Hoppip New Year 2026

Hoppip New Year! Well, this Pokémon blog is now starting its tenth year, a round number for all things concerned. Now, roundness can be construed in many different ways, and any of them seem apt to be discussed at the beginning of this year of Pokémon blogging for all that they may indicate for what has come as well as what will come with everything Pokémon. That then becomes reflected back into my blogging efforts for what I've done and what I'll need to do - the latter likely in more detail tomorrow.

One of the things that "roundness" may refer to is completion. Nine years of discussing certain Pokémon matters on this blog have been completed, and I've also been able to complete a lot of things within that time. Yet this is something that faces challenges, much like the subject of "commitments" that I discussed a year ago (see below). Despite the challenges, both past and present, I still want to commit to that completion, and that also means doing what I can possibly do in both the Pokémon front and blogging side.

"Roundness" can also have references to perfection or fullness, and this presents a more intriguing prospect. Over the past year, a lot of things have happened for Pokémon, and I got to address many of them in my blog posts. This year, meanwhile, already has its cues for further perfection and fullness, some to be evident in a couple of months' time. That means more of them to address, which further means more chances to achieve a "roundedness" of my own with this Pokémon blog.

Like in past years, I also put forth my "Hoppip Report" on this day. Last year, I put out stats on my captured Hoppip through the in-game Pokédex since I didn't have anything particularly special for a captured Hoppip. I've decided to revisit that and show what kinds of Hoppip I actually have through the new and improved appearance of that Pokédex - something I should probably discuss in a different post. The ones for the 100% (best stats) and Lucky are indeed missing... but they'll surely come sooner if not later.

Also like past years, the list of posts from past years grows even more round with the addition of the one from nine years ago. That is something that is warranted regardless along with the state of roundness of all my affairs, both in and out of Pokémon. As for Hoppip itself, it is not necessarily a "rounded" Pokémon in one sense, but after all this time, it still has provided a sense of "roundedness" for me to start off another year of Pokémon blogging. By all means, that may be a good and "round" way of looking at things at this point. 

One year ago: Hoppip New Year 2025

Two years ago: Hoppip New Year 2024

Three years ago: Hoppip New Year 2023

Four years ago: Hoppip New Year 2022

Five years ago: Hoppip New Year 2021

Six years ago: Hoppip New Year 2020

Seven years ago: Hoppip New Year 2019

Eight years ago: Hoppip New Year 2018

Nine years ago: First Post Time!

Nine Years... in My Item Storage

So, as of this post, it completes a full nine years of blogging about Pokémon on all kinds of topics, from hard ones related to the games and the rest of the Pokémon franchise fandom to soft ones related to much of my own experiences and at least a little bit of some of other fans. Like previous years, to close off the year, I take a concept or mechanic - mostly from the main series games - and attempt to apply that to all that I've blogged about within that time. The concept I've chosen for this year is item storage (or Bag, when talking about general-purpose Pokémon Trainers), something that is evidently needed for those main series games but is also applicable to other Pokémon games with their multitudes of similar yet different items. 

When I started this blog, I didn't have much of an inkling of what I'd post about, and I'd often choose random topics to discuss - like a Trainer starting out with only a few items in their Bag. In more recent times and especially this year, those "random topics" have settled into a kind of "regularity", like for a Trainer having a ready stock of various kinds of items in their Bag, ready to use them when the opportunity strikes. My regular event rollups and coverage for Pokémon Go, updates on certain progressions for all kinds of Pokémon games, and some days of the year with posts dedicated to more esoteric topics are examples of the evident "regularity".

Many items, in and out of the main series games, are certainly of the "enhancer" nature, like the hold items I discussed a year ago (see below). But the main series games also have a host of what are called "key items" that serve to advance the adventure in some way. My takes on all kinds of Pokémon aspects, like the ones in the "gimme five" series posts throughout this year followed by other facets of the franchise have elements of both enhancement and advancement - in many cases depending on how readers and other fans look at them.

Quite incidentally, nearly two years ago, I had discussed the amounts of items Trainers may have in their Bag in general, and the points that I had discussed there (re)apply into this end-of-year discussion with the more general topic of item storage. For the concerns of this blog, the path taken can be said to be the "moderate" path with sufficient items (or discussions) that free Trainers - or fans - to take whatever Pokémon path they want or need to take for them. 

Yet much recently, there has been the concern of "maxing out" the items in my storage, which can and still do happen in games that impose such limits like Café Remix and Pokémon Go, and the associated problems that come with that. That translates to this blog as having issues in composing posts and having to cope with them like Trainers use up their excess items.

Nine years is a pretty long time for blogging efforts, especially in my case where I devote them to a specialized topic, in this case Pokémon. Even more specialized within that is the body of items that make up one's storage in the games of the franchise or wherever they apply.

Looking into my "item storage", it seems that I've got a varied lot of items in it, like the posts on this blog, and that has to be shown off within this year and the next. Cheers! 🍒🎈🎀

One year ago: Eight Years Holding Items

Two years ago: Seven Years with Usage of Field Moves

Three years ago: Six Years & The Conferring of Statuses

Four years ago: Five Years - Extended Healing

Five years ago: Four Years, Taking Damage and Healing

Six years ago: Three Years: Making My Moves

Seven years ago: Two Years of Evolution

Eight years ago: One Year Full of Pokémon

Realizing Agreements

The fire

Making me clean

Making me fly

Spinning me 'round and 'round

Spinning me 'round

The fire

Within your eyes

This mystic time

I've known before

Once before

The flame

Within my heart

Agreements made

Are now realized

Like before...

-- "Agreement", Kitaro (vocals by Jon Anderson)

As for a song to really close off this year, as I've discussed others in all of the past years, I had to think and really think about it, and I settled on the above quoted song in the end. "Settled" becomes an appropriate word, for its title ("Agreement") has that very connotation. It's an intriguing connotation to say the least, and framing that in the Pokémon experiences I've had this year on and off this blog is something that can and should be done.

But first, the song itself needs to be discussed. This is one of the few vocal songs by this "new age" composer, though the vocals are provided by a singer better known as the vocalist of a certain band. It's also a pretty long (and slow) song, of which the first pre-chorus and chorus are quoted above. As a result, its flow and lyrics are pretty drawn out, which applies to the themes and imagery, and ultimately how the song can relate to Pokémon.

The most curious part of the quoted lyrics as above is of course the "fire" and "flame" that have certain effects, if many Pokémon species of the former type are to be considered. The song itself suggests a kind of "delirium" with these elements as well in light of what has been quoted above, and with all of the goings-on in Pokémon this year, players and fans might find themselves in that kind of "delirium", trying to seek agreement with the happenings.

Seeking agreements is of course one thing; realizing them is quite another. Throughout this year, that has been a challenge, as I had addressed with my review in light of the "yearly theme" I supposed for this year. Even now, coming to terms with what is expected to make an agreement happen may still be difficult for several Pokémon matters - not the least of which are remnants of other matters - and may be further challenging with the "delirium".

If this song has any other indication, it may be that realizing agreements might require one to make sense of and make peace with the world, and that is similar in spirit to other songs and musical pieces by this artist. That is an "agreement" in itself, and the same would be true for Pokémon matters and happenings, especially those that have been present over the course of this year. The next agreement might just be to make sure that all of those turn out for the best.

One year ago: The Road Never Ends

Two years ago: Tales Told, One by One

Three years ago: Someday, Soon...

Four years ago: ...Is There Still Time?

Five years ago: Return to Believe

Six years ago: (Extra-)Ordinary Days

Seven years ago: One Day, in Life

Eight years ago: When I See You Again

Five... for Fighting

It's almost the end of the year, and it's time for the usual series of reflection posts dealing with this blog, my life, and Pokémon in different kinds of ways. As I noted at the beginning of the year, I chose (or "deemed") the theme of this year to be "Give Me Five", a theme that not only has a numerical dynamic to it but also implications of some "rest". Yet given how this year has transpired for me personally and Pokémon in general, there is something to be gained from it, and that may not necessarily involve a "rest".

For that, in fact, there have been some struggles within the realm of Pokémon games, like the major Unite update that came along with some major criticism, or the updates to Pokémon Go that bring lots of new things to enjoy yet just as many issues to deal with. These struggles are in stark contrast to the expected "rest", even though moments of the latter can still be found. Like a certain saying - "there is no rest for the weary" - Pokémon fans like me may be tired of the goings-on, but they'll just have to struggle ("fight") alongside the "rest".

With all that have gone on within the year - for the Pokémon game affairs, and specifically for me, Pokémon affairs beyond games such as cosplay - I'm finding that I'm struggling in the interplay between the "fight" and the "rest" for them. That includes for this blog, which may be reflected in certain ways that a few readers, friends, and other people might detect if they are observant enough. And yet I still have to make sure that the "fight" and the "rest" are there.

Meanwhile, the choice of titling for this post should be quite familiar to music fans, as it's the name of a rock band, of which one song of theirs had already been brought up on this blog for discussion with general Pokémon affairs. Since the band is mentioned again, I feel that it is proper to offer another song of theirs, one appropriate for this specific discussion:

I can't stand to fly

I'm not that naive

I'm just out to find

The better part of me

I'm more than a bird, I'm more than a plane

I'm more than some pretty face beside a train

And it's not easy to be me...

-- "Superman (It's Not Easy)", Five for Fighting

Aside from the certain superhero that becomes the title of this song (and in fact many of the themes raised within), its subtitle may be considered representative as the general gist of those themes. For this current discussion, it's not easy to "struggle" and "rest" - moreover at the same time - when there are affairs involving something as universally liked as Pokémon.

Out of all the years I've blogged and for Pokémon in general, this might be one of the most difficult given the "fight" that Pokémon things have had to offer and the "rest" that I should be (have been) able to get alongside them. Yet rest assured (ahem), I'll still need to continue my struggle with them, even if "rest" may have been out of the question, for what's left of this year and into the next year for Pokémon and beyond.

One year ago: Cosplay: M-ZONE E-Sports Festival & Elpico X-Mas

Two years ago: Going... Going... Gone

Three years ago: The Answer for Two and Two

Four years ago: Plus One, and...

Five years ago: A(n Un)Clear Vision?

Six years ago: Cosplay: MC & "Reflections of Love" End of Year Events

Seven years ago: Local EX Raid (Above and Beyond), 12/29/2018

Eight years ago: In Lieu of a Book

Cosplay: ChibiCon x ICC Competition

Goh: I knew it! All in...

Ash: ...ChibiCon!

Pikachu: Pika! Pi Pika! [imitating the ChibiCon ditty]

Me: Yeah, same old song and dance (more "song" than "dance", but you get my point).

Goh: It's Sunday, so this has got to be Day 2.

Me: Indeed it is.

Goh: Also, it's the end of the year, and you'd usually have that awards thing for this edition. There doesn't seem to be any this time.

Me: You know, I was wondering about that. I would have been notified weeks ago about any movement on this front. But as you say, it doesn't seem like that worked out for this year.

Ash: I guess that's why you sent me on this day! Well, besides the thing from yesterday.

Me: Sure. But there's also another reason.

Ash: Hey, I met your girl fan and really faraway friend! 

Me: That is it. 

Goh: They must be really close to you - and each other.

Me: So we are. We decided that this should be an opportunity for us to meet, have fun, and update on things - while we go to the convention.

Ash: We did that! Especially for your... "Delia"...

Me: Um, yes. The new Kanto and Johto outfit I sometimes send you with is strongly linked to her. And that's what you have now.

Goh: Oh. That's deep.

Pikachu: Pika... [dejected]

Ash: So, we did talk about that and a few life things over lunch, and then we explored the convention together.

Goh: And then they met your friends, and your friends met them.

Ash: We didn't get to meet a few, though. 

Goh: Well, maybe next time.

Me: I guess that could be hard. And how was the convention? Same old, same old?

Ash: Yeah! Lots of booths, lots of goodies, and... lots of people in the middle of the day!

Me: OK, that's a lot to take in. I think everyone got something.

Ash: I just got freebies. You know how your things are.

Me: Sorry about that. Maybe the next time ChibiCon gets going, I can have you get more things.

Goh: So, looking at the schedule, they have two stages - one for band and performance, the other for dance groups and DJ. Did you get to see any of them?

Ash: Just really briefly. We all had other things to do, like during the ICC thing where there was a talk about "fantasy" things. I thought our friend would be interested in that.

Pikachu: Pika chu pika. ["A good talk."]

Me: Very much, so I don't mind you missing the performances.

Ash: After that, we just hung out together. Your "girl fan" left first, and then I left to come back to you.

Goh: So today was more of a "hang out with friends" thing than a "hang out at the convention" thing.

Me: Yeah, you could say that. And it's a good thing that no intense Pokémon thing was happening.

Ash: I did catch a few holiday Eevee for you!

Me: Except that. But that doesn't really matter too much.

Goh: What was important were your friends and a good place for you all to be in.

Me: So, the convention delivers on that again, even if a lot of things are still the same - including the crowd.

Ash: Let's try to get in when it's not so crowded next time! 

Pikachu: Pika pika pika? ["Is that possible?"]

Me: I will always try to do that, but it depends on the scheduling and such, like with our friends today.

Goh: I'm sure things will work out. By the way, this is the final Sunday of the year... so no more conventions or festivals until the next. 

Me: If there are, not ones I can really send Ash to.

Ash: OK, so this year has been pretty good, and this one closed things up well.

Goh: So it did. Best of luck for the ones in the next, then.

Me: I can't agree more. We'll talk again when we get to them when the year turns over.

One year ago: Getting Down on All Fours

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/28/2023

Three years ago: Pokémon Problem, My Problem

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/28/2021

Five years ago: Road to 25th Anniversary: Life Goes On

Six years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/28/2019

Seven years ago: Soul-Searching and Pokémon

Eight years ago: From Journal to Blog

Cosplay: Amphoreus Year End Cosplay Finale

Me: OK, it's the end of the year, and there's a couple of special things to make it lively.

Goh: One of them is today.

Me: Sure enough. And hey, Ash will find it familiar.

Ash: Oh, it's a follow-up to this one with the futsal!

Me: Why, yes it is. This one doesn't have sports, though.

Goh: So where is this one? 

Ash: At the usual mall - like for the "break party" from earlier this year.

Pikachu: Pika pika pika chu. ["Nice to go back there."]

Goh: Oh, that's great! So we can expect a lot of the same things. 

Ash: So there was singing - but I didn't sing... (I did feel a little sad for our friend by a song they sang.)

Goh: OK, it's not like you're always asked to do that. What about that sad thing, though?

Me: I'll save it for the other special thing. Go on for now.

Ash: All right. And then there was dancing by the ones who can...

Goh: Obviously not you.

Ash: Not well enough, haha. And little games - I got a sticker by playing...

Goh: Well, that's OK.

Ash: And the character parade.

Me: That's all you (and me in some way).

Pikachu: Pika! ["Yup!"]

Ash: There were only 10 of us, and I had my Kalos outfit.

Goh: Where were the others?

Me: I can think of a reason... but we'll deal with it at the end.

Ash: I got the idea that I wanted to try doing the Mega Evolution thing, but then I forgot while I was in the middle of doing it on stage. And I was the first one up!

Goh: Huh. I guess I can get why you were tripped up.

Ash: But it was OK - because everyone won something.

Goh: Oh wow. That rarely happens. What did you win?

Ash: Best, um... "husbu".

Pikachu: Pika, chu... ["Hmm, wonders..."]

Goh: Have you ever heard of this term? 

Me: Mm-hmm, it's a technical term. But I can't say too much. All I can say is that people like us for who we are.

Goh: OK, I trust you. 

Ash: And you should get a little something good out of that soon - alongside this goodie bag.

Me: I will look out for that. So, it's a good day for that.

Ash: Yeah! A friend helped me get there and back to you.

Goh: That's awesome. 

Ash: And all of this in just a few hours - I even picked up something that our friend needed.

Pikachu: Pi pi pika! ["Double duty!"]

Me: It's good to take advantage of the opportunity, before that other special thing.

Goh: Before we get to it... would that be the reason?

Me: Oh, yes. And Ash will be dealing with it.

Ash: I think I know what it is!

Goh: I think I have an inkling too.

Me: Of course you do. But that's tomorrow.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/27/2024

Two years ago: Being a Pokémon "Ambassador"

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/27/2022

Four years ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: The Road in Kaleidoscope

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/27/2020

Six years ago: Pokémon and the Furry Fandom

Seven years ago: A Tripartite Conversation

Eight years ago: I Can Hear Your Voice

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/26/2025

Before things are lost even further and need to be found, there is the rollup of Pokémon Go events for this month to be made. As the events that kick off a season called "Precious Paths", they could be considered to start to pave those paths and bring forth a few appreciable things for those who still play the game. Yet it also comes at the end of the year, so there is that fact to be factored into the events - and therefore the paths and appreciation as well, which this rollup serves to unfold in some way.

Starting off the month and this season was a path into a familiar recent region, as the Journey to Paldea event from December 2 to 9. The highlight of this event was the debut of the Nacli species family, a rocky and salty one. With double XP bonuses for raids and evolving, selected species appeared on alternate days to be caught for two Collection Challenges rewarding Larvitar and Bagon, with these two Shiny boosted. Other Pokémon of the region also appeared in raids and Field Research encounters, while the paid extra had small bonuses and even more encounters. This event was also complemented by a Go Battle Week from December 4 to 7, as well as the separately explained Community Day; with that, it becomes a culmination to and mingling of several paths.

In this month, it was also time to pep up and prep up, and that came by the Well Armed event from December 11 to 16. That's because the event featured Fighting types, along with the debut of the Clobbopus family. That had to occur by way of completing a Global Challenge about Max Battles, which also rewarded other species in the wild and Candy bonuses from those battles, complementing the event's double Candy bonus. Meanwhile, those Max Battles also offered Dynamax Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, with an associated Shiny boost. Other Pokémon in the wild and Field Research encounters were of the Fighting and occasional Water types, and the paid extra had Candy and Max Particle bonuses among others. Once pepped and prepped, Trainers could also take on Gigantamax Snorlax again in a Max Battle Day on December 14 with all the usual perks. Of course, the pep and prep could be construed to be in more than one way for the present time.

As is expected of this time of the year, the holidays are at hand and so is the Winter Holidays event, of which Part 1 took place from December 17 to 24. For this year, Sudowoodo and Charjabug come to enliven things, the former with a tree costume and the latter with a tree costume, able to evolve to Vikavolt. They can be raided for and in this part also caught in the wild, along with a bevy of seasonal and Ice-type Pokémon. In the Egg department, 7 km Eggs also have seasonal(-costumed) Pokémon, some of which in this part also got a Shiny boost. A few of the seasonal Pokémon also appear in Field Research encounters. This first part also introduces a Go Pass with the usual free and premium tracks to last through the entire holiday period, with lots of encounters, items, and bonuses, especially for those who pay for the premium track, as well as new avatar items with the new costumed Pokémon. Complementing this first part was a Celestial Research Day on December 20 featuring Solrock and Lunatone. All told, there was a certain brightness to this part.

Part 2 of the Winter Holidays event continued where Part 1 left off from December 24, with its end coming later on December 29. This part retains the Eggs, Field Research encounters, Go Pass, and avatar items from Part 1; it also rewards coal... in the form of the Rolycoly species family making its debut in the wild and raids. This time, Pokémon may also drop items when caught, and some wild costumed Pokémon get a Shiny boost. More seasonal and Ice-type Pokémon also join the festivities in the wild and raids to make this part even livelier, and the liveliest part is its peak, the Winter Weekend on December 27 and 28 (that's today and tomorrow), with a special feature on holiday costume Eevee through a Timed Research set, and the opportunity to level up the Go Pass as much as possible on these two days. It may be a little less bright in this part, but it's still quite festive.

The end of the year often (also) represents the end of many paths that have been traversed throughout the year, but for Pokémon Go this season, the paths are already getting started. And that start comes at a bit of an appropriate time for the usual festivities at the end of the year, which have their own appreciable paths to follow. With that, it's time to end the year and get the next one started so that, in turn, the paths of that one can start.

One year ago: Pokémon Through the Ages: The Radical Era and The Future

Two years ago: Pokémon Face Off Figures - Charmander and Mew

Three years ago: Cosplay: Trans Mini Fest

Four years ago: Pokémon Unite Holiday Event

Five years ago: My Missing Pokémon Pieces in 2020

Six years ago: More on Sunner and Me

Seven years ago: Wallpaper: 20th Movie - Remember and Continue

Eight years ago: The First: Episode 001 - "Pokémon - I Choose You!"