being a Pokémon... Weeaboo?

There is a term relevant to my interests, certainly including Pokémon, that I've actually thrown around, inadvertently as that may be. It involves a certain group of people (or fans) as well as their relation to things that hail from the Land of the Rising Sun, which is sure to involve Pokémon. It also may have specific connotations that may or may not be wanted, and that means I have to straighten things out, particularly for my case. As can be discerned from the title, that term is "weeaboo" - first appearing in this blog in relation to a controversial festival event - and it's something those people and I have to come to terms with.

Everything starts out by defining the term, as expected. According to its common definitions, the word may be taken to represent people in two ways: negatively, as hyper-obsessed and antisocial people with regard to interests in facets of Japanese (pop) culture, and positively, as plainly obsessed and amicable people with regard to those same interests. As such, the word is adjacent to the word "otaku", which I've already discussed in association with a derived term containing specificity to Pokémon. It should be noted that the negative connotation appeared first, with the word being used to insult certain people, and the positive connotation appeared later to represent similar people.

Based on those common definitions, the term has power in representing people with certain rational passions of Japanese (pop) culture, understandably with Pokémon in the mix. Yet it also has power in representing the more rabidly - and radically - passionate among them, possibly including those who might demand things to be "Japanese for the sake of being Japanese" when other people can enjoy those same things without being rabid and/or radical about them. It doesn't help that the negative sense of the term is already conflated within its usage to represent fans like me.

As for myself, I'm not in favor of using the term to represent myself, even as the term is or has been thrown around. I prefer using the adjacent and derived terms as above to represent myself, and even then rather occasionally; at times, even just stating that I am a fan is sufficient. I like things of Japanese origin (including Pokémon), but I don't demand for them to be completely in Japanese - and in fact would prefer them to be accessible without necessarily being in Japanese (language), if an earlier "treatise" is of any indication.

With all of that having been said, the term "weeaboo" is an enigmatic one in its usage and representation, particularly for Pokémon fans such as yours truly. It denotes people who take interest in things that come from Japan, but it has either moderately positive or excessively negative connotations. The latter is something to avoid, while the former is something to appreciate. Nevertheless, I'm not particularly fond of using the term for my interests, though others may use it, hopefully positively rather than negatively. It's a "bendable" term - and yet my Pokémon interests are unbending.

One year ago: New Pokémon Fossil Watches

Two years ago: Let's Talk About Good Drinks and Good Friends

Three years ago: The Firefighters of Pokémon

Four years ago: Pokémon Cable Bite Accessory - Pikachu

Five years ago: An End to Jumps

Six years ago: Pokémon Suits in Cosplay?

The Nonviolent Approach to Pokémon

Not everything can be solved with violence.

A certain fictional character (not of Pokémon fame) takes up a certain viewpoint that is also taken up by certain civil rights activists around the world. That viewpoint can be distilled into the above statement, which may have been spoken by the character in action. Pokémon, meanwhile, has battles that involve the eponymous species, and they could be considered violent to a certain degree - that of "fantasy", by the merits of some. Yet even for others, that may still be a bit too violent. At that point, they may prefer to have Pokémon in "less violent" forms, and fortunately, Pokémon has quite a bit of that.

In the Pokémon Ranger games, Pokémon aren't battled against one another, but can be made to assist characters of the namesake profession, and there's relatively less violence in that. In fact, if anything, the IC characters and the OOC games embody the "live and let live" principle, which does imply nonviolence in some regard. It is thus a bit of a shame that only three games were made and they're on a historical console at this point, with a lack of exploration since. Still, it just may get addressed in the future, and that may make its nonviolence evident.

The current, most accessible form of Pokémon nonviolence is dealing with one or more Pokémon making linked matches on a screen in order to cook and serve the very best. This is otherwise known as Café Remix, and it definitely doesn't deal with interactions among Pokémon that may possibly become violent. This is in contrast to its predecessor, Pokémon Shuffle, which still contains the "battle" element and is thus slightly suggestive of (at least some) violence. The "cooking" element is just wholesome and on friendly terms.

With the current push into "lifestyle gaming", Pokémon can be enjoyed in even more nonviolent ways. The current way that is exemplified is with Pokémon Sleep, which demands playing by sleeping as the tracking of sleep status. It's rather simplistic, but the key parts depend on relations between one and their sleep, as well as the sleeping Snorlax at the center of it all attracting other Pokémon that sleep, snooze, and nap in their own ways. Then there is Pokémon Smile, which deals in similar ways for the health of one's facial orifice. All this works out to being on nice terms for oneself and others.

Given the above considerations, it's not hard to tell that the character - unrelated to Pokémon as the character may be - may have a viewpoint that is completely justified. While this world is full of violence, and the same is true of the Pokémon world in vastly and simply different terms, it's not necessary to deal with those relations in order to get the best out of it or to solve problems. It can be done so in a more genteel manner, one that the above games can only serve to elucidate plainly.

One year ago: Pokémon Moe Gijinka: To Love and Be Loved

Two years ago: Reminiscing Stadium and Colosseum

Three years ago: On Public Communication with Pokémon

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/15/2019

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Trading Stickers

Six years ago: Am I Writing-Challenged?

Watch What I Say

I've discussed about spoilers and one circumstance that prompted them, and now it's fitting that I cap them off with a post containing one more appropriately related discussion topic, in particular to my Pokémon experiences. This blog serves as my platform for saying what I need to say about Pokémon and my related experiences. But of course, I cannot say things with careless abandon; I need to say things in a controlled manner in order not to provoke unnecessary reactions. In other words, I need to "watch what I say", exactly as stated in the title of this post.

For example, while I think the "no scans" post stated all of what I needed to state, I also think I may have "stepped over the line" slightly in some parts, and that's the kind of thing I have to watch. Then, I have to be careful in checking posts for something that may have slipped my mind, especially something I thought I may have covered, in order to avoid two posts having eerily similar focus, as with two posts on "attractors" I made a while back. Either one of these might illicit certain reactions, particularly from avid readers, and thus they need to be observed rather carefully. 

Spoilers are naturally part of this as well, and they bring up another concern: how much I should say about a particular matter, which is related to and entails how much I should know about that specific matter, at least at the point in time where I make the discussion. That then further correlates with the experience of the reader in consideration of what they know regarding the matter at the point where they read. If it appears the latter is difficult for me to comprehend, then so this would also be true for the former, and at that point it's a "Shellder game" of sorts.

By the way, this post and the two others that preceded them were not originally meant to be a triad; they were brought up in the planning stage at different times. Though the "circumstance" post was planned close to the time of my awareness of the "something else", I realized I needed to discuss the "spoiler" aspect and the matter in this post a few months down the road, which came as the world was turning sour - also a few years back. Regardless, over time, I began treating them as a triad, and in the end, they just had to be made and posted together, and now is the time.

Having blogged for many years at this point, I can say that the consideration of "watching what I say" has become something that I've naturally gained at that time. This also really ties into the breadth of subjects and topics that Pokémon has, as well as the subjectivity of myself and the would-be readers of my posts. It serves me well to keep in mind the consideration of what I have to and need to say (and indirectly when to say that) for the benefit of all of those parties. And after all that, I still have to show care in what I say, as much as I show that for Pokémon matters.

One year ago: Into the Deep Blue

Two years ago: Dancing with Pokémon

Three years ago: It's Time for GOtcha... Podcast

Four years ago: The Appeal of the TCG

Five years ago: A Pokémon Watch

Six years ago: Three's Demise

Spoiler Alert

This might be one of the hardest posts I want to and have to make (although the previous post is arguably just as hard to make and furthermore has some ties to this one). So, this post concerns spoilers, in particular regarding that of the Pokémon anime and my experiences with this matter. It's also why I put up the wiki-esque warning at the top of that post, because it is and has been something pertinent to this matter - and will always be, given the breadth of Pokémon fans then, now, and later. Consequently, it has to be discussed sooner or later, which is why I'm prompted to discuss it now along with the circumstance that realized the previous post.

Spoilers in this case pertain to the story gained by the experience of a player, viewer, or the like. I don't consider something gained through repetitive-technical means (like Pokémon with certain properties, specific items, particular procedures, and the like) as spoilery, although something like a Special Research task being revealed by someone could be considered to be a minor spoiler; moreover, these are related to the Pokémon games and have little bearing on the story. The Pokémon anime, meanwhile, is pure story by its inherent nature and is therefore rife with the potential for spoilers, and that's where this post enters the grand state of things.

For that, the state of things is that... for those in the know (particularly with the Japanese dub involved), they will have known about the state of affairs that I discussed yesterday well in advance of someone who is not privy to them and/or is not involved with the Japanese dub. As a result, the former has the potential to spoil the latter, and I could be said to fall into this category - and it's not the first time (but this is a digression and a gateway to further spoilers). Even so, I had (recently) found that putting myself in strict denial about it helped to mitigate the effects and allowed me to experience that state of affairs as if it was really the first time. Still, the damage has been done.

At this time, I have to make an aside and an admission, though as far as Pokémon goes, it's still relevant. I don't watch the Japanese dub for the anime, and for that matter, I don't watch the Japanese dub of any anime - with rare and few exceptions; consequently, most of the anime episodes I've watched are dubs in either of the two languages I do understand: English (essentially my primary even though it's secondary) or Indonesian (which is technically my native but my fluency in it is somewhat less). As much as I consider Japanese an authentic and real language of the world, I also consider it fantastical and contrived, especially as it is used in animation, understandably including Pokémon. It is thus somewhat ironic that I'm dealing with it for the purpose of pop culture conventions and showing what I enjoy - Pokémon.

Back to the case of things being spoiled, I feel gypped (cheated) that I cannot follow the non-Japanese dubs at my own pace and without being "affected by outside information" - especially in light of major occurrences as the one I detailed previously. Even so, it's pretty much a tall order for that to happen, given that the Japanese dub comes first and all others come second. Yet the "outside information" seems to remain a problem ex post facto, as it is present where one least expects it, including on references such as BulbaPedia and - as I've discovered - the Encyclopedia I obtained some months ago. I have stopped browsing or looking at both for that very reason.

It also seems that it might be in part karma that the above happens. As I've divulged ages ago, I'm also a fan of the Myst series of games, and these games are story-heavy and lore-heavy that spoilers are also abound in great quantities, particularly for those new to the series. I (and others) have inadvertently spoiled others on particularities that we thought weren't spoilers but in fact are, even if that was not the intent. While this is a whole different area compared to Pokémon, the essence is considerably the same when the anime is taken into account; while karma may be up to higher powers to decide, it seems so fitting as well.

Regardless, the matter of spoilers is a particularly sensitive one, even when Pokémon (and particularly its anime) is involved, for which the anime is wholly different from the games that make up the rest of the franchise. Yet wherever there is a story and/or specific and particular matters with a sensitive nature, spoilers are bound to be able to manifest... which is in fact the case, if anything is worth telling about my case and likely that of others as well. Avoiding it and its invocation is also a matter of grave difficulty, especially given certain predispositions and preferences. All I can say, given the Pokémon things I deal with and how they have turned out, is to consider yourself warned.

One year ago: Longing for Pokémon Donuts

Two years ago: The Fate of My Local Pokémon Hangouts

Three years ago: Competitor Ranks of the Silph League Arena

Four years ago: Personal Branding

Five years ago: To Judge and Be Judged

Six years ago: Catering to Old and New Players

A Win for the Ages

Spoiler warning: Major plot or ending details follow.

Well, for those who follow the Pokémon anime, an important milestone - or to be more precise, achievement - was reached: Ash won the final match of the Masters 8 Tournament of the World Coronation Series, defeating (and dethroning) the previously undefeated champion, Leon. It's a spectacular win - I won't discuss how it was achieved, and I believe viewers should find out for themselves - and it's (now) the most spectacular of all time. As such, I have taken to consider it "a win for the ages", as stated in the title of this post.

Those who follow only the current saga ("World Saga") of the anime might consider it as only something of the "now", but those who are longtime fans like me will surely find this significant. After all previous developments, this is the one that matters the most not only in character (for the one concerned) but also out of character (for the anime itself). And the anime has gone on for a long time, almost as old as Pokémon itself. This fact reaffirms the victory as being important for its development up to this point in time.

Fittingly, the victory is a culmination of what has transpired throughout the saga, from the meeting of Ash and Goh, their appointment as joint research fellows of Professor Cerise, and their intertwining paths with their research tasks along with the World Coronation Series and Project Mew respectively. Such was the intertwining that the two even had a climax of their own just before the final match transpired - a "culmination" of sorts, at least by some perceptions. But indeed, the Ash vs. Leon battle is rightfully the highlight of it all.

And what does the winner think?

Me: Remember, don't say too much. I want others to see with their own eyes.

Ash: It was unbelievable! I couldn't do it without the help of all my Pokémon.

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Certainly!"]

Goh: I didn't get to see it live, but I can tell it was very awesome.

Me: I'm sure if you could, you'd say to others to find out how it went down for themselves.

Goh: Oh, absolutely! Even if you had to miss out like me with my Project Mew deal at that time.

Ash: I can't say anything else other than... well, I just can't say much more. Just find out, trust me.

Pikachu: Chu! ["Yeah!"]

Goh: By the way, this was the thing that you were hinting at when we talked about "blocks", wasn't it?

Me: Indeed it was.

Ash: Well, at least we got that out of the way!

Pikachu: Pika pika chu. ["What a relief."]

Me: Anyhow, good stuff.

Actually, this post is something that has been in the works for a few years, I have to say. It was to be written with something else in mind, but... it's something I haven't come to terms with. Speaking of "not coming to terms" and more about "culmination", the fallout of this culmination leads to another "culmination" - in a manner of speaking - and even now, it's not only me who hasn't come to terms; in fact, some other fans haven't either. And its scope is totally different even with it being all the same... and likewise, it's something for later.

So, with the "culmination" of this post, so to speak, I can only express heartfelt congratulations for this very important outcome. It is a major victory for a character who has been majorly involved in the Pokémon anime, and it's very much a "shot heard 'round the world" for everyone involved, including loyal fans. More than that, it is also something reflective of the past, present, and future, and rightfully, it's "a win for the ages" for the concern of the Pokémon anime and Pokémon itself.

One year ago: One-Minute Cooking in Café Remix

Two years ago: Hidden Tracked Statistics in Pokémon Go

Three years ago: Let's Talk About Household Creatures

Four years ago: And Intelligence

Five years ago: Proud to Be a Clean Cosplayer

Six years ago: Poké-Mobile Devices

Another Pokémon Watch

Around five years ago, I received a rather fascinating Pokémon watch as a gift from one of my friends. It's a digital watch with some Pokémon images on it. Fast-forward to today (actually, a few months ago - more on this soon), I received another digital Pokémon watch from a different friend, and it bears some detailing as with that other, previous Pokémon watch, in particular for its similarities, differences, and significance.

Just like the previous watch, the Pokémon aspect is brought about mostly by its band. It is colored yellow and features images of Pikachu and the Pokémon logo, and the imagery is rather simplistic in comparison to the previous watch. That's also due to how the watch itself works, which is notably of a different shape. Regardless, while the unique factor is different for this watch, it is also rather representative of unofficial merchandise due to its appearance - but that may be the least of the problems.

Regarding the watch itself, it may be described as a "pseudo-smart watch" since its operations are all triggered by the touch sensor indicated by the little depression on the capsule-shaped body. Tapping it activates the display and backlight, which shows the current time, then date, then seconds cycled by tapping. Tapping and holding the sensor allows the individual elements to be adjusted, and through instructions I've recovered on the Internet, they're intuitive but slightly complicated. The display turns off after a few seconds of inactivity. All of this may be deemed similar to how smart watches work, even if it technically isn't one.

Now, this watch was given to me by a person near and dear to my heart: Dede, the guitarist and manager of Otaku Band. That occurred just before our latest collaboration some months ago, indicating how much we mean to each other. Although the backlight of the display seems a little faded - which may or may not be an indicator of its age - it can be assured that the gesture is timeless, and that's beyond any specific indications that the device may possess. Both are important no matter what may be the case.

With two Pokémon watches in five years, I seem to make myself apt to collect them, even if they are gifts from others I know well. The latest one as above has an especially unique form factor yet doesn't forgo the Pokémon connection, which is made evident by its graphical design. As obscurely unofficial as it might be, I'm still pleased to possess it, particularly in a functional state that makes me desire to wear it as intended.

One year ago: The Intricacy of Declining Raid Invitations

Two years ago: Greater Friendship Levels in Pokémon Go?

Three years ago: Getting Feline with Pokémon

Four years ago: This Is It

Five years ago: Cosplay: Club Cosplay Party

Six years ago: Pokkén BanaPassports