Real Deal Myst for Pokémon T-Shirt

The last time I made a custom Pokémon shirt was actually a year ago, but it's something special - one that I haven't made particular preparations for exhibiting on this blog. However, since that time, I've made another one that I can and do want to exhibit... although doing so might be construed to "break the mold" in more ways than one. Regardless, one of those ways is that by the title of the design, it clearly involves not only Pokémon but also Myst, another series that I've also indicated my attraction toward; further, it fulfills the "quota" for mentioning that annually on this blog. It still makes for a fascinating discussion.

For the Pokémon part, that is all that can be seen, including the structure - more on this shortly. There is Pikachu on the left as a favorite Pokémon of mine, Entei as a "special guest", lots of Unown in the middle, and Sun and Moon elements in the background, including a very faint silhouette of a Pokémon characteristic to those games. The mood of the design not only evokes the seventh generation games as above but also the third movie, given Entei and Unown. The Myst part lies in the words, the ones formed by the Unown and the actual text below; the former is the most famous quote ("the ending has not yet been written") associated with a central character, while the latter are phrases used in promotional materials for a spinoff. The Myst elements are very few, but they give the Pokémon elements credence - hence the title of the design.

Observant readers will note that the structure of the design resembles that of the shirt for the previous anniversary of my raid group - and that's the intent. I would publicly claim that the design was made in tribute to that anniversary and what happened during it, and that's where I'd draw the line. Still, with the way my raid group is and has been, and in particular much of of the recent happenings with them, I wouldn't rule out certain reactions if this becomes presented to them.

As for the actual T-shirt itself, that was made with the design in front, following the shirt for the group, and the logos of the involved series on the back in a simple arrangement, also following how the group had its logo in the back as well as my previous other designs. The same shirt maker made the shirt, albeit with a slightly different material, and the results came out very well - almost as if it was made along with the group in the first place.

Indeed, for me, Pokémon is the "real deal", but then so is Myst to an extent. Having the latter to provide some perspectives on the former (and then vice versa) at times becomes helpful... and incredibly inspirational for creations, as is the case of this new T-shirt. As stated on the shirt, when "you are you", that makes for a mold-breaking yet realistic opportunity.

One year ago: One Item, Indefinitely?

Two years ago: Rainbow Pokémon Fantasies

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 3/28/2022

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 3/28/2021

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 3/28/2020

Six years ago: Local EX Raid (and Priorities), 3/28/2019

Seven years ago: More on Ali (and the Early Manga)

Eight years ago: A Pikachu Wall Hanging

Wallpaper: The Right of All Nations

It seems that it will always take time for me to conceive new Pokémon wallpaper images for my PC and phone, but at least that affords some time for me to enjoy them within that time, not to mention to conceive new ideas for the next ones. And the idea for this one came at some point within that time and was developed over time, with the final results as shown below. That also becomes a way of making certain affirmations about what I like to involve in my wallpaper designs as well as what I like in general.

With that, the wallpaper is called "The Right of All Nations" because... well, it says so on the wallpaper. But that's not the only reason, for the title is a translation of the lower phrase - "Hak Segala Bangsa" - next to the stylized hash, which would make it a "hashtag" along with Pokémon itself (an actual hashtag would just have it as a regular letter E, but I chose to accent the E regardless). The focal point, meanwhile, is the image on the right, the poster for the "finale arc" for the anime while Ash was still in it - itself being a take on the first poster of the anime - which I've made into a "pseudo-TCG" style given the popularity of the recent TCGP game. Aside from that, there's the usual Pokémon logo, disclaimers, and some blank space for icons or whatever one likes to put there.

As for the affirmations, one of them is that I like parodies, for this is in part a parody of an ad campaign for a local department store that proclaims that any substance above the phrase is as the phrase suggests: everyone's right or entitlement. It has been applied to qualities (one of them being "cool") and other media, and I chose to apply it to Pokémon. In fact, the anime poster was also part of the inspiration, as I moved to interpret that anything on it could be entitled for anyone, including the people already in the poster. So, the two inspirations come together in this wallpaper, with a little help from current trends in Pokémon affairs to make things come out as I would believe.

The next affirmation is that I like to create simplistic designs and to involve text (typography) in my wallpaper creations. From the previous wallpaper creations to this one, there has always been some textual element and a simplistic arrangement of the elements that are involved in the wallpaper. And it's no accident, really; I think typography is just as important as any artistic image, and the latter is complemented by the former. Evidently, I have some attraction to the international Pokémon logo for the same reasons, not to mention attributive ones, and include a variant of them in all my creations.

Now, I mentioned "phone" earlier, and that's because I wanted to adapt the same wallpaper to use on my phone, and that's what I did. I just rearranged the same elements vertically to fill the space for a phone-sized wallpaper, and the result is the image below. I do have to say that the image below is a bit tall, which also implies that my phone is as such. Still, it shouldn't be all that difficult to adapt things if I need to.

Even Pokémon fans are entitled to simple yet creative and usable wallpaper images, and this latest creation of mine is as such, at least in my view. It's thought-provoking yet whimsical, and it has the elements of Pokémon that many fans without a doubt recognize and enjoy - surely as in my case, for some time ahead until the next wallpaper idea comes.

One year ago: Best Times for Ranked Matches?

Two years ago: A Double Intense Pokémon Dream

Three years ago: Let's Talk About All the Right Things

Four years ago: The Love Cup of GBL

Five years ago: What to Nominate

Six years ago: Cryptic Pokémon

Seven years ago: Two Games at Once?

Eight years ago: Cosplay: Japan LovEvolution Vol. 2 - Kaizen

Completing the Stylistic Stickers

It has been over a year since I posited the idea for having a certain "complete set" of a certain kind of stylistic Pokémon stickers, specifically those obtained from conventions. Since then, there's been a lot of ups and downs in dealing with the convention scene (and my life scene), but thanks to picking up more of the stickers from another edition of a convention where I got some of these stickers, at this point, I can say that I now have such a complete set of stickers, and further, a means of showing them off.

This "sticker collage" shows off that complete set with a neat presentation. The new stickers I obtained since the last time are obviously the Ash and Raihan stickers on the upper corners, in addition to the Eevee, Torchic, Turtwig, and Froakie stickers. This fulfills the "triple-triple" of selected starter Pokémon - three types three times for the nine extant generations, shown here in a square. Above that, there are Pikachu and Eevee "leading the pack". Overall, the selection is also just as neat as the presentation.

Still, I also ended up with two leftover stickers (not shown here) that I thought could complete the stickers but wasn't able to make them work. They were of Piplup and Fennekin; if I had wanted to make them work, I would have needed a Treecko sticker to satisfy the constraints and sub for the representative generations as in the above collage... but I didn't think long and hard enough to determine this course of action nor pass it on to Ash for execution. The arrangement as above may be just as well.

By the way, this "sticker collage" is admittedly an effective and artistic way of displaying stickers, especially ones that one doesn't want to display anywhere else for certain reasons. I'm certain to make more of them, in particular with Pokémon stickers I get from conventions and festivals. This then would include the two leftover stickers as above, though the results for those wouldn't be evident until some time ahead. It'll take a few more stickers and a bit of mental willpower before it'll surely be ready.

After a long time, I managed to complete a collection of these particularly stylistic Pokémon stickers and even discover a way of displaying them. There will still be some ups and downs in the scene of conventions and my sending of Ash to them, but now I know what I can prepare Ash to obtain from them in order to have a piece of something (related to Pokémon) from them, which I can then assemble in certain ways to make something artistic of my own while celebrating their own inherent artistic quality.

One year ago: More on Unite Surrendering: New Developments

Two years ago: Cosplay: Mini "Cyber" Gathering

Three years ago: The "Evolution" of Pokémon Go Special Research

Four years ago: Road to 25th Anniversary: Expectations

Five years ago: A Raid Split?

Six years ago: The First Japanese Anime Opening Theme

Seven years ago: Enhancements in Shuffle

PIJ Drone Show Narrative

As Ash reported, the festival that marked the high point of Pikachu's Indonesia Journey and the close of City Safari ended with a drone show on both days the latter was held. For a lack of a better description, it is "awe-inspiring", literally: it put awe in the minds of people like me, and now it's especially inspiring for me. To that end, I'm inspired to write a narrative using what was shown by the drones.

I have to say that the drone show itself wasn't presented with a set narrative, but videos shown in the video wall did provide a hint of what those narratives may be, as do other elements shown by the drones aside from the ones related to Pokémon. The narrative - the one I create here - is built on those elements and in combination with the Pokémon elements, certainly, relating them as a whole.

So, here is that narrative:

Pokémon is world of magical and wondrous creatures - the ones that might come out of a Poké Ball.

There is also a magical and wondrous place in this world: Indonesia - the islands along the equator - and Pikachu has taken a liking for it.

So, it came by air - by balloons, to be precise - with Snorlax not far behind, as sleepy as it may be.

And thus we have Pikachu's Indonesia Journey, a journey of magic and wonder of Pokémon in this dazzling land.

Other Pokémon wanted to join in the fun too in different ways. Articuno flew over the islands of Raja Ampat, bringing its icy beauty to the place.

In the Subak fields in Bali and its pura gateways, Zapdos became one with the spirits of the people and the land.

Moltres, of course, felt at home near the many volcanoes spewing heat and clouds - Mount Bromo being one of them.

Even some massive Legendary Pokémon partook in the journey. Kyogre passed by - or over - the Suramadu Bridge and seems fond of it.

Groudon found its magnificence in size is equal to the grandeur of Prambanan Temple, a sight for any eye.

And though it mostly stays in the stratosphere, Rayquaza became attracted to the beacon that is the National Monument or Monas.

All the Legendary Pokémon - Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, and Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza - found something to appreciate in these lands of wonder and magic.

In the starry night, there is even Jirachi - which means it's time to make a wish for the good things the land has to offer.

Where will the journey take Pikachu next? That may be up to Pikachu and its plane to decide... but we hope you'll join us there!

The above narrative can also be spoken over the main part of the drone show, certainly if one has a video available for that purpose. It could also be modified slightly as needed for that purpose - maybe even to remove one or two quirks in the narrative that could be present as it is above. Such a project is currently beyond my own capability in undertaking, but anything is totally possible with the assistance of others.

Certainly, the above is just one of many possible narratives that could be made by interpreting the main part of the drone show, and different people may have their own. One thing is for sure, however: as this series of local Pokémon events brings people and fans together for its experience, they can also bring their minds together, as with the conception of the drone show and the narratives that may result.

One year ago: Cosplay: Bunka no Tenkai - Wonderful Japan

Two years ago: The Desire to Refresh

Three years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Sparring Halloween Cup

Four years ago: The HIStory of the Future (and Now, with Pokémon)

Five years ago: Performance Critique: GACOS LEVELUP J-Song

Six years ago: New Pokémon, New World?

Seven years ago: Pikachu with Regional Caps

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.

One year ago: Concept Maps for Pokémon Unite

Two years ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: The Final Month

Three years ago: BT's Coins, My Coins, Our Coins

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?

Pokémon Brand Parodies, Third Take

Well, I can't stop thinking about making Pokémon parodies of various brands since I posted the previous (and the previous previous) compilation of them; they just seem to come naturally to me as a Pokémon fan. So when an idea comes, I have to keep track of it as I figure out a way of realizing them through image manipulation, and then once I have a few, I can get my creative juices flowing and actually make the parody. That is exactly what happened recently, and now I have a few more to share.

Shunda for Shundo Pokémon 

In the country where I reside, Shunda is a manufacturer of household hardware; their most famous product is ceiling boards, but they also manufacture products like wallboards and floorboards. Those undeniably might make a house a home for a Pokémon fan, but it's also undeniable that the company name is one letter removed from a Pokémon phenomenon that occurs in Pokémon Go - a Shiny Pokémon with perfect stats. So, I decided to bring back (or rather, apply) the phenomenon with this parody, the first one I made that concerns something related to Pokémon other than a particular species.

Ruangguru feat. Oranguru

Meanwhile, Ruangguru is a provider of virtual lessons that has become somewhat promoted in recent times for its importance in shaping the current generation of human resources. The name sounds rather similar to the Pokémon species of Oranguru, which itself is a characterization of a very well-known endangered species present in the same country. It is this similarity that led me to conceive the idea for the parody and then to execute it. Also, it should be noted (humorously) that Oranguru tend to have "their own thing going on", so they may or may not be helpful at all, considering the context of the brand.

Bombardier feat. Bombirdier

Bombardier is a manufacturer of vehicles from the great northern land of Canada that used to be an "all-rounder" but now just manufactures business jet planes. It seems such a coincidence that changing one letter of its name results in a Flying-type Pokémon species of the latest generation to grace the franchise. Here, it is depicted with the company's former graphical logo and wordmark, the latter of which is still unchanged in style but certainly changed to reflect the parody. The hope is that the planes are still agile and high-flying as are the Pokémon of this species.

Like in the previous edition, I also updated a previous parody for a more current sensibility:

Wuling feat. Wooloo (updated)

Last time, I posited that my previous parody can be updated to reflect the company's "five diamonds" logo, and so I undertook just that, showing two Wooloo joining their front-facing ponytails in a manner that closely portrays that exact logo. Now, imagining this vehicle company getting representation from sheep-like Pokémon - or more precisely, two instances of them - may not be so ridiculous after all, though it's still rather fanciful.

The search for ideas of Pokémon parodies of real-life brands is an ever-continuing one, even as of this edition. It is, in a way, a kind of soul-searching for just the right concept followed by the right execution. And if that happens to occur at the most perfect moment, then to move forward with them is a given, like with the ones that I have presented above. The creativity is thus a continuing one as well, especially for people like me whose appreciation of Pokémon continues in the same manner.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Goodies, Round 5

Two years ago: To Be a Snorlax

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/20/2020

Four years ago: The Friendly Manual

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 9/20/2018

Six years ago: Meeting, Parting with, and Missing Friends

Remaking My Pokémon Papercraft Models?

It's been such a long time since I've addressed anything related to Pokémon and papercraft, so this discussion is somewhat overdue. Specifically, this discussion was prompted after I looked over some of the earlier models that I had built, which are presently in various conditions. Some of them are still as fine as they are when I had built them, while others are less fine or had become more so after all the tribulations that had taken place since. Given this condition, I started to wonder if I should remake some of the models, which then led to this post.

For example, the Pikachu that I first built and initially used in cosplay still turns out to be fine all this time, and thus is not needed to be remade. On the other hand, it has a "younger sibling" of Pichu, and that model is slightly falling apart; this is definitely a candidate to be remade. There are also a few Poké Balls in various conditions, and they may or may not demand to be remade. It may be in my best interest to take the best one I have and discard the rest for a true "fresh start" with only the best models I have, as the others I mentioned above.

The only thing that currently restricts any possible efforts to remake my Pokémon papercraft models is fitting in that effort along with all other efforts I have to make, Pokémon or otherwise. It's something that has presented a challenge in recent days, though I myself might have been the one that caused it to be a challenge in the first place. Yet as with all Pokémon challenges, that might be something to take on - perhaps just not at this moment while I get all my other challenges and efforts in order. 

So, it seems that I have found the incentive to get back to Pokémon papercraft, yet it's also an incentive that requires a bit of devotion just as with all my other Pokémon prospects. The fact that many of my models still survive the test of time does suggest that Pokémon papercraft is still something worthwhile for me to take on and preserve, moreover as it still constitutes my interaction history. Yet it's also a literal "history in the making", as Pokémon itself continues to provide the advancements for that history to occur.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Goodies, Round 3

Two years ago: What It Takes To Jump-Start Pokémon Go Trainers

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 7/19/2020

Four years ago: The First Johto Saga English Opening Theme

Five years ago: Fast Moves and Charged Moves

Six years ago: Movie Times

Beachside with Pokémon

In the first year of this blog, I discussed one of the pre-movie Pokémon short films, the pieces of background music from that short film, and what triggered the discussion. The memory of the activity still has not faded even now, perhaps in part thanks to the Pokémon connection I made. As a matter of fact, so is the memory of an actual beach outing - and not just to a water park - that I made many years ago, before this Pokémon blog (and even, Pokémon Go) became a thing. It seems apt to bring up that discussion and bring back that Pokémon thing as its framing.

That beach outing many years ago can be considered to have proceeded a little like the short film in question (and the three music pieces I mentioned). It seemed festive and playful in getting to the beach (like "Fun at the Beach"), and then as the outing progressed, it got a little hectic and wild (like "The Lawnmower Chase"). But when all was said and done, there was a slight urge and longing to go back to a beach - not necessarily the same one - and go for another outing (like "Let's PikaBoo Again"). That didn't happen for the longest time, and it only finally happened today.

And the current outing was much like the previous outing in my recollection of it. Only this time, the chaotic ("The Lawnmower Chase") part was the travel to the beach with a lot of ups and downs - literally - and the beach part was as fun as fun can be. And when it was all over, there was the same urge and longing. Still, there were some changes: this time, the outing was with a larger group, and because of how Pokémon has pervaded since then, I chose to memorialize it with Pokémon. Specifically, Pokémon Go came to assist in this effort, allowing me to take pictures of Pokémon on the beach:

The six Pokémon I chose to feature in snapshot above are actually related in that they all represent Pokémon that can conceivably be encountered at any beach, especially the one on the upper right, for which this time is also important. Moreover, all six were subjects of a special feature in the form of a familiar event that took place earlier in the month, but this time with a special theme. As always, that would need to be explained separately and closer to the month in question in a separate event rollup.

It's been a long time since I've been able to go to a beach (in actuality) and then return there. But when it happened, which was indeed the case today, it happened at a fortunate time in my life, and it could also be commemorated with Pokémon in more ways than one. It was thus a great day overall, and in the case of this Pokémon fan, a great time made even greater with Pokémon presence. Like the earlier beach and "beach" outing, this one will certainly remain in mind for some time to come as such.

One year ago: Cosplay: Mini Futsal Gathering & Cup 2022

Two years ago: Pokémon Words from the Coach

Three years ago: Pokémon (PKMN) Presents, 6/17/2020

Four years ago: On Copyrights

Five years ago: Boxes of Go-Goodies

Six years ago: There Is Only One Ball

Finding Reasons to Sing and Connect

Find a reason to sing - for the you I want to see

You who taught me how to sing about my life and everything

Find a reason to sing - you'll be there beside me too

Though this song is just a tune, it is still a gift from me to you

Connecting, connecting, with your song

Connecting, connecting, with your dream

Connecting, connecting, with your life

Connecting with you

-- "Connecting", music by halyosy, adapted lyrics by Merobean

Way back some three months ago, I had talked with Ash and Goh about some challenges in connecting and how that might be resolved. There's actually a second part to this, and we've alluded to it in different ways. And it all has to do with the song for which the lyrics have been quoted above, which like many songs I've discussed has little to nothing to do with Pokémon, but otherwise colors and describes my Pokémon experiences to a certain extent.

This song is about being able to relate to someone else that helps to bring meaning to the things that someone may do, particularly in making one's voice heard in a musical manner. That someone else becomes the "voice of reason" or "essence of being", even "raison d'etre" in a way. More than that, that "someone" may just be a bunch of people, as this song is designed to be one that combines many spirits who share the same sentiments with each other. Covers of this song have been made in groups as such to honor that spirit.

If a Pokémon takeaway can be made from this song, it may be that the song describes not just the relation between people and other people, but also people and Pokémon, the ones whom Trainers are intricately connected with (ahem) and people may share the same sentiments. It's such a general message that it can be conceivably regarded to apply in many settings, and Pokémon may just be one of them.

Now, the challenge part is that I'm supposed to sing this song, or at least parts of it, for a collaborative project that I hoped would result in something. However, it seems that the project may have become abandoned, with neither hide nor hair of it. Even if it wasn't, it seems I've been let go from it; recently I've found that I'm not able to access the usual methods of gaining information for it. In any case, I've decided to just write about it for a sense of closure.

Even so, the project is still open in my mind, and I've thought about making a somewhat different version of the song (and necessarily singing it, of course). The lyrics for that version would have further relations to Pokémon - maybe with a little help from other pop culture just to get things going. I've already concocted an adaptive version of the chorus as quoted above to illustrate my point:

Find a reason to sing - you can battle all for me

Wanna teach the world to sing, all in a perfect harmony

Find a reason to sing - all that you will be for me

Wanna hold you in my arms and wanna keep you company

Connecting, connecting, with your world

Connecting, connecting, with your life

Connecting, together, inspired

Connecting with you

Much still needs to be done if I wish to bring this little project idea to actual completion, unlike the previous project above (with me in it). But if my experiences with Pokémon have shown anything, I've discovered the "connecting" spirit in different ways, enough to consider this song relatable to Pokémon after having taken up the project unsuccessfully. That may just be the true reason to sing and connect, among all the things that have transpired in and out of Pokémon up to this very day.

One year ago: Justification for Writing My Blog

Two years ago: Low-Bit Fantasies with Pokémon

Three years ago: Field Research Task Reporting

Four years ago: The Myth of Shiny Pokémon

Five years ago: On Skateboards and Pokémon

Journeys Gap Ad... in T-Shirt Form

Since I've created it last year, I've taken a great liking of the design for the Journeys Gap Ad wallpaper. It's a perfect blend of Pokémon sensibilities and parodical nature, and the simplistic design is versatile. So versatile, in fact, that I decided to make a T-shirt with the design in the same manner as the T-shirt with the TLWGT design, including piggybacking on or with a friend - make that two - who wanted custom T-shirts of different designs not necessarily related to Pokémon. Our shirts shipped the other day, and I've picked mine up so I can then write about it on this blog.

Not much else needs to be said about the T-shirt. The core part of the wallpaper fits nicely as the front of the T-shirt, while like the previous design, I opted for the Pokémon logo on the back (not shown here). The Pokémon logo certainly had to be in black and white to match the monochrome design, which fortunately I had prepared for a possible use, and now it was time to use it. My friends and I submitted the chosen or requested T-shirt designs in a single order, and the rest was as above.

The print shop and therefore the T-shirt maker is the same as the previous shirt, but this T-shirt differs in a number of ways. For one, this is not what is called a "full-print" T-shirt; the design fits into a more restricted printing space and I opted for that. For two, the T-shirt material is different, being cotton instead of a choice between two synthetic fabrics, which applied to the earlier T-shirt. Even so, I could have opted for the synthetic fabrics... but that would have also meant opting for a "full-print" T-shirt regardless, which I did not desire for various reasons. The result is the above T-shirt, which I consider to be just fine.

Altogether, this shirt turned out just great. It is an affirmation of a few things: one, of my capability in creating simple yet effective designs that can apply in many places; two, of the T-shirt maker and printer in creating T-shirts that satisfy the demands of customers; and three, of how influential Pokémon has become at least in the realm of my life and beyond. It's true that I don't necessarily need a T-shirt in order to affirm and exemplify any of those things, but it's still a great reward for those processes.

One year ago: Glyphs of Pokémon?

Two years ago: Playing Pokémon All Day

Three years ago: Getting Lucky with Friends

Four years ago: A Place for VGC

Five years ago: Blue and Yellow Philosophy

More Pokémon Brand Parodies

During the infancy of this blog, I put up a post with a few images parodying various brands with a Pokémon twist. Since then, I hadn't thought up of other ones until recently, and when I did, I also started the process of image manipulation for the creation of these parodies. Even with a different editing process for them, I'd say that they turned out great. The ones I present below are also a little more international in nature, and that ought to complement the internationally recognized aspect of Pokémon. So, here are a few more of them:

Yanmar feat. Yanma

This one may be admitted to be less of a parody and more of a "return to its roots". The reason is that Yanmar, a Japanese diesel engine company, has a part of its name origins in the Yanma dragonfly... and Yanma the Pokémon species is also a dragonfly, so put two and two together. Still, Yanma has a red body, and the original logo is red, so that matches at the least. Because of the fact above, I also may not be the first to create this parody, but it's still creative nonetheless to realize the creative idea. Also, the company makes diesel engines for purposes of agriculture, and where there's agriculture, Yanma and/or other dragonflies may be found as well, which makes for a good connection.

Wuling feat. Wooloo

Wuling Motors is a Chinese vehicle company that also serves a number of countries, including mine. Its initial "wool" sound might also be construed to lead up to the Pokémon species of Wooloo, and I've filled it in accordingly. Coincidentally, its two ponytails in a way resemble halves of the "five diamonds" logo of the company, so putting them together might make the logo. This might be a novel illustrative exercise for someone to take up and create. Wooloo itself might not have much to do with cars - perhaps its evolved form Dubwool may be closer, and both may be transported in one - but it's still nice for a start.

Royco feat. Raikou

I consider this one to be the most humorous of the three, not the least because it is quite personal. Royco is a brand of seasonings owned by Unilever, although only a few countries (like mine) have this brand; it is known in others as "Knorr". Regardless, a family friend of mine sometimes misspells the brand as something closer to the name of the Pokémon above (Raikou), and that partially inspired me to create the parody above, besides the fact that two words sound similar. I'm not suggesting that the seasonings may have been made with Raikou, but at least Raikou might have lent its "magic" to the seasonings, and so the parody is quite fitting in a way.

Aside from the three parodies above, I also updated one of my older parodies:

Gojek feat. Golett (Updated)

I noted in an old post that the company and the app had adopted a new slogan; what I didn't mention was that at the same time, they essentially also rebranded with a new logo and wordmark, the former of which might look a little similar to Golett's chest. Regardless, the parody still fits, and I've updated the image accordingly to resemble the style. It's still fun to think that something as clunky as a Golett can help out just like the people associated with the company and the app.

International recognition may just be the key concept. Pokémon has such a repute, but so do some of the above brands that were parodied. And with the recognition that they have, it's conceivable that they might merge, as in the case of the above parodies. The results are obviously very funny, perhaps depending on whom one might ask, but those who know Pokémon very well and any of the brands above ought to find them satisfying in humor and Pokémon relations.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 1/30/2021

Two years ago: Bringing It Home

Three years ago: Three TCG Booster Packs

Four years ago: Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Series 2 Figures

Five years ago: Always 21 - Memories of 21

Wingull Place Mat

It's been a while since I made - by myself - a physical creative project involving Pokémon; I've had some free time to get it done, and I did. Actually, it couldn't have come at a better time, since it really needed to be done and I was on the verge of losing its raison d'être (that is, its reason for being) that would make it difficult for me to complete it otherwise. It's still a neat project regardless in how it pools together different kinds of resources to create something great.

That something would be a place mat with images of Wingull featured on it. I have a set of place mats that have been in my family for decades; these have pink diagonal lines from the upper left to the lower right, and on the lower right quarter there are accompanying silhouettes of flying seagulls in the same color. Thus, the inspiration becomes quite clear: in the Pokémon world, these flying seagulls would be Wingull instead, and they would be present on the place mat accordingly.

An example of the original place mat in good condition.

I also have one of these place mats in regular use, but it's been in a sorry state for quite some time. The lines and silhouettes have faded, and some parts of it have chipped off or utterly and completely broken off. Particularly, the lower right corner has been loose for a good deal of time while I haven't been able to mend it; it was this corner piece that became the initiative for fixing up and renewing the place mat before it becomes lost forever and hard to replace as a result. Some of the other corners have broken off but have been mended in time, yet I've never been happy with my efforts. Clearly, it was time to fully fix up the place mat before worse things happen.

The place mat that I use.

A design was conceived quickly - or not so quickly, as it was in between all other things that I have to do. The design closely mirrors the original place mat design and proportions, with the addition of relevant Pokémon elements. When it came time to print the design, a local print shop printed the design after I sent the design to them by e-mail. All I had to do was to pick it up once it was done. They suggested that the design be printed on sticker paper with a glossy coating due to the moist nature of the finished product - a place mat - and to make application easier, which turned out to be true, especially during assembly.

How the design looks like.

Before applying the design, I had to fully fix up the place mat, which I accomplished by a combination of a couple of methods. Broken pieces were glued back together, and chips and fractures were filled in with more glue as best as possible. Then, the fractures, chips, and edges were covered up first with masking tape and then strong plastic tape as the glue sets, before being left to cure overnight. This should ensure that the place mat stays together for as long as possible.

The mended place mat.

The next day, I then applied the design. I purposefully made it larger than the place mat in order to make sure the entire place mat is covered, and it was. The application, though, did not proceed smoothly; the first time I applied it, I missed a part of one edge and wrinkled the sticker badly at the end - likely also due to poor procedure and slightly rushing. I was dissatisfied, so I took off the sticker and reapplied another one; luckily, I had printed two copies in case such a situation happened. Armed with a second one, a new procedure, and some Pokémon Unite music to help me relax, I successfully applied the design with minimal defect.

The resulting place mat.

After tidying up the edges, the place mat was more or less complete. As a result, the place mat also looks as if it was new again, with the exception of bumps from the mending and cup marks from years of prior usage that also show through the sticker. It was also ready for its first meal test, which seemed to work out nicely. Though my crafting resources are meager, the resulting place mat seems to be quite well done, but those who are more crafty than me should come up with even better results.

I'm extremely pleased with this creation, even more so since all the elements span a long period of time (the place mat decades old, Pokémon newer, creation recent) and represent a compilation of resources to make things work before they don't work at all. The hope is that the place mat lasts as long as Pokémon continues to last, with Wingull accompanying my meals today just as the seagulls did prior.

One year ago: PokéJournalists

Two years ago: A Story of Bands

Three years ago: Cosplay: Manga no Kiseki & Japan Pop Culture 2018

Four years ago: Heroes, Veterans, and Special Ones

Wallpaper: Journeys Gap Ad

The last desktop wallpaper that I made was three years ago, and that's a pretty long time. There was an intent to change it with a new creation, but between my businesses and the happenings of the world, the wallpaper worked out and applied to the sentiments of the times. As much as it was still appropriate, I wanted to go in a new direction, and thus a new wallpaper had to be made. Fortunately, I found the perfect concept that put together Pokémon with a certain "homage" that could also be in part considered a "parody".

This wallpaper is titled "Journeys Gap Ad". Evidently, it could be construed as a (promotional) advertisement for Pokémon Journeys, the series that is represented by the two protagonists of Ash and Goh, shown with their choice partner Pokémon here. Scorbunny is fiery, Pikachu is electric, and they're both together as their Trainers are together, and thus the tagline above ("What's best is fiery, electric, and together"). This is coupled with the tagline and title of the opening song of the series as placed below, along with the identifier for the characters and the appropriate disclaimers. The depiction takes a black-and-white retro approach, despite that Pokémon Journeys is not from an era where such advertisements are present, especially in certain magazines.

Actually, this was made to resemble a certain real advertisement, and this is the "homage" and "parody" part. The advertisement is for a certain clothing company, and the specific advertisement featured two well-known figures who are actually the creators behind another game series that I'm also fond of (see this Twitter tweet for the reference). Here, the advertisement is replicated with as much detail and precision as possible, taking a few liberties to include the Pokémon context. The original advertisement is from 1995, which is obviously retro by now and was far before Pokémon Journeys came into being, but the feel was also replicated faithfully. I consider the results to be quite fitting.

As shown in the image above, the wallpaper is made for PCs, but I've actually created a mobile version for smartphones as well, and in fact it was created before the PC version. The mobile phone version takes a few more liberties due to the reduced scale but is otherwise equivalent in spirit to the PC version. Speaking of scaling, both versions are intended to be ably scaled to different screen aspect ratios by adding or subtracting the beige part, with the initial wallpaper for the PC version being originally designed for a 16:10 ratio that does not take much to be adapted to 16:9.

With the previous wallpapers, it becomes obvious that I have a fondness for simple ideas (and additionally, imitative qualities). Yet it is also obvious that when they're done right, simple and imitative can actually be quite expressive, in this case of Pokémon. In this case, the result is a "promotion that transcends time" that honors an external journey of the past with one that is related to Pokémon and certainly way ahead of its time.

One year ago: Multilingual Pokémon Go

Two years ago: Gym Tours

Three years ago: (A Further) Local Ex-Raid, 9/10/2018

Four years ago: Cosplay: BJF - Shizen ni Modoru

The Lengths We Go To... T-Shirt

Some years ago, a certain company created a novel ad campaign. That campaign is titled "The Lengths We Go To", and it is exemplary of what they do. They want to make people feel special, so they make the (extra) effort to make the people - their customers - feel (extra) special. That would mean bringing the things they like, making them feel comfortable, and allowing them to have the best experience possible, as if they were at home or at least the places where they belong. Even if one doesn't deal with them, it has to be admitted that the mission is noble.

In the same way, I'd like to think that Pokémon Trainers share much of the same spirit. If they intend to be the best, they'll likely make much of the (extra) effort to become so. And even if it doesn't beget results instantly, at least it becomes one or more steps to take them to where they want or should be. Personally, I know one Pokémon Trainer for whom this applies rather perfectly and is admirable as such, even to the point of being noble just like the mission of the ad campaign.

In fact, I'm rather inspired. So much so that it has resulted in me wanting to make a printed T-shirt to exemplify that... and I did:

I've actually had the idea for this T-shirt since 8 years ago, which is around the time the ad campaign popped up, and this also explains why it has Unova saga graphics: it was then contemporary, for me at least. The design was quickly conceived in a day or so, with the image of Ash and Pikachu plus the words as the front of the shirt and the Pokémon logo on the back (which can't be seen here). The words set in similar style as the Pokémon logo are directly taken from one of the ads of the campaign, which happens to be the ultimate one and struck a chord for me and in relation to Ash.

When I went to print it at that time, however, I did find a print shop who took it up... but then they promptly closed forever and I never heard from the print shop again. The design lay dormant all those years, but then an opportunity came up a couple of weeks ago to realize the design with the help of a friend looking to make a printed T-shirt of his own. It was also then that I unearthed the design again, and this time with the aid of the design team for the print shop, the background was added to the shirt front for extra flair. After a long wait, the shirt was completed earlier this week and I received it today. Despite the dated retro design, the message is still felt to be relevant today, which is why I stuck with the design.

It may be that for anyone for whom Pokémon is highly related, they may just "go the extra mile" to pursue Pokémon experiences, including any that might be relevant even if just a little bit. That "go-the-extra-mile" spirit fits right in with the old ad campaign, and it all fits in. I'd say my efforts with the T-shirt above can be succinctly described as such, and it works out to a perfect reminder of what can be done however far one goes, especially with Pokémon.

One year ago: Pokémon Stickers on WhatsApp

Two years ago: Looking from Far Away

Three years ago: (High Noon at the) Local Ex-Raid, 5/8/2018

Four years ago: Ash and Pikachu Keychain

On the Transcription of Pokémon Things

I mentioned in my overview post for the first episode of my podcast that I had undertaken the process of transcribing that podcast (in addition to the ultimate goal of translating it). Transcription is actually something I like to do for a few things, not the least of which are Pokémon things. I suppose that because that I'm fond of matters related to languages and their background principles, I got interested in this activity. In some ways, though, the activity is fundamentally important to some linguistic affairs, so I'm not too far off. But for Pokémon things, it can be important too.

What I'm fond of transcribing are things related to the Pokémon anime, in particular full episodes of it with the English dub. Of course, as shorts like Twilight Wings are still part of the anime, they are fair game for transcription as well. Beyond the anime, lots of Pokémon or Pokémon-related things can be transcribed. A podcast like the other day is certain, but other things may be relevant as well for the process, like commercials and promotional videos. This process is essential if not for one thing: to create captions or subtitles for those hard of hearing. I'm not hard of hearing myself, but it's a useful reference nonetheless, both for myself and others.

The one big thing about this process is that it takes time, as I had indicated in the other post. Admittedly, the other day translation was also involved, so it took a little longer. Even if it weren't involved, the process still takes a good amount of time, which is why I haven't done it for a long time, and just as I planned to get back in the swing of things for the purpose of my podcast, I ran into this obstacle. It takes a good time to note down the things that are being spoken, type them up, and then to verify everything to make sure they're right. But once someone takes the time to do so, the results are there for pretty much all time, especially with good management. The utility itself is worth the time.

As I've stated, I'm fond of transcribing the anime episodes, and I keep the results of this small project handy; eventually, if time permits, I may consider making another one. For the Twilight Wings shorts, the ones that haven't been captioned make good fodder, but the project will and should include all of them for the sake of completion. The podcast I started with Handoyo is indeed a prime target (more to the point of it being personal), but again, I'll take it up when the demand arises; I'm open to do so for others as well, and this could be a potential outlet for commissions given what I'm capable of doing. The possibilities seem to be plentiful enough.

I feel that as I've done this activity, I've done myself a good favor. It benefits me in terms of languages and linguistics by providing myself with language materials for other purposes related to them. It benefits me in terms of Pokémon by providing useful written references for whatever may concern this franchise, which I am deeply attached to. In the end, both can be described through one word: enjoyment. I enjoy working with transcriptions as a part of or segue to linguistics, and I enjoy working with Pokémon things no matter what. And it's great to know that they both can come together in some ways.

One year ago: Taking Sides on Shiny Pokémon

Two years ago: Raid Time Length Change

Three years ago: Competitive Stages in Shuffle

Go Fest 2020 Crafts: Gift and Pikachu Visor

A few days prior to this year's Pokémon Go Fest festivities, I detailed that if one is feeling crafty enough, one can take on a few craft projects graciously provided by Niantic to enliven this year's event no matter where one may be. I noted that I too was interested, and so I took on the project of creating a couple of them. As noted, I was interested in the Gift papercraft model and Pikachu visor, so I set out to create exactly those things... and I was able to make them, within that time and just before the festivities started.

The first one I set out to make was the Gift papercraft model. The pattern fits into a single page, which makes it convenient - only that single page really needs to be printed. This and the other papercraft creations are to be assembled simply with scissors and tape, but one can of course use a cutter and glue if one is so inclined. Even so, upon first glance at the Gift pattern, I realized that it was "tab-less" in a few parts, which I thought would decrease its stability; I therefore took the liberty of adding a few tabs to different parts to suit the assembly process, and it seems to work fine. The result for assembling this is a Gift composed of the purple base and yellow cover with the ribbon and frill, which is not only pretty but functional: something can be put inside after removing the cover for a nice bit of surprise. Since a Gift is appropriate any time and the Go Fest logo is on the bottom, this can conceivably be made any time and still be appropriate. If one were to enlarge the pattern, it could be a more life-size Gift that can hold bigger surprises.

The second one I made was of course the Pikachu visor. Unlike the Gift pattern, this one is simpler, but it is also larger, taking up two sheets. Accordingly, it also took less time to assemble; whereas the Gift took around one and a half hours to assemble, this one took much less than an hour. The result is also as expected, a visor with a Pikachu image and a headband. Likewise, I added a couple of tabs for assembly to attempt to provide extra stability, but followed the simple instructions otherwise; about the only tricky part is folding one part according to a curved line. After assembling it, however, I realized that it might be a bit small for my head - it seems more fitting for someone with a smaller head, for example children. Next time, I may have two options for assembly: enlarge the pattern slightly or conceive an additional yellow band to make the headband longer. For now, I'm happy just to have assembled one.

All of the craft projects are supposed to be print-at-home projects... but I don't own a printer. Thus, I had to print these outside. Fortunately, there's a print shop near home that I've always been curious about, so I printed my chosen projects there. They turned out to look really good, and I could even opt for special paper - although for these ones there may have been a bit of a misdirection regarding the paper I wanted. In effect, I was also testing said print shop, even if this may possibly be my only chance to do so for one reason or another. This still affirms the quality of the print shop, which means that I could print the other projects there if interested with good quality, or practically any other printing needs.

By now, Pokémon Go Fest 2020 is yesterday's news, and the crafts are likely to disappear soon unless archived, which I fortunately have done. But the craft projects I chose to make still remain today and as nice as ever, which should hopefully be the case for some time. Niantic really went out of their way to ensure that everyone this time could enjoy Pokémon Go Fest wherever, and this is evident even in the two projects that I then made. The expectation is that one had as much fun with the event as one had with these projects.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 7/30/2019

Two years ago: Leaving a Lasting Legacy

Three years ago: Cosplay: ACOLYTES 2017

Celebi @ Everywhere

This is kind of an old thing that I need to get out of the way, and I've finally gotten a handle on it. Two years ago, I executed a photo project with Pokémon Go and the Mythical Pokémon Mew; I hinted that something similar could be executed with the then-up-and-coming Celebi, and I was right. Likewise, Celebi can be left uncaught to take pictures with before catching, and that of course led me to undertake the same project as with Mew, this time dubbed rightfully as "Celebi @ Everywhere".

For this project, I wanted to take a different approach, and so I decided that two themes would be involved: "nature" and "shrine". According to its origins, Celebi is the protector of the forest, and it has a shrine built in its honor. Therefore, for the pictures, I wanted to take half of them in settings that contain some natural quality, and the other half I wanted to take in places that have a shrine-like appearance. The number of pictures would be the same as for the Mew project (20 pictures), so 10 would be of the "nature" theme and 10 would be of the "shrine" theme.

Since the Mew project, there have been some changes in the way photos are taken, which affected this project as well. From the time Go Snapshot became live, the Trainer name watermark is no more, and thus I decided that all the pictures should be free of the watermark. Also, while theoretically I could catch Celebi and then take pictures afterwards, I found that the sizes and positions of Pokémon tend to be limiting in some cases, which is why I kept Celebi uncaught as with Mew for the purpose of this project. This is one of the reasons why it took such a long time for this project to be completed, aside from the fact that I've simply got other things to do.

Still, in that time, I did manage to take good pictures of Celebi in places that I consider to be representative of the two themes, whether concretely or partially abstractly. There's a local mini city forest that is reminiscent of Celebi's original forest:

And I'm sure Celebi likes vast expanses of rice fields as much as deep forests:

A small shrine is grand for Celebi:

But a larger "shrine" seems to be grander:

These are but four of the 20 pictures I took with Celebi, and the rest of the pictures can be seen in a gallery I have put up in my OneDrive. As with Mew, I have formally ended the project by capturing Celebi, which so happened to complete my Johto Pokédex in Pokémon Go. It's a pretty nice touch, even if it may be somewhat coincidental. After the capture, I took a photo of Celebi using Go Snapshot for comparison:

Unlike quite a few of the pictures in my gallery, Celebi appears fixed in the center and with the same size in each picture. I'll have to admit that this is because my current phone does not support AR+, and I'm limited in what I can do with the device I have. I'm certain that as I am enthusiastic for both photography to a certain amount and Pokémon to a great amount, I may decide to invest in a device capable of AR+, but that's for a later time, way later than now.

This project was fun, but it was also quite time-consuming - maybe not so much because of the effort put in, but because of the downtime between the efforts of the project. While the Jirachi Special Research has been on for some time (and has been on delay for me personally due to this project), I may or may not decide to take it up for it. For now, going by its lore of bringing a bright future, may these pictures do so in the best manner possible given the efforts that went into them.

One year ago: At the Same Time
Two years ago: Shiny Lugia Obsessions
Three years ago: A Passion for Red

Wallpaper: Pokésoft Mix

In the previous post on this blog, I mentioned the particular slogan of a particular company and how it relates to me and Pokémon. However, I never mentioned the slogan directly, though the post alludes to it rather clearly. The slogan is "Where do you want to go today?", and those who are fluent in technology will recognize this slogan as belonging to Microsoft, a major company then and still now. While its links to Pokémon are minimal, I've conceived a unique way of relating both by way of a desktop wallpaper.

This wallpaper could be construed as both a tribute and parody - like a certain other wallpaper - though it mostly could be considered more the latter than the former. The parody aspect, of course, is because this wallpaper replicates the current Microsoft logo or wordmark (from 2012 onwards), down to the four color blocks, but with a Pokémon twist. Those four color blocks are composed of the colors red, green, blue, and yellow... which are often associated with the Pokémon types of Fire, Grass, Water, and Electric respectively - the three starters plus Pikachu. To that end, I've made the connection evident by including pictures of the associated Pokémon, in this case being the third-generation starters plus Pikachu, in the same arrangement as the logo or wordmark. To keep its relevance, I've also included the true Pokémon logo and some relevant attributions below.

The tribute aspect still remains relevant. Again, while Microsoft has relatively little to do with Pokémon itself, it remains something that supports many of my technological activities, including some related to Pokémon. Many of my blog posts are written on a browser that runs on its flagship Windows OS on my PC. Most of my word processing tasks, including for some Pokémon things, are done on its Word application, both on my PC and on my phone. I peruse some of its web services, including OneDrive to host my Pokémon Go photo galleries. And then there are just many other things that its products and services help me to do, including for Pokémon, even indirectly. One way or another, the relevance is still there.

As I've noted in the other post, Microsoft no longer uses the aforementioned slogan; it died out around the time Pokémon was still in its infancy. But in all that time, the slogan still has some relevance (personally), even with Pokémon. And to this day, its products and services still support my endeavors for Pokémon or otherwise. It feels kind of appropriate to honor that and rib that simultaneously, especially with what I can do and involving what I like.

One year ago: The First Sinnoh Saga Japanese Opening Theme
Two years ago: Pokémon and Trains