Doing What's Necessary: Transferring (Releasing) Shiny Pokémon

Most Trainers will readily transfer (in Pokémon Go) or release (in the main series games and their ecosystem) Pokémon they know they will not need. Something that may be rather far down on that list is Shiny Pokémon due to their exceptional quality, which is admittedly still very much true for the main series games due to their rarity there. But adding Pokémon Go back in and in particular its "prime" events like Community Day, it becomes a different matter entirely - in fact, it may become a necessary one, and one that's also up for some discussion.

I became "enlightened" about this matter by way of a meme that addressed it, in particular for the Pokémon Go case. The meme depicted two people in conversation, and one of them inquired about something that's strikingly true yet cannot or could not be addressed - the "elephant in the room", so to speak. The other person then responded with the very matter that becomes the very topic for this post. While the meme was intended to be funny, the resulting mention of the matter became somewhat thought-provoking.

After that point, I started to consider the matter, and its necessity seems to be quite truly justified. For events like Community Day, the Shiny encounter rate is increased to an extraordinary amount, at least for those who are used to their rather incredible rarity in the main series games. Therefore, there would be an abundance of Shiny Pokémon among many Trainers - specifically for those who partook in the events - and even more in the main series game ecosystem as they are transferred there by way of Pokémon Home. With all that happening, there is some rationale to cut out the "excess" and transfer (or release) the truly unnecessary ones, which I've done since at times.

Of course, given that they're still incredibly rare in the actual main series games (and still somewhat so in Pokémon Go as well), this cannot and should not be regarded as a sweeping matter. At least some Shiny Pokémon deserve to be kept in Pokémon Go or at least preserved by transfer to Pokémon Home in the case that certain Trainers request them for one reason or another. If only the "excess" as above and not everything is transferred or released, then things should be fine, and any loss due to requests could be made up somehow.

With the way Shiny Pokémon are in the main series games, it seems such a sacrilege to even consider their release. Taking Pokémon Go into account, however, certain happenings may result in their relatively sheer abundance that at least a few exemplars may merit to be transferred or released. Still, they are not something that most Trainers will readily let go in many situations, but if push comes to shove, there may be some necessary initiative to do just that and leave the Shiny Pokémon only as fleeting memories.

One year ago: Tunnels of My Heart

Two years ago: The Shops of Unite

Three years ago: Graduation of Regionals?

Four years ago: The Music of Shuffle

Five years ago: GTS and Wonder Trade in Pokémon Go?

Six years ago: 1000 Episodes!!!