Thursday, May 28, 2026

Pokémon Go Fest 2026: All Ace Bosses Awaken

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, so its happenings in that time have to be extra-special. That also goes for Pokémon Go, which would correspond to something special (aside from the one about to be covered in this post) to be covered later on. This time, though, it's about the usual summer happening of Pokémon Go Fest, which also as usual I'm "rounding up" early - or it may be better described as a preview. So it is that I'm making the writeup for that at the same time of the year as last year (see below) for convenience and in some sense also by necessity, for what the happening has to offer this time around.

Par for the course is its scheduling and regional allocation. The settings this time are Tokyo (Asia, May 29-31 - yet again this weekend), Chicago (Americas, June 5-7), and Copenhagen (Europe, June 11-13). Each of these is hosted by a team leader - Blanche, Spark, and Candela respectively - and they come with the Pokémon that are often ascribed or associated with them. They also bring forth the usual gameplay and niceties, for they are truly the "aces" of their respective teams and followers... not to mention Professor Willow as well.

Meanwhile, the Global edition will be somewhat farther off this time, being scheduled for July 11 and 12 - that is, the month after next. It will also feature nine hours of gameplay each day, which means that it'll be intense, a test for the true "aces" of this game. Of course, everyone can and should deal with things however they can, not necessarily as the "aces" would demand them how to do it, but as best as possible following their best advice (hopefully) and the best practices of others so they can be "aces" in their own ways with the caught Pokémon.

Now, as for why I subtitled the post as above - besides inserting it as a theme - it concerns the content of this year's festivities. Among the "aces" this year are a supreme Legendary Pokémon of the Psychic type, a novel Mythical Pokémon of the Electric type, and other raid bosses of similar stature where you'd find them. Then there are the "lesser aces" of wild Pokémon and more, but that's for Trainers to discover in all the "ace" editions of the event as outlined.

With that, all the "aces" are arising or "awakening" in various ways for this year's edition of Pokémon Go Fest. That will then lead to dealing with them in all the usual ways and perhaps a few unusual ones as well depending on the circumstances. In doing so, Trainers will surely be preparing their own "aces" for those purposes and more, and they themselves might measure up to become "Ace Trainers" who will be proven (right) by the ace bosses soon to awaken. 

Two years ago: "Pokémon in Concert"?
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Wednesday, May 27, 2026

License Art in Pokémon Unite

In the interface updates to Pokémon Unite that I covered around half a year ago, I mentioned License art as one of the updates in the form of an added customization. As noted, the new customization lets players change the appearance of the Unite License they use in battle, particularly in its display as a battle starts. Yet that only scratches the surface, and now it seems that the topic is worthy of a fuller discussion, which this post serves to do.

Earlier, I addressed the usage of this customization with Holowear, and that still remains true: if players choose to equip a Pokémon with a License art, that art will take precedence over the "art" that applies for the Holowear of choice. So, the choice to use a License art can become a stylistic one, especially when a Holowear is also equipped for the Pokémon. Regardless, it's still a choice that most often will come by way of payment, to be discussed shortly.

Quite a few Pokémon by now actually have a License art of some sort (in fact, some already also have a couple), but others are still without one. That means, like Holowear, many of them will eventually have some sort of selection for License art. Many of the ones that currently have License art are predictably the most popular ones, the likes of Pikachu, Charizard, Lucario, and more - but certainly there will be more to go around for less popular Pokémon.

Obtaining License art is most likely done through the in-game shop through one of the customization sub-sections, which also necessitates exchanging Aeos Gems, which I don't have to say means payment by real cash in proxy. Some special occasions (tournaments and so on) may award License art by participation, but those are far and few between. Then, it's also likely that current and future in-game events may afford the chance for License art.

Now, I'd also like to give my impressions of the License art that are currently present in the game. From what I've seen, the art styles are (or at the least can considered to be) quite different from the art used for Holowear display, yet they still complement the Pokémon nicely - and in the case of special-occasion art, can show off achievements. License art then may be considered a "budget" option to characterize players in lieu of Holowear.

License art in that respect is still a pretty neat addition to the game as another approach or option to customization that can complement existing ones or stand on its own. While its availability is still applicable to only a good number of Pokémon, the ones that are already as such have proven at least some of their effectiveness, and others can benefit later on... and so too can the players for having an artful way of showing off their Pokémon.

Three years ago: Introducing Shadow Raids
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Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Meditating on Warm Sands

The course of time may have its effects on some people, whether in the real world or in the Pokémon world. For them, one of the best courses they may take is to meditate, which could bring to mind the Meditite species family by its association. Yet it seems a different approach could be taken for those who are versed with the Unova region and the fifth generation by extension. That different approach could involve a little trip to a recognized sandy area of that region and dealing with a Pokémon that may just be apt for the situation.

Said region features the aptly named Desert Region, a sandy and arid area that has remnants of the past and a few - OK, perhaps more than a few - resilient Pokémon species lurking around. That may make it a little less conducive for meditation, but the sandy parts that are present closer to populated areas may just be warm enough for that purpose and they may also be less affected by the lurking Pokémon species. Of course, the more adventurous might just venture into the inner parts, especially given the Pokémon I mentioned.

Here, the Pokémon that is apt for the situation is Darmanitan, specifically in its Zen form. Compared to the regular or "standard" form that is feisty and indeed very wild, this form is much less so - in fact, it seems almost non-motile as well. In that form, a spiritual sense may be felt from its almost non-motility, and its presence may be welcomed in times of meditation. While it may or may not turn back to its regular or "standard" form - maybe something to be watched over - the meditation scenario may very well work out somehow.

Perhaps it may not be such a stretch that people - and many of them - in the real world also come to what could be considered a part of a desert area (even though it is closer to some populated areas) and do a kind of meditation there, even if it technically can't be called as such. The same might also occur in Unova's Desert Region and with the particular presence of Darmanitan in its Zen form, which may just provide a relevant venue and situation for a meditation to chase off some of the effects that time may have on things.

Four years ago: The Advancement of TMs
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Monday, May 25, 2026

Difficult Buddy Pokémon to Play With in Pokémon Go

In Pokémon Go, Trainers will certainly (or hopefully so, with respect to some cases that I've discovered) deal with their Buddy Pokémon, day in and day out. One of the tasks they ought to do in doing that is to play with their Buddy Pokémon - more specifically, "pet" or "rub" them as they are present on the Buddy Pokémon. Yet I've also discovered - perhaps others have too - that some Buddy Pokémon make it a little (or a lot more) difficult for this to happen, so I thought I'd bring it up and discuss how that may be so.

Some Pokémon species are rather small by themselves (like Tynamo or Cutiefly), so when they become (are selected as) Buddy Pokémon, they also occupy a small spot on the screen that some Trainers may have trouble swiping to perform the play action. This could be even more so if the game is played on a tiny screen or something to that effect, like multi-windowing with other apps. In either case, the smallness becomes (a part of) the apparent difficulty.

Then, some Pokémon species have rather wildly shaped bodies, like the serpentine Rayquaza or multi-pronged Kyurem, which sometimes can make it hard to find the spot where one is to "pet" or "rub" these Pokémon by their bodily ambiguity. Though older players will likely become familiar with them over time, newer players might not be immediately familiar with them, and thus the difficulty might present itself in this way.

Mega Evolution can also make things a little difficult for the play action. When the Pokémon that can do so are made to evolve, the spot to invoke the play action may be differently located when compared to the regular form of the Pokémon species, which becomes another thing for a Trainer to become familiar with much like the Pokémon with wild shapes as above. It's apparent that body shape can and does factor into the difficulty of the play action.

Any task that involves a Buddy Pokémon in Pokémon Go might present its own difficulty in different ways and situations, Evidently, this can also apply for the "play with buddy" task by the above circumstances, particularly when different species are involved. It's a difficulty that Trainers will recognize and come to address when they deal with the task.

Four years ago: Pokémon in 1995?
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Sunday, May 24, 2026

Cosplay: Isshoni Tanoshimimashou 20

Ash: Hey, wait! Didn't you say this festival was "barred"?

Me: I did in fact say that a couple of years ago, but I also said that it could take some time to really get it going again... and it looks like "some time" has passed.

Goh: Technically our friend is right, if two years counts.

Me: One of the things I heard is that the 19th edition, which would be last year, wasn't a festival, but a job fair (odd as it is with the title). You could say it was "on probation".

Goh: Oh, that's why it skipped a number as a festival. 

Ash: I guess it makes sense.

Pikachu: Pika pika? ["You think?"]

Goh: But now it's back as a festival... so I hoped they changed from last time.

Me: For starters, it's back where it belongs. 

Ash: At your place of study! But it was still ticketed...

Me: Yeah. I don't think they'd be able to get away from that, especially in this day and age.

Goh: Was it still two days?

Me: Good question - yes! But I'm aware that yesterday was student competitions only, and the actual festival is confined to today. I actually passed by the area then and there was nothing (yet), so that supports that.

Ash: Oh, and it was in a different part of the school.

Me: But it's still where I studied, so it still works.

Ash: I think the people who can't (or don't want to) get in could still enjoy it from the benches of the building across. 

Goh: Maybe that was the consideration. 

Ash: Maybe so!

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Maybe!"]

Goh: All right, so I guess as usual we have competitions for us - you - today.

Me: We have two: singing and character parade. Unfortunately...

Ash: You entered me in the singing competition, but I didn't get past the qualifier, even with "Mezase Pokémon Master".

Goh: Oh, this is new... or was it like this last time?

Me: It was like this last time, but our straw hat friend got through with a different song, so... ask him.

Goh: Huh. So what did you have to do?

Ash: Our friend recorded a video of me singing, and that was the qualifier a few weeks ago.

Goh: Oh, OK. So if they selected people, then the ones on stage have to be really good. 

Ash: Most were! But one wasn't too good. I wish I made it instead of that person.

Pikachu: Pi pika... ["I think so..."]

Me: So do I.

Ash: But because I didn't make it, I got free entry since our friend paid for the competition.

Goh: Then, what about the other, the character parade?

Ash: I paid a little more and I got in that one. I was the very last one.

Me: I have to say that I had the idea - and we were very fortunate.

Goh: Looks very much like it. So how'd that go?

Ash: I didn't make it. Only two winners - and I guessed which ones right. And I think the judges know me.

Me: Oh. Tough call (or not).

Ash: The festival was still great. The stands were OK, and a good number of people came.

Pikachu: Pi pika pika chu! ["And did things with us!"]

Me: I heard the promotion on this was sudden and not too extensive, so if it was lengthier and more extensive, a lot more would have come.

Goh: Sure. How about the entertainment? A festival has to have that.

Ash: Dance groups and a DJ at the end.

Goh: OK. The current ones and all.

Me: So, you have to give some credit for the students in getting this thing going again, even if it's only a little like the past ones.

Ash: They did great! They can do even better next time.

Goh: I'm with Ash on this one. I'm sure they can make it better - but this is a start.

Me: It's definitely a start to "having fun together"... to make great times again.

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Saturday, May 23, 2026

A Life Truly Alive

Allow your dreams to dance
Upon the earth that you walk on
Strike and break the mirror
That shows your hatred in the reflection
Chase after all your dreams
Even though you are not adept
Feel the strength of life
With your entire body and spirit
-- "Alive A Life", Rica Matsumoto (interpretive translation)

After Ash's supposed "special day" this year, I want to cover this actually long overdue topic. A couple of years ago, I brought up a song about "life" as a tribute to the new Pokémon anime, and I titled it in a way that it referenced another song about "life" with closer Pokémon ties yet still quite far off. That referenced song is now the focus of this post, and given the lyrics (the first chorus, specifically) as quoted above, those ties are rather evident.

Several years ago, I also alluded how Rica Matsumoto is well-known beyond Pokémon, and the song above is one of those aspects. It's a song for a tokusatsu series - one that involves heroes in suits and riding motorcycles, I trust fans know which one - and it's the opening theme for an iteration of that series. Given the interpretive translation as above, it can be seen how it might be a little "dark", as I've said before above - particularly with the word "hatred".

Yet after giving the song a listen and following that up with many more since the first one, I remain under the impression that Ash is singing it, and not just because the singer is the voice talent. The timbre of the voice is very close to Ash's and is almost indistinguishable in that regard. Certain other fans familiar with the artist might share the same viewpoint, even if yet others may still dispute that by maintaining that the song belongs in its different realm.

Faithful readers will note that I've performed the song (through Ash himself) on two occasions some two years ago, the former non-competitively and the latter competitively, but I've yet to perform the song again since then. It may be a good time to bring back the song at some point, something that I'll decide at a later time and when the opportunity presents itself as good enough for that purpose - in summary, it'll be a "good point" in life.

It may be considered that any life worth living has its ups and downs, for which this other Rica Matsumoto song seems to suggest, and extremely at that. The same could also be considered for Ash during his time appearing on the Pokémon anime, and this song would then carry over as such by virtue of the voice talent singing it almost with the same mannerisms. That then would make that, as indicated by this post's title, a life that's really and truly alive.

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Friday, May 22, 2026

Let's Talk About Heavens and the Earth

Me: It's that time of year again.

Ash: It's a great day!

Goh: It's "your" day.

Me: As usual, it might be a "guesstimate", but as far as certain things are concerned, it might very well be true in some way.

Goh: Yeah, why not. 

Ash: And we always have something to talk about today.

Pikachu: Pika! ["Right!"]

Goh: So, what's the theme today? 

Me: Well, last year (see below) we talked about wild things, but then there was one wild thing I only mentioned at the end.

Ash: Oh, uh... It was the "blue" thing!

Me: Right. The "wild blue yonder" then refers to... can you guess?

Goh: I'm pretty sure you're talking about the sky.

Ash: Sounds about right.

Me: I am. So that's what we're talking about - and I want to couple that with what we're standing on.

Goh: The earth! Totally makes sense.

Ash: There's a lot of Pokémon in both.

Pikachu: Pika... ["A lot..."]

Goh: When I think of the sky, I think of Rayquaza, the one who lives all the way up there.

Ash: We passed by when we were in a city once.

Goh: Oh, I heard about that. There was a chaos with a Pokémon from out of nowhere.

Ash: I think it came from beyond the sky.

Goh: Well. So you never know.

Me: But closer to the earth, there are more familiar ones... say, two siblings?

Ash: Latias and Latios!

Me: Yeah, you know them all too well.

Goh: Besides the one that you helped, like last year?

Ash: There were two in a watery city, but then... there was one...

Pikachu: Pika, pika! ["Wait, wait!"]

Goh: Oh, um... I think we might have to hold off for this one.

Me: So, let's talk about the earth, then. 

Ash: That's easy. Everyone's right here.

Goh: But then there are the really "earthy" ones, of the Rock and Ground types.

Ash: There's also a lot of that, from the little Geodude...

Goh: ...to the big Regirock, and even bigger Groudon. 

Me: Yeah, you get the gist. Of course, the earth supports plants, water, and so on...

Goh: So, a lot of Pokémon - and people is supported by the earth.

Ash: Where would we be without it? 

Me: Very true. 

Pikachu: Chu pika. ["So true."]

Me: Now, philosophically, those who have left us are said to go into the heavens, while their remains become part of the earth.

Goh: There you go - I guess that's why you picked this theme today (aside from mentioning it last year).

Me: Yeah, and like Ash was about to say, it can pertain to Pokémon too. Latios, right?

Ash: Uh-huh.

Goh: Mm-hmm.

Me: And then... there's the lasting impression of "my Delia" who's gone there, which I think we've talked about.

Ash, Goh: Yeah.

Goh: Don't worry, you have us, and you'll have great things too.

Ash: I second that!

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Third for me!"]

Me: So, there's a certain relevance for "heavens and the earth" in our lives, especially our Pokémon lives.

Goh: I can see that. 

Me: And with today being "your" day, I think there's a special sense for it, don't you think? 

Ash: I think that's great.

Goh: It can be special for you too - everyone, in fact.  

Ash: I'm sure it is. We all make it that way.

Me: On that note, there's something to be said about making our glory reach as high as the heavens - even with us still being on the solid ground of the earth.

Ash, Goh: Yeah!

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