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

Masuda's Method to (Music) Madness

One cannot talk about Pokémon music without talking about the biggest name in it, and fittingly, I have to bring it up as the ultimate discussion for the current run. The biggest name would be none other than Junichi Masuda, whose compositions have graced the main series games (and even beyond, thanks to Pokémon Go). The name is big, which might also explain why this post took some time to make - it had been planned for over a year. But with the build-up of topics related to music, it makes perfect sense to write about it now... as well as to make sense of his particulars for Pokémon music and beyond.

Classical music served as an influence for him - in particular the works of Stravinsky and Shostakovich - as he became attracted to them while playing the trombone in high school; even so, he does say that techno is his favorite music genre. It wouldn't be a surprise, then, that his Pokémon pieces sound like music of either genre, and in return they could be fully adapted to them, which can be construed to have happened both officially and unofficially. Much like the Mario series - also might be considered a cited influence in this regard - music that works well with the games is a big and good thing.

Besides music, in many Pokémon endeavors, he has been involved in their production and direction, though music is still involved somehow. A specific one would be the Hoenn region, based on his childhood vacation days, which could be said to be not unlike the childhood experience of the man that initiated Pokémon himself. His design philosophies include the layering of difficulties (starting simple before becoming complex), continued usage of 2D graphics, and portability of consoles, all of which are still evident and important for Pokémon.

Related to the above, there is "Masuda('s) method", the reference for the title of this post, which in a nutshell is a process that concerns breeding Pokémon from different language versions in order to have better chances of obtaining Shiny ones. The name is an attribution (by fans) because the method itself was explained by Masuda in a blog post. Though less related to music and more related to game development, the regard is still maintained and it's still an appreciable one, given the contributions in the latter area.

At any rate, Junichi Masuda is still readily identified with Pokémon music, even though he has always had a bigger role for the franchise (including presently as Chief Creative Fellow of TPC). The influences to the former area are respectable and so are the principles that guide the development of Pokémon games. The "method to the madness" can thus be regarded as the music and ways of playing that capture the greatest vivacity of Pokémon in general.

One year ago: Submerged in Attraction

Two years ago: Towards the TCGL Horizon

Three years ago: Journeys Gap Ad... in T-Shirt Form

Four years ago: Glyphs of Pokémon?

Five years ago: Playing Pokémon All Day

Six years ago: Getting Lucky with Friends

Seven years ago: A Place for VGC

Eight years ago: Blue and Yellow Philosophy

Everyone's a Miracle

You and me, we're a miracle

Meant to be, and nothing can change it

Mountains move and oceans part

When they are standing in our way

You and me, we're a miracle

Angels stand watching over us

And heaven shines upon us every day...

-- "We're a Miracle", Christina Aguilera

For the next musical discussion, certain things in life have suggested that I go back to the "alternative" soundtracks for the Pokémon feature films or movies, and I've decided to pull out and play this card. It's one of the songs from the one for the very first one, and it may even have deserved a discussion much, much earlier than now. Yet now is a good time as any, and as it turns out, the song deserves an insightful look and the continued exposure along with it.

So, the overall theme of this song is certainly "miracle", by the overcoming of all hardships and obstacles - particularly as suggested by the chorus of the song as quoted above. There is even a reference to "tears", the most important symbol and element of the movie. As for the "you and me" part, that may be construed to refer to Ash and Pikachu as the primary heroes of the movie, and more loosely, it may be considered to refer to any person, especially those with a significant other. In that respect, everyone may be "miraculous", hence this post's title.

Those who recognize the artist of this song will also know that she got her career started in the place "next door" that is also known for some of its "miracles". As such, the contribution of this song to Pokémon is in a way a "miracle" in itself, further with it being composed in a similar manner. Miraculously, it could also be considered to be a proxy of the Japanese ending theme for the movie (something that may or may not be discussed separately and later on), for which the song probably should have had the same role, instead of being lumped into a medley with other songs from the soundtrack. The existing miracles of the song are still acceptable.

Yet, as miraculous as the song is, it seems to be rather affected by the contemporary rights management flurry for Pokémon (as with "2B A Master") and the song has become hard to find, perhaps not a surprise considering the big-name artist involved with the song. Perhaps its only other miracle is its apparent existence in multiple versions - as with another song on the soundtrack - and so a "Pokémon version" is distinguished for it. The next miracle for the song may be to keep its presence known among both Pokémon fans and music fans in general.

Miracles can be present anywhere and anytime, and this song may be considered a testament to that, and a fitting one given the circumstances of the first Pokémon feature film or movie. After many years since this song first appeared, that too is also still relevant for today's world with Pokémon and everything else. Especially with the former, there are still happenings to go through with people and said creatures... and hopefully there will be miracles to go around.

One year ago: Problems with Pokémon Go Groups?

Two years ago: Tournament: SWEEP JR vs. Your Storage Is Full (SA Factions)

Three years ago: The Wish for (and Caveats of) Time Travel

Four years ago: The Lengths We Go To... T-Shirt

Five years ago: Pokémon Stickers on WhatsApp

Six years ago: Looking from Far Away

Seven years ago: (High Noon at the) Local Ex-Raid, 5/8/2018

Eight years ago: Ash and Pikachu Keychain

More on Arata Iiyoshi and His PMD Contributions

By now, it should be clear what the ongoing discussion topic is for my blog, and that would be Pokémon music. For that, the next discussion concerns a minor yet important figure in this realm. As I had brought up in a post reaching out to an external music game series I'm also interested in, in addition to contributing music there, Arata Iiyoshi has contributed to Pokémon by way of the Mystery Dungeon game series, obviously for its music. It's these contributions that I'd like to go over now in a little bit more depth to see how they are manifested.

According to genre, Arata's music is identified as "world" or "ethnic" music, so there are overtones of music styles from different regions. One of his BEMANI works, titled "BRIDAL FESTIVAL !!!", carries the genre of "happy jig" and with it thusly an Irish style; further, it too is remarkably similar to the opening music for the Rescue Team games and may be considered as close as it gets to having that in the said series of music games. The two pieces are still somewhat different, but the style is still definitively maintained regardless.

Meanwhile, there's also a certain diversity in his contributions to both BEMANI and Mystery Dungeon. The former is typically "electronica" but the world/ethnic style is "infused" therein, and the latter nicely adapts to various circumstances, including slow paces for tranquil settings and fast paces for intense circumstances (like boss battles). He also provides lyrics for some BEMANI songs, though of course that doesn't get put to use in Mystery Dungeon since it's all instrumental - yet one could try hard and compose lyrics for these if one wanted to.

I previously mentioned the "fusion of human emotion and nature", and an oft-cited example of this in the Mystery Dungeon realm is the music for the final throes of the Explorers games, from "Through the Sea of Time" to "Dialga's Fight to the Finish!", which also captures some of the diversity that I mentioned above. The instrumentation is definitely naturalistic yet the pacing and melodies are quite emotional, especially given the setting in which the music is placed in: a lead-up to and execution of a boss battle for the ages (literally).

One of Arata's aliases is "S.S.D.", which is short for "Shin Sound Design" and as such can be regarded as "New Sound Design", a common meaning of the first word in Japanese. World or ethnic music is nothing new - and some circles might also consider them "retro" - but it may be considered that true to the alias mentioned above, Arata can put his own "new" spin to it, evident in BEMANI and definitely applicable to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. The manifestation brings together feelings, nature, and diversity, all of which are also thematic for Pokémon.

One year ago: Pokémon Species in Squeezy, Pillowy Form

Two years ago: Cosplay: Foodtopia Competitions

Three years ago: Introducing Mega Legendary Raids

Four years ago: Pokémon Asia McDonald's Happy Meal Toys - "Expedition Series", Selections

Five years ago: Hanging by a Cliff

Six years ago: Folding Paper for Pokémon

Seven years ago: Pokémon in Poké Balls Stickers

Eight years ago: Cosplay: J-COSHOKAI 2 - Utsukushii Hana

Do You or Do You Not Understand?

They don't understand

How we communicate

Or so many things

That we do and say

They don't really get

What it's all about

No they never can 

Understand - Pokémon

-- "They Don't Understand", Dream Street

Here too is something I meant to discuss much earlier because the momentum was there and less so now - and it should make clear about what I intend to discuss in the next few days. Back to that momentum, it involved an incident where a person of a high stature thought lowly of Pokémon, amounting it to a "small business" - when it's clear to most that it isn't. It's a case of the person not understanding the situation, which happens with or without Pokémon. With that, the above song that has ties to Pokémon becomes pertinent, moreover for the purpose of this discussion. 

This song, brought by perhaps a somewhat lesser-known boy band, is associated with the second feature film or movie in western regions, and is thus part of its "alternative" soundtrack wherever that's a concern. It was even performed live at a special event for the movie, affirming its status as such. The quoted part above is the chorus, which can be considered to carry the ultimatum of the song: that one finds someone else's lack of comprehension disturbing. Hence, the title of this post was conceived as a question, for which this song and its regard becomes the answer.

In a way, the song could be interpreted as encapsulating the relationships between people and Pokémon (species, that is) as they coexist with one another. The relationships don't necessarily result in comprehension between the two parties, but when that happens, the result is bliss. At least, until certain people come along and they say they don't understand the relationship between them, at which point one can try to make them understand. And if they still cannot understand... then it goes back to the lyrics of the song, and the people who are involved will have to answer the question.

As for connecting this to real life matters, it may not only concern the incident with the person as above but also personal ones - as in, mine. It has been the case that I became involved in a number of situations involving Pokémon and the lack of understanding by other people, for which the song becomes relevant. But then there are similar situations involving other matters with similar elements of people failing to understand; worse yet, the consequences have not exactly been to my favor - perhaps even theirs - and thus the call to question someone else's understanding is relevant.

Since the incident, as I've indicated above, the momentum has died down, which may or may not indicate that the person has come to an understanding (about Pokémon). Even so, the incident may still be regarded as disconcerting for fans, and especially me, who may have gone through other and similar instances of people not understanding things. After many years, then, the song above - as loosely as it may be connected to Pokémon, apparently - still has relevant messages concerning those other people, with the only hope being that they'll eventually understand things.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Tools in Niantic Campfire

Two years ago: Pokémon Keeps Me...

Three years ago: Brave with the Firefly

Four years ago: On "Digital Talents" and Pokémon

Five years ago: Play Pokémon on a Plane

Six years ago: A Tropius Keychain

Seven years ago: Cosplay: J-COSHOKAI 3 - Saikou no Yorokobi

Eight years ago: Shuffling Stages

On 2B A Master's 25th Anniversary

I meant to make this post much, much earlier in the year (and even at or closer to the tail end of the previous year), but some things got away from me. In any case, it's just as well to make the post now and supplement it this week with a few posts on related topics. So, around that time, there was an important milestone in Pokémon music, as far as the English side of things is concerned: it was the 25th anniversary of the "2B A Master" album, an iconic (by now) collection of Pokémon songs in English. Despite that status, the anniversary seemingly went by without much regard or consideration, and because of that I want to (re)draw attention to it and provide a few considerations of my own.

The contents of the album comprises many of the songs that western (influenced) fans like me will recognize, including the instantly identifiable Pokémon Theme as well as the PokéRap. All of the songs were also present over the course of the Kanto saga, though one needed to have the album to listen to them in their entirety. Besides the explicitly mentioned songs, it could be admitted that the others are slightly "cheesy" yet have significance, so there may have been the thought that the album could be remade to coincide with the anniversary as mentioned above and be made relevant to current Pokémon developments.

Of course, it's not always easy to do that, especially given the flurry of rights management in music today; some concessions may even have had to be made for using Pokémon Theme in the dub of the "finale arc". Furthermore, it may not be in the best interest to remake the album one-to-one as some elements may not be relevant to today, like Team Rocket, being no longer significantly present. Overall, the "hoops" for remaking the album are plentiful and not easy to go through, regardless of its significance for many fans.

For a Pokémon fan, though, any kind of related music will still be significant regardless if it's recent or long in the tooth, the latter of which applies to the album that becomes the focus of this post. After its 25 years, a little later than the one for Pokémon, it's still on my mind and perhaps likewise for many fans. Whether or not that leads to other developments like a remake is another matter, but it's still a fine album today as it was back then.

One year ago: Cosplay: Foodtopia Season 3

Two years ago: Special Research Guides

Three years ago: Brave with the Firefly

Four years ago: On "Digital Talents" and Pokémon

Five years ago: Play Pokémon on a Plane

Six years ago: A Tropius Keychain

Seven years ago: Cosplay: J-COSHOKAI 3 - Saikou no Yorokobi

Eight years ago: Shuffling Stages

Latest, Unique Plushes from Pokémon Center

I'm somewhat uninterested to fall into a "contemplative" trap for my posts with other things going on my life at the moment, so I thought I'd pull a discussion for a hard Pokémon thing that I can conveniently muster, and that would be some of the latest things from Pokémon Center, always known for the greatest and latest in merchandise. And some of those things are in the plush (dolls) department, always unique things in and of themselves, but lately there have been other, very unique offerings as well.

One of those is the Pokémon Dreams plush series, which depict Pokémon in their sleep, being positioned in certain ways. The implication, of course, is that they look like they're dreaming something. So, that would mean eyes closed, mouth open (especially evident for Gengar with its tongue sticking out), and possibly hands in different positions (outward as for Eevee and inward as for Cubone). They're out of the ordinary depiction of Pokémon in their idle positions, but even for some people they look cute and worth collecting.

Plush dolls are sufficiently fuzzy in and of themselves, but the latest Comfy Friends and Fancy Spring plush lines seem to want to take that even further. They appear extra-fuzzy for the enjoyment of whoever owns them to handle, and in the case of the latter, perfectly suited for the festivities of the season along with the appropriate attire (flowery and frilly). The sensory delight of these plush lines might become their primary draw, if not the usual fancy with some of the Pokémon featured for them.

Then, there is the "chain plush", as the Adventure Partner and Parallel Pairs plush lines. I call them that because they have some sort of (key)chain like attachments to hook them to something, including but not limited to keys. As for the featured Pokémon, the latter features "regional equivalents" for the tandem featured Pokémon, while the former features starter or first partner Pokémon - always a highlight for any Pokémon fan. But then, the highlight may just be the ability to attach these plush dolls to things. 

Like Pokémon itself, both the franchise and the creatures it's known for, plush dolls will appeal to certain people. If they can be made to have unique aspects like the above - and especially in combination with Pokémon - that could be the much-needed appeal to get people and fans to obtain and collect them for all their intended purposes. In that regard, with Pokémon Center having these unique novelties, the plush dolls don't fall into the "commonplace" trap... though they might trap the fancy (not to mention the cash) of fans.

One year ago: Returning Player Bonuses in Pokémon Unite

Two years ago: Understanding the Arcana of Silph Arena

Three years ago: Quickies: Feeling Embittered

Four years ago: On Pokémon Submarines

Five years ago: Be Strong

Six years ago: Cosplay: Bunkasai 2019 -Tanabata Matsuri-, Day 1

Seven years ago: Evolutionary Items and Their Limits

Eight years ago: 3D, 2D, and Everything in Between

Going Around in Circles...?

One of the most irksome of feelings is going around in circles, where it seems that the things that one does seem to loop back on themselves without resolution. I've had to go through that feeling at some points in time - perhaps even today. For some Pokémon, though, going around in circles (literally) may just be the thing that brings out the best in them. I thought I'd round up how that may be so while such a feeling applies to me.

Falinks often has its individual units go in a straight line when they move or attack, but in the latter case - if Pokémon Unite has anything to say - the most powerful one occurs when the units move about a target in a circular fashion like (being about to be) ganging up on it. It's called the "Dust Devil Formation", and it could be a doozy for some Pokémon trying to counter it, lest they be sucked into its "vortex" for a ride.

Then, there is Skitty with its long tail. Such an appendage has the propensity to cause the Pokémon to chase after it in a circular fashion, tiring it out and making it fall asleep... much like the lore of a really big dog (not quite related to Pokémon) that does the same with its long tail, albeit not at a very high speed. Still, if it does happen at such a high speed, it may just be the prelude for it to learn a new move, perhaps of the contest type.

As well, there is Dragonite and a few other Dragon-type or dragon-like Pokémon. They might just be capable of the Dragon Dance move, one that is often depicted by its initiators circling about, creating a vortex with great attacking power. That's one for the species of concern to size up, while for those on the receiving end, it might become a warning to get one's act together before dragon(s) strike at full force.

So, at least for some Pokémon, going around in circles may be a beneficial thing, which as suggested by the words of a certain song may even let them fly high like birds. For people, though - particularly those on the receiving end, like me - it may still be considered a source of frustration. That may be a prompt to resolve the situation in an out-of-the-box manner, and maybe one or more of the Pokémon above could be insightful.

One year ago: In Search of (a) Hi-Hat Cafe

Two years ago: What to Evolve for Community Day

Three years ago: Mixing and Matching Pokémon Game Music

Four years ago: Subscribing to Pokémon Home

Five years ago: The Call of the Forest

Six years ago: Localizing the TCG

Seven years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/3/2018

Eight years ago: Gender Mismatch Detected

Quickies: There and Back Again...

One of the great things about Pokémon is the feeling of being able to go to different places in its world and feel like one is actually there, even given the focus on capturing monsters and battling with them. Then, that same feeling can be repeated through different experiences facilitated by different things, not limited to the games. It's that feeling of going and going again that might just explain why some people like me continue to be fans of the franchise, despite the ups and downs over the years.

With or without a full-on quest through different lands and environments, the goal of making oneself (as a Trainer) and one's Pokémon all that one can be is a quest in itself, one that can also be considered as repetitive in one form or another. Based on the efforts, they could stand to be written in a book... though the Pokémon and related achievements might speak for themselves without that having to be done. Considerations too seem to repeat themselves for what species to deal with and when.

It too seems that personally, my Pokémon dealings (including but not limited to raising them for battle) take me to different places and situations, and then again as I deal with yet others that evoke the already familiar places and situations. Some of them might involve this blog directly - perhaps even this post as it is being written - while others might just involve general Pokémon situations that then will lend themselves to be written up later on this blog. It might just be all cyclical in a manner of speaking.

Going to places is a normal part of real life as it is for Pokémon life. Yet there's also something special about how that occurs for the latter and involves making returns (or repeats) for different purposes and objectives. In all, that makes for fascinating and often wonderful journeys across lands and places, complemented by all the wondrous creatures all along the way. Much of that may afford to be gone through time and time again as well as in many different forms... and so, may it be.

One year ago: The (Local) Pikachu Special Edition Oreo

Two years ago: Country Compositions for Factions Teams

Three years ago: Impulsive Conscience

Four years ago: New Pokémon Snap Unleashed

Five years ago: Pervasive Pokémon

Six years ago: Hit in the KOR

Seven years ago: Keeping the Demo Versions

Eight years ago: Cosplay Laundry

Presents in Café Remix

Besides the obvious ones or ones that I've already explained, Café Remix has a few features that might be considered "obscure" or easily overlooked. One of the features that could be considered as such is one called Presents. As its name suggests, it has something to do with things being given out - in this case being items - but the workings go a bit deeper than that, and that makes it perfect to be discussed to some extent.

The items in this case are those that are obtained from events that occur frequently over the course of the game. Specifically, for events that rank players and give out rewards based on the ranking, their rewards are sent to Presents rather than claimed directly by the player. It represents a fair alternative, since some rewards might contain item amounts that push beyond the collection limit for a player - a matter for a separate discussion.

Meanwhile, items from other sources can also be held in and given out through the feature. They may come as compliments or from the "operations team" for certain updates, especially as apology gifts due to specific issues. And if one forgets to claim some items from the Monthly Goals - as I have discovered recently - they too may appear in Presents to be claimed through the feature. That makes it a versatile one.

Still, the feature has another limit besides the collection limit as above. Only 200 reward bundles can be kept, and beyond that, they would be deleted... although it's likely one will claim most or all available bundles before that happens, especially with the "claim all" button on the lower middle of the screen. All this certainly happens when the player accesses the feature through the menu option from the main café screen.

With all that goes on in Café Remix, especially now with consistent regular events taking up most of one's play efforts, it can be easy for a player to overlook a few things, like the Presents feature and the items that may be sent to it as a result of various circumstances. But once a player is able to make good use of it through understanding its particulars as above, more good efforts may just manifest and make themselves more obvious.

One year ago: Labors of Love

Two years ago: Tournament: SWEEP JR vs. Majestic Tiger Elite (SA Factions)

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Mega Evolution Rework

Four years ago: Like a Slowking Without the Shell

Five years ago: Seek and Ye Shall...

Six years ago: Transcending to a Beautiful Harmony

Seven years ago: Old Memories, New Memories

Eight years ago: Indie Pokémon Stickers