Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Am I a "Politoed in a Well"?

It's now the midpoint of my tenth year of Pokémon blogging, and there's been a lot of ups and downs in all that time - perhaps more so the latter than the former recently. For that, I thought about making a reflection of what has transpired and what may be in the future for me and this Pokémon blog, certainly with some Pokémon viewpoints or takes. The current opportunity for that prompts me consider that things may not seem as they are for me and the Pokémon things that I deal with or participate in.

The situation has to do with the expression I put forth in the title of this post. It's a Pokémon interpretation of an expression that relates to a certain kind of person whose worldview is limited. The person is likened to a creature that resides within a well - here a Politoed, a particularly relevant example - who only sees a tiny circle of the sky and deals with the water in the well like that seems to be its whole world. Of course, by reasoning, that is definitely untrue, and thus the creature (and by extension the person) is in a limited state.

Having started this blog many years after I've returned to the place where I currently reside and dealt again with Pokémon affairs in the place, it might seem that I've locked myself out of certain Pokémon views and opportunities beyond this realm. In that way, it seems I might be considered to have become the "Politoed", even with me trying to get at some of the things, particulars, and information that exist somewhere else for the purpose of the blog.

At any rate, the views and opportunities I carried with me from my previous place of residence - which would be the U.S. - had already expanded my worldview, including for Pokémon itself, preventing me from becoming the "Politoed" I would otherwise have been had I not been there. For the purpose of this blog, that then seems to work out sufficiently well, allowing me to cover all the Pokémon happenings that are fit for me and everyone else who may read.

So, it seems that I could consider myself a "Politoed" who does understand that there is a big and great (Pokémon) world out there - yet it's just that I seem to be hopping from "well" to "well" and potentially restricting my views based on whatever "well" I end up in. It's not quite in the spirit of the phrase, but it evokes certain similar ideals by the situation.

Everything in the big and great (Pokémon) world out there deserves to be understood and known, even for Politoed who lives in a well (or wells). The solution for that is or may be wholly another matter of discussion, but it's something that is also deserving of an understanding for me and other fans whose worlds may sometimes be restricted.

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Monday, June 29, 2026

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 6/29/2026

This Pokémon Go season is called "Forever Forward", and this would be its first month. That month is also coming to a close, so before that happens, I want and need to make the rollup of its events... plus a related one from the prior month and season. It would then be the first month of making new forward steps - if Pokémon Go and other (Pokémon) matters may be of any indication - and as such, getting on with it just becomes pertinent.

Now, the first couple events of this month and that related previous one are all related to (or more appropriately, accompany) the regional Go Fest events that occur on their weekends. They each featured a Team Leader and their costumed "mascot" Pokémon along with a Kanto first partner and "Eeveelution", plus a distinctly strong Pokémon and one of a regional form. Other Pokémon of characteristic types and related interests also joined in through Field Research encounters. Each of the related events also had a Go Pass of 60 ranks associated with them that contained interest-related bonuses as well as encounters with some of the Pokémon as described above, with it having no points limit during the Go Fest weekend. Evidently, as they all have a similar structure, summarizing them in this way makes things easier... or should.

Blanche was up first with her "Quest for Knowledge" from May 26 to June 1, accompanying the edition in Tokyo. Her "mascot" is a Lapras with a bandanna, and the accompanying species are Squirtle, Vaporeon, Larvitar, and Galarian Zigzagoon, along with others of the Water type. As it was oriented to "knowledge", the Field Research tasks involved the completion of those very tasks, with additional Candy and Incense bonuses furnished by the Go Pass. Certainly, that would reflect the cool and clear blue water that is so associated with the Team Leader.

Spark was next with his "Caretaking Quest" from June 2 to 8, accompanying the edition in Chicago. His "mascot" is an Elekid with a sleeve, and the accompanying species are Bulbasaur, Jolteon, Dratini, and Alolan Raichu, along with others of the Grass and Electric types. For the "caretaking", that would mean hatching Eggs, which became the focus of the Field Research tasks, and the Go Pass furnished bonuses that assist with those efforts. Spark is a warm guy, and so is essentially this "yellow" quest with its focus.

Candela was the last with her "Quest for Victory" June 9 to 15, accompanying the edition in Copenhagen. Her "mascot" is a Ponyta with a necklace, and the accompanying species are Charmander, Flareon, Mankey, and Hisuian Growlithe. "Victory" certainly implies battling, and that is reflected in the tasks demanding to win raids; the Go Pass has bonuses related to this endeavor, not to mention the items needed. It can therefore be a demanding week with such a quest, whether or not one is participating in the Go Fest event on its weekend.

Meanwhile, the remaining event of the month that isn't related to Go Fest is the Flying Taxi event from June 23 to 29. The "flying taxi" in question is not the one in Galar, but in Paldea, which is powered by Squawkabilly, making its debut here. Still, Rookidee and other Pokémon of the Flying type appeared during this event, especially in Field Research encounters and raids. The event's Go Pass of 60 ranks started out light but progressively got darker, since this event had a Taken Over portion from June 25 onwards featuring Shadow Reshiram from Giovanni (who is now PokéStop-only) and as always, the rotation of Shadow Pokémon, removal of Frustration by TM, and frequent Grunt appearances with varied IVs. It is also the only week with a "Community Saturday" apart from the Go Fest events as above and Community Day, with a Super Mega Raid Day for Mega Skarmory with the usual fixings and a presentation of sky-high take on going places with the event overall.

With all that went on within this month and a little bit from the previous one, there is something for the fans who can make it to a Go Fest event and fans elsewhere, and sky-high aspirations can apply in either case. It may be just a matter of getting there and moving forward, as the season suggests.

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Sunday, June 28, 2026

Cosplay: ChibiCon X & ICC

Me: Well, I said it's a "fine day", isn't it? Even today?

Ash: All in ChibiCon!!

Goh: Looks like it's two "fine days", if you ask me - yesterday and today as usual?

Me: Well, sure, and you're right. And this would be the tenth edition, at least according to Japan Culture Daisuki - somehow I lost count myself.

Pikachu: Pika, pika, pika... [counting]

Me: But does it matter. Anyhow, I think this is pretty much the same old, same old convention, so we don't have to touch on the actual convention details too much. Well, maybe aside from what's different this time.

Goh: Aside from not sending Ash yesterday.

Me: Well, Mega Skarmory is a priority, no matter how close or far away. So I took care of that myself yesterday and saved a bit of effort and cash. As for today...

Ash: They made the music stage a part of the traffic flow! And there were a lot more booths - or that's what it felt like.

Me: OK, what else?

Goh: Hi again!

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["There he is!"]

Ash: Goh is here! From the beginning too. But I was sent with my Sinnoh outfit...

Goh: I think it looks great.

Ash: Well, you know, so does my friend's girl fan, and - she's here too! 

Goh: Hey, thanks for showing her to me. You know, the one who sent me has a lot in common with her.

Ash: I think we're finding out about that now with all our friends!

Goh: Including... the brother of the one who sent me, who deals with the public transport booth.

Me: Hey now, this sounds like it's going to be a Pokémon adventure at the convention - so let's focus on that instead of the convention itself.

Ash: Yeah! So before I got in, I met one of your Pokémon friends who likes dance groups and stuff. Then after I got in, I met another one who used to play with you and makes drawings and comics.

Goh: I saw that too. Your girl fan really liked the stickers. 

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["That she does."]

Ash: I do too. Our friend said he wanted a comic book of his, so I got it.

Me: Thanks! This is an excellent setup for that. I may never know when I'll meet him again.

Ash: Many of the other booths had really nice Pokémon stuff too... but I'm sure our friend isn't going for that right now.

Me: Yeah - I'm still in a kind of a pinch even though I could get some more. So now is not really the time.

Ash: Oh, um, but I missed the ICC thing. It was today, wasn't it.

Well, you're with us today. Don't worry about it.

Me: Like Goh said. So, what else happened on this Pokémon adventure?

Ash: We toured for all kinds of Pokémon things, even up until your girl fan and Goh had to go back.

Goh: I'll join you back for the summary after that.

Ash: Sure! We'll talk again in a bit.

Me: That Goh is really something, isn't he?

Ash: And so's the person who sent him - it's kind of, well...

Pikachu: Pika pika... ["It's more than him..."]

Me: Oh, I gotcha. It's a thing about being spiritually "above and beyond", isn't it?

Ash: Um... yeah!

Me: I'll say. 

Ash: Besides Goh, I also met Rei and Akari from Hisui! And... there was another one of me in my Kanto and Johto outfit!

Me: Wow!! A whole lot more characters from Pokémon today.

Ash: I thought we saw James too - but we couldn't check or find him again. And there was also a plain Trainer - I guess, in a way. 

Pikachu: Pika pika chu! ["I can vouch!"]

Goh: I'm back! I just heard that bit about other characters too. That had to be quite fun.

Me: You know, this was the most Pokémon-filled one of any festival or convention I've sent Ash to so far. It blew the others out of the water.

Ash: Everyone went "all in", like the ditty.

Goh: That is it.

Me: If this is the way it's going to go down for ChibiCon in the future... then sure, "all in" with Pokémon it is, just like today.

Ash: Yeah!

Me: It's always a fine time if Pokémon is going to be involved - and that will so be the case. 

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Saturday, June 27, 2026

Nekonoi Katsu's Foray into Pokémon

It seems like it's a fine day to discuss about something "meta" to (Pokémon) cosplay - that is, not directly tied to a festival or convention - so I thought I'd do just that. In fact, one aspect that I don't mention very often on this blog is the cosplayers themselves... aside from yours truly, but this post will change that up a bit. Those who have read my blog might have come across the name mentioned in the title of this post on two occasions - the same one in fact, just separated by a year - and that name becomes the focus of this post, furthermore with relevance to Pokémon as the overarching focus of this blog.

Nekonoi Katsu (Instagram: @nekonoikatsu) is a well-known local cosplayer, specifically in my region of residence. She has gone international several times, one time of which is in 2017 as the country representative for the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) - which is incidentally around a year after I started this blog. She has also cosplayed as characters of various standings in profile, including of course Ara Akazora for the local festival in order to represent the main face of Japan Culture Daisuki. She has definitely made her mark.

And then comes her Pokémon dealings or "foray". Recently, she has become a featured cosplayer to promote the TCG locally, and that includes playing it - not an easy task, if one of the videos with her indicates. Going back to cosplay, she had taken up Canary, a recently introduced character through the Legends: Z-A game; it's a fascinating choice, given the various other characters from other fandoms that she has brought with her cosplay, many of which could be considered "edgy" somehow, especially this one.

Personally, I'm only glad to see another person taking up Pokémon cosplay, although the fact that the person is an established cosplayer is a big plus for me and her legion of fans - but I consider myself as a friend to her, rather than a fan. With that, the possibility of us somehow collaborating seems to be quite remote, even for matters related to Pokémon (cosplay), which in that case being friends to a certain degree is still fine for me.

While her foray into Pokémon is much more recent compared to my appreciation that has practically lasted since the beginning, with that foray, she could be considered to have "seen the light" as to what makes Pokémon so enticing and appealing to its fans. That seems to bode very well for her as much as that has always been the case for me, and that may just entrench Pokémon further in both of our respective circles.

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Friday, June 26, 2026

Let's Get Going Today, Again

Many moons ago, Pokémon Go introduced the Today View as an expansion of its Research feature. In fact, it kept on expanding and expanding and... it became rather loaded with its collection of sub-features by current times. As such, the development team decided to take on a rework of the feature, first testing it out for certain players (Trainers) before it was made available for everyone else. The latter had just in fact happened a couple of days ago, and now I'd like to discuss the changes that are involved in that effort.

Research as the "core" of Today View remains accessible by tapping the binoculars icon, but it is now within a single main tab on the right side. It does, however, contain sub-tabs for Field Research ("Today"), Timed Research ("Events"), and Special Research, organizing them in the process. The "Today" tab also still contains info of Pokémon put into different places (Gyms, Power Spots, and Showcases) and the two main streak progressions (capture and PokéStop spin); also, Special Research sets now have unique headings.

The left-side main tab, meanwhile, is now where Go Passes reside, an element that has now been made prominent. Their progressions and associated tasks are now effectively separated from Research proper, and in this way, they also don't interfere with Timed Research as they may have done before - especially if Deluxe track was purchased for any Go Pass, which gives a special interface background, otherwise it's the seasonal one. Needless to say, Research retains its characteristic "professor's table" background.

Game event-related information, most importantly, have been shoved onto a separate screen accessed from the main screen by tapping the calendar icon that also shows the date of the month. They cover the Daily Discoveries and other goings-on as usual, now with a "Learn More" button to show the events' news pages; community meetups are also indicated. While this does somewhat mean that a split has been involved, it also means that what is left as above on the screens is now able to show its relevance.

With the way that Today View has been around since its inception, it's quite natural for it to be restructured after all the additions that had been implemented within that time up to the present. So, that restructuring has happened, initially to test how it can ideally work for some, and now ideally for everyone else. Whether or not all of these still warrant the "Today View" name is up for debate, but there is no doubt that Trainers in Pokémon Go still need to get going each and every day, hopefully with its help.

Three years ago: This Is My Pokémon Way
Four years ago: Cosplay: Outfest 2022
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Thursday, June 25, 2026

Pokémon Champions: First Impressions

I'm actually a bit (or somewhat) late to this for reasons that will soon become clear, but it deserves to be discussed anyway. So, Pokémon Champions have graced both platforms of Nintendo Switch and mobile, and it's already set as the game on which competitive battling (being the realm of VGC) will take place this year. Even with my history of ups and downs with the format, since it's Pokémon, I still have a "stake" in it - and that is why I've also opted to download and install it. With that being done, I've chosen to give my initial impressions of how the game is presented to me and what I think of it.

Actually, the download had been made since April, being for the Nintendo Switch version since I have it on hand and my phone can't handle the mobile version since it's becoming full in any case. Yet I've only been able to touch the game recently due to other necessities and in part waiting on the mobile version to release and gauge interest based on that. Regardless, I was still able to get and claim the "early download" bonus and the Raichu Mega Evolution bonus for the launch of the mobile version.

Meanwhile, the game's initial content is a nice touch, with an overview/tutorial of how main series battles work for those who haven't had experience with them, and even more of them (perhaps they could be called the "Advanced Tutorial") in the Train section. The given Pokémon to battle with, including the free recruitment, is totally workable for those who might only start with this game - at least before sending others from Pokémon Home for a visit, which many fans are likely to have now.

The game's user interface is oddly reminiscent of Pokémon Unite in its early days with the layout of buttons on the main screen as well as its color scheme that has shades of purple and some orange, which perhaps may be the exact point of it all. The Trainer outfits also do have some resemblance, further tying in the similarity and the feel. Still, that may be par for the course when Pokémon training is a given.

Overall, the game being a "stub" from the main series games to serve battling purposes - it is a "battle client", after all - makes its intent quite clear. The fact that it is already being used for tournaments and has received updates to fix some things that are off for that purpose means that it's here to stay for the foreseeable time, and it should take some pressure off the main series games for actual competitive battling.

Still, it will take a little time for me to continue to explore its battles and features, especially now with the expanded player base that the mobile version offers. That will make itself evident in future posts, which should encapsulate my dealings with current and future Trainers and show what my champion potential is really like.

Six years ago: Uniting the Heart
Seven years ago: Evoked Emotions
Nine years ago: Four Notions
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Wednesday, June 24, 2026

When One and One Really Is Two

Baby show me 1+1=2
Show me all the things that you can do
Show me that you need me, show me that you love me
Baby show me 1+1=2
Baby show me 1+1=2
Show me all the things that you can do
Show me that you breathe me, show me that you hug me
Baby show me that 1+1=2
-- "1+1=2", Lou Bega

Several years ago, for a very numerically driven year, I ended the year with a reflective writeup that concerned the primary number in question. Along with that, I also brought in a comment from a certain musician (not the one which will soon become obvious) that a specific way of arithmetically mentioning the year may not always be how it seems. This time, I'm bringing back the philosophical topic in a truer sense and addressing it with other relevant Pokémon matters, as well as a related but perhaps lesser-known song by a singer who was momentarily popular for another song.

The song - stated as "one plus one is two" - in some ways does concern a "significant other" for which when one becomes together with that entity, there is the possibility of being able to do a lot of things - especially when the "significant other" is also capable of doing a lot of things as well, some that may be as mentioned in the chorus of the song as quoted above. This definitely bodes well for romance, which is the song's main intent, but it could also work for certain other things.

Certainly, some of those things could be Pokémon ones. A Trainer and a partner Pokémon make up a "two", as does two of the latter on one side of a Double Battle as well as the two sides of any battle in general, no matter how many people and Pokémon are on each side. Everyone and everything as mentioned have the capability to do great things together - in fact, those things could resemble the ones as mentioned in the above chorus, with or without romance somehow involved.

Meanwhile, contemporarily, many Trainers of certain fame are also linked to a specific partner Pokémon, which makes them significant for great things in all kinds of battles. Then, it's also possible for fans to collect merchandise items that belong together, between themselves and the fans in question. That makes for Pokémon twosomes that are significant for themselves and among others as well.

Philosophically, the previous writeup remains relevant, but it's hard to deny that one and one of something makes up two of those things. That applies even for Pokémon things, which can and do sometimes come in twos and make for great things. For that, to close off this post, another part of the same song makes for a great affirmation of truly "significant others", even for Pokémon by its many fans:

You're my my my number one
And not my my my number five
So please baby, please baby, please baby come
Please baby, come and get into my life!

Seven years ago: The Show Must Go On
Eight years ago: Jumping the 'Karp
Nine years ago: Married... to Pikachu?
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Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Café Remix 6th Anniversary: The Gap Year

Meanwhile, years have passed by for one of the games I addressed the other day, and this year marks the sixth year of that passage. Now that I've addressed it a couple of times, it seems fitting to continue to do that, moreover on its exact day - today, as I did last year (see below). Still, this passing of the years marks a particularly uneventful time for the game's history - one that can be termed as a "gap year", and that becomes a key point of the current discussion.

The "gap year" is of course due to a pending major update for the game, which is currently in development and has necessitated in-game events to be "reruns" in some sense. Obviously, that major update didn't make it in time for this anniversary - or to put it differently, it just needs more time than is possible for that timeframe (since it only started development two months ago). Either way, the content of the update as outlined in the previous post does need to be worked out properly, and that may be better off to be developed within the long run.

Yet it should be noted that the game's current anniversary is for when the game was first released as Café Mix; its "remix anniversary" that represents the Café Remix aspect comes later in the year. As such, there could be the possibility that the pending major update will make it in time for that instead, which would make it appropriately timed. Of course, there is always the possibility of the major update coming earlier (not as likely) or later (more likely than not) given the scope of the update and whatever is planned to satisfy the points of that update.

Whatever the case, it can be seen that a "gap" is established between the game's "original" and "remix" anniversaries regardless, whether there is new content being added as in past years or there is a pause going on for that, as in the current case of preparing for the next major update. It's a gap that can and has been filled with a lot of niceties then and now, and now more than ever, it seems to be up for another "gap-filling exercise" much like back then.

Having reached a full six years, Café Remix has served the food fantasies of puzzle-inclined Pokémon fans quite well with all the content in that time. Now as the game takes a break from new content for its major next step, it's taking an opportunity to fill the gap that is left along with other existing gaps when the major update is released to close up the taken "gap year".

Four years ago: 2000 Posts!!!
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Monday, June 22, 2026

Changing the Year Mention Convention

As part of their attribution, Pokémon games mention the year of their first release, which many players (Trainers) will have seen at least once when they start up the games in question. In the most recent time, however, this has changed to a somewhat radical approach, which would be... not mentioning it at all. This change might be a small thing, but it may be considered to have some implications, and therefore I thought about discussing it, how it applies (or has applied), and what this might mean for the Pokémon games in question.

Those who play Café Remix, Unite, and TCGP will likely have noticed this recently as they loaded up the respective games, looked toward the attribution notice on the title screen, and found that the year that is usually present there has gone missing - which is how I personally found out about it through playing said games. Again, it's a relatively small and recent change: for many, it may possibly go unnoticed, and not too long ago, the year had still been present on the games that I have mentioned above. It's also a sudden change after many, many years of maintaining the (previously) established convention.

The change can be considered to be in line with this year's big Pokémon anniversary, since if it really had been willed as such, it would have occurred a lot sooner - as in, even several years ago would have been a prime time for the change to occur. Meanwhile, the presence of the year that indicates a time that has somewhat passed might be perceived by some players (Trainers) as being something dated, so the removal of the year in a way also removes such a perception and allows the game to remain perceived as "current" even if it's not - as well as furthermore "relevant", which may be a bigger thing given a certain game.

A change in the way that attributions are made in certain works (for games and beyond) may be small, but it is still possible to draw out certain messages. In the case of the Pokémon games above - and others I might have missed - the change that is made with the removal of the year in the attribution can indicate that such a mention may not matter anymore given how long Pokémon in general has been around. What matters then would be the games continuing to make history, no matter what year it may be.

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Sunday, June 21, 2026

Cosplay: "Saturday's Remnants" & Asobi Stage

Me: OK, now we can talk about yesterday (or what was left of it) and something else for today.

Goh: Well. It's a happening weekend - except for what went on yesterday.

Ash: Yeah, you can say that.

Goh: So, what did happen yesterday?

Ash: I got to a place where a festival was supposed to happen, but it was empty.

Me: And then I found out it got delayed to next month because the place was not ready. You saw it, didn't you?

Ash: A little, I guess. 

Pikachu: Pi pika pika... ["I saw that too..."]

Ash: After that I just went for Community Day like you usually do.

Goh: OK, so that's that. Maybe you two will try to go to it when it happens then?

Me: We'll see. And I might try to do something about it.

Ash: I hope it can happen too. 

Me: Right. One more thing: I thought I'd get in this one instead of a local festival in my area, but it evidently blew up in our faces.

Goh: Maybe Community Day was the answer.

Ash: At the same time, if only I could be there for the local one...

Me: If I only knew. Let's move on - today we have another festival, the one with "stage" in the name.

Goh: Oh, the stage thing. It sounds like everything will happen there.

Ash: Yeah! It's at the mall rooftop at a little stage. I went there to check things out first.

Goh: Wait - doesn't this sound like the one from last year?

Ash: Um... it actually does. The poster even had the name of the school and its business festival.

Pikachu: Pi pika chu! ["All of that!"] 

Me: Well, there you go. But I have to say, I heard that this one doesn't have anything special (a competition) for characters, but they can still come if they want to.

Goh: OK, if that's the case, then what did you do instead?

Ash: I went to the card game shop to play a tile game with your other friends.

Me: It was planned anyway, and it's better than walking around for nothing.

Goh: Oh, that's new. I'm sure you had a good time.

Ash: Yeah, it was OK. Then I went back there and met many of your friends - character and more.

Goh: Looks like everyone wanted a good time. So... I guess the entertainment was dance groups, because of the "stage" thing.

Ash: I did see and hear a couple of them while I was outside with our friend's friends.

Me: And... that's about all you did, right?

Ash: Sure, before I went back to you. 

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["A full day."] 

Goh: Well, with whatever is (or was) left on both days, at least you two made it more than it seemed.

Ash: That's true.

Me: It could have been more, but that's the way things went.

Goh: I think more will definitely come.

Me: It sure will, so there will be things to be prepared for that.

Four years ago: The Fossil Cup of GBL
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Saturday, June 20, 2026

Pokémon Go Community Day, 6/20/2026

After six years, Community Day for Pokémon Go returns on the very same date (see below), which could become something expected after some number of years pass. Something else that has been expected for the editions of this month, at least in more recent times, is "dragons in June" - meaning a featured Pokémon species of that type. That too remains true for this edition, and that does make it important to be dealt with - as in played (by those who deal with the game) and written (by yours truly).

The "dragon of the month" this time is Frigibax, the powerhouse Pokémon from the ninth generation and the region of Paldea. It evolves to Arctibax and then to Baxcalibur, which for the purpose of this Community Day edition gets the special move of Glaive Rush, essentially its "signature move" as well. The powerhouse Pokémon is also joined by the powerhouse main bonus of triple catch Stardust, making this edition a powerful one for what it offers and what Trainers can take advantage of.

Of course, other niceties are available for Trainsets as well. The "basic form" is encountered in great numbers through extended Lure Modules (three hours) and Incense (one hour plus extra) plus photo bombs. Its Shiny form - now for greater availability - and those with special backgrounds are up for grabs. Trading cost is halved and there is an extra Special Trade. Lastly, tasks from Field, Timed (community check-in), and Special Research are to be dealt with and completed as best as they can.

Most of the rest of this writeup will now be carried in discussion format involving two human characters for good (and in a way also important) reasons to be explained soon...

Me: ...so let's get on with it.

Goh: This is a neat Pokémon! 

Ash: It kind of reminds me of Gible from my days in Sinnoh. I guess that's why you wanted me to wear it. 

Goh: Well, that means there had to be an occasion of some sort. Right? 

Ash: Um...

Pikachu: Pi... ["Um..."]

Me: I guess now is not the time. Let's deal with just Community Day for now. 

Goh: I suspect something's up. But continue. 

Ash: Yeah, so I got to the usual mall to find your faraway friends to catch a lot of the Pokémon. 

Goh: I sure hope you got good ones.

Ash: Our friend already had a good one, but I made a Lucky Trade for a Shiny one - and it was almost the best! 

Me: Hey, that's pretty nice. 

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Wonderful!"]

Ash: And I evolved a few others too. But I really got so much Candy this time.

Me: Which should be part of a related bonus, but that's for later too.

Ash: I also played the music game before and got into the group photo after. 


Goh: Nice!

Ash: It would've been a usual day if it weren't for that...

Me: Well, that's for tomorrow. 

Goh: I think I feel a cold chill from all the ones you caught. 

Ash: Brr!

So, with a Special Research set titled "Chill Out, Frigibax!", it would be no surprise that the members of the species family can deliver a piercing chill, especially given their types. It's a chill that remains as the species goes through its evolution... and perhaps in the impressions of those partaking in this month's Community Day.

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Friday, June 19, 2026

Keeping Pokémon Unite Relevant

There is a floating discourse about Pokémon Unite, and it's not necessarily a good one. In fact, it could be said that the discourse has floated since the time a certain important change befell a key part of the game. The discourse, as hinted by the title of this post, is that the game is becoming irrelevant, and that is evidently disconcerting for those who consistently play even now and enjoy it. It's such an important matter that I have to address it now before other relevant matters to that discourse also emerge to the surface.

So, besides that important change, there's always been the matter of players misbehaving, whether they're human or not-so-human. Meanwhile, that important change and a few other elements in the game (like Holowear and associated methods to get it and other items) seem to remain in a "cash grab" position that may or may not be rewarding, like for the monthly subscription. It's also seemingly hard to get teams of players going, both on and off the game and partially due to the above. All of these seemingly contribute to the apparent irrelevance.

Having outlined the possible contributions to the irrelevance, the problem now is considering ways to sidestep the issues and maintain relevance. Revolutionary ways to play might help in this regard (if Electrode Volleyball hasn't already proven as such, which also may need to be built on) and especially to improve Ranked play; a different system for it may still need to be considered. That, along with continued promotion of the wonders of the game, might just be the necessary burden to keep relevance at hand.

For other ways to keep relevance, big-time events (such as one that's going on now, which I might just explain later on) could have its contributions somehow. If the game could also recycle interest from other realms of Pokémon - almost all of which are now present on the same platforms of the game itself (both Nintendo Switch and mobile) - it could have a shot at gaining some new interest. Yet that also implies that the older interest from the longer-term players also needs to be kept as much as possible, which is likely the challenge.

Pokémon Unite has been around for a few years now - something I'll get to soon enough - and it has gone through a roller-coaster ride, for both its game cycles and its fans. That then reflects on its relevance, which has evidently also become a struggle. Just as the apparent lack of it is emerging as a discourse, the discourse of trying to furnish it also needs to emerge in order to keep the game in its place among fans and even competitive players. For them, Pokémon is always relevant - the hope is that Unite can be so as well.

Four years ago: Say You Love Me (Not)
Five years ago: Earthing with Pokémon
Seven years ago: LINE Pokémon Emoji
Eight years ago: The Super Incubator
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Thursday, June 18, 2026

Ideas for New Pokémon Go Events

Sometimes, I still think about how Pokémon Go events may seem to lack variety, with many of them being directed for the debut of a new species in the game. This would certainly be based on the viewpoints of other players (Trainers), including a vocal one on this blog - even if that person was more concerned with the (previous) magnitude of events. For that, I've thought of offering suggestions for new event ideas, and now that's what I'd like to do with this post.

One of the event ideas would be a "Fusion Festival" - or perhaps it could be called an "Energy Festival", since not every energy is technically for Fusion. It would have tasks for earning energy (and some Candy) for all of the Pokémon that are capable of making use of energy for Fusion or transformation up to the event. It also would have related raids and if possible allow someone to get started on a particular Fusion (or to fill a gap) if they don't already have it. This event would be primarily for the convenience of new players or those who are long absent.

Then, I also have a pair of related ideas. An event (or events) for "Urban Life" and/or "Rural Venture" would celebrate those who live in the city and/or country respectively and have thematic Pokémon species that represent both areas. Though the concept of these two events would seem not to be very different from that of current events, it can be made different by involving Pokémon species of as many type varieties as possible; this would hopefully make the events more attractive and less likely to be complained about, especially by players like the above.

As a final event idea, I want to present the event idea of "Keep Exploring". This one is a bit technical in that some of its elements could be tied to efforts made in Niantic Wayfarer, although this would and could only apply to those who have access to it. For everyone (else), the event would have some usual "explore" tasks - and maybe a couple of Route tasks for good measure - but it could have new ones like "place Pokémon in 2 Gyms" and be tied to the addition of some new exploration features. I have some ideas for this, but perhaps they'll be explained later.

For all the events that are or have been featured in Pokémon Go, there may always be the possibility to consider new ones to satisfy the desires and alleviate the concerns of some players (Trainers). The possibilities as presented above may be some that are worthy of consideration - if not for my personal views, for the views of others - to be implemented somehow into Pokémon Go. As with certain other things in life, it's the thought that counts, perhaps especially now.

Three years ago: Beachside with Pokémon
Seven years ago: On Copyrights
Eight years ago: Boxes of Go-Goodies
Nine years ago: There Is Only One Ball
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Wednesday, June 17, 2026

The Next Step: Pokémon Champions on Mobile

Fans who are eager to play Pokémon Champions as the standalone "battle client" edition for battles in the traditional main series style have been able to do that since the version for the Nintendo Switch was released ("unleashed", my term) a couple of months ago. The rest of the fans who don't have the console had to wait for the mobile version to be released... and now happily, I can say that the day has come. The mobile version of said game has been released today, and fans can and should be able to get in on the action. That said, there are a few more things to note, which prompts this discussion about the "next step".

Some parts of that "next step" concern devices and device limits. Though their devices are somewhat modern, some will nevertheless be unable to play the game on the devices since they're behind in hardware and/or software. Then there's the matter of space: the initial download for the game is nearly 1 GB in size, and the extra data will further balloon the storage requirements, making it on par with a certain electronic card game. These issues demand ways to deal with them that may neither be quick nor easy. 

But once Trainers get over those issues, they'll be in for the fun - but then there's still some work to do. For many of those who don't commonly deal with Pokémon affairs on the Nintendo Switch (or their consoles in general), they'll still have to ensure Pokémon Home is linked to it, especially if Pokémon have been put there from Pokémon Go, the most likely source for them as such. Then there are the intricacies of this specific game, but that's also to be understood as things go along.

Meanwhile, fans beyond the Nintendo Switch system are setting up (or in fact have set up) their support systems - as in the communities of players they'll battle with and against. That would also mean future competitions and tournaments that can now cover those who play without a Nintendo Switch, but still with the possibility of playing with those on it. The support systems would help to ensure that they get up to speed on what is needed for this style of play in order to be effective in it.

Now that Pokémon Champions covers the breadth of platforms that it's meant to cover, the "new era" of VGC as suggested in the earlier "unleashed" post is starting to come into its own with the involvement of the mobile platform implementation and the players (Trainers) who will take it up. It's a "next step" just as much as the game itself is a "next step" for continued enjoyment of Pokémon across players and time.

Two years ago: Not Alone... But Alone
Three years ago: The Mystique of 151
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Tuesday, June 16, 2026

"Professor Branding" for Pokémon Merchandise

Many Pokémon fans will no doubt recognize the cohort of people who are called Pokémon Professors - even I've written up about them at one time. They would also appeal to the more intelligent side of Pokémon fans... perhaps conceivably for merchandise as well. For that, I thought about discussing how certain elements of Pokémon merchandise are or can have a certain "branding" with this group of people, as well as the (possible) appeal.

Now, those who play the (physical) Pokémon TCG will recognize the Supporter cards with the different Pokémon Professors in each. Though they can't exactly be considered to have a "branding" with these Professors, their presence on the cards could still be considered part of the appeal for them, aside from the function of the respective cards. In fact, it seems they're some of the few Pokémon things with actual Pokémon Professors on them, and they still achieve some of the objectives of actual "branding" without being so.

For an actual branding, the Pokémon Professors would have to be applied - liberally maybe, but significantly could be possible as well - to the merchandise items in question. That could be quite a task, since most Pokémon merchandise are Pokémon species and the associated items to them. Perhaps a simple approach is to have a "Professor-approved" indication of some sort along with the merchandise items, which would be a funky kind of branding as well similar to what would be done for items gotten through certain ways of shopping.

Recently, though, a different kind of Professor has been popping up, particularly in Pokémon Go circles. The Professor Pikachu (obtainable in that game) is an actual Pikachu clad in a lab coat to resemble a Pokémon Professor, and it looks as cute as it is seemingly intelligent. This Pokémon with this specific costume or outfit could realize itself as a kind of "professor branding" without having to involve the human Pokémon Professors. Many fans might just delight in having some kind of merchandise item based on this Pokémon.

The presence of Pokémon Professors has become undeniably an important part of many Pokémon games and the associated world in general. In the merchandise realm, though, that presence could seem a little lacking since the focus remains on the eponymous species and related items. Having "Professor branding" for some merchandise items might just be a way of continuing to establish their presence, with or without their possibly distant relations.

One year ago: The Expressive Ditto
Two years ago: Cosplay: Gold Generation
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Monday, June 15, 2026

Unite Licenses: My "Final Frontier"

The last update to my progress of obtaining Unite Licenses in Pokémon Unite occurred around one and a half years ago, when I detailed about the ones I had obtained and my prospects for them. Since then, the way of getting them with relatively no payment has changed, and there have been quite a few more Unite Licenses for different Pokémon added. Now, it seems well to do to update on that progress by those changes, and it seems like this will be the "final" update for that, as suggested by the title, due to reasons that will be explained shortly.

First up is that progress. Right now, I am proud to say that I have every Unite License except for a few. Those few are Tinkaton (which is currently being progressed through the License Journey system), Dhelmise (which will be progressed next after Tinkaton is complete), and Quaquaval (which is not yet playable but will be so in a few days' time, along with its associated Unite License event). Incidentally, the first two of these are of the All-Rounder role, which also means the other roles are also essentially complete for what they have to offer.

Such a feat was accomplished by using the selection gift boxes for some of the ones I didn't have and exchanging my Aeos Coins for a few others before the method changed. Meanwhile, for some others, they came with their own Unite License events and as a result were obtained through those, with some diligent effort and a little bit of assistance along the way. Then, after the method changed, it was a matter of starting the progress through the ones I didn't have; prior to Tinkaton, I had in fact just obtained Tyranitar through the License Journey system.

With that, it can be ascertained that I'll have my hands on future Unite Licenses somehow. Being that now they're likely to come with their own event, participating in that will likely allow the Unite License to be obtained for free (or relatively as such). Even if that doesn't happen, the License Journey system will surely become the fallback for the process of obtaining them sooner if not later. This situation, along with the state of affairs as presented above, makes it the "final frontier" for me in obtaining the Unite Licenses to come, at least while still playing.

Now that I have almost every Unite License in the game, and things are established for me to obtain the rest and future ones in some way, the progress is assured to be updated as more Unite Licenses are added to allow other Pokémon to join the fray that Pokémon Unite is still continuing to present. That in effect will (and does) make it the "final" update I'll make in the manner as above, but things are never final for as long as the Pokémon game remains as captivating as ever to me and all other Pokémon fans who choose to partake in its affairs.

Two years ago: Pokémon Calendars
Seven years ago: Code Affairs
Eight years ago: Number One for...
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Sunday, June 14, 2026

Referencing Pokémon Lineage

Pokémon fans are well-versed in the fact that many of the eponymous species have a certain lineage, being the way that they relate by way of evolution. This is a part of what makes them fascinating, but it also leads to the issue of how they can and should be referenced by virtue of that aspect. It's an issue that I'm now tackling in a discussion to consider various points of view that relate to it and what ultimately can and should work best.

For that, TCG and Pokémon Go may provide the answer. Many Pokémon of lower evolution stages in the former are called "Basic" Pokémon, and that makes for a sufficient reference for them. Meanwhile, in the latter game, evolution lineages depend on the Candy of a certain species, and they roughly correspond to Basic Pokémon, which would affirm them being called as such. As for later evolution stages, they would be sufficiently referenced as "Stage 1" and "Stage 2", following what the TCG outlines.

As for further evolution forms on top of that (Mega Evolution, Gigantamax, and onwards), they can be considered just further "extras", since the games deal with them in different ways, including both games mentioned above. Yet they also correspond in seemingly being able to be considered as "ultimate" forms - a consideration that will be discussed shortly - to the Stage 2 species. Inasmuch as they are dealt with differently and even exclusively, there too is an apparent commonality. 

It should be noted that other people and parties can and have referenced Stage 1 and Stage 2 forms differently - for example, treating them as ordinals in their respective evolution lines (which is still valid to some extent), or treating the Stage 2 forms as "final forms" (which is also in a way still true since a line has a "maximum" of three). These references have to be weighed alongside the above considerations and certain games, as well as the fact that there have been many developments for Pokémon and its species.

Then, there's that "ultimate" form consideration, which also implicates a consideration of "baby" forms (which is also still existent for some Pokémon) along with ordering according to age. These considerations would mostly be for shoehorning analogues to a certain other series primarily for an extent of understanding, and the real way of understanding things would be in the other ways as mentioned above.

Understanding Pokémon species and the ways that many of them are related by evolution lineage can be considered an important part of appreciating Pokémon in general, and a way of referencing this consistently is always nice to have. Fortunately, according to certain facets of the franchise, this is quite doable as per the above, and the understanding that is carried in this way can put the viewpoints of many Pokémon fans on the same page.

Three years ago: Gimmicks in Café Remix
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Saturday, June 13, 2026

Changed Shiny Handling in Pokémon Go

Shiny Pokémon have been a phenomenon in Pokémon Go since they were introduced many years ago to great reception, and in fact, Trainers are still receptive to them even now. Even though they're easier to get than even in the main series, the many ways that Pokémon can be caught in the game (particularly now) can make it mind-boggling to get certain Shiny forms of specific Pokémon with different characteristics. For that, the "handling" of Shiny Pokémon has had certain changes, some of which actually occurred last season. 

Going back to that, it was made so that if an evolved Pokémon can be Shiny (by virtue of the basic form having its Shiny form available), it too can be Shiny from the wild, and the chance for this would be greater from a raid capture or Egg hatch. Then, if a Pokémon can be Shiny, it too can be Shiny when rescued from Team Go Rocket, and likewise the chance for this would be greater from the leaders or the boss (Giovanni) compared to the Grunts. In this way, it becomes clear that things all - and now only - depend on the basic form being Shiny.

Previously, for the Team Go Rocket case, it was possible to get the Shiny form of a Shadow Pokémon if the species had first been featured in the lineups of the leaders before going to the Grunts. With the newer update as above, the role of leaders is now no longer to furnish the Shiny Shadow form for Pokémon species, but to try to make them more easily available to Trainers - being that the Shiny Shadow form no longer depends on the introduction of that specific form, just for the species (family) itself.

Even farther back, it had become the case that after the first few editions of Go Tour, the Shiny forms of Pokémon from the featured regions would become generally available - and that is still the case... at least mostly. More recent regions are subject to other restrictions that make this impossible (like Phione and Manaphy still not being in the game, and Victini still being Shiny locked in Pokémon Global Link). At least, the cases still represent an instance of Shiny handling being changed for broader availability for others.

After nearly a decade of its presence, Pokémon Go has become a treasure trove for hunters of Shiny Pokémon, whether or not they're already well-versed in their appearance and availability in the main series games. That treasure trove has evidently been updated or changed with regard to its handling for even greater and broader availability rather than less, which affirms the "treasure trove" aspect. With that, there is also less of a mind boggle and more enjoyment to be had, knowing that Shiny forms can easily manifest where they're wanted.

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Friday, June 12, 2026

Present Challenges of Pokémon Artists

Art is always a nice topic to discuss in connection with Pokémon, certainly because of the great inspiration that the franchise furnishes for artists who relate to it. This time, I thought of writing up a discussion on another aspect of Pokémon art, with the inclusion of some "challenging" qualities. They would pertain to the artists creating the Pokémon art, and the challenges they present can also be considered "problems" in some way. As such, it becomes an enigmatic as well as somewhat necessary topic to discuss.

The challenges concern both fan artists as well as official artists, two ends of which I had put into another discussion tied to a controversy nearly a year ago. It can then be said that the issue raised previously therein still has some relation to the challenges that I will be discussing, which in many ways also involve the aspect of creation. For both of them, the relation (as I've noted before) is cordial but in a way also tenuous, and that becomes reflected in the form of the challenges that pertain to them.

For fans, they have great freedoms (again, to a certain extent as I've noted) in creating art that involves Pokémon - which can be affirmed with a certain hashtag and certainly shouldn't be disparaging. Even with those great freedoms, there is also still the sense that beyond the expression that the art achieves, it may or may not be possible to gain a lot of recognition for them, perhaps if one is not of "Trainer K" caliber in style and speed. That's a challenge for which solutions may not come easily or quickly enough.

Meanwhile, official artists (in collaboration with the designers) have a slightly different issue: with the proliferation of fan art, including ones for hypothetical forms - for example, currently non-existent Mega Evolution forms - they also have to be cautious in some respects and not conceive something that resembles specific pieces of fan art in any way or form, lest the controversy as above can manifest itself again in a different form. This challenge reflects how Pokémon is very diverse these days and the difficulty it creates.

It's not always easy to create art of any kind, and that may be even more true when Pokémon art is involved, apart from the "challenges" as presented by the above situations. With official art on one side and fan art on the other that get along yet sometimes conflict, the situation can be perceived as actually being more complex than many people (fans) associated with Pokémon think it may be. Regardless, great art can and have resulted, and the ultimate challenge may be to keep them great in their ways.

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Thursday, June 11, 2026

Expanding the World of Pokopia

I'm sure many Pokémon fans are still enjoying the Pokopia spinoff game for building worlds, making creations, and fulfilling pleasures in general. There are going to be more of those actions, for an Expansion Pass (certainly, as DLC) has been announced for the game. As with any kind of DLC, it would add content and value - in a way, also burden - to the game, but it's also particularly interesting for this new spinoff game with it being somewhat popular recently. With that, even without me (potentially) playing the game, it's still fascinating to cover it on a post here, according to the information I've received.

The DLC content will come in parts, the first of which will be a free update for everyone (which makes it technically not a part of the DLC, but it's regardless relevant to the DLC content and mentioned in the bulletin for it) coming this August. Then, the content of the DLC proceeds with Part 1 just shortly after that, Part 2 sometime later this year, and Part 3 next year. As for purchasing the DLC, that can already be done now - making it like a "preorder", and in fact there is actually a bonus for purchasing now before the end of August - and all of the parts will come with the purchase as they are released.

As for what the parts will contain, the free update will introduce a necessary move for that purpose (Dive), and the player will have to complete prerequisites for learning that move. Part 1 will then extend that with an underwater town (Bubbly Basin) and related niceties, while Part 2 will have new features but no new towns, and Part 3 will have a new town and even more new things. It'll be a long wait for all of these niceties as per the above schedule, but there's also plenty of time to prepare for them (hopefully).

Even with me not playing the game, I can say that the planned content for the DLC is already looking like a truly great expansion for the game. I'm sure that many players have been wanting the first feature of interest - the ability to go underwater and develop things in that environment - for many Pokémon do make the water their home, after all. The rest of the content is not yet known to anyone, but the spirits of the game have to carry on in them and become as good as it is in the main game. 

With all that the game has offered, fans are still reaping pleasure and enjoyment from this game - something that I'd also like to take part in even briefly as a Pokémon fan - and making the most out of the substance. The incoming DLC will (and should) provide yet even more substance for that purpose and becomes a testament to the power and popularity of the game for offering a world that can truly build up (and down).

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Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Changing Daily Discoveries in Pokémon Go

Last season, Pokémon Go introduced "Daily Discoveries" as a way of filling up the days of the week with great activities and special bonuses. After a round of those activities and bonuses, which constitutes one season, they are now prime for some changes... and that's exactly what this season offers for them. As such, now I'd like to discuss what has changed, both majorly and minorly, and what other changes I'd like to see for them.

For the changes, there are a couple of important and major ones. "Fast-Track Monday" has been changed to just a regular Max Monday, with no doubling of Go Pass progression on that day. "Double-Time Sunday" has been changed to "Scenic Sunday" with bonuses pertaining to Routes - being able to encounter more Pokémon on them, including by Incense, and meeting Mateo up to three times on that day. All other parts of Daily Discoveries remain the same as they are, but a few things also need to be noted for them...

...which are essentially the minor changes. Max Monday has actually since last season featured many more Power Spots as well, which continues to this day and is a welcome one. "Showcase Tuesday" now allows Trainers to put Pokémon in five of them, more than ever before, and more of them also show up. "Friendship Friday" now also has greater rewards and community check-in for even more of them. As for the "unofficial" one of "Community Saturdays", that may remain as such and be susceptible to other changes.

These changes are great in some ways and not in others, so now I want to bring up my own, personal takes on them. Even with changed Showcases and more of them, they may still be far and few between, so I'd like to see still more of them - and perhaps bring back Spotlight Hour in earnest rather than as a one-off like in March and April. The truly new "Scenic Sunday" of this season may be useful for those who venture out on that day and less so for those who don't, but the triple Mateo meeting can and should be useful.

Change is inevitable for Daily Discoveries, particularly given the dynamic nature of Pokémon Go itself, and they have presented themselves exactly one season after the implementation of the group of features. Though not wide-reaching, Trainers may still need to adapt their ways of playing to some of these changes and keep the "discoveries" going while still hoping that others could be made as future "discoveries" even later on.

Four years ago: Bots in Pokémon Unite
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Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Quickies: On the Pokémon World Stage

Sometimes, I'm reminded that as said by a certain figure, the world is all but a "stage", and everyone plays something on that. Since Pokémon exists in a world all its own, it would also represent (or be represented by) a "stage" of its own, by extension and consideration of the quote; that would then also go for the people in it and conceivably the Pokémon, since the latter can and have been proven to be quite sentient. As a respite from the objective posts that I've written up lately - and as partially indicated by the title - I thought I'd write up something that would consider that quote and do so in a (relatively, evidently) speedy manner.

With that, further according to the quote, the roles of everyone can be quite different. There would be leaders and followers (Captain Pikachu and the Rising Volt Tacklers come to mind - although they may also rotate among the roles at times), bosses and lackeys (Team Rocket and the other villainous teams), and even those with supreme power (Legendary Pokémon and others of similar kind). All of them play out on the world stage... and then there would be me and others as Trainers, breeders, and connectors (and even chefs at times) to try to relate to them all and mix things up every now and then, or even all of the time with daily interaction.

The way that the world is, it always needs the contribution of everyone to shape it (which would seem to be the case back when the quote was expressed and remains true in the present time). For that, both the real world and the Pokémon world have a great deal of "actors" on their "stages" who are ready to deliver life-changing performances for themselves and others who watch them. Further, the sights may not always be beautiful - as attested by an interpretative extension to that quote - but then that's how performances are, especially with the stories of Pokémon. Regardless, the "acts" on the stage continue to dazzle. 

(...perhaps hopefully in a quicker manner too?)

One year ago: Going through the 00s
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