Tuesday, July 14, 2026

On Freedom, Equality, and Brotherhood

Today is... well, actually, a special day in a certain part of the world. But it's not that relevant to me, aside from someone who shares their birthday with the day, whom I mentioned way back when I started this blog (see below, nine years ago). Yet there's something to be said about the special day, so I've decided to make a one-off post about it and certainly bring Pokémon to the table alongside the special day in question.

Now, said special day is very much linked to three aspects (or perhaps they could also be said to be "qualities"). All three of them are mentioned in the title of this post and will become a part of the discussion shortly. In this case, I've also put them in a more "diverse" form, since the "parallel" form is best reserved for those with direct links to them... and I don't. The only direct link I have is with Pokémon, and that becomes the secondary "core" of the discussion.

For those aspects or "qualities", the first is or should be familiar to those who are able to pursue their good and best life objectives without being restrained - except where it might be needed, certainly. Pokémon Trainers have a lot of freedom in their world to pursue their objectives under a similar state of affairs. What is clear is that regardless, freedom is valued and there is benefit in it for the people, which then can extend to those linked to Pokémon.

As for equality, there is a beauty (and necessity) in being able to regard fellow people in equal stature in all relevant social situations. That has to be the way for Pokémon Trainers as well, and that is in fact the case before and after they meet for battle. Outside of battling, social situations in both the real and Pokémon worlds are quite varied, and they also warrant equal stature for the people involved in them - as well as Pokémon species when relevant.

Brotherhood, the last aspect, is surely one that many people in general will be able to relate to. It would warrant maintaining good linkages... especially when Pokémon battles come into the light with all their tensions before and after. Indeed, tensions always arise whether it's the real or Pokémon world, so having the prerogative to keep good relationships is something that is quite worth it, and Pokémon has a lot of that going on as well beyond all the battles.

If the above is of any indication, the three aspects or "qualities" are actually quite universal - even for Pokémon - aside from its relation to that certain part of the world, which becomes relevant today. It will likely be the only time I'll address the particularly special day and its related specifics, but the relevance will remain somehow as I continue to address Pokémon matters on this day and further beyond that.

Six years ago: Miss You, Brandon
Seven years ago: Cosplay: COSTHNIFEST
Eight years ago: Spending on Pokémon
Nine years ago: A Pokémon Forum Persona
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Monday, July 13, 2026

Cosplay: MCP Coshow

Me: OK, Go Fest is a wrap (for now), so it's time to deal with something we skipped over.

Goh: Well, it was a character thing, of course. Like this and this?

Me: Yeah.

Ash: It's neat that it happened after Go Fest... or I think that made its way a bit into this one.

Goh: Looking at the schedule, I'd say that's true.

Ash: But I got there just after things really got going, so I didn't miss much.

Pikachu: Pika pika. ["Good thing."]

Goh: OK... and I'm sure Bocchi Noizu was involved somehow.

Ash: Yeah! They brought their usual games, and some people won big prizes. They say it never happened before.

Goh: Well, that's the big difference, isn't it? Just like Mewtwo for Go Fest.

Me: I'm sure it is. 

Ash: I think we got it.

Goh: Then there must have been the usual entertainment if they're involved.

Ash: You bet! A singer, a dancer, and a dance group.

Pikachu: Pika... pika pika. ["Yeah... the usual."]

Goh: And then there was you, and other characters. A character parade, right? 

Ash: Right! Our friend sent me with the Kanto-Johto outfit.

Me: Obviously because of the Go Fest thing.

Goh: Makes sense. But you know, people see you quite often with it, in it. Don't you think you ought to have made it different?

Ash: I did! That's what a character friend of us tells me to do.

Me: And how'd that happen?

Ash: I Mega Evolved Mewtwo into its X form in front of everyone! 

Goh: Wow!!

Pikachu: Pika chu!! ["Awesome!!"]

Me: And I know you did great with that, because you got...

Ash: Bocchi Noizu favorite! 

Goh: That's pretty nice. 

Ash: But it was a little tiring too. I think our friend...

Me: Um, well... [clears throat] 

Goh: [to Me] Maybe you could try to take it a little easier?

Me: Let me see what I can do. [to all] Anyway, this was a show and a half.

Ash: It was really a show! But... a half?

Pikachu: Pika chu? ["Really?"]

Me: Well, I think I might need to find another one-half somewhere else.

Goh: Like I just said.

Ash: And don't stress yourself out.

Me: I won't. (Although, sometimes Pokémon things can be that way...)

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Sunday, July 12, 2026

Pokémon Go Fest 2026 (Global), Day 2

Now it's Day 2 of this grand annual event for Pokémon Go, and as I've said previously, I hadn't quite explained all of it. The rest of the explanations are then in order for today, along with the similarities and differences as I had noted - which are expected, but they're also highly so for this year. It's a lot to take in, deal with, and write about... and sometimes it may present a problem with other problems I've got going. But I carry on, and Go Fest carries on.

Like yesterday, there is Mega-Evolved Mewtwo to raid, this time in its Y form. Something that I didn't mention yesterday is that there is a special move for it when caught from the raids: today is Psystrike (a Charged move) while yesterday was Counter (a Fast move), befitting their dominant types. They also may have special backgrounds when they are caught, as well as Mega levels already unlocked. Regardless, today it still takes the same number of Trainers (10) to take its shield and itself down. Type features and habitats for Pokémon in the wild and other raids continue, but with new ones (Earthforged Domain - Steel, Ground, Normal; Verdant Anomaly - Poison, Bug, Grass; Twilight Battlefield - Dark, Fairy, Fighting) to make it an all-inclusive event that is worthy of its current status as a major annual one.

Understandably, there are still other niceties and aspects for this edition. Both Incense and Lure Modules are extended for catching purposes, and so is Party Play. Global Challenges also take place each hour (as with past years) to keep Trainers in the loop - and reward them after they're complete, furthermore later on after Go Fest. For raids, everyone gets nine free passes each day to start so they can get some raid effort in without payment. Trades also get the benefit of more Special Trades and discounts for them, much like Community Day with similar incentives for getting people together, if raids aren't already an incentive. Finally, there are also greater Shiny chances for different Pokémon, even if it's still, well... a chance.

What makes a difference for this year's edition, even with some sameness as in previous years, is that the event is essentially free with no paid ticket for itself as a whole - aside from buying the necessities for raids (premium and/or remote passes) and the Deluxe track of the Go Pass, again to be detailed later. The reason, certainly, is this year's big Pokémon anniversary, for which everyone - even in Pokémon Go - has to be able to enjoy things to the fullest, without cost if need be. That's something that every Pokémon fan should be able to appreciate, however they belong in the realm of Pokémon Go and ecosystem of Pokémon as a whole.

Evidently, that applies to me, as for this day, I chose to deal with things with the faraway community for reasons of solidarity and general enjoyment. Again, things mostly focused on raiding for Mewtwo, but I did capture other Pokémon and complete other tasks in between all the raids - and try my luck on another giveaway that I also missed this time. It was still a better day than without, and after getting all the pickings from this day and the previous day, now I have a lot of things to work with for my purposes... as well as interested others.

Years have passed for Pokémon in general and Pokémon Go in particular, and they can and do have special merriment when they are warranted, like for their decadal anniversaries (of which this year is one for them). With that, the current Pokémon Go Fest is rightly and truly a spectacle to look into and fight it out, just like Mewtwo and its Mega Evolution forms.

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Saturday, July 11, 2026

Pokémon Go Fest 2026 (Global), Day 1

The time has come to explain about the Global edition of Pokémon Go Fest, which as I've previewed will take place today and tomorrow. It also will deal with how I took care of things today, but that's for later. Right now, I can also say that a lot of the gameplay aspects will be quite similar as they will be quite different, so I'm going to run with that theme over these two days. Then, there's the theme of "all aces awakening" as previewed, and that also needs to be dealt with to see how it actually manifests.

So, the true "ace" boss of this year is that supreme Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon, which would be the one and only Mewtwo. It becomes even more of an "ace" in that this year's festivities - first in the earlier regional editions for select Trainers and now in the Global edition for everyone - serves as a debut of its Mega Evolution forms, both X and Y. Today for the Global edition, there is the X form awaiting in Super Mega Raid format that requires at least 10 Trainers with Mega-Evolved Pokémon to break its shield and become real "aces".

As for other "ace" bosses, they are also present in raids, being Legendary and certain Mythical Pokémon of various types, along with a selection of regular Mega raids. In fact, they're structured according to type and habitats as with past editions of Go Fest: today, there are three such habitats with type representations (Stormfire Peaks - Ice, Electric, Fire; Astral Tides - Ghost, Psychic, Water; Dragonflight Summit - Dragon, Flying, Rock) spanning an hour for each represented type, which explains why the event hours for this edition are from 10 AM to 7 PM. Tomorrow will be similar in many ways regarding this, but I'm getting ahead of myself; there will be more on this and other similarities and differences when that day comes.

Outside of raids, during each hour for each type, Pokémon of those types appear, which can be caught to elevate the rank of the Go Pass from its accompanying event (to be detailed later) by hourly tasks. There are also the Kanto first partners with Pikachu visors, as well as Pikachu with team caps, the latter also found by photo bombs and through the Go Pass. By activating Incense, Unown of all forms can also appear and be caught, as well as the regional species of Bouffalant and Tropius; the latter two also appear in 10 km Eggs along with a few other strong and rare species. They become additional "aces" for collection and other purposes.

Research is always involved, certainly. Field tasks reward niceties for Mewtwo (extra Mega Energy) and a few encounters with other Pokémon, while a Timed set is dedicated to pursuing Mewtwo and one of its Mega-Evolved forms; a Special set, meanwhile, is dedicated to the pursuit of Zeraora, a Mythical Pokémon from Alola, which also makes its debut alongside the Mega Evolution of Mewtwo as the above. It's not a "Masterwork" set unlike most other Mythical Pokémon that debut in this manner, but it still does take some effort to complete - although as always, since it's not Timed, there is a lot more freedom to complete it.

For my case today, I spent the morning mostly raiding for Mewtwo; in the gaps between the raids, I also took care of Research tasks as per the above, knowing that it's also better to get them done and keep me stimulated. This took place locally - as much as it pains me - in part for other goings-on that took place after the raids and more; for that I also sent someone near and dear to me, if only to make things right.

Me: Isn't that right?

Ash: I love the Kanto theme of this one! And Mewtwo too.

Goh: I do too. OK, so you've got Ash, so there must definitely be something.

Ash: Uh-huh, and it's all the same, but it's always great!

Pikachu: Pika! ["Yup!"]

Goh: I'll betcha we'll all deal with this after Go Fest ends.

Me: Sure. It's a big thing, especially now.

It can be said that this edition of Pokémon Go is the biggest and most important yet, and I've actually yet to cover all of its points. Fortunately, as with every year, this one is a two-day event, and the rest of the points - along with more (and evident) similarities and differences - will be covered along with a note of my experience. This first day is only the start of the true "awakening", and things will surely rise after.

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Friday, July 10, 2026

(Re)visiting Community Ambassador Standards

Having discussed some problems that Trainers may have that may cause them to drop playing Pokémon Go, it becomes apparent that the social aspect is very important for the game. It is rightfully important, especially with the establishment of communities and the Community Ambassadors who lead them. With that, it seems pertinent to go over and discuss the standards for what a Community Ambassador should be, according to the game; it could very well serve as a reminder for current and would-be Community Ambassadors for the game. The information is based on the Community page on the official site, making it authoritative.

The game looks for people who have passion (certainly in part for Pokémon) in order to bring people together day in and day out. It's certainly a lot of hard work to do that, and the work is harder knowing that it's also just as easy to alienate certain people based on what's happening in a community. Since people are all different - in the same way that Pokémon species are - diversity becomes an important aspect, and the game wants a representation that is as broad as possible among all kinds of identifiers; that is as noble as collecting Pokémon of all kinds.

Perhaps the most important standards are professionalism and positivity. Being professional means having good character as well as good behavior when dealing with others - which would mean being open to their views and what they have to say. Being positive is requisite for a great community that one can stand to be with and allowing feedback, even critical ones, to come through without being repressed by threat or violence - making it essential for those in a community to "look on the bright side" for all sides of things involving Pokémon Go.

Not far behind, then, would be the standards of safety and integrity. The physical and digital spaces have to be family-friendly and allow people 13 years and up to join publicly, with no threats to security of presence and/or well-being - which is in line with the general principle for Pokémon itself. Integrity means not using certain tools or approaches that make playing Pokémon Go seem unfair, but also not bringing them up in discussion so that others aren't tempted to use them. Community Ambassadors then would need to moderate in this regard.

With all of that explained, Community Ambassadors are the key to keeping things going in their communities as well as those who play Pokémon Go. Any fault with them, their relations, and their communities then would lie in the above standards not being met for themselves as well as how they deal with the game and others. The standards may then be regarded as critical in solving and/or preventing problems for people who continue to play Pokémon Go.

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Thursday, July 9, 2026

Letting Go of Pokémon Go?

Some years ago, I wrote about the elements that keep me attracted to play Pokémon Go, and those elements I can still say to remain true to this very day. This time, however, I want to "flip the script" a little bit: I want to talk about elements that deter some players from playing said game (or more precisely, warrant them to let go of playing if they already are). It's a situation that would be regrettable, so for this discussion, I'd like to buffer that up a little bit with some possible solutions or alternatives to mitigate them.

Many players (Trainers) whom I've met and know to have played the game but no longer have said that other responsibilities - Pokémon or otherwise - have gotten in their way of playing the game. And that's understandable, since many of the things in the game do take time and effort to develop and they might not be able to devote that. At the same time, it also seems fair to say that they don't have to devote all of that right away, and they can sneak in time and effort whenever possible, allowing them to still play.

Then, it may be that the people they play with have become "pushy" or toxic in their play behaviors, for which I surmise that a lot of those playing right now share the same sentiment, whether or not they've actually let go of playing the game. The obvious way of mitigating this is to find new people to play with or to play alone sometimes, even if either or both of these may not be viable at times due to the way that the game is dependent on social relations. At least, feelings are allowed to heal within that time.

Yet other players (Trainers) find themselves - or are themselves set - in rural areas with fewer people who may or may not play the game, and traveling to more populated areas may or may not be an option. It may actually be worth it to take one or several days off in this case, as is using Campfire and Wayfarer to try to develop the playability of the area - "build it and they will come", as a certain imaginative work would suggest. If things do develop, it might just be possible to continue play on a more regular basis.

Certainly, there could be many more reasons that players (Trainers) let go of playing Pokémon Go beyond and in addition to the ones I've explained above. The point is that it is apparent that many factors can and do cause them to let go of Pokémon Go, even with all the value that it has for enjoying Pokémon. It's just something that players have to understand for others and themselves, and then to be able to mitigate that with whatever they can muster in order to keep them immersed in the game and not out of it.

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Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Card Completion Bonuses in TCGP

With the release of the most recent expansions for TCGP, both major and minor, there has also been something new to make collecting their cards much more exciting and rewarding. As indicated by the title of this post, that would be bonuses for collecting the cards in those expansions and furthermore completing them. They would definitely be attractive to the players of the game, and even more so to be discussed regarding their particulars.

The bonuses can be classified as "row bonuses" and "group bonuses". "Row bonuses" are given out for a block of five cards in numbered or overnumbered sequence (also because they appear in rows that amount to that in view modes), and group bonuses are given out for a block of cards of certain relationships, which may be few or many depending on the relationship. As newly obtained cards fill in the list, the bonuses are then awarded.

Now, it wouldn't be a bonus if they didn't award something, and they do. The "row bonuses" award Wonder Hourglasses at a rate of two per complete row; it's not much, but it can lead to many if many rows are involved - which is always the case for expansions. The "group bonuses" meanwhile award Trade Hourglasses that may be useful for future trading of the cards in concern with those who may need it. Either way, they can be very useful.

Just in case it's not clear, these bonuses only apply to the most recent expansions (Pulsing Aura and onwards). They don't apply to older expansions of either Series B or Series A, which may be a good thing in order that longtime players don't have an additional advantage conferred to them from the older expansions. For the newer ones, the card completion bonuses then become a defining part in the efforts to obtain new cards for play.

Going through packs for newer TCGP expansions have sometimes proven to take a lot of effort, sometimes with little in return. The new card completion bonuses can then be considered a way of rectifying that, at least in certain ways to give a bit of return. It still takes some effort to go through them for the cards, but now there is an apparent excitement and reward for them that will hopefully keep players going through the new stuff.

Five years ago: Every Word Is a Prayer
Six years ago: Dream of Pokémon Life
Nine years ago: Pursuing Shiny?
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Tuesday, July 7, 2026

TCGP: A Special Wonder for Everyday

No, this post does not have anything to do with ice cream or promotions for it. But this post does have a lot to do with the Pokémon TCG - specifically its Pocket implementation. Even so, there is the possibility that ice cream could be very well appreciated by the entities involved in this month's new expansion for the game. And it does have something to do with the premise that the new expansion presents, which is "Everyday Wonders" - exactly titled that.

This new expansion is dubbed a Themed Booster Pack and can thus be considered as a way of tiding things over to the next big one. True to that, it has 106 cards total: 69 in the numbered section and 37 in the overnumbered section. Of the 63 Pokémon that are represented in the numbered section, they're mostly Pokémon that are cute or uniquely designed in their bodies, all of which can make great friends for common days... hence the theme of this expansion.

Meanwhile, the rest of the numbered section are composed of 2 Pokémon Tool cards, 3 Supporter cards, and 1 Stadium card. There are no Item cards in this expansion, which could seem a bit strange, but Item cards from prior expansions may still cover most of the common ("everyday") battle needs involving the Pokémon here. And of course, the new Trainer cards can put their own twists on the battle - two of them, in fact, concern Pokémon Tool usage.

Wonders - especially beyond everyday ones - certainly lie in that overnumbered section, which for this one is just a little more than half the cards in the numbered section, becoming a little more significant. As usual, there are full art versions of some notable species in this expansion, including the Dedenne "immersive", and the Shiny highlights are fascinating as well. Such wonders will certainly fall upon those who are fortunate in opening these packs.

Sometimes, the best and even worst of days need a bit of a wonder power, and Pokémon has been known to be able to furnish that in all of its different ways. TCGP then can become something a little different in that regard, and the newly included Themed Booster Pack for this month exemplifies what (species) it might take for that to happen. Going back to ice cream, that makes for a wondrous moment - and so too can Pokémon in at least some way.

Five years ago: Go Fest Gets Musical
Six years ago: Everyone's Go Fest
Seven years ago: Cosplay: Konbini Anime
Nine years ago: Shiny Stories
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Monday, July 6, 2026

Pokémon Go 10th Anniversary

After having mentioned it in the season opener and a few times in other posts but not directly, the day has finally come for it as well as the discussion regarding it. So, this year marks a big anniversary for Pokémon Go, being its tenth - the first with double digits. This one is a big one because it's the consummate peak of all that has gone on with the game and in going out for it, literally and figuratively. For that, I thought about taking the "going (all) out" theme that I previously used for Halloween some years ago and applying it to this anniversary. 

Now, the game has made a name for itself in allowing players (Trainers) to go places with their Pokémon, early on with PokéStops and Gyms and later with events in certain places as well as new elements of Power Spots and Routes. The addition of Gifts, stickers, backgrounds, photo opportunities, and more make each visited place even more memorable, both among Trainers and the Pokémon they have - which I'll get to soon enough. It can be seen that the efforts made for this purpose have been extremely great, which makes it a way of going all out.

Then, there are the Pokémon. They went from one generation, to two, to several - and now it's approaching total parity with almost all currently available species from those generations, with a handful left over for certain purposes. They went into Gym battles, raids, Trainer battles, and somewhat more recently Max Battles, in particular establishing a competitive domain with the third of these. Everyone had to go all out for these, from their shaky and difficult initial implementations to their refined and more accessible current forms as of today.

Of course, with a great anniversary peak comes a great celebratory peak - and in fact, that peak came today with the peak of its anniversary event, which might be considered to have the "go all out" elements of the above. Then, because Pokémon Go Fest (the Global edition, as previewed) is this weekend, that may be considered as the extension of that "peak" and the continuation of the celebration. All Trainers will still need to give it their all for the stretch of the weekend, not to mention to satisfy the "going out" part, which might occur in many ways.

In the ten years that Pokémon Go has existed, it has become a real breakthrough for the franchise in many ways, delivering its first truly mobile experience and paving a path beyond the main series games that it's so traditionally associated with. The progenitors, developers then and now, and the continually reforming player base all have a stake in going (all) out in this regard, and that has been amazing in the game's single-digit life. In the double-digit life, there may just be a lot of the same (or different) efforts they'll contend with.

Happy 10th anniversary to Pokémon Go.

Two years ago: Pokémon Go 8th Anniversary 
Three years ago: Pokémon Go 7th Anniversary 
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Sunday, July 5, 2026

Pokémon Go Community Day, 7/4/2026 "On the Fourth of July"

So, what took place the other day on the same day is none other than Community Day for Pokémon Go, which makes it the first time on record that Community Day has ever fallen on such a momentous occasion - and the momentous of moments, at that. Now, the clues for the particular species involved in this specific edition were also delivered yesterday along with the commemoration: the Pokémon is watery, it's even blue, and it has the National Dex number of 816 - the watery part is even literal as stated.

That Pokémon would be the one and only Sobble, who can be a total crybaby if not managed properly - as some Trainers can attest. It evolves twice, first to Drizzile and then Inteleon; as it's a first partner or starter, it no doubt got the Hydro Cannon move for this edition. Like Grookey or Scorbunny (the other two from Galar) from earlier this year, there was also a secondary "signature move" involved - Snipe Shot - which may become an alternative for some Inteleon that are already in the evolutionary form.

Meanwhile, the main bonus was quartered Egg hatch distance, the same as Scorbunny and another opportunity to get Eggs hatched. Then there was the usual cavalcade of bonuses: double Candy and Candy XL chance, three-hour Incense and one-hour Lure Modules (with more appearances), trade discounts and extra Special Trades, photo bombs, special backgrounds, and Research - Field, Timed (from community meetups), and the paid Special set, this time titled "Waterworks" for all that may be sprayed from eyes or otherwise.

For this occasion, as has been mostly the case since some time ago, it was another trip for me to the faraway community, also to deal with other things. I caught a whole lot of Sobble to gain its resources as well as a few of the Shiny form and/or ones with backgrounds, especially to evolve certain ones for primarily PvP purposes with the special move. Other than that, it was mostly to have a good time with them... though I did miss out on a giveaway that now in hindsight may not have mattered much.

With the way that the "basic form" of this family is, there might seem to be one thing or another for it to cry over. Yet once the little guy evolves to the big guy, it can do some real sharpshooting, and that might involve shooting what caused the "waterworks". Or, on the special day for Americans, more "fire" than "water" may be involved, and that becomes a sight to see. In any case, this watery Community Day was not one to be cried over and one to be celebrated - on or off the special day it was on.

Three years ago: Is Pokémon Second-Rate?
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Saturday, July 4, 2026

250 Going on 30 Going on...

Today is a very, very, very, and did I mention very special day. It is the Fourth of July, the day taken as the independence day of the United States of America, but not only that, today is the 250th anniversary of that - termed as the "semiquincentennial", one half of 500 years. It's a significant number, along with this year also being the 30th anniversary of Pokémon. With that being the case, I thought I'd discuss these (and other) numbers as well as challenges faced by both of these sides for their respective commemorations.

Now, 250 years is a long time for a modern nation-state, especially if its bases haven't changed (much) since it started - which is more or less the case for the U.S. in all that time. Yet the varied people and elements that have come since that time have made things a lot more complicated, and in recent times, that also has been a source of certain problems, even for Pokémon fans. Still, things march on and on for the country.

Similarly for Pokémon, after 30 years, its foundational games are still there, but the games themselves have become diverse - and so have the species. That has led to its own set of complications and problems that people on both sides of the developmental divide have had to experience and/or resolve. Like the people of that country, though, they also carry on somehow amidst the challenges that emerge and submerge.

For today, there is even a special yet regular happening for those who deal with Pokémon Go. It involves the number 816 and a certain watery (literally) Pokémon, who after becoming fully evolved can take on a role similar to "oh-oh-seven", another number that many will understand. Its challenges, though, will take another post to explain.

Based on the above, it does seem to take a long time for certain things to have its problems and challenges manifest. Yet the people associated with them also have their ways of carrying on with things, whether it's for the promise of independence that is so associated with that great big country or the promise of adventure as for Pokémon itself.

With that, for this great occasion, I can only wish the best that the special day has to offer, along with continued well wishes for Pokémon for its ongoing anniversary. With their big and little numbers and challenges, hopefully they'll have good things in the future.

Three years ago: From Sea to Shining Sea
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Friday, July 3, 2026

Quickies: Sitrus in Your Life

One of the most numerous kinds of fruit in the real world is the citrus fruit, which beyond the most commonly known kinds (orange, lemon, and lime) is actually highly varied in content, appearance, and even flavor. It's actually a special kind of berry called a "hesperidium" with a unique structure. Needless to say, that should pique the interest of (and be evocative to) Pokémon fans, who are certainly familiar with the numerous Berries that exist in its world that have nearly similar variations in the aspect above and... well, they're Berries, just like how citrus fruits are actually one kind. It's surely enough to make me want to mention them in writing.

Then there are the names of two of them that are related by the above fact. The Oran and Sitrus Berries, being related by the virtue of being a letter or two off from "orange" and "citrus" respectively, may be considered representative of this class of items and natural objects, not the least of which because they're likely the first ones an upstart Trainer will encounter. They're also known for their HP recovery abilities when they're held by Pokémon, and in that way they're also likely the first kinds of these items that Trainers will learn about using. Like the real citrus fruits they are named for, they'll make their way into the lives of Trainers and become a part.

It is also known that the HP recovery abilities of both Berries are different, with the former recovering a little and the latter recovering a lot. Thus, it can be easily determined which one is likely to be used by Trainers of different skill levels - if they use them at all, which is not always a certainty. Still, if the title of this post is a suggestion, again with reference to the above about citrus fruits being a part of real life, the Sitrus Berry is likely to become a big part of the lives of many Pokémon Trainers. With that being the case, there would then be a lot of HP recovery going on with them being given or used, and that would be as pleasant as it is sharp in effect.

Now, it seems that I've got to go find some Sitrus Berries and make them part of my current life...

Seven years ago: I Splurged, for Once
Nine years ago: Spicy Tamato
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Thursday, July 2, 2026

New Pokémon Go Battle System Is Live

Some few months ago, Pokémon Go put in the Preview Cup as a way of testing the new battle system and reforms to the PvP system. As of about a week ago, that battle system and in effect the reforms are now live for all kinds of PvP battles (and league "cups") in the game. As such, I thought about discussing it to a certain extent, in particular for a bit of the short term and the long term, as well as how I've personally dealt with the change and the battles of concern.

Now, this change occurs in the midst of the competitive season, so where earlier the new system was put in as an aside to the old for testing, this time the old system is available as an aside to the new as the Competitors Cup, for use in current competitions with Great League as its basis. Fairness has to be kept after all, so the competitions have to use the old system as the currently prevailing system until the end of the competitive season.

That would be pretty much until the end of the general season for everyone else playing the game, since something else important - to be explained - goes on for that purpose then. Meanwhile, everyone else can feel the dynamics of the system right away through Go Battle League and what it has to offer. After that, everyone is expected to be on a level playing field once again as the new PvP system will be the only one available going forward.

Personally, having gone through the system during its "beta" phase and "release" phase, I can feel the refinement... and perhaps a need for adjustment as well. The speed is there, and so is the responsiveness - seemingly so for my opponent as well: the matter of fact is that I haven't had a good record with the new system so far in both cases above - either that, or I'm just unlucky. Like everyone else, I may have to keep adjusting in any case.

While the release of this new PvP system may be considered untimely in a way due to it happening in the midst of certain things (this season, both competitively and not), it can be argued that reforms to PvP also cannot wait for the better, and that may then be regarded as the ultimate reason for instituting the new system right here and now. At least, there is now some leeway for competitive and non-competitive Trainers to move forward along with it.

Three years ago: Cosplay: Akazora Fest
Five years ago: The Element Cup of GBL
Eight years ago: Let's Go Trade
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Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Venturing Forth to Measure Up Problems

The previous post marked the end of the first half for the tenth year of this Pokémon blog, so this post would then mark the start of the second half of that year. I'd already given a bit of reflection on the post from yesterday, and I thought I'd continue that reflection with a somewhat different yet related topic. Now, I did mention finding a "solution" to the previously discussed quandary, which would take another post to deal with... and this post would effectively be dealing with that in a way, yet certainly without leaving Pokémon behind. 

What that solution would be is as usual hinted by the title of the post. It is said - by a certain character in a popular series that I might have mentioned elsewhere on this blog - that if you're concerned about the scale of your problems, then it may be worth it to sail away, after which you might find that your problems aren't that big after all. It's a sage advice for those who live in the realm of that particular series, but it could be conceived to have its applications to those who deal with Pokémon and characters that exist within that very realm.

Certainly, Pokémon Trainers can also sail away literally, but it's more likely that they'll do their "sailing" on land. In that sense, it might be more apt to consider them as "venturing", and that is why this post is titled as such, in line with the above saying. Over the course of that venture, they also will likely encounter problems of their own and others... but as the saying goes, they will likely realize how (in)significant they may be compared to their ventures.

Meanwhile, as for linking the saying to the quandary that I've previously presented and how it personally applies, there is a sense that the "Politoed" may need to keep venturing beyond the realms of the holes that it has personally recognized. And if that may mean finding a good Trainer to travel together and battle with - perhaps reminiscent of a related situation in that other realm - then that may very well be the course that one needs to take.

Based on what I've presented, it may be that a certain venture (or ventures) may be necessary in my future for both Pokémon needs and other needs. Whether or not that will affect this blog and perhaps my presence on is another matter altogether, but if it could still work out, then I would still be in for that and whatever Pokémon happenings it would cover.

Perhaps as a final thought, I'd have to say that the two songs about sailing (away) that I had brought up at different times in this blog echo the above sentiments... or maybe it would be the other way around. Regardless, the spirit of sailing (away) can have a way of manifesting itself among Pokémon fans, and in this case, it might just need to manifest for me personally.

Three years ago: A Virtual Cosplay Card
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