Pokémon Loot from Indonesia Comic Con 2023

It wouldn't be a convention without me getting some physical takeaways - that is, loot - and I did get some of that from the latest one I went to. For this particular case, the "loot" (I say as such) can be grouped according to whether they actually constitute "loot", as well as their relevance to Pokémon. Certainly, anything that goes on this blog is related to Pokémon in some way, but some can be more or less so than others, yet in this case that also applies for the "loot" quality. They all regardless need to be explained along with what I got from there.

Some of the things that I got are definitely tied to Pokémon and are definitively "loot". That goes for the Pokémon poster with all current starter Pokémon and the Pokémon Journeys manga above. They are such because I did get them directly from exhibitors - the former being from a very talented artist that draws all things Pokémon and the latter being from a bookshop where I also got many of my other Pokémon books and manga. While the poster is rather expected and the manga is happenstance, both are still perfectly suited as being considered "loot" as such.

As for that other book, well, it's definitely Pokémon, but it's less of a "loot". I got the Pokémon Encyclopedia as a prize from the Cosplay Runway competition, and it is effectively the only proof (aside from a picture taken during the awarding) that I won something, as I received no certificate for such an accomplishment, yet all the other winners received one - unless the book itself is considered the certificate, which is not my preferred assumption. Then there were goodies from the national Pokémon Go association, one of which is a postcard version of the Noibat poster. The others (stickers, pop socket) I had already gotten from prior editions of  Community Day, which made them less of a "loot" in this case.

Then there is the thing that is a little less tied to Pokémon, but is still definitely "loot" because of what it took to obtain it. It's a poster with the autograph of Rica Matsumoto, which is personalized for me and so it is obviously mine. The poster image itself (not seen here) has relevance to animals but not so much to Pokémon, but it's obviously still relevant to Rica Matsumoto herself. Still, it's the autograph (as "loot") that's the important thing more than anything else, and it still matters as she is the Japanese voice behind the Pokémon character I often cosplay. It is in essence the primary "loot".

Even if some of the loot is not so much "loot" and a little bit of it is slightly unrelated to Pokémon, I consider anything that I got from events or conventions and has (at least some) ties to Pokémon to be my "loot", especially if they deepen my appreciation and functional breadth of it. The past convention had truly presented a wonderful time, and the "loot" that I got is as equally wonderful. It will certainly make my convention visit what it is (or was), with my involvement to bring out Pokémon, long after it has gone.

One year ago: Even More Post Categories

Two years ago: The Reality of Pokémon Battles

Three years ago: Aliens Among People and Creatures

Four years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Rainbow Cup

Five years ago: Gifts That Keep on Giving

Six years ago: After Six Months: Poké-Paradise in a Blog

Pokémon Adventures: Sword and Shield Manga, Volume 1

If three years ago I obtained the art book for the Pokémon manga series of the same title (Pokémon Adventures), this time around and recently, I've obtained the continuation of the manga for the eighth generation. Rightfully, it is subtitled as Sword and Shield, taking after the games of the same titles. Hidenori Kusaka serves as the story writer for this series, in tandem with Satoshi Yamamoto on the illustration.

This also makes it the very first volume I've owned of this manga series. I recall seeing a copy of an earlier series of the manga a very long time ago, though I did not pick that up for various reasons. This time, seeing as I've enjoyed the art book and desired to become a reader of it, I opportunistically picked up a volume; out of several, I chose this one because of its relatively current state, which might spur my playing of the games (I haven't).

And that brings me to an important point. For those who haven't noticed the running theme, especially based on the art book I showed off earlier, the manga series is based on the games, and its characters are more or less faithful to them. In fact, the "preface" to this volume indicates that indeed, the author and illustrator duo have played the games that become the basis for the manga series, in this particular case Sword and Shield.

Currently, I'm taking my sweet time reading through this entire volume, which is made up of seven chapters that are given the moniker of "adventure". That is rather suitable for this manga series in entirety, and this first volume represents my own beginning to that, which was jump-started by the art book that I possessed earlier. Much lies on the path of Sword and Shield, and that certainly goes beyond this first step of mine into this Pokémon manga series. 

One year ago: Blogging on Blogs: Jurnal Otaku Indonesia

Two years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Sorcerous Cup

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 6/29/2019

Four years ago: Monotype (of) Sorts

Five years ago: 3DS Circle Pad and Pokémon Games... Plus My Experience

Road of 25th Anniversary: Shaping for Success

Before leaving off the month, it is wise to tread back the path of that major anniversary of Pokémon this year. Last month, I had covered a few attractively special things for the anniversary that "beckon" those who might be interested in them to obtain them. This month, I'm about to do the same, only with a different approach. The things I'm about to describe may be the building blocks for success, whether real or figurative, and/or may have gained a unique shape as a result of of the success. Therefore, the description for the things is as stated in the title - they involve shapes along with success.

One of those consists of things that can shape the success of young fans and Trainers, in the form of a series of books called "Pokémon Primers". The two books in the series are an ABC and 123 book, obviously designed for the learning of letters and numbers, complete with interactivity in the form of flaps. These books therefore in a way constitute a "study aid" for younger audiences to help them learn the most basic of comprehension skills. At the same time, they're also getting introduced to and learning about the world of Pokémon, which in the eyes of a fan doesn't seem to be half bad.

Then there are shapes that a fan can manipulate, in the manner of a "toy block"... or in fact, some of them are. Mega Construx has a line of Pokémon (figure) construction sets, and the celebratory addition to this lineup is something called Celebration Pikachu, along with a few others with different Pokémon. The line is actually pretty extensive in its coverage of Pokémon objects besides the aforementioned celebratory additions, and this being an official licensed product should please Pokémon fans, tinkerers, or Pokémon fans who are tinkerers to actually assemble and toy around with their favorite Pokémon.

Speaking of figures, Funko has a couple of vinyl figures - from its Pop! line - that are special for the occasion. One of these is a "Silver Metallic Pikachu", which is pretty significant, because this is a true acknowledgment that the 25th anniversary is indeed the silver anniversary. The other figure is just a simple Raichu figure; both are still interesting for their bobblehead geometric appearance, which is novel by all regards. The silver metallic figure is still the significant one for the silver anniversary this year, and it's likely the one that fans ought to be able to get, considering the special anniversary.

Given the above, there is a lot of shaping for success for the big anniversary. Young Trainers are being shaped for their prospective careers in Pokémon and everything else, while older Trainers have something to play with or just purely to exhibit. If last time the special things are "beckoning", the "shaping" of the special things at this point becomes something to behold. It becomes crucial - in a way - to the success of certain groups of Pokémon fans and for exemplifying the success of Pokémon in general, especially its existence after a quarter-century of wonderful times.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 4/30/2020

Two years ago: A New(?) Pikachu Doll

Three years ago: A Sun & Moon Doujin Manga

Four years ago: Cosplay: ComiCamp 2, Day 2

Harkening Back to "Versus Guides"

One of the earliest and most influential things that helped to cement my liking and appreciation for Pokémon is something that helped me progress through the first-generation games of yore. That would be the strategy guide published by Versus Games, which is unlike any other strategy guide published for these breakthrough games. In fact, the guide became my preferred strategy guide for that very reason, and the guide has many features that contribute to the uniqueness and thereby my preference for it.

Something that sets apart the guide from others is how the guide went into detail regarding Pokémon encounters in various places. Whereas some other guides used only general descriptors, the guide used quantified percentages derived from statistical observations of encounters in the areas in question for the games; the creators actually made the statistical observations by tracking the encounters and then establishing representative percentages for each Pokémon involved. If this sounds exhaustive, it likely probably was, but it may be considered to add value to the guide.

The above is one of the things that makes the guide richly detailed. It also was richly detailed in other ways, one of the things being the information on Trainer encounters and possible game paths when possible or necessary. The Pokédex contained in the back of the guide spared no detail either and was both pretty to look at and very informative of what the Pokémon can and can't do. A final tidbit of rich detail came in the form of an accompanying poster, which for the guide is an illustrated listing of the Pokémon contained in the Pokédex. This last bit became something I was proud to put up in my room at that time.

With the onset of the second-generation games, Versus Games also made guides for the second-generation games, but this time setting some things apart: they made an abridged "Adventure Guide" for Gold and Silver, and when Crystal came about, the full guide approach returned for it. I too obtained these guides to help me continue on my journey through them, and with their usage, I helped myself get a feel for the Pokémon main series games such that when the third-generation games came, I no longer needed to be (too) reliant on guides to make my way past the things they offered.

The guides are by now a relic and a rarity even among devoted fans like me. But the attention to detail to them is amazing, beyond what can be regarded for pretty much any other strategy guide on the games of concern. With the efforts that the creators devoted to the creation of the guides, some fans are bound to appreciate them and even value them as a way of getting through the games; I would say that I can testify as such, as much as I appreciate and value my liking of Pokémon that has persisted to this very day.

One year ago: Let's Get Going Today

Two years ago: Expecting the Detective

Three years ago: Bandai Pokémon Sun & Moon Pokémon Lover Mascot 6 - Wobbuffet

Four years ago: Evolution Revolutions?

Road of 25th Anniversary: Beckoning Specials

This would be the first post that addresses the big 25th anniversary of Pokémon ever since the onset of that anniversary. But it doesn't matter, since that is really the intent anyway. Accordingly, it is no longer a "road to", but a "road of (and from)" the said anniversary. And as the road of the anniversary continues, special things - specifically, merchandise - continue to "beckon" on the path of that road, many of which by now have been divulged. It becomes something good to touch on as the road of and from the anniversary date.

Back then, I noted that promotions for the TCG were imminent, and now that has been realized. One of the forms is called "First Partner" booster packs featuring the starter Pokémon of the eighth generation, including cards marked with the anniversary logo. These can be obtained through certain channels, some of which may be expected. For those who like getting their cards in unusual ways, some of them can be obtained through certain breakfast cereal boxes, and though the cards are limited in number, they are still significant nonetheless. Those who play (and/or collect) should have their reasons for getting the cards in the way that suits them.

On the high-tech side, some neat things have been announced. In partnership with The Wand Company, a die cast replica of a Poké Ball has been divulged, and it's to have motion sensors and colorful lights. With that kind of technology, it's expected to fetch a pretty penny, and it's a wonder regardless. For something a little less sophisticated, PowerA has a line of Nintendo Switch accessories based on Pikachu (certainly, National Dex #25) to celebrate the 25 years of Pokémon. These are more decently obtainable and should find favor for those who possess the Switch and want to ramp up the Pokémon celebration with something unique for that.

Pokémon books are always a given, and Scholastic - a popular publisher for them - kicks off an anniversary series of them with a flipbook featuring the adventures of Ash and Pikachu in Galar and Alola, complete with a special-edition poster. In the wearables department, there is a collaboration with Levi's, involving a denim Pikachu jacket and pants, as well as an attire set that replicates the clothing of Misty; both of them are very, very nice (especially the latter for fans of her) even at the prices they go for. The interests in these could be considered niche, but some fans will conceivably go for them, whether young or old.

With an amazing anniversary, the merchandise has to be amazing as well, and even if these are just the first taste, then they cement the deal for the anniversary. They are all special, and they are all "beckoning" for the fans who can and will get their hands of them in order to celebrate a quarter-century of a phenomenal game franchise. It may be that even after the specials have "beckoned" and the fans have gotten them, Pokémon will always remain a "beckoning" thing, and the above specials appear to be quite indicative of that.

One year ago: The State of Nominations, Part 3

Two years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Cup

Three years ago: Lugia Raid Burnout

Four years ago: Ice Is Nice with Pokémon

Pokémon, Anatomy, and Books

Some days ago, my raid fellows alerted me to the existence of something unique related to Pokémon. That something unique is called "Pokénatomy", and it takes the form of a book related to Pokémon. The book contains illustrations of the first 151 Pokémon along with - as the key part of this book - depictions of their inner organs. It sounds astoundingly impressive, and it is, to a really good extent. And since I've discovered it as a result of my raid fellows discovering it, it is wise to make a discussion of it in a blog post here.

The book is authored and illustrated by one Christopher Stoll. Remarkably, this book became a Kickstarter project and it was successfully funded in a span of a little more than a month... in 2016, and back then I wasn't paying attention to Kickstarter, let alone have a possible way to back any project on it. Alas, the link on the Kickstarter project page to where one might also be able to obtain a copy of the book points to a dead page, decreasing hope for doing so. It is still sufficiently remarkable that a Pokémon project like this managed to gain enough support as a crowdfunding project on the site and result in a creation that fans and more enjoy.

As for the contents of the book, all the first-generation Pokémon and their innards are depicted in great detail. It could appear as a real-world book of anatomy - or rather, an anatomy book from the realism of the world of Pokémon. To that end, some of my raid fellows have stated that the book creeps them out because of how gory it appears, perhaps in similarity to how some people might say human anatomy books creep them out. It might be that people who are not used to or familiar with anatomy and dissections might find them creepy as such. For me, I still find it very fascinating as with most things related to Pokémon.

There is one more reason why I find the book fascinating: the book itself represents something that I myself would like to make (or at least very similar to that), with a focus on Pokémon but not on the same topic as what was made on this book. And while I might have the core visions of the book and how it should be structured, since Pokémon is partly visual, I'd need help on the art direction since my artistic visions tend toward the abstract. Therefore, I might need to team up or collaborate with someone on this matter. If not with someone like Christopher Stoll, it would have to be someone who understands Pokémon (and my vision) like I do.

Regardless, this project is impressive - I can't say that enough times - even if I discovered it a few years too late and the realism might not suit everyone's tastes. For a Pokémon book, it seems to encapsulate many things that make something like that a keeper for its fans, and it has been proven with the project on Kickstarter becoming funded successfully and resulting in a creation that fans can and do keep. That has to be quite inspirational for myself with my own aspirations and should be too for my raid fellows, who too were captivated.

One year ago: The Ups and Downs of Showdown

Two years ago: A Mew Pouch

Three years ago: How Do I Live, Without You?

Four years ago: Two Pokémon Notebooks

Movie Manga, Local (Re) Edition

It's been some time since I discussed anything related to Pokémon books or manga, but that's mostly because I haven't had something new to discuss on this front. Recently, though, I was able to obtain something - actually, a couple of things - that's both kind of new and kind of old; they're new because I don't have them, but they're also old because I already do have them in a sense and in some form. Nevertheless, I feel they may be of some use and are valuable additions to my Pokémon collection, so here they are.

These are local (that is, Indonesian language) editions of the Pokémon manga that are adaptations of the feature films. They are published by a renowned national publisher that also manages the publication of local editions of other Japanese manga from other very well-known and popular series. In that sense, the publisher can be considered quite reputable. Compared to the English versions (for the one on the left at least), these are about half as thick, more compact in length and width, and one-fifth of their retail prices, but contain more or less the same content. So they're fairly affordable for the locals, though I have to admit that I got these on sale, both for half off, and I got lucky.

The one on the left needs no introduction, as it is the local version of the movie manga that precisely started off my collection of Pokémon manga, for which I obtained the English version some years ago. The one on the right is a little more complicated. It's clearly an adaptation of the "I Choose You!" feature film, but it also has the "Remix" tag attached to it and is a single volume, unlike the two-volume adaptation (which I'm informed also exists locally, but I didn't find them when I got these). Both will be read when I get to them, and I'm especially curious about the one on the right.

Personally, I'm happy to own Pokémon movie manga any which way - provided I'm able to understand them - but these local editions are significant too, in comparison to, say, the English editions. The fact that I also got them on the cheap can be regarded as a fortuitous perk. But the biggest perk of all would be the valuable additions to my collection and the potential enjoyment that I will have with them, possibly leading to other things as well. The Pokémon aspect remains key to all that and so much more.

One year ago: In My Full Time

Two years ago: The Feeling of Disaggregation

Three years ago: Life with My Raid Group

Four years ago: Alola-Exeggutor - From Humanoid to Coconut Tree Dragon

Reading About Pokémon Lore

As a Pokémon fan, I'm interested in many, if not all aspects of Pokémon. One of those is that of the stories behind things in the Pokémon world, what I liken as the "lore" behind them. I like to find out about them through everything that I do with Pokémon, but I also like to read about them, perhaps much like what the professors in this world might do. What I like is that this is achievable through different ways and different types of content, all of which are provided for my reading pleasure, and of course others.

The most obvious content type would be the descriptions and texts in the Pokédex entries of various Pokémon. Much of the lore about Pokémon can be said to lie within them, making them quite important in this regard. They're a definite source of information on what Pokémon are, how they behave, and in many cases their interrelationships as well. I find them invaluable to my understanding as well as to make others understand about Pokémon because of their explanatory quality, which makes me like reading them.

Descriptions that relate to Pokémon are not only found in the Pokédex. Most usable items on Pokémon often have descriptions related to what they are usable for, and with luck, they might possibly be related to one or a few Pokémon. In that way, they also constitute the lore behind Pokémon, and more likely expand it as well. They too are insightful in that regard and helps me to make more sense of their lore, not to mention to enjoy them for my understanding and others' as well.

While descriptions are certainly great, what would be greater is to be able to have them at hand in a workable and more easily readable form. That would necessitate them as books, which Pokémon has its share of. I've detailed my efforts to search for them as well as a couple of the ones I've found, and this is still an ongoing process. Having them all at once can result in possessing a "collective" lore about Pokémon and all things related, which only means further understanding and pleasant reading.

I'm a great Pokémon fan, so I have to make sure that I'm knowledgeable in them as well. The great thing is that Pokémon has its body of "lore" about them, and they can be elucidated in various ways, especially ones in text form. For those, I only have to read them to have the knowledge about them, all the while enjoying myself and my rational mind. I'm not exactly suited to be a professor, let alone a Pokémon one - I have a long ways to go before I personally become one - but perhaps we may indeed read the same lore about Pokémon.

One year ago: The Magic of 25
Two years ago: Et Tu, Shuffle? (Thy Hath Bugs)
Three years ago: It's Been a Month...

Pokémon Annual 2019

Over two weeks ago, I had mentioned that I came away with what could possibly called a Pokémon "reference" of sorts. I also mentioned that I would discuss it on this blog in due time, though that "time" never came by within that span of time, until today. That "reference" is in the form of a book, for which the title is indicated in the title of this post. The key word is in quotes, of course, because of the way of regarding it as such.

The book is quite big, and yet for its size, it only contains 69 pages, all of them certainly related to Pokémon. This is also the 2019 (this year's) edition; there are editions for past years, but I don't have them and they're hard to find - except one, which deserves to be discussed in a different post, and perhaps not any time soon. The concept of these "Annual" books - and in general, this book series - is not unique to Pokémon, as a few other fandoms (that I or others may or may not be interested in) have their own books and series. However, Pokémon is what I like and what many other people like, so there has to be a series for it.

Now, my argument for this being a "reference" is that it does contain the story of two episodes of the anime, along with relevant pictorial details from them. As well, the middle part contains an alphabetical listing of all new Pokémon involved in the Alola saga and adventures; that's because this book concerns as such, if the front cover of the book isn't already a clear indication, with the characteristic orange and yellow of Sun and blue and purple of Moon. Those bits are enough to indicate that the book is indeed a reference, even if it seems to be a minor one.

As for it not being so much a "reference", that is due to the fact that this book contains a fair bit of activities and/or puzzles regarding Pokémon. It is likewise a book aimed at younger audiences, much like a certain book that I procured last year. Those puzzles are interesting for me because I'm a puzzle freak, and they look like they might belong in certain puzzle periodicals, though they obviously have to be easier in order to be able to be solved by them. The answers are even on the final page of the book, in a further similarity to those periodicals, so that one may "check their work" after solving. That being considered, "reference" may not be a suitable characteristic for the book.

There are two sides to this Pokémon book for young audiences. It is both a "reference" since it contains information that may be helpful for any fan, and not so much because of the less informative (but more interactive) content. I suppose that for the target audience, it may very well not be as such, but for others, the referential content may still be appropriate. It may or may not be a "reference", but one thing that I and many people may agree on is that it's among one of the neatest things related to Pokémon.

One year ago: Items with a Purpose
Two years ago: Beyond the Boundary... of Languages

Movie Manga, Part 2 (Really 2)

Earlier this month, I made a splurge on three Pokémon things, which I don't normally make for one reason or another. I've already discussed one of the items (a fantastic art book) and another (an adventurous T-shirt), so now I need to discuss the third. As can be discerned from the title, it's another movie manga, the continuation of one that I bought nearly two years ago. It's the adaptation of the next movie in sequence, which happens to be number 20 with its fascinating story.

The manga adaptation is just as fascinating, as it actually consists of two parts or separate volumes. They roughly correspond to two halves of the movie, broken off just after the midway "crisis" had started. As for the adaptation, those who have watched the movie will recognize everything that happens in it... or almost everything. Notably, the introduction in volume 1 is a little different, also foregoing the events of the night before. The rest is more or less on track with the movie, all the way to the climax and resolution. Those who are interested in the story ought to get both volumes and start reading and looking.

I suppose that the reason why this movie demands a double volume is because it's such an important movie that it needed to be depicted as faithfully as possible, hence the two volumes and the 15 chapters contained in them. The artistry involved with this manga is quite impressive, and I love how the two front covers side-by-side as above form a grand rainbow arc. It seemingly affirms the continuity of the story across both volumes as well as its importance to those who have just gotten into Pokémon or have been with it for a long time.

I knew that if I had gotten only either of the two volumes above, I would not be able to experience the full story in manga form, so my spending on both at once is justified. One volume simply does not do without the other. With that, I have also discussed all the items of this most recent splurge on Pokémon things. They are all unique and deserving for any Pokémon fan, not the least of which is myself. I may not be due for another Pokémon splurge in the near future, but this one has proven its worth so much, including with this dual-volume manga, that I'm not too worried and in fact quite pleased.

One year ago: Pokémon Style Figure Sun & Moon 2 - Mimikyu
Two years ago: Cosplay in a Bag

The Art of Pokémon Adventures - 20th Anniversary Illustrations

Two days ago, I had mentioned that I splurged on quite a few Pokémon things, and I'm ready to divulge one of them now. I bought a book entitled The Art of Pokémon Adventures, which is an art book related to the Pokémon Adventures manga illustrated by Satoshi Yamamoto. This art book was an unexpected find and unexpected spend as well; my real aim was the other items I splurged for, but because I found this book, I decided to make it mine as well. It turns out that the book was heavily discounted, so the price that I paid for it was also unexpected, which made me even more happy that I got it.

This book is a special 20^th anniversary book, published in commemoration of that specific anniversary of Pokémon a few years ago. Though the illustrator himself only started to work on the manga in 2001, the art reflects not only his history but also the history of many things Pokémon, most particularly the games that the manga is based on. I suppose that makes it valid as a special anniversary book for Pokémon. It seems celebratory for the illustrator as well, which is evident by the special note in the back of the book.

Most of the book contains full-color illustrations, some being small and others taking up an entire page. There are also conceptual drafts and sketches, as the early versions before they became refined for publication. The book also includes fold-out posters, but to preserve the authenticity of the book, I'm leaving them as they are in the book. All of the presented artwork come complete with a guide as to where they appeared in the manga. There is also the bonus of the English version of a manga that was first published on a web site in 2006. It is a total art reference for readers of the manga... which I am not, but I'm now interested as well in becoming one.

Perhaps you can tell why I sampled this page? 😉

As I've noted in my "splurge" post, this is not only a reference, but also something that I can browse through every now and then to appreciate the art. I'll hold off detailed critique until I can examine each artwork in depth, but I can already see their excellence in depicting the various characters from the games. The splurge for this Pokémon item was well worth it; it's a unique and excellent find from a special time, and I'm certain that it will be the precursor for some special times ahead.

One year ago: Variegated Pokémon Patterns
Two years ago: I Side with Pokémon

Choosing Pathways

One of the things that have been involved in my life with Pokémon is making choices. I've determined which games to play, which episodes of the anime to watch, which merchandise to buy... and it even continues today with which costume I will wear in the next event and even what song I will perform if there's a singing competition of some sort. In relation to Pokémon, there is even something in particular that I can enjoy by making choices.

Years ago, I possessed a Pokémon book subtitled Choose Your Own Pathway to Adventure. As the title indicates, this book is a choose-your-own-adventure book. In general, the storyline involves Ash and is loosely based on the anime. The reader starts by reading the prologue, and from there, the reader flips to different pages in order to proceed through the story, which is scrambled among all its pages, the intention being to prevent one from reading through in sequence to see where one might end up. Every choice leads the reader down a path that may be different from before.

No matter where the reader goes in this book, the reader eventually winds up on one of nine endings. Five of them are good, four of them are bad, and one of the good endings is actually a "secret special ending". I've gone through all of these, and the "secret special ending" took me a bit of time to discover; it is especially rewarding, just as the other good endings are joyful and the bad endings are regrettable. These, of course, are for the reader to enjoy, so I don't need to describe them. I cannot anyhow without possessing the book.

Even so, technically, I still possess the book; it's just not with me at the moment, but it is instead with all the other Pokémon things I left behind in the U.S., which to some extent I wish I had with me. A search on the Internet seems to indicate that the book may be hard to get in recent times, let alone to where I am now. And that's a bit of a shame for such a greatly enthralling book.

Making choices will surely remain a part of my life, especially regarding Pokémon. It leads to different things I can enjoy from it, of which some may be good and others may be great. The choose-your-own-adventure book above is just another one of those things, and I can remarkably make further choices within it in order to enjoy it. That's a great thing for something that I have to constantly do within my life.

And today, I have one important choice to make - actually, make that five of them. Blessed be all the things that I choose, including Pokémon.

One year ago: And Again, I Dream
Two years ago: We're All Tied to Pokémon

A Storybook and a Reference

There is one more Pokémon thing that I took away from my recent travels to see a concert that just didn't happen as intended - as in, not at all. After the festivities of last Sunday's Pokémon Go Community Day (or lack of them), I took to exploring some shops near the place where I took part in Community Day. One of them is a bookstore that sold all kinds of books, including... Pokémon books! Knowing that, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get one book to satisfy my attraction and as a memento of my travels.

Four in one, and...

That book is as you see here. It's titled Storybook Treasury because, also as evident on the front cover, it's actually made up of four books in one. I've skimmed through the entire book, and I can say that this is true; some parts of the book repeat in what is present on the pages, and the individual "parts" are meant to be separate books. Even so, the contents of the parts seem different from one repetition to another, so some mental synthesis may be in order. Also, though "storybook" indicates that this book is written for young readers - and in fact, this was where the book was indexed in the bookstore - I dare say that some parts may be slightly hard to understand for some readers, though slightly older readers and Pokémon fans may be able to understand the book more fully.

The theme of the book is of course Pokémon, but it specifically deals with the creatures that bear this name. Some human characters also appear and make the book more lively, and one of them happens to be none other than... Ash Ketchum himself. Some other characters related to him also appear in the book, many of which are additionally connected to the most recent Alola saga. Because of that, this book is quite influenced by the Pokémon anime, which now appears more oriented to younger viewers than ever these days. I find nothing wrong with that, and that makes me enjoy the book personally.

Guess who?

As for the "reference" part, which I've mentioned in the the title of this post, after having skimmed through the book, I'd say that it is as much a reference book as it is a storybook. The reason is that the individual Pokémon are explained in their characteristics in almost an encyclopedic manner, and therefore it is like (or in some ways, rather is) a reference book. It's not quite in-depth as a real reference book devoted to Pokémon would be, but that goes back to the intent of this book to serve younger readers. It's still fairly captivating for any Pokémon fan.

I'm quite fond of this book. As a storybook, it's a bit entertaining; as a reference book, it's somewhat informative. Everything is tied up with influences from the Pokémon anime, which is perfectly enjoyable. While I have to say that the dual purposes of my recent travels were not quite fulfilled, this book accomplishes its (unstated) dual purpose nicely, and it's a worthy memento of a travel that is in part influenced by Pokémon too.

One year ago: A Successor Has Been Named

A Sun & Moon Doujin Manga

I've said in my post about doujin and indie stuff that some of them can be as good as official things; now here's a real doujin manga that is just that. It was first sold at a convention that took place earlier this year but far, far away, but then suddenly it popped up on what was really the first day of the event that took place yesterday. Needless to say, I went ahead and bought it so I could discuss it here, which does indeed mean that I sneaked onto the event on the first day for a preview as well.

One of the two people involved in this doujin manga is actually a fellow Pokémon player from my local group and it was this person as well who alerted me to the fact that it was being sold at the event. It should be noted that I saw another one of the person's creations take first place in the manga competition for this very event. Based on that, this Pokémon doujin manga should be good stuff, right?

And it is. Everything is so neatly designed that it's quite semi-professional in nature. Even the first few pages had some color as well, just like some professional manga. The typesetting on the pages are excellent, and the layout of the extra pages is typical but minimalist, yet effective. Overall, it almost could pass up for an official creation, though it really isn't.

As for the story, this manga is entitled the "Kanto Episode" for a reason: it is in effect a (possible) continuance of the events after the endgame of Sun and Moon. Without going into much detail, the story involves Lillie and some trials and tribulations in Kanto. And yes, Ultra Beasts are involved, almost becoming a crux of the story. It's quite entertaining, and I finished it in one sitting; that's how good it is.

I quite like this doujin manga. It's evident that the creators have put in lots of effort to make this manga what it is, as an imagining of what might happen beyond the end of the game. And given the achievements of one of the creators, it's not hard to expect that more excellent works may be coming from the person. If one or more of those excellent works are Pokémon-related, then I might just happily show my support with a purchase so that both of us may be pleased.

One year ago: Cosplay: ComiCamp 2, Day 2

Movie Manga!

I love Pokémon in all kinds of forms. That, of course, would include manga or Japanese comics, a form I rarely get the chance to enjoy, and in fact, I have never owned any Pokémon manga. Recently, however, I was fortunate to encounter a volume of a Pokémon manga in a rather-distant book shop, and after much thought and consideration, I decided to purchase it. It was too fascinating to pass up and it makes for a good start to my Pokémon manga collection.

It is plainly obvious from the cover that this particular manga volume is based on the Pokémon movie of the same title, only of course with all the frills of a manga. I must admit that at this point I have not had a chance to view the movie to which this manga pertains, but I'm sure the storyline is similar. Regardless, the manga is not a substitute for the movie, and I will have to watch it at the point when I'm able to do so.

Something that I appreciate about manga is that they're as much art as they are about story, and that the former should be enjoyed as much as the latter. To that end, I'm taking it slow with this one and I'm going through the dialogue and panel art in passes. I want to be able to consume both the story and art without doing so rapidly, something that I seem to have trouble doing. It is especially important for this one as this is one particular manga I stand to like more than others.

This remains an interesting manga that incorporates one part of the anime. It's almost like a blending of the two disparate aspects of Pokémon. As the first one I officially own, I'm very pleased to have it. It's one I'll enjoy now and will surely come back to time and again, especially in consideration of what it is based on.