Royals of the Universe

Born to be kings

Princes of the universe

Fighting and free

Got your world in my hand

I'm here for your love and I'll make my stand

We were born to be princes of the universe

-- "Princes of the Universe", Queen

I've got two more songs that I want to cover for the "musical tributes" to the new Pokémon anime, but only one of them is properly a "tribute". The other, well... that remains to be detailed. For now, there is that proper "tribute", which comes by way of the song above. Fans of pop culture - albeit obscure facets - might recognize this song as being one from a series rooted in European historical facets, which I hear some people really like about the series, though I personally don't care too much for it. What I do care about plentifully is Pokémon, so I'm "borrowing" this song for this "tribute".

Some songs from this legendary band don't follow set lyrical patterns, and this is one of them. Regardless, I've quoted what could be considered as its "chorus", as it is repeated once. The song overall is a statement by a group of people - the "princes" referred by the song - and their ideals of conquest, in the process becoming the "kings" that are mentioned. This has a parallel to the characters of the other series, and it could also be considered to parallel the journeys of Trainers to become the very best (or at least the best they can be), and that leads things back to the current "musical tribute".

For the purpose of this "tribute", I've taken the song as a way to honor the new main characters - Liko, Roy, and the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers - and their current struggles as well as wherever and to whatever those struggles may lead. The journey is still fairly new (to a certain extent), and they may only be hardly "princes", but a lofty destiny may just await them. Speaking of, they're also of different genders, unlike what the song and the other series imply, so there are "princesses" in the mix - which is why I have titled this post as such, to the "royals" of the present.

As with the previous "tribute", this one is also retroactively applicable to the main character of the past, which is none other than Ash as well as all those who have been present on his journey, including Goh as the last significant one. To those who have been watching, they may be considered literal "princes" (or "princesses", depending on who one is thinking of), and while they may not turned out to have become "kings" (or "queens") by the time things turned over to the new series - or may even have "denied" such status - fans may still very well consider them as being such.

The legendary band - as "legendary" as some Legendary Pokémon species - that came up with this song probably never foresaw Pokémon or an element of it as something that can embody the spirit of this song for another series. Yet it may not seem all that hard to find the parallels and satisfyingly bridge the song into a Pokémon frame of mind - in this case, the new anime series. It makes for a fitting "musical tribute" for the present, as well as the past in a way, and as far as I am concerned, it seems awfully right to consider any Pokémon Trainer as a "royal", both budding and supreme.

One year ago: The Sunshine Cup of GBL

Two years ago: The New Structure of Factions

Three years ago: Quickies: Bike for Pokémon

Four years ago: Everything Is Electric

Five years ago: A Wonderful PikaWorld

Six years ago: Beyond Gyms and Trials

Seven years ago: A Pokémon Pencil Bag