Monday, March 2, 2026

Pokémon Go Tour: Kalos

With the usual late February and early March highlights out of the way, now I can cover the major Pokémon Go happening of the previous season... which in fact is actually still the current season for today, at which point tomorrow becomes the next - but I digress. Going back to that happening, as previewed, the happening involves the Kalos region, which has the claim to fame as the homeland of Mega Evolution. That makes it a big (Mega) time happening, so now it's time to unfold how big those happenings really were in their overall light.

Like in past editions, rotating habitats were the norm on both days of the Global edition. There were only three this time: Central Village, Mountain Manor, and Coastal Laboratory, with one more as a superset of these three, occupying hourly spans with one repetition. They contained thematic species of certain types, as well as Pikachu with Trainer caps and Unown forms that are of the region's letters (if one activates an Incense); and of course, all of them can be Shiny, if one is truly lucky. As with past years, no Collection Challenges means no catch pressure. 

Yet there is still pressure to raid, as the main feature was Mega Raids for Mega Victreebel (on Saturday) and Mega Malamar (on Sunday) plus the surprise entry of Mega Dragonite (on both days), the latter itself also having been a surprise entry in the Live editions' Mega Night feature. These Mega Raids were also not ordinary ones as well... but their technical details are best left for a separate post. Other Mega Evolution forms were present in "hourly special" (regular) Mega Raids on both days, while the "box Legendaries" of Xerneas and Yveltal were present as usual on the five-star slot, and one-star raids had the Pikachu with Trainer caps and Honedge, making for a rather massive range of raids.

Research had Field tasks for Bellsprout and Inkay as the evolutionary precursors of the above as well as Unown based on version selection. For that, version selection is accomplished by a Special set for those who paid for the event ticket, to go through tasks characterizing Mega Evolution and the Legendary Pokémon of the region, after which the Masterwork Research for Shiny Diancie follows. In the Timed realm, there is a set (for ticket holders) that deals with changing Furfrou trims by selecting a trim that one doesn't usually get to change toward, plus a free set (by a code revealed through Pokémon Day) featuring selection of a first partner from the region and completing daily tasks to get ones with special backgrounds.

Speaking of which, special backgrounds were also all the rage, with three in play: one based on each of the game versions, and one for Mega Evolution. Obviously, the latter was for all Pokémon caught through Mega Raids of any kind, as well as the Lucario caught from the Go Pass by the prelude Road to Kalos event earlier in the week. The "box Legendaries" get the backgrounds of their respective versions, and all others from raids can have either version background. Like in the prelude event, the stress is on "can", as Trainers may have had to put in effort to get any or all of these Pokémon with the respective special backgrounds.

Then, other bonuses involved Eggs with powerhouse species (2 km), Flabébé of any and all colors (5 km), and regional species (10 km), along with half hatch distance; CP boost for Mega Evolution; six Special Trades and halved Stardust costs for them; more Routes with Mateo and Zygarde Cells; and increased Shiny chances for a bevy of featured species, plus increased Shiny encounter chances in general (and an Eon photo bomb surprise each day) for those who bought tickets. After the main event hours, Hoopa brought back other Legendary Pokémon from earlier in the week (in the prelude event) for a massive "Raid Night" conclusion.

For my experience, I spent Saturday with the local Trainers (actually, not just myself - more on this soon) and Sunday with faraway Trainers (also looking for Special Trades with a few Lucky Friends among them). I got through the raids in order with sizable Mega Energy for the ones that were featured, and I got the most important ones with special backgrounds. Along with some extra Shiny Pokémon, it seems I had a mostly good turnout for all of its offerings.

Given all that happened over the course of the two days of the event, they can be construed to show that Kalos is a big (Mega) region for all the features that it has, even now as reflected in Pokémon Go from the features now included from the main series games, both the regular ones and the latest Legends alternate. The traces of those features and now this Go Tour event will likely remain to accompany the game in big ways.

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Tour: Hoenn
Four years ago: Pokémon Go Tour: Johto
Seven years ago: Winds of Changing Teams
Eight years ago: Pikachu Cable Holder
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Sunday, March 1, 2026

The Season of Memories in Motion

Like in many end-of-season posts, I actually had included a preview of the next one to come, specifically in its closing. With regard to that, the key parts of the preview were the words of "remember" and "progress", which corresponds to the season's title of "Memories in Motion". The title suggests a dynamic season as well as a commemorative one, both points of which I'll get to shortly, and even its seasonal image is composed of mostly blue elements... like the sea where the blue water is constantly in motion with the waves.

Now, this year marks the 30th anniversary of Pokémon (which I've already highlighted), and it also marks the 10th anniversary of the game itself (which I'll highlight later on). Thus, the commemorative aspect still becomes rather evident, with the new season being positioned right after the former. As for the dynamic aspect, a bit of a radical restructuring is about to go on in this season, and there's as much regularity as there is change in it. The commemoration and dynamicity are to be revealed and highlighted as all things progress.

Prior seasons have also been analyzed for their relevance beyond Pokémon Go, and this one will be no different. Per the above, commemoration and dynamicity will be the things to look for in all kinds of Pokémon happenings, especially given the anniversary year. In fact, given what was divulged at Pokémon Presents, which I've still got to get to, this anniversary year might just also present a "commotion" as something beyond just regular "motion", being the obvious dynamic of this season. It even might continue into the next year.

"Commotion" might also represent the happenings outside of Pokémon, which only have a minor bearing but could still affect in major ways if the happenings are big enough, like what happened some years ago. For the present, it seems a certain dynamic is unfolding by itself - and has done so just recently - and if that dynamic continues, it too might be an influencing factor for this season and beyond. But that may be something to ignore for the most part at present, and the winds of change might still be localized to Pokémon (Go).

Based on all of the factors above, both internal and external to Pokémon Go as the relevant realm, this season might be construed as one of the most dynamic yet for Pokémon Go. In addition, as part of the greater Pokémon anniversary, there is surely going to be quite a bit of movement on that front within and outside of Pokémon Go. As for the "memories", all things from the past and present are to be remembered for Pokémon (Go), and it'll be fascinating to see how all of them pass the time of this season and beyond.

Three years ago: The Season of Rising Heroes
Four years ago: The Season of Alola
Five years ago: The Season of Legends
Seven years ago: In Living Galar
Nine years ago: Posters
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Saturday, February 28, 2026

The Peak of Precious Paths

Then, as with many of the past years (see below), it's time to send off the Pokémon Go season with the post on the season's end. Actually, the end of this season won't be for another couple of days, but also as usual, I'm covering the season's end on this day just like in previous years to keep that in line. So, the season was dubbed as "Precious Paths", and as I noted at its beginning, it has a bit of a celebratory quality to it, and that became evident in all of its happenings for not only Pokémon Go but also beyond. 

Pokémon Go brought the celebrations in full force from the expected ones in the first and last months of the season, as well as some wild ones in the middle of that. The real celebration, though, has to be Pokémon Go Tour that straddles the anniversary of Pokémon itself (and is actually proceeding today and tomorrow - more details very, very soon). They're all very great moments, and they're all meandering all over the place, so the "Precious Paths" become evident through the happenings.

In other areas of Pokémon, the paths may not have been evident, but their meandering - as with Unite's new licenses and TCGP's new packs - obviously headed to the same anniversary, and that's still something to behold. That also means that every fan, no matter what their game or dealing for Pokémon, expects the anniversary as much as any other of their kind - it's their most "precious path", in a way. The regularity involved with them may or may not have suggested precious things, but what was gained from them may have.

At any rate, for both of them, the most "precious path" would be the development of Pokémon from its other beginnings and the contributions that have shaped that and in turn these specific forms. After 30 years of that development, just about anything from that path can then be considered "precious" even though today's path is actually a branching of multiple paths from the main path. The games above then present the best parts of these paths, conjoining them into their own "precious path" as above.

Now that the paths presented as things in Pokémon Go are at their ultimate point, the things to be taken from them are the things that fans can stand to remember for the better. Certainly, because of the subtitle of the game, the remembered things can progress on their own paths and make new ones that fans will further remember. For that, the same can be regarded as being true for Pokémon itself as three decades have passed and it continues its development for many, many more years to come.

Three years ago: The Peak of Mythical Wishes
Four years ago: The Peak of Heritage
Five years ago: The Peak of Celebrations
Seven years ago: The Birthday of a Hero
Eight years ago: Cosplay Poses
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Friday, February 27, 2026

Six by Five: Pokémon Day 2026 - 30th Anniversary

I say "long in the tooth" from one (personal) anniversary to another, because indeed today is Pokémon Day, and indeed it is its 30th anniversary. I've subtitled it personally as "six by five" since my yearly theme this year has a six in it, and last year's had a five, and six times (by) five makes the number you see (ahem). That's a long stretch of time, and the franchise certainly stretches longer than that, so this year's anniversary is quite special - and as mentioned last year (see below), it falls on a round number, which augments that very much.

Also as I've mentioned last year, by tradition, the number of years for this year's anniversary is considered as the "pearl" anniversary. Pearls, like the regular kind and "Big" kind, which are in-game items in the main series, are round and valuable, and in fact are attested as such in those games. For all the things that have happened with Pokémon so far, each one is a precious pearl (not to mention the main series game that bears the label) among the various segments of the franchise's fans. Strung together, they make for a wonderful piece of jewelry, and every fan will have their own version of this, including me. It's a good imagery for this year.

Closely associated with pearls is the word "wisdom". Taken together, they make an expression that refers to how some valuable sayings or advice are or can be encapsulated in little chunks of words. It may be considered that a lot of things from the Pokémon franchise carry their own weight of wisdom, and it is up to the fans to package them in whatever little chunks (pearls) they choose to have and (perhaps optionally) to string them up into a piece of jewelry they can be proud of. After 30 such years of those things, the "pearls" may end up in different sizes - or may not even be "pearls" at all - but at least they may all look pretty somehow.

Speaking of "pearls of wisdom", there are some of "those" in an edition of Pokémon Presents as is the norm for this very day in many past years. As a preview of what was highlighted in that edition before I discuss them more or less thoroughly, there are the requisite anniversary festivities in many current spinoff games, the next steps for competitive Pokémon battling (including the all-important World Championships later this year), the reminding preview of the content of the latest "main series alternate", and... something that's blowing in the _____ and riding on the _____, two fill-in-the-blanks to be filled with the later discussion.

Of the anniversaries that have occurred thus far, this one is obviously a significant one for all of its merits as above... at least philosophically. The realism of everyone's Pokémon experiences with the games, entertainment, merchandise, and everything in between is what tells the tales, stories, enjoyment, memories, and fun that are at the core of all of those things. Not everyone will get a chance at owning pieces of absolutely all of those things, but what they own might "multiply" the experiences in the same way that this year's anniversary number "multiplies".

Happy pearly and iridescent (and wise) 30th anniversary.

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Thursday, February 26, 2026

Fourteenth Cosplay Anniversary - Make the Old New Again

So, today as usual is my "cosplay anniversary", as the day I first started cosplaying formally. It certainly started with a Pokémon cosplay and that remains the bread-and-butter of my cosplay efforts even to this day. That's an ongoing effort, and it's also an old effort (especially given how long it has lasted, 14 years to this day), so that brings up an interesting point, in that a lot of my current efforts are also "old" efforts, whether it's bringing up an old character from the rich history of Pokémon or reworking an old cosplay, both of which apply to Ash as my most frequent character. Thus, I thought of discussing the "new" element that can apply to these.

Bringing up an old character in a way makes it still relevant for a cosplayer, and that would be true for me with Ash, who is no longer seen in the Pokémon anime but is still influential for me even now. I can see the same thing in other cosplayers who bring out other characters that are just as old or even older than Ash, yet they too are still relevant for them and even in this modern age. That becomes my vindication that I can still cosplay as Ash or any character from any point in Pokémon history, and that would still represent the relevance of Pokémon to me.

Then, the reworking of old cosplay represents my desire of giving them improvements so that the above process of maintaining relevance can still occur. Even if they're not completely new, at least the spirit is still new or renewed. It's a continuous process that is still occurring for as long I have the costumes, and it's also necessary in many ways in the case that certain "new developments" occur and may preclude any and all cases of my continued foray into cosplay.

What is also affirmed is that the process as mentioned is important, whether for the possibility of new costumes being made or just the renewal of old costumes. I have to keep this in mind, and perhaps others do too - both the cosplayers and the makers - so that they too can also include and experience the "new" spirits in some way.

Regardless, it is with Pokémon cosplay that I've attained many of these realizations, and on this anniversary, that seems important as I've become a long-in-the-tooth cosplayer and Pokémon itself is also "long in the tooth" for its existence.

New things are great, but giving "newness" to old things is also great in some ways, and that may be just as well for my (Pokémon) cosplay.

Happy fourteenth cosplay anniversary to me.

Nine years ago: Fifth Cosplay Anniversary
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Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 2/25/2026

The "precious path" of this so-called Pokémon Go season is almost at its grand finale. But before that can happen, it is necessary to roll up the game's events that took place in this month, being the final month of the season as well. With that in mind, this month's events themselves can be considered to be just as grand as that grand finale lying in wait, and that's saying just a little to start - with a lot more to follow in the rollup below.

In celebration of Carnival, a grand festival of its own right, Flamigo makes its debut in the aptly titled Carnival of Flamigo from February 3 to 8. It appeared in the wild, Collection Challenges, and rewards from Research, both Field and Timed (the latter also in the free and paid guises with item rewards); it also awarded extra Stardust when caught. Other pink, cutesy, and winged Pokémon - specifically Spritzee, Lotad, and Pikipek - became the complement to the event, also in the same channels, and had boosted Shiny chances. Incense of both kinds were also of double length to enhance the festivities, along with a Catch Mastery event featuring Oricorio  on February 7 (for whichever form is in one's region) involving throwing tasks and bonuses for accomplishing them. This Carnival was really "for the birds", in some ways.

After a year's absence, the Valentine's Day event returned from February 10 to 15 in its true form. Along with the return of being able to obtain the Heart Trim for Furfrou, this edition featured lovely couples and pink buddies, as Nidoran of both genders (with their crown-costumed evolved forms in raids) and Gardevoir and Gallade (also in raids along with their special move when caught or evolved into) along with baby species (in 7 km Eggs, of course) and Audino - many with certain Shiny boosts. A Global Challenge focused on sending Gifts also unlocked a Timed Research featuring Spinda with the heart pattern alongside capture (XP) and Gift (Rare Candy) bonuses. XP from catching and Stardust from Gifts were also increased. On the big day - February 14 - there was a Raid Day for Enamorus in its Therian Forme, and this was followed by a Battle Day for Gigantamax Meowth the next day (February 15). The return of the event was lovely as all the basics of its particulars.

Just as grand as love is (was), there was also the occasion of the Lunar New Year, bringing forth its event from February 17 to 21. This year is the year of the Fire Horse, so a special feature was made for Blitzle and Darumaka (with Shiny boosts) - though both Ponyta forms were still present. They and other reddish, fiery, and charming Pokémon were in the wild and Field Research rewards, and were part of a Collection Challenge. Gimmighoul through its means was also Shiny boosted, and some PokéStops could turn gold without the Golden Lure Module. Lucky Pokémon and Lucky Friends were also boosted, and the extra paid Timed Research had charming rewards, all for this charming and festive celebration.

Closing up the month is a grand run-up to the Global edition of Pokémon Go Tour with the Road to Kalos event from February 23 to 27. This event features "daily specials" of Pikachu with Trainer caps from each prior region (some newly appearing, others returning from past Go Tour editions), caught from Incense, raids, and Timed Research; daily Legendary raids with special moves, and new special backgrounds from raids and returning ones for Unova from last year's Go Tour; and daily wild appearances (including first partners) and Field Research tasks. All this is wrapped up with 2 km Eggs containing powerhouse Pokémon and halved hatch distance, Frustration removal by Charged TM, increased daily remote raid limits for the entire event, and a special Go Pass that also serves the Global edition of Pokémon Go Tour with grand rewards and bonuses, free and paid, for the grand finale weekend to come soon.

Even as the "Precious Paths" come to an end, some grand things and celebrations still manage to accompany those paths. Yet that also fits into the grand scheme of what "precious" might mean to many Trainers still playing this game, and those paths along with their conclusions have been laid out for all of them to traverse, enjoy, and truly complete at this season's end.

Seven years ago: Meeting of the Minds
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Tuesday, February 24, 2026

(Really) Stuck on You

Stuck on you
I've got this feeling down deep in my soul
That I just can't lose
Guess I'm on my way
Needed a friend
And the way I feel now
I guess I'll be with you 'til the end
Guess I'm on my way
Mighty glad you stayed
-- "Stuck on You", Lionel Richie

After the matter on "you" in the previous post, I thought I'd run with the theme and present a song that also relates to Pokémon experiences with relation to that theme. Its anniversary is also coming up quickly, so there has to be something related to that, and this song also fits the bill. It's also similar in some ways to a certain song that I brought up a few years prior at around this time, which makes it even more appropriate.

This pop (and slightly country) song, which is by a well-known singer of old times, is about a certain attraction that a person just can't let go of - likely a romantic one in the vein of similar songs. Other themes involved in and for the attraction, as expressed in the song, are relations, yearning, and thankfulness, especially if that attraction has been in progress for quite some time. The hope is that the attraction can last in the times ahead.

Of course, for Pokémon fans, the attraction would be for Pokémon itself - thus, being "stuck on Pokémon". That's how it may have been from the beginning, whether from the start of a fan's attraction or from the start of the existence of Pokémon itself. It's especially significant for the occasion of this anniversary, which is pretty long, so this song might be of significance to those certain fans - and especially me, who has also been in it for a long time.

For the people embedded within Pokémon itself - that is, whose popular moniker is Trainers - they might just be stuck on the individual species that they train, befriend, associate with, and so on and so forth. The sentiments in the song apply very well in this regard (in some cases [ahem] also romantically, as the actual suggestion of the song), and the attachment becomes quite evident for those who bear the specific moniker as above.

It's been a real long time for Pokémon and all of its fans everywhere, and their attachment to the franchise has to be evident and true at this point. The "you" song as quoted above could be construed as a reflection of their sentiments, moreover as the character(s) they identify with and the eponymous species they are linked to. With that, every fan of Pokémon is "on their way" and should be glad that it has stayed all this time.

Three years ago: The Hoenn Cup of GBL
Four years ago: The Johto Cup of GBL
Seven years ago: Don't Forget Our Roots
Nine years ago: Memories of Johto
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Monday, February 23, 2026

It's All About You

Regular readers might notice - aside from the recent pacing of posts - that apart from those made in "conversation" style and/or with special addressing, I've seemingly shied away from usage of the word "you" to refer to other Pokémon fans, players, and/or any other relevant parties. Yet it's such a vital way of referring to others not only textually but also personally. To that end, I've decided to take a post to regroup my thoughts on the matter while also still including the necessary Pokémon references for support.

The "seemingly" part may be due to my attempts of shifting tones on posts to try to discuss the matters in them in a more authoritative (in a way, formal) manner, even if the matters are more liberal (again in a way, casual). Pokémon matters are expected to be more of the latter than the former, so it might be unusual or even a little nonsensical to try to make things out as the former if it's not completely necessary to do so. The bottom line is that there is room for interpretation in either direction regarding the discussion of Pokémon matters.

What may be just as important is to consider the feelings and relevance toward the parties I might potentially refer with the word "you", which might involve any or all of the ones whom I had already mentioned above. In that regard, something like the aspects of Pokémon Go that occasionally causes trouble for some of you (ahem) players out there or the merchandise items that you (ahem) collectors obtain might provide an opportunity for sentimental connections to be made by inciting the reference with the word.

Given the above considerations, there might still be room for the usage of "you" in various non-conversation and non-special discussions on the posts of this blog, even if I might still shy away from its usage from time to time. In order to try to reach out to others in a more relaxed manner, the usage of the word - perhaps in the ways that I have put forth as above - might be necessary. Pokémon remains something that is personal to many people (including yours truly), and that personal connection may be needed for you and me - us. 

So, as the final word: you (Pokémon fans, fellows, friends, or whoever) are awesome, and you are you - and Pokémon makes all of us who we are.

One year ago: Cosplay: Utsuru 9.5
Two years ago: AFA ID Returns
Four years ago: Good Builds for Unite?
Seven years ago: Let's Go Take Pictures
Eight years ago: Community Days!
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Sunday, February 22, 2026

Passion vs. Hobby

Around a couple of years ago, I wrote a post that discussed "hobby" and "responsibility" in contrast to each other while keeping it relevant to Pokémon. The discussion was based on the views of a certain person that I also had heard at around that time. Now, I'd like to go off on a tangent and add another dimension to that, which would be "passion". This too is based on a something (specifically, a talk) that I was exposed to fairly recently, and that made me think of the earlier relation as well as how to make sense of it with Pokémon.

Like in the previous discussion, some definitions are in order. According to the talk, a "hobby" is something that one does for fun, which is also likely the only outcome, while a "passion" is something that one does regardless of whether it is fun or not so fun. Thus, "responsibility" as discussed earlier would fit right in with the latter, although as stated, it could be construed more accurately as a dimension. And then, of course, there is the matter of fitting in Pokémon and what its fans do with it into this state of affairs.

It is a given that many Pokémon fans are in it for the fun, and when the not-so-fun matters come up, they are likely to pull out or disengage. For them, Pokémon would indeed be a "hobby" since only the fun matters are relevant. Yet it cannot be denied that some people are into Pokémon with all its ups and downs - whether they are responsible for those matters or not - and for them, Pokémon is a "passion", since they are in it for enjoying the fun aspects and navigating ("weathering") the less fun aspects.

Then there are me and my Pokémon dealings, and this blog as a subset of the latter. A lot of Pokémon has been fun for me (playing, watching, interacting), but then there have been the struggles ("grinding" the games, showing off with cosplay, and - as of late - even writing posts on this blog). With that, Pokémon is a "passion" for me since I deal with the fun aspects and not-so-fun aspects amidst everything else that I do. Whether they are or aren't my responsibilities, the "passion" has to be evident.

"Hobbies", "responsibilities", and "passions" will always be relevant for many things or realms, if the talks that mention them are of any indication. The same would be true for Pokémon, where all of them can be applied in different ways. Evidently, when "fun" is involved in some way - which is something that is rather expected for Pokémon - the dimension of "passion" against "hobby" becomes very much relevant in that case. Every fan, including me, can make their own considerations (including "responsibility") for what applies.

Eight years ago: Trainer Caps, and a Teaser
Nine years ago: Back in the Park
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Saturday, February 21, 2026

Playing the TCG with Only Dice

Still on the subject of physical TCG equipment, having mentioned dice as one of the possible kinds of supplementary equipment in the previous discussion, I thought I should discuss it further. A radical proposition (by one consideration, at least) regarding this kind of equipment is that it's possible to play through entire games or matches of the TCG using only dice as the supplementary equipment. How that may be possible becomes something that can be (and in fact should be) discussed, and that becomes the point of this post.

Recall that I had mentioned a few aspects of this when I started with the local TCG such a long time ago, and those aspects are still relevant. Usage of a die to call for odds or evens in lieu of the heads and tails from flipping a coin obviously allows the former to stand in for the latter, and it can then be considered a way to obviate or supplant the use of coins. In fact, I've also seen a Pokémon-themed die with Pikachu on it that can indeed serve this purpose very well. In this way, a distinct supplementary equipment is rendered unnecessary.

Dice obviously have values on them, so they can stand in for damage counters as well, but quite (more than) a few may be needed for Pokémon that have over 240 HP (which can be represented with four regular dice showing sixes). As a "supplement" to this supplement, it may be possible to borrow the "doubling cube" from backgammon to represent greater damage in a more succinct manner. Yet for those who possess a large number of regular dice, this probably won't matter much, and the fact remains that the substitution is possible.

Then there are other markers that don't seem like they could be substituted with dice yet in fact seems quite possible. An ability that has been used could be marked with a die showing a six horizontally. Certain statuses could be indicated with dice showing certain values (or even a one for simplicity, if not many of them are in actual play) with the dice being placed on the Pokémon slightly turned to resemble a diamond. The system can totally work out and therefore make usage of only dice rather attractive. 

With the above points, it seems very much possible that a player in a TCG match could use a set of dice for their entire set of supplementary equipment - aside from the ones that affect the cards themselves - and be able to use them to represent just about everything that goes on in that match. By that account, it seems to be not such a radical proposition after all (except maybe considering the perceptions of dice themselves as game equipment), and at least in some cases, usage of only dice in TCG might just work out, and very well in fact.

One year ago: How to Say "Farewell"
Six years ago: Hobby as a Partner
Eight years ago: Quirky Raids
Nine years ago: Secret Garden
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Friday, February 20, 2026

Custom Equipment for the Physical TCG

Today is a Friday, and this is one of the days when my Pokémon TCG fellows gather for a weekly tournament. I can't be there for certain reasons, so instead, I thought about discussing something related to that. Now, besides the cards themselves, it is known that some supplementary equipment is needed in order to assist and keep track of what's going on during play. In fact, some of the equipment can be custom-made for that purpose, and that's what I want to discuss in this post for all their value. 

If starter kits for playing the game serve as guides, the basic supplementary equipment is composed of coins, status indicators, and damage counters. The last and the first of these are certainly the most frequently used among the three, so they will be needed in some form. Custom coins and damage counters could then stand to be made, and the latter doesn't even have to be in the form of "counters", as in specific numbers; they could be in dice form, something that can be discussed separately due to the broad scope.

As for status indicators, many decks don't have Pokémon that can inflict statuses, so many players can actually get by with or without the indicators. Having them - ones that are custom-made, certainly - would then be more for posterity and completeness. Yet it should be noted that some cards have abilities that can only be used once (implied or not), so a custom "ability used" indicator is actually useful for this purpose - and in fact, some of my fellows do have such indicators, affirming their usage potential.

Card sleeves are in some ways an unspoken necessity for this and other TCG realms, and they can be custom-made as well, as some players can attest. They can be as simple (or not) as an insert for some sleeves, or they can be the sleeves themselves, the latter of which is definitely convenient. Either one will certainly demand some effort in their creation, but custom ones can surely even be had, especially with regard to Pokémon. They're perhaps the equipment that reflects the custom nature the most.

Yet with all this custom talk, it should be noted that when official tournaments are the destination, the custom equipment may not fly for them. Players may be asked to keep their equipment either official (from the sets themselves or from, say, Pokémon Center) or generic (as in clear card sleeves or plain dice or markers). Therefore, usage of the custom equipment may only be reserved for tournaments that are less official in nature or just for casual play. It's still fine to have the custom equipment in these other cases.

Regardless of that last fact, the realm of equipment for Pokémon TCG is a broad one, and in that broadness, there is also the presence of custom equipment. Their purpose in assisting play and keeping track of things that go on in it remains something that cannot be denied, even if their scope may be kept in check. For my TCG fellows as well as any other TCG player out there, the equipment remains necessary for good play, and the choice of having that custom-made may still be a good one.

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto
Six years ago: Living with My Buddy
Seven years ago: Poké-Tourism
Eight years ago: Pokémon "Cover Songs"
Nine years ago: Venice and Alto Mare
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Thursday, February 19, 2026

Item Earnings and Limits in Pokémon Go

The topic I'm about discuss in this post seems obvious enough - which is probably why it seems to have eluded discussion for some time - but it has quite a few finer points that in many respects do need to be discussed, so there's no better time than now. As many players (Trainers) in Pokémon Go can attest, they can and do need to earn items in the game in order to succeed. Yet in doing so, they also have to work with and around some limits in doing so, notably their own item bag limits. The discussion revolves around both points and how they can take advantage of them in various circumstances.

Most commonly, every Trainer knows of spinning PokéStops to get items to fill and overfill their item bag. However, what they may not know is that they can still spin PokéStops when their item bag is filled to its exact capacity, and if they haven't claimed a free raid pass - that comes one at a time - they can spin the Gym photo to earn items and the free raid pass, regardless of whether their bag is filled or overfilled. This last bit is incredibly useful as it still counts as a PokéStop spin and can be taken advantage of while a Trainer still has an overfilled item bag, for example after leveling up and getting items that way.

Gifts from other Trainers are a certain source of items, and they'll certainly fill and overfill item bags as well. Opening a Gift to get items when the item bag is filled to its exact capacity is also possible, but opening Gifts after that point will only award Stardust as has been the case since a few years ago, or if consent hasn't been made for that to occur, just a simple "item bag full" warning. This is certainly one case where Trainers really have to work with their item limits to ensure what and how many items they can obtain.

Certainly, there are the game shops as sources of items. Bonus items such as those from the Reward Road and purchase of some ticket/event packages can be earned regardless of item bag content, but actual packages (boxes) of items - especially those with very many items in them - including the Daily Free Box will require sufficient item bag space to obtain them, and a warning to make space for them (if not already implied by a "bag full" warning) will be given otherwise. It's something to consider when planning the purchase.

What remains quite evident is that items are necessary to be obtained in Pokémon Go in any way possible to make things progress. Some limits - as the item bag limit primarily - may affect how Trainers can obtain items in all kinds of situations, but it can be seen that there are still ways to work with and around them to obtain the necessary items. After that, it's just a matter of using the items for the best of successes.

Nine years ago: Let's Get Ready to Rumble
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Wednesday, February 18, 2026

The Use (or Non-Use) of Rental Decks in TCGP

On the side of actual TCG gameplay, the implementation of TCGP has a unique aspect, in that one can choose to play (in single-player modes) with what are called "rental decks", which are obtained by collecting certain cards that become the "highlight" of each deck. The cards of the rental decks are watermarked with a deck symbol to indicate them as such. The feature and the respective decks are fascinating, but one might also wonder if and when they should be used. For that, it seems important to try and flesh out the conditions for that.

It is just as important to note that each rental deck has a limit of 10 uses in battle before they disappear... unless one has also collected the respective deck list that allows the exact same deck to be built and duplicated (and then perhaps modified) with cards that one has collected. As such, any consideration of usage will have to involve these 10 uses, and it is likely that any player will want to make use of at least some of them. Of course, the circumstances of the usage are likely to be as different as the decks themselves.

Some decks, even pre-composed ones, are known to have different pacing (and so do their cards), and this is an oft-cited aspect by many players. Therefore, having a rental deck available before even all the cards for them are collected can allow players to get a "feel" for that deck and its respective cards. Certainly, this would be an ideal way to utilize the limited uses as above, so that players don't need to build the deck in actuality if they don't have to. Beyond that, deck modification then becomes the way to adjust the "feel".

As for using them beyond getting a "feel", they can be used to clear deck missions at levels lower than Expert, and that is perhaps the best use of them outside of getting a "feel". They'll have to be cleared anyway in order to get to more of them and more difficult ones, which will likely necessitate decks beyond rental ones. Still, some players might just advocate making decks anyway for this purpose, and that's fine and great, but there is also no harm in fulfilling the ultimate purposes of rental decks for starting things off.

The inclusion of rental decks as a feature in TCGP is still appreciable as a way to get novice and advanced players rolling with the variety of cards in this TCG implementation, which are not necessarily on par with their regular counterparts. As a result, it's still important to understand the use of the cards and the decks they are placed in, so the rental deck feature helps in that effort. All the usage scenarios explained above can surely be considered (or not) as players continue to accumulate cards in the game and eventually have decks of their own.

Six years ago: To Lure or to Walk?
Seven years ago: Romancing the Ball
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Tuesday, February 17, 2026

TCGP: Furthering (with) the Fantastical Parade

The current series of cards in TCGP has been on a roll with their inclusion of Mega Evolution, which I had likened to a "parade" with the same being included in other realms of Pokémon gaming. Recently, that trend seems to be set to continue with a new expansion that has just been added to the game, and its title is literally just that: "Fantastical Parade" is the name of the new expansion, and like a real parade, it has quite a few things going on.

Its pack image is Mega Gardevoir, which makes it clear that the Pokémon becomes the leader of the parade. Another notable member of the parade is Ogerpon, and all of its four mask variants. The rest of the parade comprises Pokémon species from various generations, including different first partner families for each type (Chespin, Scorbunny, and Mudkip) that are as primed for battle as the leader(s) of this pack's parade.

Also of notability is that the expansion introduces the first implementations of Stadium cards in TCGP. There are three of these in the expansion, and they work the same way in TCGP as they do in physical TCG and TCGL: one plays them on the side to introduce certain effects, and the other player can override them with another Stadium card. With it, TCGP becomes even closer in parity to the classical TCG implementation.

For the card composition, there are 155 cards in the numbered section and 79 cards in the overnumbered section, thus totaling 234 cards. It's a pretty good-sized expansion with numerous cards, even if many players may or may not care about most of them - except of course the highlight cards (including the Stadium cards) as mentioned above and whatever cards they will need from this one to make workable decks.

Much evidently still goes on in TCGP, and this latest expansion adds to the many goings-on within the game, with another element of a resurging aspect and one that makes things even more familiar to Pokémon TCG players in general. It is a "parade" by one stretch of that word, and players can certainly opt to enjoy that as much as possible - in this case for even more of the cards that interest their plays, as the TCGP expansion parade itself goes on.

One year ago: Economy of Expression
Five years ago: Gym Takedown Habits
Six years ago: Delayed Costumes
Nine years ago: The Park Is Open
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Monday, February 16, 2026

Go Tour: It's a-Mega Time

OK, this is getting a bit late to write this up, but it's got to be done anyway before the thing associated with it. I'm talking, of course, about this year's edition Pokémon Go Tour, for which the current post serves as a preview of the happenings to come very soon. Now, this season is called "Precious Paths", as detailed months ago, and the occasion of this year's Go Tour seems apt to continue "precious paths" in more ways than one. That along with a few more of the particulars for this year's edition deserve to be explained.

The featured region for this year, following the above, is certainly Kalos, as the region where Mega Evolution was first discovered. True to that, the focus of this year's edition is partly on these big forms in raids. They'll also herald the arrival in Pokémon Go of the first of the "second batch" forms introduced in Legends: Z-A, these being for Victreebel and Malamar. There is also the usual feature of Shiny forms of species from this region, including the debuts for some of them through the usual featuring aspects.

Like past years, there is a "Live" edition of the event scheduled for this weekend, staying put in Taiwan (this time in Tainan) and Los Angeles for Trainers in either hemisphere - and with convenient access - to enjoy. The usual paid features of the "Live" event will return, with one addition: a special nighttime event called "Mega Night", obviously focusing on these big forms and the related Pokémon. It's a two-hour soiree for participants in both places that will be as festive as it will be a big deal with the forms of concern.

Meanwhile, the Global edition, also a usual thing, is scheduled for the following weekend on February 28 and March 1. Yet also as with last year, the rest of the Trainers who didn't get the "early access" for the new things introduced through the "Live" editions will get them when they participate in this edition. They'll still have to divide up the efforts over the two days of the event, but the core of it will still be free - it's the add-ons that will cost a bit more, but they may have at least some bearing on the big festivities.

If the big thing for the region of Kalos is Mega Evolution and its myriads of forms that are and have always been associated in the main series games and their Legends adjunct, then its featuring in any way will invariably involve these big things coming to the limelight. Such is true of this year's edition of Pokémon Go Tour, which becomes a "Mega time" for that big reason and arguably becomes the most "precious" of the "paths" that Trainers tread upon this season. It may just be the surest path for big evolutions.

Seven years ago: Romancing the Ball
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Sunday, February 15, 2026

The Many Games at Once Situation

A very long time ago, I had discussed about playing multiple Pokémon games, particularly for the specific case of playing two of them at the same time. I had also included a blurb about the possible case of playing more than two - in other words, many - but it was more of an afterthought rather than a consideration. Now, in revisiting the topic, I have to bring up the consideration for an actual discussion, especially with the inclusion of a situation that reflects the consideration, and rather (disturbingly) well at that.

The situation is that in a video that made the rounds on social media some time ago, a girl was shown to be playing several Pokémon games at once, albeit on different screens. The games included a main series game and Pokémon Unite on two separate big screens and a few other games on smaller screens - Pokémon Go definitely being one of them. The girl was shown to be juggling the plays of the games like a madman (or a "madwoman", rather), and all this took place within the short span of the video clip; however, it is also implied that the actions take place for a longer time and regularly by its premise.

For that, the premise is that the girl is only given an hour each day to play through anything and everything she wants to play... and evidently by the video clip, she wants to play through all kinds of Pokémon games. So, the only option became the setup as seen in the video and the process of going through or juggling through all the games at once and then trying to make progress through each one of them in that manner. In considering the premise as something that is true, it may be that something is restrictive for the purpose of making the achievement happen, even though it is laudable in a way.

Personally, I wouldn't go to the same lengths as the girl in the video, although it is certainly tempting to set up something that is similar to that and play through all Pokémon games that one wishes to play in such a manner. There are, of course, many prompts for this, like the daily actions that many Pokémon games now have and the associated progresses that need to be made for them, so for someone (perhaps I myself) to create the setup for, say, three games at once may be something that could work out somehow.

It is a fact of the present life that Pokémon games are numerous, and the available hours of the day aren't, even if the latter remains the same as they have ever been. Either or both of these can totally be a prompt to play as many of them as possible within one time, just like what the girl did as shown in the video. For the most diehard of Pokémon fans (like me), playing many games at once may just be a consideration for the present, and very much so for all the possible plays that Pokémon now offers.

Five years ago: GBL Progression, Revisited
Six years ago: Words of the Heart
Eight years ago: A Break in the Action
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Saturday, February 14, 2026

Valentine's Day 2026: Creature Comforts

Another year, and Valentine's Day comes by almost imperceptibly. Of course, for those who really feel (perceive) it, this day is all about the best of things for the best of people... and of course Pokémon as the core subject of this blog and those who feel a connection to it. For this year's occasion, then, I'd like to bring up the feeling of "comfort", for which some say it could be tied to certain beings or creatures - and thus the phrase mentioned in the title. It also becomes relevant to Pokémon, given the "creature" aspect.

For the phrase, many fans of Pokémon will no doubt feel comfort with their favorite creatures beside them in both action (through the games and such) and inaction (by just being there, like with merchandise). That may have some romantic overtones in some cases, given the penchants of some fans and especially for this particular day, but otherwise the pleasurable aspect may be the only thing that is apparent, and that seems fine for them.

Then there is the aspect of creatures seeking comfort with one another. Some Pokémon species are evidently related to others, and aside from the potential conflicts that may arise, it is possible that at least some harmony can also manifest by their presence in togetherness. That's something ideal to see on any given day, but even more so for this particular day.

If there is any suggestion from both cases above, it is that comfort is important for both creatures and people. In that case, the feeling is one that may just manifest in all the right ways when the Pokémon and the people allow that to come to be.

On this day and even with the state of the (Pokémon) world, there is no time - better and/or more at that - to seek comfort and rightfully so for people and Pokémon alike.

Happy Valentine's Day, and may fans (and creatures) find some comfort wherever they are.

Nine years ago: It's Valentine's Day!
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Friday, February 13, 2026

Simple Pokémon Things

A lot of things in today's world are complex, including some for Pokémon. Much can also be discussed about them, but that's not the point of this post. Instead, the point of it is to discuss the things that are much simpler than those things, which I'm sure that many fans like me can and will be able to appreciate in addition to those complex things. They also span the gamut of the franchise since it itself does span a gamut of things, not to mention the complexity.

In the games, being able to have all the Pokémon that one can get and then enhancing them comfortably could be considered the simplest thing for any player, regardless of effort and possibly the associated funds that go into them. Further enhancement is more of a complex matter, but to have and enhance comfortably is at the least a precursor to that, so the simplicity of this situation is to be appreciated for the first step to more complicated dealings.

Meanwhile, in the realm of merchandise, being able to have whatever merchandise one can get and fits whatever one's situations may be is conceivably not all that complex; it's when they start incrementing that it might approach the complicated territory. Even with many or few of the items, it might not be that hard to place them wherever they're suitable, and with that, the enjoyment may come as simple as obtaining the merchandise items in the first place.

For Pokémon entertainment, having access to them wherever one may be and enjoying whatever that appears - like certain episodes of the anime, or music pieces related to this or anything else about Pokémon - might just be simple enough in a lot of cases. The few cases that aren't simple may provide a conundrum, but once the access is assured, then the simplicity of enjoyment remains for whatever form of Pokémon entertainment is at hand.

Perhaps the simplest takeaway from all of these simple things is that Pokémon enjoyment can be simple in all its kinds of ways, and putting in a bit of effort might add to that simplicity - hopefully before things get too complicated. Again, that's a matter that is better reserved for a different time and place, but any current time and place can and should deserve all the simple Pokémon things above for those who seek enjoyment from them in simple ways as well.

Five years ago: The Love Cup of GBL
Six years ago: What to Nominate
Seven years ago: Cryptic Pokémon
Eight years ago: Two Games at Once?
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Thursday, February 12, 2026

"What's Your Favorite?"

This year's Pokémon anniversary is coming up fast, so this is a good time as any to deal with its particulars. One of them is a recently launched campaign that deals with the species that fans like and enjoy, which would of course be their favorites; accordingly, the campaign is called "What's Your Favorite" to reflect the breadth of possibilities for all kinds of Pokémon fans. It also has a few niceties all around, so it deserves a discussion for all the things that it offers and how they're relevant to fans and the upcoming anniversary.

Kicking off the campaign was a promotional video and essentially an advertisement, as it was shown during the prime spectacle of American football that is the Super Bowl - a rarity for Pokémon itself. The video is star-studded with all kinds of celebrities showing off their favorite Pokémon species, including Lady Gaga, Charles Leclerc, and Tyler Norton. After the occasion, the video became available to be viewed through social media for fans around the world to enjoy and delight along with their favorite celebrity of choice.

Another way that fans can enjoy the campaign is through participating in it, by using Pokémon Go. The game now has a function that allows a Trainer to take snapshots with whatever their favorite Pokémon may be and to add a tag for that purpose. Doing so also awards bonuses through a Special Research set, which can be claimed after perusing the function... which can only happen for those whose devices support AR+, so those who don't have such devices may not necessarily be able to make their contributions for this.

Outside of Pokémon Go, Pokémon Center is gearing up for the campaign by allowing online store users to have avatars of their favorite Pokémon, and the store itself is also promoting merchandise related to the favorites. For example, Lady Gaga's chosen favorite Pokémon is Jigglypuff, so all kinds of Jigglypuff merchandise are being promoted through the online newsletter edition that features her and her favorite. Of course, fans can and will surely shop for goodies that feature whatever their favorites may be.

Everyone and anyone who likes Pokémon will surely have their favorite Pokémon, especially so for as long as Pokémon has been around, with this year being a bit of a significant number of years for that concern. With that in mind, the concept of promoting fan favorites - particularly major fans among the very well-known of people - becomes very much relevant for the occasion of this anniversary (if not for any Pokémon anniversary in general), and fans will be able to fashion that relevance in any way they like.

Six years ago: Pokémon as a Study Aid
Seven years ago: A Pikachu Pillow Keychain
Eight years ago: Anywhere Is
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Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Quickies: Spirits of Setting Out

Something that may be inherent for many people involved with Pokémon is a spirit that incites or at the least inspires them for "setting out" or also "departure". Such a spirit may involve certain starting points or even midpoints like the "crossroads" that I incidentally also discussed last year on this day (see below). Even more than that, the idea can and would apply to the different people involved with it in different ways, which means different "spirits" as well. I thought I'd take a post to discuss and determine how that could be true for them. 

The different people would be the players (real people) and characters (imagined people) for whom the eponymous species relate. And for many of them, they'd also relate to the spirit of "setting out" likely involves actual movement from place to place, changing environments and certainly the Pokémon in them. It's a spirit that is constantly in flux, but for many of them, they wouldn't have it any other way, for it would be a realistic kind of "setting out". With Pokémon, that also means having many possibilities of their encounters.

Meanwhile, other people are certainly of the resident lot, and for them, their spirit of "setting out" may involve just the local places around them. Yet as anyone who lives with or around animals can attest, there's always something going on with them, so the "setting out" spirit involves facing the new challenges (or even some familiar ones) and continuing to deal with them. Thus, the Pokémon become the "animals" in this case, and the spirit can still apply, even for the most peculiar of ways - although the spirit itself is not as peculiar and just as strong.

Just the act of persisting in life takes a certain spirit of "setting out" to face all its dealings, and that may be even more so with a life that includes Pokémon. By moving from one place to another or letting time pass and doing something good with that time, a "departure" is achieved. It doesn't have to be a valiant one, and it would have to occur in all kinds of situations - perhaps by a certain suggestion - but "setting out" would still be on the order in some way. For fans of Pokémon, any of the forms it might take might just become the impetus for that.

One year ago: Pokémon Crossroads
Six years ago: To Eat and to Lure
Seven years ago: A Pidove Keychain
Eight years ago: Memories of Hoenn
Nine years ago: LINE Pokémon Stickers
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Tuesday, February 10, 2026

The 2026 Go Championship Series Cup of GBL

Having discussed about (my) PvP moments in Pokémon Go, I thought I'd follow it up with a direct discussion about PvP itself, specifically a new "cup" or format that is introduced in this season's dealings for Go Battle League - something I haven't done in a long time. The new "cup" or format, as its title implies, is also set to become the one for the Championship Series of this year. It's an intriguing format for a fascinating setup, so I thought I'd deal with it and put up a bit of a discussion and analysis for it.

Compared to past years' mostly open-ish Great League format, this one introduces a lot of restrictions. It's still modeled on the Great League (CP 1500 or less), but now there are allowed and not allowed types: Normal, Bug, Dragon, and Dark are the former, and Flying, Fighting, and Steel are the latter. Pokémon of Legendary and adjacent classes (Mythical and Ultra Beast) are also not allowed, as are Mega Evolution. Further, four species (Froslass, Milotic, Politoed, and Seaking) are allowed regardless, and nine species (Crustle, Morpeko, and Wigglytuff among others) are outright banned. Its details already suggest a radical format, which may be what the competition needs to vary things up.

Bug types seem rather dominant for this format... and in fact, Spidops tops the list, with Ariados not far behind. A lot of species of the Normal and Dragon types also round out the top 20 or so, along with Seaking and Milotic as the best of the other inclusions. The Dragon types seem to make for pretty good leads, while the Bug types make for safeguards, and the Normal types can finish the job with all their varieties alongside their moves. This gives an indication of what teams to build using them, though as always Trainers can bring in their own selections for a little "variety" and "surprise".

For example, I've used Vigoroth, Ariados, and Malamar, and I've had a degree of success with them; I even came close to finding "mirrors" of this team. Of course, there's still some failures here and there for other reasons, so it may be worth it to try other team combinations, especially with what was suggested above.

With this new "cup" or format, the restrictions might seem somehow limiting, but it also does seem to allow a lot of creative freedom with what's available. Given its use as a Championship Series format, it becomes somewhat of a test for all the Trainers just battling casually under the format, as well as those who are actually using it competitively. Its purpose of weeding out the best of the best is surely quite evident for all.

Six years ago: On (No) Coincidences
Seven years ago: Cosplay: Tresno no Matsuri
Nine years ago: Space
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Monday, February 9, 2026

My Best Moments in Pokémon Go PvP

I rarely discuss Pokémon Go PvP nowadays not because I'm rarely involved in its relevant dealings (although that is still somewhat the case now), but more because I just rarely expose what I'm doing in regard to this aspect. Yet I can still assure that I'm still somehow involved with it, and for that, I thought I'd discuss some matters related to the aspect. One of those matters is something that reflects my involvement throughout many of the years I've dealt with the aspect.

That matter is the moments I've had while dealing with it, and not just any of them - in fact, they're the best ones I've had. Admittedly, these moments may be considered few in number, but what few there are, they're pretty significant and their quality can be considered to outweigh their quantity. They're also pretty memorable, which is also part of the prompt for making this post.

A great moment would certainly being able to contribute to my team victories in Factions when I was involved with them for a time. To do that with a nearly flawless record and to bolster the resulting point total is still a great feeling, one that I may never be able to replicate again given my lack of connection with all things Factions nowadays. It is still apt to remember the moments. 

Meanwhile, a more common moment, even nowadays, is to be able to make it through a battle that I thought was going to lose and just barely eke out a victory. Of course, the opposite happens just as frequently and are less apt for me, but the ones that result in the narrowest of victories (like through a last-moment attack) are the excellent ones that deserve commemoration.

Of less common moments, I like it when I can win a battle using common Pokémon against a team of all Legendary/Mythical Pokémon, which has in fact happened a few times, in particular in Master League. It's a kind of validation that sometimes I don't need to have any or all Legendary Pokémon and I can work with what's (more commonly) available, and it makes for a triumphant moment. 

For other Trainers, their "best moments" will surely be different, but for me, the above "best moments" encapsulate my Pokémon Go PvP experience, which has been quite the ride even now. Whether I deal with it frequently or rarely, at least some of these moments may appear to make a great time.

Three years ago: Pokémon Consulting?
Six years ago: Coming Up Roses
Seven years ago: Cosplay: Eien no Kiseki
Eight years ago: Seeking Confirmation
Nine years ago: Time
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Sunday, February 8, 2026

Cosplay: Zettai Kizuna

Me: Back in the swing of things.

Ash: Oh, great! I was waiting for when you'd send me to something. 

Goh: But a break is always nice. 

Ash: Well, yeah - that too.

Goh: All right, so this is...

Me: A festival. A small one, but it's a festival. But it's a little bit far...

Ash: You're telling me! It was a bit outside your town.

Pikachu: Pi pika. ["More than a bit."]

Goh: Where was it? 

Ash: In a park I've never been to.

Me: Neither have I - so that's why I thought I'd send you there. 

Goh: So, um... the schedule - which you just gave me - doesn't look all that fancy. DJ and dance groups were all the entertainment. 

Ash: Yup, I saw them. Not too fancy for me and our friend.

Goh: So, it must have been the character parade for you.

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Well, of course!"]

Ash: Yeah! But... I didn't get anything. I even messed up a little.

Goh: Who were the other winners? 

Ash: Let's see... a yellow sword guy, a black armor guy, and a fighter guy were three of them.

Me: Sounds to me like we (and others) were just "entertainment" for them.

Ash: Yeah - I don't think even me being perfect in my Unova outfit would have helped.

Goh: Hmm, at least there was the park. Did you get to enjoy any of it?

Ash: It's a ~huge~ park, so I didn't go too far in it.

Pikachu: Chu~ pika! ["This~ big!"]

Ash: But I'll bet our friend would like to go in it on a normal day.

Me: Well, if the opportunity ever arises, then I'd certainly go there. It is, after all, somewhat far.

Goh: You'll make it a point somehow.

Me: Sure. In the end, today was just a "fun day" thing for us.

Ash: Even I went back early to you because of the distance.

Goh: Of course. That always matters somehow.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["What a way."]

Goh: Anything else our friend can tell us about this one?

Me: Well, the title means "absolute bond", so that might be a slight allusion to us.

Ash: Nice!

Me: And... this is likely the last one before a big rest period - though as with last year, there might be a couple parties and such.

Goh: Oh, OK. That means a big "break" for us. Also makes sense why you'd send Ash here.

Ash: Well, hey - great things all around. And I hope so for the "break" as well.

Me: You bet. It might just be an opportunity to "change up" the swing of things, in it and afterwards.

One year ago: Pokémon Food Memories
Six years ago: Memories and Mnemonics
Seven years ago: Pokémon Clocks
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