The Peak of Might & Mastery

OK, so the end of the Pokémon Go season is here - well, almost here, since its actual end will be in a few days since its start was also a bit delayed, much like for the previous season. But since all other season-end posts are on this day (see below), it makes sense to continue the tradition. In any case, there will still be a small blurb about it. Anyway, as noted initially, this season's title consists of two elements while it may give the allusion of a third for some. After all that's happened over its course for Pokémon Go and Pokémon in general, I thought I'd go over those elements and see how they apply. 

The first one is of course "might". With the nearly weekly cadence of events, Pokémon Go has proven its might for keeping Trainers busy... but then TCGP also did the same in almost a monthly manner for new expansions that come at a surprising rate. The contents of both are (were) also surprisingly "mighty" in terms of the Pokémon that are involved. And then, it seems that the feeling is mutual for the physical TCG, with old concepts coming to a head in new, unique ways that exemplify "mighty" in a sense.

After that comes "mastery". For a lot of other Pokémon things at present, it might appear that this is the best descriptor, less so than "might". Café Remix has seemingly gone down this path with recent content, focusing on honing one's puzzle skills without putting in Pokémon of great power, at least to an extent. Then there's the continued dealings of things like Unite and VGC, which by now could be construed to be less an issue of "might" and a full-on issue of "mastery" - though this might depend on other views.

Meanwhile, that third element is "magic", the one I said would be out of place (here) and yet in place, at least given the first of the two. It might seem to be a kind of "magic" to pull the other two elements for discussing them outside of Pokémon Go as warranted, but going back to Pokémon Go, it also has been "magic" to put together the two elements above as has been seen through the events and content over the past few months.

It seems to be a delight (if not a lot of effort) to put the first two elements together as seen in Pokémon Go, but it may also be considered delightful to try to bring that back out to other areas of Pokémon, becoming a lead-in to the third element as alluded and mentioned above. With that having happened, one can and ought to be able to reap all the results of the delightful efforts and carry them into (hopefully, great and bright) days ahead.

One year ago: The Peak of World of Wonders

Two years ago: The Peak of Rising Heroes

Three years ago: The Peak of Alola

Four years ago: The Peak of Legends

Five years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Forest Cup

Six years ago: A New Pokémon "Wave"

Seven years ago: Off We Go... to Alola!

Eight years ago: I Need More Rumble World Players

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/30/2025

It's the last month of a Pokémon Go season that has had a lot going on, and that was no different for this month. Accordingly, those goings-on in the form of the regular events are to be rolled up in a post (this one), and - for the last time this season - unpacked and repacked for the purpose of presenting them. And for this final month, there seems to be an element of "maturity" imbued in all of the events. 

First up, there was a little Growing Up to do from May 2 to 7. This event featured all kinds of young Pokémon, most of which evolve into grown-up versions of themselves; they appeared in the wild and Eggs. A Collection Challenge dealt with the latter, while bonuses were focused on double evolution XP, double hatching Candy, and greater chances of XXS and XXL sizes as well as Shiny forms for certain Pokémon, plus a few others for those in Japan and Korea on May 4 and 5. Field Research tasks with encounters, an extra paid Timed Research set, and showcases completed the package for a period of "maturity" development.

"Maturity" also came and took place with sights to see through the Crown Clash event from May 10 to 18. They were composed of the debut of Kingambit (evolved from Bisharp) and crowned Nidoqueen and Nidoking. True to the event, it also featured Pokémon with evolved forms that are literal and figurative "kings" and "queens", appearing in the wild and raids; these also became the bulk of a Collection Challenge for the event. Bonuses took the form of double evolution XP, greater Shiny chances for certain Pokémon, and King's Rock drops from Slowpoke. Field Research tasks with encounters and showcases were also a part of the clashes, as well as a weekend with Dynamax Suicune on May 10 and 11. It also seems that the first four days of this event would be a prelude to the real clash... 

...because the remaining days of the event (May 14 to 18) were Taken Over by none other than Team Go Rocket. They brought in new Shadow Pokémon, two of which are the fossils from the sixth generation, and another being Shadow Dialga through clashing with Giovanni in the usual hunting mannerism with a Special Research set. Shadow raids and Strange Eggs (12 km) also rotated out a few Pokémon, and the usual set of bonuses - more appearances and TM out Frustration as well as varied Shadow Pokémon - intensified the clash. This was further the case with a Raid Day for Shadow Regigigas, the complementary weekend event, on May 17. As Field Research tasks rewarded items, a paid Timed Research rewarded extra items and encounters, and showcases presented even more "clashes" - if there weren't already a lot of them over the course of the event.

Once things have "matured", it was time for the Final Strike from May 21 to 27. For this, the Kubfu obtained at the start of the season can now evolve to Urshifu of either style. Pokémon that are real battlers, further when evolved, became the highlight in the wild and raids. Field Research tasks rewarded encounters, while two Timed Research sets - one free and one paid - rewarded bonus items and encounters galore, and the season's Special Research presented its end. Double XP from raids, greater Shiny chances for certain Pokémon, and an extra free raid pass (after completing the free Timed Research) set were the bonuses; other niceties were special moves for specific Pokémon, new poses, a Global Challenge for free Community Day Special Research, a return of the paid second Kubfu, the usual bevy of showcases, and a Battle Day for Gigantamax Machamp on May 25. This event also doubled as this season's Go Battle Week with the usual increased number of battles each day and a Timed Research set for it. In all, it was a pretty dense finale for the lead-up to the season's end.

After all the happenings of this intensely packed season, at least some things may have "matured" over the course of it, and the above events may serve as some of the indicators of that state. Perhaps like the Kubfu (family) introduced with this season, there may be some of that to be had with the season's transition that will occur soon enough.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/30/2024

Two years ago: The State of Nominations, Part 22

Three years ago: The State of Nominations, Part 16

Four years ago: Quickies: Ice, Pokémon, and Chilling Out

Five years ago: Team Rocket, Minus Motto

Six years ago: Woodblock Art with a Pokémon Twist

Seven years ago: Old Adventure, New Sensibilities

Eight years ago: Ad Astra per Aspera... and the Third Games

The State of Nominations, Part 34

This is a killer week(end) for things related to Pokémon Go, but all the things that I've covered or about to cover need to be done as such. That includes the discussion on the status of my PokéStop nominations, which as usual in recent times is made every two months. Admittedly, this discussion is becoming slower and slower with time, but the bimonthly pacing may just be slow enough to complement the pace of the nomination progress.

With that, also as usual, the numbers are at hand. As of today, I have 172 Accepted nominations, which is four more than last time. The nominations that were Not Accepted remain the same at 66, partially helped with some of their conversion by Appeals. Since I have a limited number of these, it'll be slow going to convert more of them, and then there are ones that cannot because of them no longer being apt to become PokéStop in some way. 

Meanwhile, I've managed to check one of my unchecked but Accepted nominations, bringing it down to just 3 remaining. The absent and non-PokéStop nominations are still as they are with 6 and 7, another slow change. Furthermore, I've also just loaded on 6 more nominations In Queue, which might also be slow in waiting for them to be reviewed and decided as worthy to become PokéStops. At least, the process keeps on going despite being slow.

At this point, it's also helpful to bring up the success rate for my nominations. Overall, considering the Accepted ones and some leeway for the Duplicate ones, I have a success rate of 68 to 70 percent. This is somewhat better than it was in the past, and while it may never reach beyond 80 percent due to the same constraints as above, it's still pretty good for what it is, and even minor improvements are welcome and sufficient.

Even with the way Pokémon Go keeps its Trainers busy - especially over the course of the past season, which is due to end soon, as well as the tail end of this week, becoming the "killer" part of it - some things still need to be explained, like my usual PokéStop nomination status. There might not be a place for "slow" with all the goings-on, although those PokéStop nominations might differ in that somehow.

One year ago: The State of Nominations, Part 28

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/29/2023

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/29/2022

Four years ago: The State of Nominations, Part 10

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/29/2020

Six years ago: Lure Modules Evolve

Seven years ago: The "Attractors"

Eight years ago: A Hero Looks to the Sky

Pokémon Go Fest 2025: Royal Mechanisms

Every year as usual, there is the defining series of events for Pokémon Go that is called none other than Pokémon Go Fest, and in most years, I attempt to round them up somehow. This roundup is nicely (or not so nicely) timed as the events straddle the goings-on of the seasons - the current one that is ending soon and the next one that is about to start - and it seems to demand to be done at this specific point. It is also important to glean into the apparent themes of the festivities and draw insights from them.

First up, there's the matter of locations. This year's festivities will take place in Osaka (Asia, May 29 to June 1 - that's this weekend), Jersey City (Americas, June 6 to 8), and Paris (Europe, June 13 to 15) - some royal, noble, and regal settings for them. All of that occurs as the new season gets rolling and in consecutive weeks as well. They'll have the usual workings (mechanisms) of gameplay, merchandise, and congregations, though they might have other niceties for anyone who wants to go the extra mile while they're there.

Not to mention, there will also be the Global edition on June 28 and 29 - two weeks after the aforementioned world tour, for those who can't make it to any of the stops in the above locations. As usual, a lot of it will be similar to the regional editions and act as a kind of proxy to them, and as with last year, the Global edition becomes a finale of sorts for festivities that seem to come hard early on and establish a royal presence.

Then there is the content, which might have something to do with the suggested theme as given in the title of the post above. The Pokémon that are to appear in these editions are suggested to be knightly, luxurious, and fantastic, perhaps also potentially powerful. And if they're knights, then their implements might be involved, being the key (or at least one such) to their power, for which this event will help to manifest.

It's always a royal time in Pokémon Go when the annual Pokémon Go Fest series of events comes around. For the case of this year, that royal quality seems to be about to be evident in not only the usual content being furnished but also the places and mechanisms that are involved. That might just be very good for all those with knightly spirit.

One year ago: "Pokémon in Concert"?

Two years ago: Master Ball, Now in Pokémon Go

Three years ago: Chasing Competitive Dreams

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/28/2021

Five years ago: Pro Job, Fun Job

Six years ago: Memories of Sinnoh

Seven years ago: Helix Fossil Understands

Eight years ago: Takara Tomy Pokémon XY Pikachu Plush Doll

Sweeping Changes to Pokémon Go Battles

Recently, a few changes have been implemented to some of the battles in Pokémon Go, specifically with respect to some of the aspects that concern them. These changes are usually made incrementally and not within a short time of each other, but in the recent case, they're closely related in both relevance and time, making them more than what they seem. As such, I've dubbed them as "sweeping" changes for what they are, and they accordingly deserve a bit of a writeup and discussion as well.

The first set of changes concern remote raids, applying onwards. As of two weeks ago (May 13), the daily limit for remote raids have been raised - doubled, in fact - to 10 from 5, the initially imposed "normal" limit; certain events can still have further raised limits. Shadow raids, which had initially been unable to be raided remotely, can now also be raided as such, with the change having been tried out last January during the Shadow Ho-Oh Raid Day. Both of these changes mean a lot for what they are and thusly "sweeping".

Changes also occurred in the realm of Max Battles, the second set, and likewise applying onwards. As of a week ago (May 19), Trainers can also partake in these battles remotely as with raids, both directly and by invitation; doing so requires the use of a Remote Raid Pass along with sufficient Max Particles. More of the latter can also be stored (up to 1500 with surplus), while those that don't partake remotely will receive more XP and Premier Balls as bonuses. In a way, the remote concept has "swept" through these battles as well.

With these changes, it can be seen that flexibility has been added through newly implemented or relaxed remote battle mechanisms. In particular, it's been about a year since shadow raids were introduced (see below), and being able to battle in them remotely is a big enabler. The one thing that is still a stumbling block is the procurement of Remote Raid Passes, the crucial item for these efforts, which are still rather expensive except under certain circumstances. A total "sweep" of changes may need to consider these items too.

"Sweeping" changes like these don't occur very often in Pokémon Go - and given the recent situation, may not indicate that the developers have "turned over a new leaf" - but they are still welcome to certain extents, especially for those who are distanced or distant from other Trainers who play. In that sense, the changes are still significant, particularly given the scope and the timeframe in which they are made, and Trainers can make use of them to "sweep" through battles just like the changes.

One year ago: The Dragon Carnival in Pokémon Unite

Two years ago: Introducing Shadow Raids

Three years ago: Living in the "City on the Trees"

Four years ago: Electrify Your Power

Five years ago: Coffee in My Coffers?

Six years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/27/2019

Seven years ago: Long Raid's Journey Into Night

Eight years ago: A Test of My Resolve: I Still...

Sidekick Pokémon in Café Remix

In addition to being the leader Pokémon for taking orders (playing stages) as well as support Pokémon in those circumstances, some Pokémon also have another role. They can become what are known as "sidekick Pokémon", and they can affect the actual puzzle play without being visibly present in them. They too have other details and features associated with them that can go unnoticed - even for me, who has been playing for quite some time - so there is an impetus to go over those details and features for the benefit of everyone.

All currently available sidekick Pokémon are of the Legendary or Mythical category, and incidentally (or not), they have been obtained through an event of some sort - the first one of these being Mewtwo through the inaugural edition of One-Minute Cooking. Up to three of them may be involved in play, with one designated as the Chief. Mewtwo was the only one at the time it was introduced, so everyone conceivably used it; now with there being many of them, players can (wisely) choose and use different ones among them.

That's also because each of these Pokémon have different skills, from adding more time to One-Minute Cooking to increasing score to decreasing megaphone creation cost. Further, the skills can be made to be stronger by powering them up with the use of Sidekick Candies... which players should have obtained along with the Pokémon from the associated event. The maximum is level 5, which takes a lot of the item, but level 3 is fairly accessible and should be a primary goal for players and the Pokémon that will be most useful and frequently used.

Pokémon with sidekick skills can be used just like any other Pokémon as leader and/or support in an order (stage), but that would mean taking them out of the sidekick lineup, even just for the purpose of training them. It's most likely, then, that leveling up the active ones would use tarts and the others can be trained as usual. Nevertheless, it's the sidekick skill that's most important to be powered up, and the Pokémon leveling can be done whenever it's feasible and as the lineups - for actual puzzle play or sidekick - are changed out as necessary.

Speaking of, players should ideally change the sidekick Pokémon lineup to suit the puzzle being played, but if they're like me, chances are they'll forget and tend to leave the lineup in a specific formation, particularly when a certain major Pokémon visit event is ongoing with the usual formats (One-Minute Cooking or Slow Cooking in all their incarnations). At the least, changing the sidekick lineup according to these formats and whatever puzzle content is involved with them would still be a good approach.

Understandably, it would seem that sidekick Pokémon are an easily missed aspect of the orders or stages in Café Remix. Yet, there is quite a bit of potential that lies with the aspect, especially for those who have played through the events to get the Pokémon for which the aspect applies. All that is left is to consider the Pokémon that are involved and select them for usage in the various puzzles while also upping their capabilities, making them truly what they are for their powers of puzzle assistance.

One year ago: Cosplay: Helloweebs Spotlight Event 2024

Two years ago: Silph Arena Factions Postseason, Season 2

Three years ago: The Advancement of TMs

Four years ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: On with the Show

Five years ago: Friendship and Community

Six years ago: Gatherings for Blessings and Success

Seven years ago: Reconsidering Trade Evolutions

Eight years ago: What's Appenin' (Mobile Games)

Cosplay: Navastra Cosplay Festival & Shin Edo Matsuri

Goh: So today it's about the festival from yesterday and... there's another one?

Me: Yup. The second one is today. And... likewise it's actually interrupted by a Pokémon (Go) happening. But let's deal with them one at a time.

Ash: OK. Well, the one yesterday was by another place of study.

Me: It's not mine, but it's close by, and the students help organize it too.

Goh: I see "art" in the last three letters, reversed. Was there art - like an exhibition? 

Ash: Oh yeah! There was an alley full of art. But I didn't go in there...

Goh: ...because you needed to pay? 

Ash: Yeah, that's it. Plus the art looked like I could break it if I wasn't careful. 

Pikachu: Pi~ka pika... ["Delicate..."]

Goh: If you didn't go in there, where did you go? 

Ash: The food stands and the stage. A lot of people went there too. 

Goh: OK, so I guess those were open-ish. So according to the schedule, there were just two character parades... two?

Me: Oh, let me try to clarify those. I think one was for everyone and the other was by students.

Ash: But I didn't see the second one, and for the first, everyone had a different music.

Me: Oh, so it's like a "semi-performance".

Ash: And... I guess that's why I couldn't sign up for it on the spot, huh. Someone told me the deadline for signing up was the day before.

Goh: I'll bet if Community Day Classic wasn't a factor, our friend would sign you up early on.

Me: Very much so. And I'd still have you with your special Kanto journey outfit, which you wore yesterday.

Ash: And today too!

Me: We'll get to that shortly.

Goh: Oh, and there were three dance acts... and that's it. The festival ended in the late afternoon.

Me: That's right. I got through them all.

Pikachu: Pika pika chu. ["Short but sweet."]

Me: So yesterday was "the Community Day that wasn't". As for today...

Ash: It was a festival in a coffee shop! I think it was by a community.

Goh: Interesting. They must have collaborated.

Ash: I think so. But I came really late - I battled G-Max Machamp first before going there. 

Goh: Oh wow! I guess that answers what the interrupting Pokémon thing was.

Ash: I came in the middle of a dance group performance. I think it was most of the festival.

Me: Based on what I can find, I'm sure of that. And... I think you missed the character parade anyway, since it was in the middle of the battle.

Goh: Maybe Ash could never make it work anyway?

Me: I have reason to believe. Although, I'm not sure this would also apply to the one in the other festival.

Ash: I just met our friend's friends for the rest of the festival and enjoyed what was left of it - and a bit of the coffee shop too.

Me: That's always a good thing, even if I'm a bit cash-strapped nowadays.

Goh: Oh, I'm sorry. I hope it gets better for you. 

Pikachu: Pika chu pika. ["Hopefully."]

Me: Thanks. Anyway, from what was had, yesterday and today were mostly normal runs of festivals but with some changes in settings as well as other Pokémon things going on.

Ash: It's almost like... "the weekend where everything happens"!

 

Me: We've had those from time to time, and from reports, some of my other (Pokémon) friends may feel it's the same way for this exact weekend.

Goh: At least you made things happen the best way you can, with Ash.

Ash: Sure. It was still a nice weekend.

Me: Whatever unusual things there may be just could be made up with (more of the) usual efforts.

One year ago: Cosplay: M-Cell Grand Opening

Two years ago: SA Factions: The First (and the Last) Cycle

Three years ago: Pokémon in 1995?

Four years ago: Pokémon SM KFC Toys: The Rest, Part 2

Five years ago: Safe, Pleasant, and Beneficial for All

Six years ago: Best of the Rest: T-Shirt Contest

Seven years ago: Read, Play, and Enjoy

Eight years ago: A Camera and a Pikachu Doll

Pokémon Go Community Day Classic, 5/24/2025

Let's get straight to it: today's edition of Community Day Classic might necessitate some Trainers to "punch above their weight", perhaps if they haven't already dealt with all the more recent shenanigans that Pokémon Go has given out. For those who have, they might still need to do so, but for the resources offered by the "second round", as any Classic edition is in technical terms. It too also gains recently introduced perks, so all of the reasons above may be fair game for putting in as much effort as possible in the event.

If the hint above hasn't made it clear, then let me clarify: this Classic edition brings back Machop, which was featured back in January 2021. Likewise, it also brings back the Charged move of Payback for Machamp, its ultimate evolution, as well as the triple Stardust bonus. Extended Incense and Lure Modules as well as photo bombs follow in similar capacity, while paid Special Research (just titled "May 2025 Community Day Classic" this time), background Timed Research, and Field Research all follow the current standard for the perks; the Special Research can also be gained for free through the perk of a current event. Showcases and item bundles in the game shops similarly close the deal.

Most of the rest of this discussion is to be carried with the help of two characters whose links to me and other fans are very well-known.

Ash: Machop is great!

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Very great!"]

Goh: You can say that for the evolved forms too.

Ash: I caught lots of them for you to get the Candy and stuff.

Me: Thanks! I already have plenty from the initial run and catching more of them at times, but in this case more is definitely better.

Ash: And I took care most of the tasks for you.

Me: Very good. The rest is for me to deal with, as usual over the next week.

Goh: But if you're having Ash do it... then there must be something else.

Ash: I did all this while at a festival!

Goh: Oh, so not with our friend's community? 

Ash: No. Unless our festival friends count as a "community".

Me: Better not to risk it. In fact, we'll need their assistance tomorrow - as much as it pains me to say - so let's save things for that. And it looks like it will be an up-and-down day too.

Goh: Yeah, I sense a full-blown explanation for this tomorrow.

Ash: But I think we still punched it up today!

Pikachu: Pika! ["*punch*"]

Me: I'm sure you did, even if there were a few hiccups.

Goh: OK. That seems really great anyway.

All things considered, the Machop family is a real display of power, whether it's with two arms or four arms. This Classic edition of Community Day revives the fighting spirit involving that power in its previous incarnation, and with the situation of "punching above one's weight", there's more power to be had.

One year ago: For the Very Little Ones: monpoké

Two years ago: Tournament: SWEEP JR vs. Budak_Korporat.ID (SA Factions)

Three years ago: Sensitive Parts of Pokémon

Four years ago: Pokémon SM KFC Toys: The Rest, Part 1

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/24/2020

Six years ago: T-Shirts in Distress

Seven years ago: Trading Items?

Eight years ago: Retro Rendezvous

Pokémon Things on TV Screens

There's a song out there about what is (are) shown on TV screens, but it's kind of obscure and I'm not sure I want to put it up along with this post. That said, this post does deal with those same TV screens, and moreover, it necessarily has to involve and consider Pokémon as the main topic of this blog. It's also kind of "cheesy" to discuss, given its obvious scope, but it still makes a whole lot of sense given how people and fans deal with Pokémon day in and out.

Most obviously, there are Pokémon "fancies" to be shown on a TV screen, most likely coming from the anime but also possibly from other sources. This could be the characters people like, the species they enjoy, and the action, scenery, and story - all, again, offered by the anime in most cases. Yet this also could come from certain other Pokémon features that are externally created, and that may be just fine, for as long as the "fancy" is what is being shown on the TV screen.

In more recent times, it has become possible to stream the International Championships for Pokémon games for certain regions, and if the streams could be placed on TV screens, then they would become something else that is present on those screens. Also important is the fact that this can serve to facilitate critical commentary and "watch parties" for those tournaments, in particular as the goings-on happen in real time. That becomes something to behold for avid players.

At any rate, it is the games themselves that can be shown on TV screens today thanks to the Nintendo Switch affording this capability in addition to portability, and that also makes it an obvious thing if not more important. This applies for games of both the past and present, further made possible by the Virtual Console. The gameplay would be the main thing, but this could also play into the "fancies" thing as above. As such, there may be different interests in play (literally).

Going back to that song, it specifically deals with nice things - even, "beautiful" things - that one really wishes could be real even beyond the TV screen. For Pokémon fans, having that become a possibility for its elements would be their wish, and at the least, having them on a TV screen (or more) could be considered as the first step in hoping that will happen. In any case, sometimes the TV screen might just serve as the closest proxy for this happening.

One year ago: The New State of Pokémon Go Item Boxes

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/21/2023

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Goodies

Four years ago: The Laissez-Faire Approach to Pokémon

Five years ago: The State of Nominations, Part 4

Six years ago: A Friend and Fellow Pokétaku

Seven years ago: Favorite LINE Pokémon Stickers, Again

Eight years ago: Becoming a Connoisseur

Let's Talk About The Wild Yonder

Me: And then, there's this day.

Goh: Oh, yes - it's your "special day".

Ash: Happy "birthday" to me!

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Happy day!"]

Me: As I remark on it every year, there may or may not be a truth in it, but you two are truth to me and other people.

Ash: Sure!

Goh: We'll accept that.

Me: That's great. As for the theme this year, I want to talk about "wild things over there". It's always a pertinent topic for us.

Goh: Of course! There are always wild Pokémon to be found, caught, and even connect with.

Ash: I'm with Goh on this one. Who knows? Some of them might even become new partners for me in the future.

Me: That is very true - even if I and others won't know about them. 

Goh: But even if we don't catch them, at least we can always help them out and do things with them - and they'll do the same for us in return.

Ash: I've always done that. And even after my time with Goh, that still happened.

Goh: Oh? Do tell!

Ash: Well, I helped out a Latias, and then the Latias helped me out with all kinds of things.

Pikachu: Pika pika. ["Sure enough."]

Me: That much I heard too.

Goh: That's impressive! It's like what happened with me and Suicune - but not as broadly.

Ash: Yeah. And you know, talking about wild things reminds me of the Wild Area in Galar.

Goh: That definitely counts as something wild. 

Me: And there was even a "live" edition of it recently.

Goh: Yup. We remember that too.

Me: Certainly, you don't have to go through the Wild Area to find wild Pokémon. 

Ash: You can find them even right here, right now!

Goh: If you look hard enough - but then you don't even have to do that either.

Me: It's a wild place we live in, and it's even a wild time too... for us.

Ash: I guess our journeys have been wild - but is your journey also being wild?

Pikachu: Pika pika? ["I wonder?"]

Me: Surely. A lot of things have changed - even in the process of us talking now - and it has been a wild ride, not necessarily for the better. You know, people, technology, the world...

Goh: I get what you mean. But you still have us and Pokémon - that seems wild enough.

Ash: And it's always wild, if you ask me. 

Goh: It's wild, but we take it in stride.

Ash: Hey, that's a good way of looking at it.

Me: I'll accept that. And it may just be that the future is also wild.

Ash: That might just be true too!

Goh: It can only get wilder with Pokémon.

Me: So it is. So, on the occasion of your "birthday", there are always good things and wild things to deal with here and over there, and... I guess it's wilder not to deal with them.

Ash: You got it. Don't be too blue about it too.

Pikachu: Chu... pika. ["So wild."]

Goh: All the wildness is for us to tame - for something bright.

Ash: I like the sound of that. 

Me: May your days be as wild as the Wild Area and the wild (blue) yonder.

One year ago: Let's Talk About Remembrance

Two years ago: Let's Talk About Perpetual Connections

Three years ago: Let's Talk About Meaningful Things

Four years ago: Let's Talk About Filling in Things

Five years ago: Let's Talk About Some Moments

Six years ago: After All These Years

Seven years ago: GiRL (Gyms in Real Life)

Eight years ago: To Japan and Beyond

Pokémon Sunrises and Sunsets

The term for retiring things (as applied for the Pokémon TCGO, the previous virtual TCG platform) in a certain parlance, "sunset", is obviously derived from the natural phenomenon that is the dipping of the sun below the horizon at the end of a day. Its initial counterpart, then, is the phenomenon of sunrise, the appearance of the sun at the day's beginning. These phenomena are also a given for the world of Pokémon - being a mirror of this world - and they can then conceivably have the eponymous species attached to them.

Starting at the beginning, as is proper to be done, there is the sunrise. It's the time of day when many Pokémon species are expected to be active, like the members of the Pidgey family in gathering up food (possibly in the form of other preyed-upon species). Then, there would be appearances of other species of the Grass and Fire types - Chikorita and Fuecoco come to mind - to take advantage of the warming day, which then prompts even more species of other types to do so. Regular life is always a bustle at this time, or at least it would be a prelude to that, and it may not be all that different for Pokémon.

For the other end of the day with the sunset, it may be considered not only as the time for the winding down of the above, but also for more uncommon activity. The Wailmer family at sea might be seen spouting water from their blowholes at this time, and the Morelull family might be seen in forests to fill them with their light. The more darkness-oriented species, particularly of the Dark and Ghost types, can then use the occasion of the disappearing light to prepare for their acts of making the eventual night seem more "nightly" than it already is. In a way, there are transitions of more than one kind to be concerned with at this moment.

Regardless, transitions are the key to both of the phenomena of concern, and this seems especially more so when Pokémon becomes a second or additional concern. The phenomena are the expected changes in the day, and the people and Pokémon anticipate them for what they can and need to do in that day. And while some things "sunset" and disappear, the days go on (and on) with the two natural phenomena bookending the starts and ends of the days... hopefully with Pokémon for those who expect them.

One year ago: A Slowing Down for Pokémon Go?

Two years ago: Cosplay: Harusaki no Matsuri - COSMO's 9th Anniversary

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/21/2022

Four years ago: Anime with Mixed Language Content?

Five years ago: More Virulent Impacts

Six years ago: Respect for Rica Matsumoto

Seven years ago: Throwing Poké Balls

Eight years ago: Cosplay: East and West

I'm On to Your Vitals

Every breath you take

And every move you make

Every bond you break, every step you take

I'll be watchin' you

Every single day

And every word you say

Every game you play, every night you stay

I'll be watchin' you...

-- "Every Breath You Take", The Police

Pokémon training is reputedly not (in fact, never) as simple as just being with a Pokémon. A Trainer would have to be watchful and mindful of the things that the Pokémon would do, and guide that Pokémon to become the best that it can be. Thinking about this leads me to think about this not-too-upbeat but not-too-mellow song for someone's significant other, which leads me to the application of it to Pokémon affairs.

This song specifically deals with that significant other as distance grows between that person and that someone. The essence is that as the former becomes farther from the latter, the latter still has the heart for the former. It should be noted that the song was in a way "remade" years later on, but it doesn't have the same connotations as the original version, and moreover I'm personally not fond of it, so it's the original for me and Pokémon affairs, including this one.

Spiritually then, the song carries a certain relevance for Pokémon that are already distant from their Trainers, although it's also perfectly applicable to the ones that are still close as well. The hope may be that the latter takes the nurture of the Trainer and they become great themselves while the Trainer still supervises, and the former takes what has been nurtured and they become great with their current environments under a figurative supervision.

Come to think of it, the song could be applicable to Trainers themselves, especially those who are being seen in the light of others, like Ash - or maybe even me in a sense. The others, as the "watchers", have hope for the ones being watched, even as the latter makes slip-ups (which are bound to happen, as no one is perfect). And if a critical response is generated, the only hope is that improvement would occur and chaos is downplayed.

Watching over other people (and Pokémon as the analogue of creatures) might be considered an expected thing for people, especially if they develop relationships with both of the entities mentioned above. All vital aspects might just be a concern for those who are watching, for which the above song then gains a certain relevance. It's a matter with some significance, maybe on par with every breath taken.

One year ago: My Pokémon Boost Emblem Progress in Pokémon Unite

Two years ago: Tournament: Arcaviary Tournament - Arcana Cup

Three years ago: BJ Podcast: The Varied Nature of Japanese Fans

Four years ago: Reminiscing Pokémon Karaokemon... and More

Five years ago: More "Countermeasures" for Pokémon Go

Six years ago: Performance Critique: Bunkasai 2019 J-Song

Seven years ago: Shiny Obsessions... Again?

Eight years ago: Oddest Things with Pokémon

The Deprecation of Community Day Goodies

Since Community Day in Pokémon Go began to get more organized, one of its draws had been the distribution of goodies for those who attended the meetups for the event as they're organized by communities (through Club Campfire where applicable). However, in February of this year, said goodies were not present, and this was also the case for successive editions of the event and its community meetups. The situation more or less confirms that the goodies have essentially been "deprecated", which becomes a bit of a regretful state that also demands to be discussed with regard to the factors related to the situation.

It can be argued that the deprecation is a part of "cost-cutting measures" at Niantic, who had always claimed many times that profits from the game had (recently) been declining - to what extent, players may not know. Eerily, the deprecation also came shortly before it was reported that Niantic would sell off the game and others related to it to Scopely, which was followed through one month later. As such, the sale also becomes a possibly related factor to the deprecation. Regardless, the action is done and gone - no more goodies to be had.

Personally, I consider the goodies as the most novel aspect of the recently established norm of meetups hosted by communities, even if it was the initiative of Niantic and not really one of the communities. If anything, they did encourage members of the community to come and be present for the event, even if it was somewhat of a "bribe" and not everyone took the "bribe". They then might see that Community Day is more than the "bribe" or just the in-game tasks, and then be able to frequent their communities more, as I and others had done.

On the other hand, the deprecation may be a subtle hint that communities can and do need to conceive ways to bring together their members for this event and other Pokémon Go events, as through giveaways, contests, and even other side agendas - all of which incidentally have been done by my local community, despite the ever-greater distance between me and other members. Other communities would need to be able to do the same, and that's something to be observed by me along with the game's representatives, if they're still around now.

Now that the goodies for Community Day are essentially a memory, there is a sense that focus is shifted back to the in-game tasks, as well as (and more importantly) the local communities themselves, the ones for whom the event is named. In that sense, there may no longer be a need to feel regret over the disappearance of the goodies, and the important feeling would be happiness (mostly) for the power of communities in Pokémon Go.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/19/2024

Two years ago: Need Some Help, Niantic?

Three years ago: Bits and Pieces of Pokémon Merchandise

Four years ago: The Hum of (Pokémon) Life

Five years ago: Better for the World

Six years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/19/2019

Seven years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/19/2018

Eight years ago: On the Mystery of Dungeons

Cosplay: Soundgaku - Echoes of Instruments

Me: OK, this one's a little different but it seems all the more the same.

Goh: Oh, we're going to have "sounds" today.

Me: Sure. The title is a blend of the word "sound" and "ongaku" - Japanese for "music" - so you bet that today will be about those.

Ash: It sounds like it's gonna be a full-on concert!

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Rock on!"]

Me: I think you might be right. I'm going to be up front and say that there doesn't seem to be any competitions, so that supports that theory. Meanwhile, you'll recognize the venue. 

Ash: Hey, the creative center again! 

Goh: The place must be really becoming popular for the creative people.

Me: Right. When it first opened, it was really sleepy. Now it seems all sorts of people are using it for all kinds of events.

Goh: Including this one. 

Ash: Yeah. It's even in the same theater as the "character space" gathering from back then.

Goh: OK, so for sure this isn't really a festival or convention, but it's more than a gathering. 

Ash: It was just like our friend said - a concert! 

Goh: Anything else beyond that?

Ash: Oh, the mecha model community gathered up and showed off their things.

Goh: So that's one community.

Me: I'm afraid it's not the only one. I also need you here for a side agenda of a meeting with our character community, and...

Ash: Oh. I'm going to miss a bit of the concert, am I.

Pikachu: Chu... ["Aww..."]

Me: Plus, I don't know how I'd get you in without saving at least a bit of cash, since things have been tight for me (us) recently. If it weren't for the meeting, I'd just have you go in regardless.

Goh: I'm sorry about that. But the community meeting should have gone well. 

Ash: Yeah, it wasn't too much of a bother. I think our friend might need to deal with the things that came up.

Me: I'll see what I can do.

Goh: So you went back to the theater, and- by the way, we haven't talked about your outfit recently, didn't we?

Ash: Oh right! I was in my special journey outfit. I also used it for the last festival and Community Day.

Goh: Well, I think I see now how our friend wants to save money.

Me: Uh-huh. Anyway, Ash was there, but you couldn't get in, so...

Ash: I hung around with the mecha people. But then one of your friends gave me an extra ticket, and...

Goh: You got in. Hey, that's pretty neat! Good thing our friend has many friends.

Me: That's a neat perk, if I do say so myself.

Pikachu: Pika! ["Nice!"]

Ash: So, they had a band setup and everything for the concert. But I missed three of the bands and got in as the fourth was playing. Then I got to see the rest.

Me: According to the poster, they had eight bands. So five bands is still pretty good.

Ash: One of them was a guitar group.

Goh: That's pretty good for variety. I assume the rest were all rock bands.

Ash: Pretty much. I think our friend would know some of the songs.

Goh: I'll bet there were no Pokémon songs.

Ash: One got really close.

Me: If it were me, I'd have you singing a Pokémon song, definitely. 

Ash: I'd love it if I could do that!

Goh: After all that, you still had some fun, at least - in and out of the concert.

Ash: Sure. The bands were all great, and I got to meet our friend's friends as usual.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["Like that."]

Goh: Anything else we should know about? 

Ash: They picked people with unique outfits - but not me. The prize was just a goodie bag.

Goh: I assume related to the concert scene, so that would make sense.

Ash: Yeah, I guess.

Me: So, it was still a pretty good day for a concert - and meeting people.

Goh: They might just try this kind of event again.

Ash: I'd be up for that.

Me: In these strange times, music and friends are still great things, and necessary ones at that.

One year ago: And Now, We Go

Two years ago: Every Day Is a Grind

Three years ago: New Factions Battlefields and More

Four years ago: One-Day Pokémon Adventure

Five years ago: Trivia Questions and Answers

Six years ago: Trainer Image Cards

Seven years ago: Marathons...?

Eight years ago: Pins and Pins

All the Pokémon Q's and A's

The world has many questions, and just as many answers to go along with them - although in some cases, the answers have not been conclusively determined. For the Pokémon world, the situation is more or less similar, since that world resembles or mirrors the real world in many respects. Even so, it seems a lot - and in a broader way of speaking, most - of those questions and answers could be gathered up in various Pokémon settings as in the games and the other forms of media that it could come in. That insight seems to deserve some bits of discussion regarding its manifestation and projection.

Recall that following the insight of Junichi Masuda, the Pokémon main series games have their difficulty "layered", progressing from simple to complex. It stands to reason, then, that the questions a player would have as they play the games would have their answers progressively revealed and more questions and answers be built on top of that, to the extent of what can be provided within the game. After that, the questions and answers would lie and be revealed in the dynamics among players, by which they reveal the innards of the games. In the process, one might just have all the questions and answers they need.

For other Pokémon games or even other Pokémon experiences, the players (or those involved in the experiences) might just have all (or at the least most of) the answers right away, and then they'd formulate the questions... in a way, like a certain show seen by many who certainly know about it. The process won't involve discovering other answers too much, and the questions that would be formulated represent their accomplishments with the materials at hand. It could be either skillful or observational - or both.

Given the preceding matter, it would perhaps not be too hard for some people to collect all - or again, at the least a great deal of - the answers and attached questions and play out the game attached to the show as above. Responses would be scored, points would be collected, and all of this would be imbued with a "thinking" mode to get the best results possible... which might just be equivalent to a certain amount of Pokémon training and winning a series of battles with similar prizes at stake.

Life, whether it's the absolutely real beyond Pokémon or the relatively real that extensively involves Pokémon, will always involve making questions that may demand answers and finding the answers to those questions. It's a process that goes forwards and backwards, including with consideration of the above contexts, and Pokémon can surely be involved in all of them somehow as all questions and answers are sought.

One year ago: Royals of the Universe

Two years ago: The Sunshine Cup of GBL

Three years ago: The New Structure of Factions

Four years ago: Quickies: Bike for Pokémon

Five years ago: Everything Is Electric

Six years ago: A Wonderful PikaWorld

Seven years ago: Beyond Gyms and Trials

Eight years ago: A Pokémon Pencil Bag

Pokémon Without Borders (...for Me and You)

The term "without borders" often applies and refers to a number of international organizations that perform humanitarian work that spans across different countries - hence the term. Yet it too is sometimes used in the context of other programs that amount (or are similar) to the same work by those same organizations, and again carries the same sense of having an international concern. Being oriented to Pokémon as I am, that led me to thinking about how the term could be applied to or made to work with Pokémon.

Before going on, it is worth it to remind that Pokémon is always more commercial than it is humanitarian, but it surely is never completely the former, meaning that there can be at least some room for the latter. Regardless, because of the commercial nature, some transactions involving money will be involved in some form, even if that may not be what one expects them to be. In fact, it seems that one may not need to be concerned about where the money's going at all in the case of the considerations I'm about to present.

With that, some efforts by Pokémon can be considered quite humanitarian and in line with the "without borders" ideals. The donation given by TPC, which matches one-to-one to that given by Niantic for the LA fire victims, being adjacent to this year's Pokémon Go Tour live edition, is certainly helpful for them. Then, the "Master the Ball" campaign a while back to really get kids active and in sports is a noble cause. These are perhaps as close to humanitarian as it can really get for something as commercial as Pokémon, and certainly global too.

Meanwhile, as for the "me" part of things as alluded by the title of this post, I'd only be glad if I could participate in similar efforts as the above, especially if they're tied to Pokémon somehow. Further, it would be a miracle if I could deal with Pokémon for these and other efforts without having to include my nationality as a concern - and that would constitute my global outlook on things. That might possibly become a difficult matter, but if things are somewhat doable, as most Pokémon matters are, then it might just be welcome(d) for everyone.

Humanitarian concerns and/or affairs may be the farthest thing one could think of to possibly relate to Pokémon, but going by the above, at least there is a certain precedent that impacts many people around the world and fits into the above. The "without borders" approach then really comes into its own, and while Pokémon won't need to create a separate organization for that purpose, certain global initiatives might just reflect that - and I'd be in for it to advance my and others' Pokémon interests.

One year ago: Please, Let Me Grow Old with You

Two years ago: More Available Regular Formats for General PvP?

Three years ago: How Far Should Pokémon Be Translated?

Four years ago: Command and Conquer, PvP Style

Five years ago: A Multicultural Cast

Six years ago: Carry On Carryin' On

Seven years ago: The Living Dex

Eight years ago: Pastrana and Pikachu

Day Turnovers in Pokémon Games

Many people and fans like me play Pokémon games on a daily basis. Accordingly, many of the games also keep track of progress on a daily basis, which further means determining when one day ends and another begins - that is, when the day turns over. It would also be predictable and expected that different games would do so in different ways, and that becomes something fascinating to explore as well as take advantage of for certain gameplay purposes, at least within reasonable limits that they allow.

Contemporary games will use the time of the device - be it a phone or a Nintendo console - that it is set to, which ideally should be the local time of the player and shouldn't be changed unless there are very good reasons, one of which is when one is traveling (most phones of today will automatically do so anyway). That device time is taken as the time in the main series games on Nintendo consoles, which has been the case since the fourth generation thanks to timekeeping in Nintendo DS; previously, the games used a battery for keeping time. In any of these cases, the midnight of that time is when the day turns over. This is also the case for Pokémon Go on a phone, for which its location dependence also provides a check for the time and explains the necessity of keeping the time in line.

For other games, the "day" is different. Café Remix and its predecessor Shuffle turn over the day at 6 AM UTC, as in my case the day turns over at 1 PM local time. This will certainly mean different times of the real day for wherever one lives and whether or not that's also affected by certain seasonal time changes, but the gist is that the day turns over at the exact precise moment wherever one plays. The 6 AM UTC turnover also applies to TCG Pocket, where the game will demand that it restarts at that time. Meanwhile, Pokémon Unite has the day turning over at midnight UTC, thanks to my observations of it turning over daily mission tasks at 7 AM my local time.

Some leeway can be gotten when playing as the day turns over, certainly not so much for TCG Pocket as above that demands a restart when the moment occurs. A match can be started in Pokémon Unite just as the day is about to turn over, and the achievements from that match will count for the Daily Missions of the next day. Likewise, some stages in Café Remix can be played as the day is about to turn over and they'll transition the player to the next day. In any case, however, one should be careful that there are no events that end on a particular day and haven't been dealt with, for they'll surely disappear when the day turns over.

With the way people play Pokémon games daily, tracking the days and rewarding those daily plays become not only useful but also essential in some ways. And if done right, one can schedule plays as the moment(s) of the days transition from one to the next to take advantage of them to fulfill specific objectives usefully. The moment(s) are then useful to games as well as the people who play them.

One year ago: The Blood of Youth

Two years ago: Tournament: SWEEP JR vs. Foul Noctowls Elite (SA Factions)

Three years ago: Steering and Nearing with Tsunekazu Ishihara

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/15/2021

Five years ago: Coming Full Circle

Six years ago: Everything Old Is New Again

Seven years ago: 15 Minutes of Fame

Eight years ago: Fallen Comrades

The State of Playable Legendaries in Unite

Since their introduction a somewhat long time ago, playable Legendary Pokémon have colored battles in Pokémon Unite in different ways. There have also been struggles to make them work within the ecosystem of the game, including to keep things fair. Because of these factors, it seems pertinent to make a review of the situation and see what that bodes for current players, and from there to gain insights for future additions of playable Legendary Pokémon.

Currently, the existing playable Legendary Pokémon cover Mewtwo with its Mega Y form and Miraidon with the Attacker role, Mewtwo with its Mega X form as well as Zacian and Suicune with the All-Rounder role, and Ho-Oh with the Defender role. None have the Speedster or Supporter roles, though Darkrai and Hoopa respectively for them (despite being Mythical rather than Legendary) seem to fill the roles nicely until a proper one appears.

Taking a somewhat generalist overview, it seems players have not become too dependent on them, as other Pokémon, both new and old, become used more often instead of any of these; the restrictions placed by them being EX Licenses may have also helped in this regard. Meanwhile, of the species above, the most rarely used seems to be Ho-Oh, given that its controls are a bit tricky from my first-hand experience - yet it might be different in some cases.

For the future additions, it's plainly obvious by the above: additions to fill the Speedster and Supporter roles, especially to complement the existing ones by virtue of their relations to other Pokémon. As well, a possibly more workable Defender than Ho-Oh (even with this being already capable in the hands of certain players) could be another consideration, at the least in order to provide alternatives that fit the current play styles of players.

While the addition of playable Legendary Pokémon to Pokémon Unite shook things up initially, they seem to have become normalized since, with further additions not being as problematic and in a way being suitable to the current dynamics of the game. Future additions are almost a certainty in this regard, and they along with regular species additions will keep defining the dynamics along with the players that will help to make it so.

One year ago: Alive, in Life

Two years ago: Consolidation: New Café Remix Updates

Three years ago: Starter Pokémon in the Wild

Four years ago: The Retro Cup of GBL

Five years ago: Going Elite with TMs

Six years ago: Detective Pikachu Burger King King Jr. Toys - Arcanine

Seven years ago: Round Pikachu Keychain

Eight years ago: Cosplay: Isshoni Tanoshimimashou 12

A Pokémon Card Binder

Some years ago, I'd already discussed the equipment I possess or desire to have in order to supplement my dealings with the physical TCG. The effort has been meager, and predictably, the equipment is still as such as well. However, there was a piece of equipment I didn't know I would need back then until I know I'd need it, and that would be a card binder. It's helpful for holding some loose cards as well as the best cards one can stand to display, both of which have come into my possession in more recent times. As such, I really needed one to keep my collection organized, and a month or two ago, I finally got one to fulfill all of the purposes that I have stated, in the best manner possible.

Appropriately, the card binder features a Pokémon image on the front cover. That would be of Ash in his Kalos outfit along with a few first-generation species and the Pokémon logo. It's definitely a custom image - and not one of my own creation - but the image is excellent as well as dynamic, and surely attractive for me. The binder itself could come in two color options (red or blue), and I got the red one, though not by choice as I had intended to get the blue one; it would also have featured a different image. Regardless, functionality came first, so I was happy with what I got in order to use it.

For the functional aspect, the binder features eight sheets or 16 pages that can hold nine cards on each page, allowing the binder to hold 144 cards in total. I've already filled a couple of them fully and a few partially, but it's clear that it'll be awhile before most or all of the pages become filled, so this card binder will be a viable solution for quite some time. Further, if I was an active player, most of my cards wouldn't be here, as they'd be in decks; this binder, then, would be for the cards I can stand to keep within the pages - the "odd ones out" and the spectacular ones that are meant for display. 

Even so, a few concerns still manifest with this binder. Admittedly, it's not the most expensive of binders, so there may be the concern that it will give out at some point in the future, though with very gentle treatment, I can at least prolong the life expectancy of this current binder. Something also to keep in mind with this kind of binder is that there have been reports of people receiving the binders with dust, although that didn't happen with mine. It may seem imperative to check on it every so often.

Really good cards need a really good way of keeping them, and a card binder would serve that purpose well for anyone who is into the Pokémon TCG. Even something decently priced such as this one can serve its function well enough, particularly with good care, and the appearance is not too shabby either. It's only a wonder that I didn't think of getting one of these binders soon enough, even if I'm not that active in collecting and playing the physical cards. It may just support further efforts for these purposes.

One year ago: Horizons of Promise

Two years ago: The Last Stop: The End of The Silph Road

Three years ago: Useless Rewards in Pokémon Games

Four years ago: The Road to Victory

Five years ago: Seeing Pokémon in Rice Fields

Six years ago: The Exclusive Detective Pikachu Promotional TCG Card

Seven years ago: Cosplay: INOCHI 2018 - Yuki no Hana

Eight years ago: Cosplay Photography

TCGP: Celestial Guardians Take Charge

It seems that after a slow start to things, TCGP has begun to pick up the pace for new cards through new expansions, perhaps owing to player fervor. And that fervor has apparently warranted things to be taken to a "galactic" level with the newest expansion, which involves "vanguards" of that space and the associated Pokémon species to those "vanguards". Aptly, the new expansion is called "Celestial Guardians" and brings into the game certain dealings of bright spaces above and below.

For those who haven't figured it out, the expansion deals with the Alola region, and it's a semi-major expansion consisting of Solgaleo and Lunala sub-expansions as their highlight Pokémon. Like the previous semi-major expansion, many of the Pokémon are of this region, but there are also complementary species from other regions and/or generations, some of which are necessary for dealing with this region's Pokémon - including the regional forms, which are indeed present to shake things up.

This new semi-major expansion also has its own selection of Shiny Pokémon, as well as an Item card that players of the physical TCG will recognize for dealing with Pokémon that evolve (in two stages specifically), and the game's first "immersive" card that isn't a Pokémon (being a Supporter card). In a way, it brings together the ideals of the previously introduced "mini" expansion along with new and old concepts alike to make things more lively, especially with the current state of the game.

With that, the expansion is composed of just as many "common" cards as the preceding semi-major expansion, although there's a fair bit of "rare" cards to collect - including the cards for Shiny Pokémon as mentioned earlier. Future expansions, even ones that may be designated as just a "Themed Booster Pack", will likely have their own share of Shiny Pokémon cards and thus more of the rare cards to collect, just like this one does. That will be something to be dealt with for this and later expansions.

Alola is always a fascinating region for contemporary Pokémon fans, and now thanks to the addition of this semi-major expansion, it has a substantial representation in TCGP, along with the feature additions since the very first expansion. If things may be considered to be picking up at present for TCGP, then it's doing so with an enigmatic region and the cards that are representative of that region; for that, the "vanguards" may just be taking charge to control the playing field in this game.

One year ago: Cosplay: "Mobile Japan Fest" [2]

Two years ago: Listen to Our Hearts

Three years ago: More Online Statuses for Pokémon Go?

Four years ago: Three Bears

Five years ago: Missed Pokémon Merchandise in Snacks

Six years ago: Watching in Style, with Friends

Seven years ago: To Know the Unknown

Eight years ago: You Are Blessed

Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/11/2025

Some days in life are special, and for those who play Pokémon Go in particular, Community Day is one such day - at least, most of the time, given my experiences and those of others. So it is that today's edition does fall on a certain special day for some people of a loving kind, but I won't touch on that too much. Instead, I'm going to touch on the featured Pokémon species, for which some may be loving toward it as much as it appears loving. That may or may not be indicative of the Pokémon, so I might as well just explain it plainly.

For this edition, the featured Pokémon is Pawmi; it and its species family -with the Shiny form debuting by this event - represent the "signature Electric type" of the ninth generation and therefore the Paldea region as well. It evolves twice, first to Pawmo and then to Pawmot, gaining the Fighting type in the process. For the purpose of this Community Day, it gets the Charged move of Brick Break to suit that added type. The second evolutionary process is one that would normally require 25 km of walking with Pawmo in the Buddy Pokémon position, but for this Community Day, it only needs 1 km, which also applies for the extended move window up to next Sunday.

The other elements of today are of the usual kind. The main bonus is quartered Egg hatch distance, always a useful one for "stuck" Eggs. Then there are extended Lure Modules and Incense, double Candy and Candy XL chance, another Special Trade and a trade discount, photo bombs, showcases, and item bundles in the shops - all of the standard ones. Research too is standard, with the usual Field Research tasks and rare ones for Pawmi with backgrounds, the Timed set for another Pawmi with a background, and the paid Special set - this one titled "Pawmi and You" - with all the perks. Not much more needs to be said, though they always need to be mentioned.

Meanwhile, there was no need to make things special for what I did, but I did anyway - with a little help...

Goh: Oh, you got Ash to do things.

Ash: Yeah - but just with the basic shirt and pants. And... a special Pokémon shirt by our friend!

Goh: That looks really nice! Um... "the ending has not yet been written"?

Me: Mm-hmm. It's a "technical term". Think about it - but not now, since we have Community Day.

Ash: I got a lot of Shiny Pawmi! 

Goh: Pawmi looks really cute, and so does its evolved forms Pawmo and Pawmot. 

Ash: You said it. I think we'd all like to have one.

Me: You did evolve a few all the way to Pawmot, right?

Ash: I did. They even got me a toy car from your friends.

Goh: I thought they were "frosty" with you two.

Ash: I guess they "thawed out" today.

Me: Don't expect this to be the norm - they might just become colder at any time. 

Ash: They didn't react to the shirt either.

Goh: Well, let's not draw attention to it. Who knows what might happen.

Me: Good idea. Anything else I should know about?

Ash: A few of us wanted to battle Dynamax Suicune, but before we could, it started to rain.

Goh: Maybe Suicune wanted to be out and about instead.

Me: At least I already took care of it yesterday. But still.

Goh: I know what you mean. Suicune can be a bit finicky.

Ash: But Pawmi aren't!

Me: Good thing, and that makes for a good day too. 

Being the "signature Electric type", having a loving quality is practically a given for Pawmi and its species family. That said, this edition of Community Day might also be considered particularly loving, what with that special day I mentioned and what happened on my own end for it. Its fighting spark may just be the thing to keep things going.

One year ago: Cosplay+Pokémon Go: Pikachu's Indonesia Journey in Surabaya

Two years ago: Cold Appearances

Three years ago: Blogging on Blogs: Pokémon Blog

Four years ago: Forgotten (Event) Days

Five years ago: (Preparing for) Shuffle's Last Stand

Six years ago: Special Feature Film - "POKÉMON: Detective Pikachu"

Seven years ago: Just Like a Rainbow

Eight years ago: A Shout-Out to a Fellow Blogger

Best Generation to Start the Main Series?

A friend recently asked me a question about the main series of Pokémon games. The question involved a query regarding which game someone should start playing if that someone is interested in these games. At the time, since we could only converse briefly, I could only give a short answer in a short time. It's a fascinating question, so I thought about expanding it with a more substantial answer; naturally, that would be in the form of a blog post on this Pokémon blog, the perfect medium for its discussion.

The initial answer I gave was that if the person wanted to "get their feet wet" in Pokémon, I suggested starting with the games from the third and/or fourth generation, including the remakes from earlier generations and their own remakes in the later consoles. My rationale is that these games provide a good diversity of species that are well-known back then and still are today, and if they then wanted to get into competitive play, the basics are introduced fairly well. In either case, it's a fair balance to a good extent.

Still, if they want to get into competitive play right away, then they need to have the most recent games, the present case being Scarlet and Violet from the ninth generation. There will be a lot to learn, but the gradual design of the Pokémon games means that not everything will need to be applied right away. The most important thing as well is being able to battle with contemporary Trainers and not be stuck without a way of doing so in an older game for an older generation. Other concerns apply, but these are foremost.

For those who don't really care about any of the above, or at the least only care about the nostalgia of Pokémon through all these years, they can start on any older game that is accessible in some way or form. They can even start on the very old games from the first and second generations, even though they no longer have much of a bearing in today's Pokémon affairs. Nostalgia and history are still their bearings, if anything, and if they're the only important things, then any of these games are fitting.

It's understandable that Pokémon of today still carries with it the elements of its past, which includes all the prior main series games. Therefore, the question posed my friend is perfectly valid and demands to be answered. That answer too is not necessarily simple nor applicable to everyone, which becomes evident with the discussion above. At the least, I've delivered my take through both the previous conversation as well as the discussion in this post, and there are good Pokémon starting points for all.

One year ago: The Solo Challenge in Pokémon Unite

Two years ago: Still Not Quite Outside the "Ilex Forest"

Three years ago: The Rock-Paper-Scissors Principle

Four years ago: Transparent Language Presentation?

Five years ago: More YouTube Pokémon Highlights

Six years ago: Trading Styles

Seven years ago: The No's of Go

Eight years ago: Site Design