Showing posts with label Anime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anime. Show all posts

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Smashing the Pidgey Alarm

Something that I struggle with sometimes is waking up at specific times, even with alarms that are set for that purpose. At times I'd wake up as intended and be ready for those times, but at other times I'd miss the alarm completely, perhaps even by going back to sleep. This problem would certainly not be unique to me, as I'm sure others experience it as well. In fact, for those who know, it has a Pokémon instance with a very well-known character, being of course Ash from the anime - and it relates to a key element with a certain Pokémon flavor.

Ash has an alarm clock with a Pidgey motif, and as seen in two episodes of the anime, it was apparent that some vision in a dream caused him to think that it was a Poké Ball, leading him to pick it up and throw it against the wall as if it were one. The result is that the clock gets smashed, which invariably leads him to miss something important; the first time was the Pokémon camp, and the second was the first day of his Trainer career as the selection of his first partner. In some ways, it was as fortunate as it was grave.

In the times where I don't wake up as intended, I feel like I have effectively "smashed the Pidgey alarm" in both literal and figurative manners of speaking, even if the alarm doesn't have a physical manifestation like the alarm clock as mentioned above. Solutions to the problem may not come easily, although I can always prepare them preventively and curatively. Nevertheless, the end result of having a "smashed alarm" beside me just like Ash did with his in those situations can still present itself even imaginatively.

For as long as I need to wake up at precise times to do certain things, there's always the chance that I'd miss it by a little, for which I can easily regroup, or by a lot, for which the "smashed alarm" situation applies. It's a real struggle for many things, even some Pokémon things in real life, and it's a struggle that continues to manifest in different situations and ways related to them. Still, thinking about it in a Pokémon perspective just shows how universally applicable the situation is, even in its fantasy that may just translate to the reality.

Four years ago: All Star, All Pokémon
Six years ago: Turning Around and Back
Eight years ago: An Eye for Pokémon
Nine years ago: Conserve and Cooperate
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Saturday, January 10, 2026

On Timelines That Float

Certain universes have what's called "floating timelines", where the characters in said universes don't change in age and/or appearance even though they progress just as the world around them does, which includes the coming and going of other characters. The "timeline" thus "floats" because the characters progress on their own, like they are on a vessel floating upon the "sea of time". It becomes clear that some perspective shift is involved here.

Now, if this sounds like something that does occur in Pokémon, that's because it does (or did): the anime is said to do this when Ash was still around. The change in the regions and the addition of more Pokémon species were indications that the Pokémon world continued to progress, despite that Ash and other people in connection remained pretty much the same. Their progressions "float" and "cruise" upon that of the world itself.

The "floating timeline" aspect in turn contributes or gives rise to a "relevance" aspect, by which the stories and adventures remain pertinent to both old and new fans. This has obviously worked quite well for the Pokémon anime during the time it had Ash - perhaps a bit too well, since he is still quite cemented to the anime even well after his departure. It only means that the connection to the character and related adventures is extremely established.

Speaking of all this matter about time(lines) and how they float, it is also known that time itself may be the only thing that can provide answers to its progressions. That's the essence behind a certain popular song by one of my favorite artists (nonetheless), which I also thought about as I examined the matter about "floating timelines". With that, the discussion becomes the perfect entry point for finally mentioning the song on this blog:

Who can say if your love grows
As your heart chose?
Only time
And who can say where the road goes?
Where the day flows?
Only time
Who knows? Only time
Who knows? Only time
-- "Only Time", Enya 

Just like how time may hold all the answers to life - and possibly the universe and everything - the progression of people in that life and characters in adventures and stories may have all the answers for all kinds of people who enjoy them, regardless of what time they are living in. That becomes something that "floating timelines" enable, for even without apparent change, there is still something to be gained where they are of concern, for Pokémon or otherwise.

Seven years ago: Custom Pokémon Merchandise
Eight years ago: A Pokémon-Pikachu Balloon
Nine years ago: Where It All Started
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Thursday, August 7, 2025

Delving into Team Rocket's Motto

Though they now have also departed from the Pokémon anime along with Ash, the villainous trio that is Team Rocket may still be on some fans' minds, including this one. Having been reminded of them, I've decided to gloss over something that is characteristically theirs: the motto they recite practically almost every time they appear. Though the motto is geared toward less savory deeds, there may be room to interpret its terms in a better light, which becomes the point of this post. 

While the initial part of the motto remains "dicey", at least the middle parts of the motto have that possibility for better interpretations. The objective of "protect[ing] the world from devastation" is certainly a prerogative - especially with consideration of today's real world - for continuing the team's efforts, at least if those haven't led to actual "devastation". Then, "to unite all peoples within our nation" becomes a very utopic objective, which as fans of other speculative fiction can attest, it becomes very difficult to achieve, whether with good or evil.

Continuing on, "to denounce the evils of truth and love" is actually a pretty good objective, knowing how truth and love in the real world has evils of their own. For "extend[ing]... reach to the stars above", that's an objective that's always on par with efforts in space exploration, in both the Pokémon world and otherwise. After that, it's just a matter of "blast[ing] off at the speed of light"... and as with the beginning, the last part doesn't really matter for a "better light". Overall, the room for that interpretation seems to be quite wide.

As an aside, it has been said that the form of the motto is actually "misread" by the trio (to a certain extent), which means that the motto is not in true form... making the one read by Cassidy and Butch to be reputedly more true in form as well as "sinister", leaving no room for a "better light" interpretation. That might also explain why quite a bit of the motto as above can be rendered with the "better light" interpretation, perhaps becoming a reflection of the "better side" of the members, given their backstories.

Even if further stories of the Team Rocket trio may not be heard anymore, some of the stories they leave behind are still worth looking into, like the motto they frequently recite by way of their frequent appearance. It might seem that the story of this motto presents an oddity with them being villainous, intending that in the motto yet having the chance for it to be seen in a better light. In a more perfect world, that "better light" may just be theirs for the taking... but until that is realized, trouble and a fight are still on the menu.

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Thursday, July 24, 2025

The Past, Present, and Future of Pokémon Animation

Since another edition of Pokémon Presents has appeared, I thought I'd go for writing up a few discussions related to matters that are raised in the presentation. One of them is the state of Pokémon animation, which includes but is not limited to the anime proper; this matter is certainly taken from the feature of the two stop-motion series in the presentation, one coming (again) soon and the other in development. For that, I thought about discussing how that has been in the past, is manifested in the present, and might be manifested in the future.

Being Japanese in origin, the one certain form that Pokémon animation can take is the anime, and in the (distant) past - aside from certain cutscenes in certain games - that may be considered all that there is and was for Pokémon animation for pure enjoyment purposes. Back then, of course, Pokémon was still "sectoral", a Japanese thing but with good numbers of fans in other parts of the world. As such, it would be understandable that besides the above, there wouldn't be much in the way of animation to go around, let alone outside of Japan.

Meanwhile, in the more recent past and going into the present, Pokémon is loved more globally and by more groups of people, which allows for the entry of their own ways and styles of appreciation. That then translates into more and different kinds of animation, which has in fact happened. There was the PokéToon project from a while back, and then the puppet play for the monpoké line (if the latter can be considered "animation" in a broad sense). Obviously now there is Concierge and how that may have "opened the door" for Aardman.

For the future, then, the reasoning may be that Pokémon would be willing to open up its doors to accept even more works from all kinds of animators from around the world, bringing their styles and putting them into official projects. That has already happened on social media with non-animated fan art, featuring them officially; in fact, I became a witness to this happening with one of the Pokémon artists whom I follow. How more broadly this can be applied is anyone's guess, but it's still likely to happen today.

Looking at the past and considering the present, Pokémon animation has come quite a way. The anime is still the primary vehicle for animating Pokémon, and that in itself has had its improvements. Becoming open to other styles besides the traditional anime as well as to other creators from around the world who share the same appreciation for Pokémon as those where it came from is a big thing for all parties concerned. In the end, the future of Pokémon animation seems to be, well... "animated", as in "lively" with those who will keep it going.

Six years ago: Making Things Simple
Seven years ago: The Greatest, Everyday
Eight years ago: Pokémon School
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Sunday, October 20, 2024

Best Watching Experience for the Anime

A few of my recent posts on this blog have dealt with the anime - whether overtly or covertly - and that's a fine Pokémon topic, even if it's not this month's "four fours". That said, they have made me realize that there is a subtopic I haven't covered about it all this time, and that would be the experience of watching it. It's just as much a part of the situation as is any element of the anime. Specifically, for this topic, I want to discuss the best ways of manifesting that experience based on, well... the experience (of mine and others) in doing so.

Those like me will have experienced watching the anime on broadcast TV, especially on weekend mornings. It's a fine experience and likely the best (and only) one given our circumstances at those times, but it may have been able to be improved with, say, food to eat (a given for the morning situation above) and friends watching together. And while the moments were fleeting, there was no need to review them as they transpired, which could be considered a blessing for those times and still makes them good.

Expanding on the "with food" experience as above, special watching sessions where food is a necessary part could be created, which could make for great experiences. Once, I had conceived such a session for watching the fourth movie, making it a "dinner and a movie", complete with several food courses themed after parts of the movie. While I didn't share it with any other person, it was undeniably a great one - which explains why I still remember it to this day. It's certainly well worth to be replicated even today.

Now, though, many fans will likely watch the anime on smart devices from certain streaming sources, wherever and whenever in any condition. It may or may not be the best experience, but I can suggest a couple of things to make it better: one is to find a really comfortable position for doing so, and another is to turn on the "Do Not Disturb" function so that petty device notifications can absolutely be silenced to avoid disruptions from them. Other than that, the best experience for watching like this may be any that can be had now.

It's expected that fans will continue watching the Pokémon anime in all sorts of ways and in different places and times, and the experiences of those circumstances will also be different as well. Yet it's possible to regard some of them as being the best experiences, or even possibly replicating those experiences and making them the best that they can possibly be. The anime is great to watch, but so should be the experience of watching it, and it may just take a few more things outside of watching to be able to make that happen.

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Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Renewing the Anime, Revisited

It was about half a decade ago that I made a post considering how the Pokémon anime could be "renewed" and what elements could go into that "renewal", which in fact what was seemingly happening at that time with what would then be known as the "Journeys" sub-series, else considered as the "world saga". Several years later, the anime was indeed "renewed"... only in a direction that many fans may not or could not have expected, with "Horizons" as its series moniker and completely different characters. With these in mind and a few tidbits that have come to light, I want to consider this topic again while extrapolating the points of the tidbits into the discussion.

While some dedicated fans (like me) might have never gotten tired of Ash as the old protagonist, what might have gotten them tired are the "unfavorable outcomes" that have occurred in past sagas, not to mention him changing out nearly his entire roster in going to each region - except, of course, for Pikachu as his loyal partner. Insights into this have shown that there were indeed downturns in those who watched the anime at certain points where these events occurred, perhaps becoming fed up that he can't seemingly get his act together, until certainly the "ultimate end". In hindsight, it might have been better for Ash to have been able to "renew" to have more great moments and less of those "unfavorable outcomes", though with certain dynamics - a balance has to be struck, after all.

Meanwhile, Ash himself may seem to have been "tugged in different directions" over the course of the anime. Besides the above matters as "stumbling blocks", there has also been the matter of introducing a certain kind of "intimacy" - loyal fans will know where this is going - which becomes another kind of "stumbling block" instead, as it provoked different reactions among fans, forcing Ash (and thus the anime) to be tugged into another direction. This also then causes the difficulty of "renewal" itself for maintaining or attracting viewers.

Had all things gone better for Ash, the possibilities of "renewal" - whether of the current discussion or of the previous discussion - might not have been considered too deeply, and he could still have been the protagonist. Still, in any case, there would have been one "renewal" to worry about: Rica Matsumoto as the (Japanese) voice of Ash is getting on in years, never mind other matters in life, and would have needed to consider finding and naming a successor for voicing Ash, much like a certain voice actor for a certain main protagonist of a certain long-running anime that is almost as old as Pokémon. This would be the case for Sarah Natochenny on "the other side of the pond", although her case could be deferred slightly as she herself was also on the receiving end of a "voice talent renewal". This is one case of an inevitable "renewal" no matter how things go.

Now that a "renewal" has occurred, however, it does bear the thinking that it could have happened in the first place - as in, not having gone with Ash as a protagonist that would be long-running, even though a quarter century of him on the screen pleases many fans like me. It could have taken the different direction of, say, adapting the manga based on the game characters one-to-one, leading to many separate sub-series much like one for a neighboring monster universe. Of course, it's never too late for this to occur (more extensively), not to mention that the possibility of seeing Ash again somehow may still be on the table.

Any process of "renewal" is a hard one to go through, but for the Pokémon anime, which has a history almost as long as the franchise, the process seems harder because of all the things that have gone on and around it. Nevertheless, it has happened once and might just need to happen again in order to entice and maintain viewers from then and now to continue seeing the great big world of Pokémon in animated form - new and old as the case may be.

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Monday, June 24, 2024

To All the Lovely Boys (and Girls)

Hello! Boys and girls
Take me to your heart
With a kiss to a musical note
You and me "sweet song"
Is always with you
When we are holding hands together
Let's go! Boys and girls
Take me to your dream
I love these feelings, they are so sweet
Like a sunny day
I'm always with you
You only look at these dreams, oh lovely boy...
-- "L-O-V-E-L-Y ~Yume Miru ['I Dream of You'] LOVELY BOY~", Tommy february6 (interpretive lyrical translation)

Capping off this month's coverage of Japanese ending songs for the Pokémon feature films or movies is a (literally) lovely little number by a bubblegum-pop Japanese singer. It's the ending theme to the seventh movie, for which the English counterpart has been covered in a slightly different manner. That said, this song may itself be considered somewhat odd (different) for the movie in question, but it may still be regarded as workable, given the circumstances of both elements.

The quoted part above is the final double chorus, made up of line parts from the previous choruses. Typically I would provide a simple interpretation, but in this case, most lines of the choruses are already in English, and it doesn't take much to make the interpretation lyrical - which is exactly what I've provided. It also makes things evident that the song is a love song in many respects, which is probably isn't out of the ballpark for Pokémon, even if it's more direct than the other songs I've discussed. It may be more "par for the course" given the musical genre of the song itself.

As for actually interpreting this song in light of the feature film or movie, it may be considered that there is really only one connection. The "lovely boy" referenced in the song may be taken as a reference to the boy character Ash and the others meet in the main storyline and whose side story related to the main events of the movie is also presented at the beginning. The boy is pretty much a prominent character in that regard, even if he is only specific to this movie. While there could be other connections, especially in light of the nature of the song, that's out of my personal discussion range, and I prefer to just leave it at being a simple reference that explains the song choice for the movie.

Now I have to make an aside. For avid readers of this blog, they will note that this song was performed by someone else at the J-Song competition from a car convention several years ago - and by one of my friends, nonetheless. Thus far, it has been the only time that I've encountered someone else performing a song related to Pokémon at a singing competition, someone being other than me (as Ash, of course). It was, back then, a lovely day before things turned completely sour, as lovely as the references made in this song. Notably, the performer was a girl, so everything was just as sensible as lovely.

In regard to the message given by the title of this post, given the quoted part of the song as above, there is pleasantness to be had for any boy or girl who likes Pokémon. The song is in turn a further message that elaborates the title message, and given this as the last post for this month for the topic, it serves well as a concluding remark. Any other oddities that the song (and associated movie) may have can hitch along for the ride, while the ride for Pokémon fans continue, hopefully becoming as lovely as the romantic ride of this song.

Five years ago: The Show Must Go On
Six years ago: Jumping the 'Karp
Seven years ago: Married... to Pikachu?
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Monday, June 17, 2024

Not Alone... But Alone

No more fears, always be brave
You're no longer alone
Together and forever, we'll pursue the stars
As they shine
-- "Hitoribocchi Ja Nai", coba & Kazufumi Miyazawa (interpreted)

The coverage of Japanese ending themes for the Pokémon movies or feature films continue, this time on a slightly solemn note. That's because this one is for the fifth one, for which the solemn quality is very true indeed - but it should still be watched if possible. And in its progression, something (or things) are left alone - that is, go into a state of aloneness - which can be a little distraught for some. The ending song can then perhaps be construed as a way of speaking to that situation and providing reassurance.

In translation, the title of this song means roughly the second of the four lines quoted above. Structurally, this grouping of lines is a little hard to define, but it could be thought of as the "answer verse" to an initial verse (or a set of them as the first); it's also the first of two, as the second one contains a small difference. Overall, the lyrics of the song itself speak much about companionship, both spiritual and physical, as well as the struggle for "the one" alluded in the song as well as their companion. Love isn't mentioned directly, but it could be taken to be implied. All this is done with an upbeat and fast rhythm, which is kind of odd.

What makes this song even more of an oddity is that it seems to sound a little inspired by French melodies rather than Italian ones (as the setting of the movie and its inspirational underpinnings would imply that it should be). But then, both countries are Mediterranean Sea countries - if not just straddling, as the former of these countries would suggest - so the musical aspect seems to be respectable to a certain degree. While it's also not sounding too bright, the fast rhythm also makes it sound brighter than it seems to be, a further oddity among oddities. The song seems to want to make up for the darker premises of the movie, which seems to be fine if not a slightly odd claim to be made.

Now, coincidentally, I'm writing this post on a "half dark" and "half bright" day - that much I can say. The lore behind this day states that some things had to "depart", perhaps much like what does (or did) happen in the movie being referenced in here; some years ago on the same day of all days, I had to experience a similar "departure" myself, in a way leaving me to become alone. All that, therefore, seems to be fitting to demand for this song, just like the movie itself seems to want to demand this song after what happens (or happened) in it. It seems crazy how some things seem to work out, including revolving around this movie.

After the happenings of the movie, some people and fans might become particularly divided on how to regard them, perhaps becoming "alone" in mind. Yet then this song comes along, and it seems to be a bright spot, or perhaps the only bright spot, other than the movie itself. With it, it seems that they become as the title of the song suggests, being no longer alone... even if they actually are, whether or not that would be similar to the movie happenings. At that point, it may just be a matter of taking things in stride.

One year ago: The Mystique of 151
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Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Signs of a Good Day (and Morrow)

All around me, the windows are brightened
There are dreams in the heads of the people
It seems today is a fine day
Tomorrow should be a good day
Tomorrow should be a good day...
-- "Ashita Tenki ni Shite Okure", Fumiya Fujii (interpreted)

Next in this month's "four a month" coverage, which pertains to Japanese ending songs from the Pokémon feature films or movies, is a rather gentle number. This song is the ending for the fourth movie, one that highlights the penchant of a particular time-traveling Pokémon. "Time" also seems to be an appropriate descriptor for the song, as it has some pertinence to a concept of time. In fact, the title itself contains "ashita" - Japanese for "tomorrow" - and the song essentially revolves around that.

The overall message of the song is about finding all the signs of a good day in daily life, and consider that they might also just be indicative of a good day in the next one (the morrow - that is, tomorrow). Those signs are indeed listed in the verses and choruses of the song, for which the quoted part represents the final chorus with its repeated final line; the choruses contain the title of the song as their final line, with my interpretation as above based on certain translations. It's still a fine message in any case, and one transitioning time - exactly a theme explored in this movie.

In a way, the song might be considered to daisy-chain into a couple of non-Pokémon songs. One of them is "The Sweetest Days", one that I've brought up very early on in this blog. It has some similar (not completely the same) messages and may also be considered to be somewhat more abstract than this song. The other is a certain song with a similar vibe, thematically and musically, that is made for another Japanese series - which I'd rather not mention for the purpose of this post - yet came out much, much later than this song; while it may or may not be a "tribute", even in partial, but it's still nice to think about what that song reflects vis-a-vis this one.

One other thing to note is that the song itself (by its title in translation) could also be considered to be alluded or referenced in the ending song for the English dub of the movie. Even with this adaptation, at least it might show that the producers of the dub at that time - and I do mean "at that time" - understood some of the Japanese contexts of either the movie or the song (or both) and decided to include the reference in the most subtle place as the ending song. In that way, the English dub is made to preserve a partial contextual tie to the original Japanese - a nice touch.

Some Pokémon species have the apparent capability to make themselves persist throughout time, one of them as evidenced in the movie or feature film being referenced as it relates to the song above. Considering the song, time persistence is also indicated by its themes, and that aligns well with the concepts presented in the movie. It is likely one watching the movie and then listening to this song afterward will consider their day to be fine - and hope that that would be the case even as the next one dawns.

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Monday, June 3, 2024

You and Me, In Our Life Struggle

Courage and hope flowing from a place
Will lead me to save you from drowning
There is not a soul who believes me, and yet
I have walked so long, never straying from my way...
-- "toi et moi", Namie Amuro (interpreted)

Since the "four a month" approach - pick a topic, write on it almost weekly - seems to work in getting me to write about Pokémon things, I thought I'd apply it again this month. I was also thinking I'd do it on a Pokémon game, but none seems to fit right at the moment. So I decided to shift gears and cover something else related to Pokémon, and this time, I've decided to get musical and cover some of the Japanese ending themes from the Pokémon movies or feature films like that one time in the past. As with other Japanese songs, I offer interpretations of the quoted part(s) based on translations rather than the translations themselves.

The song I've quoted above is the ending song for the second movie, which may have overtones of "unveiling" per the original Japanese title or "self-determination" by its English title. The part that I've quoted could be regarded as the "chorus" of the song, since it may be a bit challenging to determine its structure. The song actually contains a portion of English aside from Japanese, but that portion may be deemed to accent or augment the Japanese messages in the rest of the song rather than to elaborate those messages further.

For those messages, the song could be construed to represent the struggle of a person in light of another significant person; as expected, love is a related theme for the song, though it's not elaborated too deeply in the lyrics. This, of course, resonates with the premise of the movie - for the "be all that you can be" of the central character and the one who is unveiled in the progression of the storyline. The song title itself is neither Japanese nor English - it's French for "you and me", making it further appropriate to the premise of the movie.

In some respects, the song is rather emotional - if the slightly pulsating beat of the song doesn't already suggest as such - for the movie and its storyline. But then again, for some fans, the movie itself could be emotional as well, so for them there is a neat connection. It's a somewhat different message than the song used for the English title, which makes for a good post but will have to be made at a much later time.

As Pokémon is Japanese in origin and I'm also immersed in Japanese things in part through Pokémon, I feel that it is also right to give some representation to this aspect, like with this and other Japanese songs for Pokémon, some of which are to come. At least, different perspectives may be gleaned, as through this song with its struggle vis-a-vis a movie depicting what could be depicting a great struggle of its own.

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Saturday, May 18, 2024

And Now, We Go

Discover whole new different worlds
Ready, set - here we go
Together to the farthest places
There's a magical adventure ahead if we go
Wherever our destiny takes us
You don't have to be afraid anymore
Spread your wings
Believe you'll rise up and soar
We go, We go...
-- "We Go", aespa (English version)

So, that one other song for the "musical tributes" for the new Pokémon anime isn't so much a "tribute" because it constitutes actual Pokémon music - or one that has been inducted as such. Yet it has to be "honored" in some way, and what better time than now, as I'm getting into the new series. It ties into the anime by serving as an opening theme for that series, including its "other language" version, which will soon be made evident in a moment. By that, its significance becomes paramount to the series.

That "other language" would be Korean, and thus the song is also part of the K-Pop fabric, being sung by a girl band. Over in the land of ginseng, the song is used for their local language dub of the anime series. In some ways, this is important, as it becomes a clear indication that the appreciation of the people over there for Pokémon, which I had also pointed out in another post, is still maintained even today. The song having an English version becomes fortuitous for the rest of us... to an extent.

I say that because the English version of the song is indeed used as an opening theme, for the Asian English distribution; even the Indonesian dub, which I also had the chance to preview recently, has this song as the opening as well. Here, it replaces the common English distribution opening entitled "Becoming Me", though its instrumental version is retained as an ending. I'll get to this other song at some point later on, but this situation becomes unique as the song itself is unique.

By that, through the (admittedly partial) English version, for which the chorus is quoted above, and translation notes for the full version, the song suggests a sort of "renewal" for the individual(s) mentioned within it, to seek new places and rise to greater heights. Evidently, this aligns very well with the spirit of the new anime series after a change in the main character, and especially as a good wish for that. The titular phrase is repeated many times, affirming its intent for newness.

As this "musical tribute" series of posts for the new Pokémon anime concludes with this song, which goes beyond the "tribute" concept, all that becomes left to do now is to continue watching the anime and see where the journey of Liko, Roy, and the gang continues and takes them - and to touch on other matters involving the series once they become pertinent. In essence, we are all fulfilling the core premise of the song, and things can only proceed onward and upward from there.

One year ago: Every Day Is a Grind
Three years ago: One-Day Pokémon Adventure
Five years ago: Trainer Image Cards
Six years ago: Marathons...?
Seven years ago: Pins and Pins
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Friday, May 17, 2024

Royals of the Universe

Born to be kings
Princes of the universe
Fighting and free
Got your world in my hand
I'm here for your love and I'll make my stand
We were born to be princes of the universe
-- "Princes of the Universe", Queen

I've got two more songs that I want to cover for the "musical tributes" to the new Pokémon anime, but only one of them is properly a "tribute". The other, well... that remains to be detailed. For now, there is that proper "tribute", which comes by way of the song above. Fans of pop culture - albeit obscure facets - might recognize this song as being one from a series rooted in European historical facets, which I hear some people really like about the series, though I personally don't care too much for it. What I do care about plentifully is Pokémon, so I'm "borrowing" this song for this "tribute".

Some songs from this legendary band don't follow set lyrical patterns, and this is one of them. Regardless, I've quoted what could be considered as its "chorus", as it is repeated once. The song overall is a statement by a group of people - the "princes" referred by the song - and their ideals of conquest, in the process becoming the "kings" that are mentioned. This has a parallel to the characters of the other series, and it could also be considered to parallel the journeys of Trainers to become the very best (or at least the best they can be), and that leads things back to the current "musical tribute".

For the purpose of this "tribute", I've taken the song as a way to honor the new main characters - Liko, Roy, and the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers - and their current struggles as well as wherever and to whatever those struggles may lead. The journey is still fairly new (to a certain extent), and they may only be hardly "princes", but a lofty destiny may just await them. Speaking of, they're also of different genders, unlike what the song and the other series imply, so there are "princesses" in the mix - which is why I have titled this post as such, to the "royals" of the present.

As with the previous "tribute", this one is also retroactively applicable to the main character of the past, which is none other than Ash as well as all those who have been present on his journey, including Goh as the last significant one. To those who have been watching, they may be considered literal "princes" (or "princesses", depending on who one is thinking of), and while they may not turned out to have become "kings" (or "queens") by the time things turned over to the new series - or may even have "denied" such status - fans may still very well consider them as being such.

The legendary band - as "legendary" as some Legendary Pokémon species - that came up with this song probably never foresaw Pokémon or an element of it as something that can embody the spirit of this song for another series. Yet it may not seem all that hard to find the parallels and satisfyingly bridge the song into a Pokémon frame of mind - in this case, the new anime series. It makes for a fitting "musical tribute" for the present, as well as the past in a way, and as far as I am concerned, it seems awfully right to consider any Pokémon Trainer as a "royal", both budding and supreme.

Three years ago: Quickies: Bike for Pokémon
Four years ago: Everything Is Electric
Five years ago: A Wonderful PikaWorld
Six years ago: Beyond Gyms and Trials
Seven years ago: A Pokémon Pencil Bag
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Thursday, May 16, 2024

Please, Let Me Grow Old with You

So please, please
Let me grow old with you
After everything we've been through
What's left to prove
So please, please, please, oh please
Let me grow old with you
-- "Please", Elton John

After a "musical tribute" about the youth for the new Pokémon anime, it seems apropos to follow it up with one for the not-so-young. The song may be considered one that is somewhat obscure - even with the artist being as famous as he is - and it incidentally comes from the same album as three other songs that had also come up on this blog for interpretation with my Pokémon experiences. Still, in the context of the current "musical tribute", there are messages to be gleaned from the song, and so it has to be made.

Expectedly, as it is a pop or "adult contemporary" song, the theme of love is at hand. It's mentioned in the first line of the first verse as well as the bridge. The song is overall about the sentiments of a couple (obviously noted by the pronoun "we" in different places) and their struggles of making it through life and their relationship. However, if anything, the core message of the song lies in the chorus, which is the part that is quoted above. It suggests a desire of wanting to be together across time, and it's one that seems to be perfectly applicable even beyond the confines of (romantic) love.

So it is that the above becomes applicable in this "musical tribute" context. While the anime is fairly new, some recent fans might just have the desire to be able to grow old (and up) with this incarnation of the anime, possibly for a good amount of time - many years down the road - without a change even for the sake of change. It's a nice desire, and some older fans may also share this desire as they watch the current anime series and continue their Pokémon interests in this manner, which would be one of many.

It has to be admitted that this song is just as applicable for Ash as the former main character, which in retrospect means that the song could and should have been interpreted when that was the case. Even so, with the "spiritual continuation" of his journey despite not appearing, the "grow old" aspect still presents a valid point, especially as I've made a post in the past that relates this along with something else that presents the aspect. The history that Ash has made over the course of the anime is still something that cannot be cast aside even with the new anime incarnation, so the point of the aspect may still be considered valid regardless.

Considering this song as a "musical tribute" as well as the non-musical "tribute" as presented above, being able to grow old with Pokémon seems to be a vital part of the experience. It has been done for the previous incarnation of the anime, and the current incarnation now effectively has its turn to realize that. There may still be some "points to prove" from both of these, as suggested by the song and especially for the current incarnation, but the "grow old" aspect might be one that proves itself in this case.

Four years ago: A Multicultural Cast
Five years ago: Carry On Carryin' On
Six years ago: The Living Dex
Seven years ago: Pastrana and Pikachu
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Wednesday, May 15, 2024

The Blood of Youth

Young blood - the blood of the youth
They feel courageous, never wanting to yield
Youth is a time of becoming flared up
They feel always self-righteous, never caring about their mistakes
Young blood
-- "Darah Muda (Young Blood)", Rhoma Irama (poetic translation)

Next on the "musical tribute" agenda for the new face of the Pokémon anime is a local song. It's admittedly a rather "retro" song - even for me as a "retro" fan of Japanese things well before Pokémon - and it seems as possibly far out from Pokémon as things can be. That last part is also why I've chosen to provide a poetic translation instead of making the effort to have a lyrical one that can be sung. Still, the song does have some pertinent matters, and they need to be brought up as the "tribute" is made.

As can be discerned, this song describes the characteristics that young people ("the youth") seem to have and the things that they seem to do. Overall, it also attempts to send out the message that they should exercise caution at times so that they won't regret their actions, whether immediately or much later on. In any case, the spirits that they have can be traced to what gushes and races within them: their blood, as their life force, in common with those of other people... only for them, it is undeniably new, fresh, and pure, giving their spirits a sense of what they are, also suggested by the song.

By the above, it's easy to see where this song fits in. It becomes a "tribute" to the youthful spirit that the new characters have, in particular Liko and Roy as the primary ones of concern. Some of the actions they have taken at the start of this new series align well with the premises of the song, and they're spirited as spirited can be. At this moment, the new anime series is fairly new (and thus "young" as well), so it has the same youthful spirit as some of the characters do. It obviously can develop both in character (IC) and out of character (OOC), and that is fascinating to consider, regardless of how that may turn out. That also serves well to be honored, in particular as this song allows.

In general and beyond the anime series, this song is also a testament of the appeal of Pokémon to the current generation of young people... and not-so-young people like me. If anything, the younger ones are even more daring, hot, and steadfast - as the main verse of the song cited above suggests - than the older ones, but that's not to say the older ones can't show moments of youthful spirit themselves. In either case, their blood surges and fuels them for enjoying more and further Pokémon experiences, like those which I'm only glad to detail through this blog and so much more.

There will always be young people of some sort in this world, and if they're like me, they will also become attracted to Pokémon. If so, they then can become like Liko and Roy of the new series, channeling their blood (and vigor) to the things that can jump-start or even continue their adventures, experiences, and any other forms of involvement with Pokémon. It seems appropriate to honor all of that through a song, especially as the Pokémon anime turns over a new leaf for a more youthful start.

Four years ago: Coming Full Circle
Six years ago: 15 Minutes of Fame
Seven years ago: Fallen Comrades
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Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Alive, in Life

When you call on me
When I hear you breathe
I get wings to fly
I feel that I'm alive
When you look at me
I can touch the sky
I know that I'm alive
When you bless the day
I just drift away
All my worries die
I'm glad that I'm alive
-- "I'm Alive", Celine Dion

The new Horizons anime series for Pokémon is certainly totally different, yet at the same time it presents a fresh face, even for old fans like me. Thus, as with the heralding of Ash's final appearance, I've decided to make another set of "musical tributes" for this new face, starting with this song. I've only heard this song fortuitously just as I was watching an earlier episode in the series, and it's such an appropriate song that I have to include it as a "musical tribute" to herald the new series. 

Like many pop songs, this song contains the theme of "love", specifically for a "significant other" who might inspire one to feel (and stay) alive. There's also a bit of a divine element in this song, especially towards its conclusion. Overall, there is an uplifting feeling that the song gives, whether it's for a loved one or the good things in life - where Pokémon is also concerned. The music video is just as uplifting in that regard and with modification could certainly fit in the Pokémon world.

Beyond the "love" theme, that's where the "musical tribute" fits in. Liko realizing an adventure beyond the bounds of her school - similarly for Roy and the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers - becomes the "uplifting" part of the program and a testament to their living wonder. It's undeniably the stuff Pokémon dreams are made of, so to see Liko, Roy, and others making things happen and taking things to the sky is (and should be) exhilarating for any Pokémon fan and anyone potentially watching this series.

I also want to make an aside, which involves part of the title of this song and how I titled this post for that. The overall theme of this song relates to living and being alive, and another song - with a similar title to this post - also contains the same theme... only maybe a little darker, and further yet, it (only) has ties to Pokémon by way of its artist. I'm getting far ahead and a little off track, but "life" is definitely a theme explored in songs, even if those songs only manage to circle around Pokémon.

Overall, the Pokémon anime could itself be considered to be a "celebration of life", and perhaps there is no better time for that than now, with the new Horizons series. Beyond the certain newness that it presents for those who are familiar with the Pokémon anime, there are still lively spirits to be found, so I offer this song as a "musical tribute" for any fan or viewer. The song may be a serendipitous find, but then the characters in the new series do so with their lives as well.

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Monday, May 13, 2024

Horizons of Promise

Finally, after a long time I can also make this post. For those who have been living behind a Graveler, the Pokémon anime has moved into a new territory, one where Ash isn't the main character, having been sent off. It's a totally new territory for Pokémon and all of its fans, and the English subtitle given for the series is very much appropriate for that: "Horizons", a word that suggests some qualities of newness. It was also first announced at an edition of Pokémon Presents about a year ago, and formally introduced by its distribution along with a special Pokémon Go event back in March. Now that I'm involved with it, I have to write about it as well.

In this new series, the main character this time is a girl, named Liko. It's the same Liko that I wrote of having seen someone resembling her in a dream about a month ago, so it seems she has made a bit of an impression. As a supporting character, there is Roy, a boy with zest and zeal - perhaps almost amounting to those of Ash. Pikachu continues to be present, but this time it accompanies Frede, the leader of the Rising Volt Tacklers group, which eventually becomes associated with both Liko and Roy. All three were incidentally featured in the photo bombs in the previous Pokémon Go event in March along with the Pokémon they are known for.

The series, at least based on the initial end of it, takes an approach that may be considered similar to the Journeys series. Though Liko is stated to be from the Paldea region, the introduction to her actually takes place in Kanto along with the rest of the characters above. A visit to Paldea later on is a practical given, based on the fact about Liko's origin as above and the current dealings of Pokémon, but other regions can't be ruled out either, also because of the Kanto introduction. Still, the "expanded" approach has been proven to work, and that's fine.

As for my case, I've seen the first few episodes of this new series, and in them alone, there has already been significant friction and movement that are admittedly not as "cheesy" compared to when the anime started out with Ash. Some spirits, however, are still shared, as in the case of Liko and Roy getting along with their first partner Pokémon, albeit with a little less friction compared to the case of Ash, also from way back when. I've still got a few more episodes to catch up to the current distribution cadence, but they'll be watched in due time and enjoyed thusly. 

Liko, Roy, and the rest of the gang now lead both old and new Pokémon fans alike toward a horizon (or more appropriately, horizons) with certain new things. With that, it seems that these horizons hold at least some promises for those who are daring to approach them. Fulfilling these promises may be the hardest thing - and certain involvement is seemingly never guaranteed - but with sights set on them, new things will appear certainly just as new skies do.

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Saturday, January 27, 2024

Your Journey - A Poem

Throughout the time that I've had this blog, I've only written in it in essay or prosaic format due to the demands of this blog, as is with most blogs out there. For the case of the "finale coverage", however, I'd like to do something different; I want to write a poem instead, as a bit of a creative detour while still being somewhat focused on the objectives of this blog. The form is free verse, as it is to be more reflective of my natural thoughts regarding what has happened in the Pokémon anime now and in all prior times.

So, here goes:

It's been so many years
And this is where the journey goes
An ending, a passing
Something that had to come eventually
You were here, you were there
You were everywhere
Now you're somewhere
Still pursuing the master goal
Maybe seen, maybe not
But to see you all these years
That's the most wonderful thing
You who have went from a humble start
To achieve the spectacular
You who have met with many friends
And parted with many more
You who have hit problems along the way
But then found solutions for them
And all this, in the places you visited
Then visited again
Before the spectacular happened
And the world rejoiced
It's been fun to see the world with you
It's great to see you fill my life and others'
It's even been an honor to be inspired by you
Life won't be the same with your absence
You and your yellow fluffy pal
But your presence may still be felt
Now wherever you go
Things only have to get better
Even if I - or we - won't see it
But if you do decide to return
I'm sure there will be much joy
Good things will still come
No matter how and what
Only that is certain
What's certain right now
Is to thank you for all these years
And to thank you once more
For now
Somewhere under that distant blue sky
Your adventure awaits
And your journey goes on
The end is only the beginning
The beginning... for a true master.

This also marks the end of my "finale coverage" and a return to discussions of other Pokémon things that still need to be made or are waiting their turn. Of course, as I've said, Ash (and Goh) will still likely pop up here every now and then, for our journeys go on and on.

Such is something to be counted on. And this blog's journey continues now.

Four years ago: Spinning Like a Spinda
Five years ago: The Cards, Revisited
Six years ago: Changes
Seven years ago: A Loss Is... A Loss?
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Friday, January 26, 2024

Towards the Sunny Horizon

The tears that we will shed
Flow along with the moments where we will laugh
Now and forevermore
We will go on and never stop
Chasing the sun
-- "Mengejar Matahari (Chasing the Sun)", Ari Lasso (adaptive lyrical translation)

After the previous four "musical tributes" for the "finale coverage", it's time to wrap things up, at least for now, with one more of these "tributes". This time, I've chosen a local song - local as in, where I am right now - in order to represent some local sentiments as well, as Pokémon is also big here, or at the least becoming bigger with time. Even so, as with some earlier times where I've quoted a local song, I've provided a translation of it as best as possible but also as creative as possible, in this case so non-local audiences can also sing along; here, it's the chorus of the song with its title.

The song itself, though, is a bit of a wonder. It shares its title with a movie (also local) about coming-of-age, and is in fact the theme song for that movie; I've never seen the movie, as it's from a time a little beyond my local dealings, but some of the movie is used in the official music video for it. Most importantly, though, the lyrics of the song tell about valiant people who are tackling life head-on, searching for the meaning of love, never letting anything break relationships, and putting everything together - yes, even laughter and tears - while still pursuing that golden orb in the sky into each passing new day and wherever it is they may go. That's a lot of themes, even for a song that's not lyrically dense but still of a decent length.

Of course, all of those themes tie into the last salvo of the Pokémon anime with Ash. He and Goh may be considered two of those valiant people, and the rest would be other Pokémon Trainers. All of them would do as the song suggests, albeit most likely with some differences according to their specific interests - battling, breeding, researching, and more. Certainly, the "go on and never stop" part will speak to the continuity of their journeys, in particular the one of Ash as the relevant character of the moment. 

Interestingly, as a side note, the related coming-of-age movie to this song can be seen to feature prominently four characters, specifically boys... not walking on a railroad as the TV in Pallet Town might suggest, but it's close enough. Thus, the movie and this song could be a Pokémon adjunct as well, perhaps in a parallel universe that's not too distant.

Now it's getting close to the time where I should wrap up this "finale coverage" and move on to discussing other Pokémon things, something that also continues as Ash's journey continues at least in spirit if not visually. What is visual, however, is him, Goh, and other Trainers making their way wherever the sun goes - perhaps also to the next horizon. The local song seems to be such a proper and fitting "tribute" to that situation, now and ever.

Three years ago: Unity Power
Four years ago: Cosplay: Aishiteru Minna
Five years ago: SwitchCon
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Thursday, January 25, 2024

In a (Pokémon) World Like This

In a world like this where some back down
I, I know we're gonna make it
In a time like this where love comes 'round
I, I know we gotta take it
In a world like this where people fall apart
In a time like this where nothing comes from the heart
In a world like this, I've got you
-- "In a World Like This", Backstreet Boys 

I've made a few "musical tributes" for my "finale coverage" and I've got a couple more, at least for now and for the purpose of the coverage. I've made use of a song from a musical, a song from a different series, and an instrumental music, so now it's time for something a little more mainstream and general with a pop sound to it. The song I've quoted above checks all those boxes, in addition to bringing reminders of the last salvo of Ash in the anime, so it's perfect as one of those "musical tributes".

This number from this rather old boy band is about a decade old at this point and as is typical of the band's other songs, tells about love - particularly, about a special someone that still remains an inspiration even with changing times and places, not necessarily for the better. It was recorded at a point after one of the band's members rejoined after having taken a hiatus due to certain problems, so that too could be considered a part of the inspiration. It's a moving yet hopeful song in a way.

With that, the "tribute" of this song is directed to Ash, who for many Pokémon fans - obviously including me - might be able to be considered that person. In turn, Trainers like Ash might direct this song at the Pokémon they have and had over all these years, which might share that inspiring quality just like any person in any relationship. Further, it could also be directed back to the fans who have kept up with Pokémon all this time, even after over a quarter century of it going strong - just like the boy band, who is a little older than Pokémon.

As a note, the boy band is as such even today, a rarity for this kind of artist. They say that for as long there's music, they'll be there; there are parallels of this statement with Ash's continuing journey, even if that may not be heard again. The music video of this song also features references to three historical moments that might be a test of whoever one is inspired by. Pokémon fans could fill this in with their Pokémon moments, especially from the anime, that might construe a similar test for whoever it is related to Pokémon they're inspired by.

Seeing the world of today, especially after the parting of Ash from the anime, might make things a little somber. Yet with someone or something special - maybe related to Pokémon - there may just be a reason to go on, and that's what this song is about essentially. It is thus a fitting "musical tribute" for this "finale coverage", or for that matter, any time and place when and where Pokémon is relevant. Even in a (Pokémon) world like this, having something or someone special might just make all the difference for getting on with life.

Seven years ago: Keychains!
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Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Forever in the Palms of Our Hands

Something that I consider to have shaped the entire last saga with Ash, besides the entry of Goh, is the way that the latter has stated his achievement of future goals, which would lie in the palm of his hand. Ash even agreed with this in one episode and followed his lead. This was essentially a theme for the entire saga up until Goh accomplished the achievement, in a way - I don't want to say more than that and I encourage fans to find out for themselves. Even with the saga having concluded and Goh (and Ash) now being somewhere else, I still think highly of this and would even say that it's "forever" for me and practically any Pokémon fan. So, this becomes the next topic in my "finale coverage".

For most people anyway, their hands are what bring about changes in the world and in life, and most likely in Pokémon affairs as well. They make the changes, and then they they may potentially receive those changes, sometimes even immediately after the fact. It is thus an important aspect related to those changes. Philosophically, it is understandable why Goh keeps saying this, from the beginning to the end, because it is very much true, now and in the times ahead, with or without Goh, and for both Pokémon fantasy and reality. With that in mind, it really is "forever" as far as things are concerned.

This matter also leads to the third "musical tribute". The "forever" aspect of this brings up a piece of music that also has "forever" in the title - "Forever in Love", an instrumental by saxophonist Kenny G. It doesn't have any lyrics (obviously), but it almost seems like it could have them, and that may be why it's also sometimes referred to as a song. Particularly, the word "forever" seems to resonate in the melody, in the same way that Goh's life statement also keeps on resonating for him, and indeed even Ash.

Another "forever" aspect of the music is its associated music video, which depicts people growing old, but still remaining as they are - thus, "forever". With the way things are for Ash and Goh after they no longer appear in the anime, at least from a spiritual standpoint, the "forever" aspect also applies, and thus the song may also be considered to be a poignant reminder of the times that had been, and will be spiritually.

While many things in life are fleeting, Goh may have always had the right idea in mind, that the future will be (and is) in the palm of his hand - and from the looks of things, this would indeed be "forever". Coupled with an appropriate musical accompaniment, I'd say that it's a nice universal sentiment to have for anyone with Pokémon on their minds, like me.

Two years ago: The Sinnoh Cup of GBL
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