Isyana and the World of Pokémon

Being that Pokémon can be considered to be "everywhere", as the theme I've taken for five posts this week, it certainly has affected or influenced many people. Some of those people definitely can be those from all different corners of the world, including mine. One of those is someone who had risen to fame within the past decade or so and has become a well-known "pop diva" in the country. And as expected, that goes for Pokémon affairs as well.

Isyana Sarasvati is a female Indonesian pop singer whose prime musical activities started in 2014, with her first album released a year later. A few more albums and EPs followed in the years after, which showed off her talent and versatility. She also had a "big break" several years ago by singing the cover of a famous song to an originally animated feature in its live action form. This last bit is an affirmation of the above and is effectively the lead-in to Pokémon matters.

With regard to Pokémon, she appeared last year in a performance at one of the venues of PIJ in the "big city", which I (through Ash) had happened to see. Her outfit for the festivities was a black and yellow one, which was clearly inspired by Pikachu. Later on, for the local dub of the Horizons series of the anime, she contributed a song titled "Makna Dunia" ("The Meaning of the World"), which became the opening theme of that dub. Both of these are certainly significant endeavors.

As her musical style is diverse (recognized as a multi-genre artist) and her fashion sense is a little on the eclectic side, she might draw a bit of comparison to a certain world-famous artist with similar sensibilities, but that's not much for me to discuss. What is clear, though, is that those two qualities can and do make a perfect match with Pokémon, and that has become evident with what has happened. She has certainly left her mark with Pokémon, and more could be made.

Pokémon is already "everywhere" with consideration of many respects, for which place and people are two of those. That has applied well to Indonesia in the past few years, pervading the country in many ways - including for and with the musical artist above. Having a renowned artist like her contributing to Pokémon is a welcomed and fresh take, and that is just another part of the bigger world of Pokémon with an even bigger reach in this world.

One year ago: Mountains of Faith: Mt. Silver

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/13/2023

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/13/2022

Four years ago: NGOCO Podcast: What's Up with Pokémon?

Five years ago: Get Sporty for Sports, Pokémon Style

Six years ago: The Changing of Boxes

Seven years ago: Toy Block Pokémon?

Eight years ago: Cosplay Briefings

Album: Pocket Monsters Sound Anime Collection

I've actually never done a discussion about a full Pokémon album, let alone one that is of Japanese origin; I have always preferred to discuss individual songs or music pieces instead for all their significance. In this case, though, the whole is more than just the sum of its parts, and thus I've decided to discuss the entire album as a single post. So, the album is called "Sound Anime Collection" because it's effectively the soundtrack to the Kanto saga of the Pokémon anime, certainly with the unabbreviated name of the franchise. Yet it has a few finer points, which are to be elucidated by way of this discussion.

For starters, the album is "bookended" by two Japanese theme songs from the anime, as the ever-popular "Mezase Pokémon Master" in its full version and another titled "Pocket Ni Fantasy" in a cut version. The former is also the album's only music track that is significantly over two minutes long, as the rest of the album is made up of practically the entire musical suite for this saga - 40 tracks in all, many of which should be familiar to viewers on both sides of the pond for their extensive use in the episodes.

Notably, each of the 40 tracks contain audio commentary - specifically, spoken - in Japanese following a "ping", which might not be of interest for those not fluent in the language. Some fans might be interested in having versions of these tracks without the audio commentary for pure listening purposes, and that's something good to go for. These tracks are also subdivided into 16 "chapters" of tracks with certain themes of journeys and adventures, including ones associated with Team Rocket, covering all the bases.

Speaking as a matter of fact, this album also can be regarded to be a complete collection of the music for any segment of the Pokémon anime. Actual background music pieces from different segments or sagas of the anime seem either hard to find or incomplete, or perhaps even both. As such, the existence of this album with all its music tracks is somewhat a rare wonder for even Pokémon itself, with specific regard for the anime. The commentary is a plus for those who might want to dig deep into the music.

As far as the album is concerned, it's a treasure trove for those interested in the Pokémon anime and specifically the music used in it - at least for the earliest of ventures in this regard. The whole of this album may be considered to focus on the background music tracks, which is very true, but it's the other niceties on the album as well as its comprehensiveness that make it more than what it is, making it fit for a discussion.

One year ago: Forgotten Music from Pokémon Go

Two years ago: I'm Spellbound, Wanting Tomorrow

Three years ago: The Old New Addiction: Pokémon Café Remix

Four years ago: Quickies: More Alton-Pokémon Quirks

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/8/2020

Six years ago: The Other Side of "Childhood"

Seven years ago: Making Decisions in Magikarp Jump

Eight years ago: Pokémon Wrapping Paper

Masuda's Method to (Music) Madness

One cannot talk about Pokémon music without talking about the biggest name in it, and fittingly, I have to bring it up as the ultimate discussion for the current run. The biggest name would be none other than Junichi Masuda, whose compositions have graced the main series games (and even beyond, thanks to Pokémon Go). The name is big, which might also explain why this post took some time to make - it had been planned for over a year. But with the build-up of topics related to music, it makes perfect sense to write about it now... as well as to make sense of his particulars for Pokémon music and beyond.

Classical music served as an influence for him - in particular the works of Stravinsky and Shostakovich - as he became attracted to them while playing the trombone in high school; even so, he does say that techno is his favorite music genre. It wouldn't be a surprise, then, that his Pokémon pieces sound like music of either genre, and in return they could be fully adapted to them, which can be construed to have happened both officially and unofficially. Much like the Mario series - also might be considered a cited influence in this regard - music that works well with the games is a big and good thing.

Besides music, in many Pokémon endeavors, he has been involved in their production and direction, though music is still involved somehow. A specific one would be the Hoenn region, based on his childhood vacation days, which could be said to be not unlike the childhood experience of the man that initiated Pokémon himself. His design philosophies include the layering of difficulties (starting simple before becoming complex), continued usage of 2D graphics, and portability of consoles, all of which are still evident and important for Pokémon.

Related to the above, there is "Masuda('s) method", the reference for the title of this post, which in a nutshell is a process that concerns breeding Pokémon from different language versions in order to have better chances of obtaining Shiny ones. The name is an attribution (by fans) because the method itself was explained by Masuda in a blog post. Though less related to music and more related to game development, the regard is still maintained and it's still an appreciable one, given the contributions in the latter area.

At any rate, Junichi Masuda is still readily identified with Pokémon music, even though he has always had a bigger role for the franchise (including presently as Chief Creative Fellow of TPC). The influences to the former area are respectable and so are the principles that guide the development of Pokémon games. The "method to the madness" can thus be regarded as the music and ways of playing that capture the greatest vivacity of Pokémon in general.

One year ago: Submerged in Attraction

Two years ago: Towards the TCGL Horizon

Three years ago: Journeys Gap Ad... in T-Shirt Form

Four years ago: Glyphs of Pokémon?

Five years ago: Playing Pokémon All Day

Six years ago: Getting Lucky with Friends

Seven years ago: A Place for VGC

Eight years ago: Blue and Yellow Philosophy

Everyone's a Miracle

You and me, we're a miracle

Meant to be, and nothing can change it

Mountains move and oceans part

When they are standing in our way

You and me, we're a miracle

Angels stand watching over us

And heaven shines upon us every day...

-- "We're a Miracle", Christina Aguilera

For the next musical discussion, certain things in life have suggested that I go back to the "alternative" soundtracks for the Pokémon feature films or movies, and I've decided to pull out and play this card. It's one of the songs from the one for the very first one, and it may even have deserved a discussion much, much earlier than now. Yet now is a good time as any, and as it turns out, the song deserves an insightful look and the continued exposure along with it.

So, the overall theme of this song is certainly "miracle", by the overcoming of all hardships and obstacles - particularly as suggested by the chorus of the song as quoted above. There is even a reference to "tears", the most important symbol and element of the movie. As for the "you and me" part, that may be construed to refer to Ash and Pikachu as the primary heroes of the movie, and more loosely, it may be considered to refer to any person, especially those with a significant other. In that respect, everyone may be "miraculous", hence this post's title.

Those who recognize the artist of this song will also know that she got her career started in the place "next door" that is also known for some of its "miracles". As such, the contribution of this song to Pokémon is in a way a "miracle" in itself, further with it being composed in a similar manner. Miraculously, it could also be considered to be a proxy of the Japanese ending theme for the movie (something that may or may not be discussed separately and later on), for which the song probably should have had the same role, instead of being lumped into a medley with other songs from the soundtrack. The existing miracles of the song are still acceptable.

Yet, as miraculous as the song is, it seems to be rather affected by the contemporary rights management flurry for Pokémon (as with "2B A Master") and the song has become hard to find, perhaps not a surprise considering the big-name artist involved with the song. Perhaps its only other miracle is its apparent existence in multiple versions - as with another song on the soundtrack - and so a "Pokémon version" is distinguished for it. The next miracle for the song may be to keep its presence known among both Pokémon fans and music fans in general.

Miracles can be present anywhere and anytime, and this song may be considered a testament to that, and a fitting one given the circumstances of the first Pokémon feature film or movie. After many years since this song first appeared, that too is also still relevant for today's world with Pokémon and everything else. Especially with the former, there are still happenings to go through with people and said creatures... and hopefully there will be miracles to go around.

One year ago: Problems with Pokémon Go Groups?

Two years ago: Tournament: SWEEP JR vs. Your Storage Is Full (SA Factions)

Three years ago: The Wish for (and Caveats of) Time Travel

Four years ago: The Lengths We Go To... T-Shirt

Five years ago: Pokémon Stickers on WhatsApp

Six years ago: Looking from Far Away

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

Eight years ago: Ash and Pikachu Keychain

More on Arata Iiyoshi and His PMD Contributions

By now, it should be clear what the ongoing discussion topic is for my blog, and that would be Pokémon music. For that, the next discussion concerns a minor yet important figure in this realm. As I had brought up in a post reaching out to an external music game series I'm also interested in, in addition to contributing music there, Arata Iiyoshi has contributed to Pokémon by way of the Mystery Dungeon game series, obviously for its music. It's these contributions that I'd like to go over now in a little bit more depth to see how they are manifested.

According to genre, Arata's music is identified as "world" or "ethnic" music, so there are overtones of music styles from different regions. One of his BEMANI works, titled "BRIDAL FESTIVAL !!!", carries the genre of "happy jig" and with it thusly an Irish style; further, it too is remarkably similar to the opening music for the Rescue Team games and may be considered as close as it gets to having that in the said series of music games. The two pieces are still somewhat different, but the style is still definitively maintained regardless.

Meanwhile, there's also a certain diversity in his contributions to both BEMANI and Mystery Dungeon. The former is typically "electronica" but the world/ethnic style is "infused" therein, and the latter nicely adapts to various circumstances, including slow paces for tranquil settings and fast paces for intense circumstances (like boss battles). He also provides lyrics for some BEMANI songs, though of course that doesn't get put to use in Mystery Dungeon since it's all instrumental - yet one could try hard and compose lyrics for these if one wanted to.

I previously mentioned the "fusion of human emotion and nature", and an oft-cited example of this in the Mystery Dungeon realm is the music for the final throes of the Explorers games, from "Through the Sea of Time" to "Dialga's Fight to the Finish!", which also captures some of the diversity that I mentioned above. The instrumentation is definitely naturalistic yet the pacing and melodies are quite emotional, especially given the setting in which the music is placed in: a lead-up to and execution of a boss battle for the ages (literally).

One of Arata's aliases is "S.S.D.", which is short for "Shin Sound Design" and as such can be regarded as "New Sound Design", a common meaning of the first word in Japanese. World or ethnic music is nothing new - and some circles might also consider them "retro" - but it may be considered that true to the alias mentioned above, Arata can put his own "new" spin to it, evident in BEMANI and definitely applicable to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. The manifestation brings together feelings, nature, and diversity, all of which are also thematic for Pokémon.

One year ago: Pokémon Species in Squeezy, Pillowy Form

Two years ago: Cosplay: Foodtopia Competitions

Three years ago: Introducing Mega Legendary Raids

Four years ago: Pokémon Asia McDonald's Happy Meal Toys - "Expedition Series", Selections

Five years ago: Hanging by a Cliff

Six years ago: Folding Paper for Pokémon

Seven years ago: Pokémon in Poké Balls Stickers

Eight years ago: Cosplay: J-COSHOKAI 2 - Utsukushii Hana

Do You or Do You Not Understand?

They don't understand

How we communicate

Or so many things

That we do and say

They don't really get

What it's all about

No they never can 

Understand - Pokémon

-- "They Don't Understand", Dream Street

Here too is something I meant to discuss much earlier because the momentum was there and less so now - and it should make clear about what I intend to discuss in the next few days. Back to that momentum, it involved an incident where a person of a high stature thought lowly of Pokémon, amounting it to a "small business" - when it's clear to most that it isn't. It's a case of the person not understanding the situation, which happens with or without Pokémon. With that, the above song that has ties to Pokémon becomes pertinent, moreover for the purpose of this discussion. 

This song, brought by perhaps a somewhat lesser-known boy band, is associated with the second feature film or movie in western regions, and is thus part of its "alternative" soundtrack wherever that's a concern. It was even performed live at a special event for the movie, affirming its status as such. The quoted part above is the chorus, which can be considered to carry the ultimatum of the song: that one finds someone else's lack of comprehension disturbing. Hence, the title of this post was conceived as a question, for which this song and its regard becomes the answer.

In a way, the song could be interpreted as encapsulating the relationships between people and Pokémon (species, that is) as they coexist with one another. The relationships don't necessarily result in comprehension between the two parties, but when that happens, the result is bliss. At least, until certain people come along and they say they don't understand the relationship between them, at which point one can try to make them understand. And if they still cannot understand... then it goes back to the lyrics of the song, and the people who are involved will have to answer the question.

As for connecting this to real life matters, it may not only concern the incident with the person as above but also personal ones - as in, mine. It has been the case that I became involved in a number of situations involving Pokémon and the lack of understanding by other people, for which the song becomes relevant. But then there are similar situations involving other matters with similar elements of people failing to understand; worse yet, the consequences have not exactly been to my favor - perhaps even theirs - and thus the call to question someone else's understanding is relevant.

Since the incident, as I've indicated above, the momentum has died down, which may or may not indicate that the person has come to an understanding (about Pokémon). Even so, the incident may still be regarded as disconcerting for fans, and especially me, who may have gone through other and similar instances of people not understanding things. After many years, then, the song above - as loosely as it may be connected to Pokémon, apparently - still has relevant messages concerning those other people, with the only hope being that they'll eventually understand things.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Tools in Niantic Campfire

Two years ago: Pokémon Keeps Me...

Three years ago: Brave with the Firefly

Four years ago: On "Digital Talents" and Pokémon

Five years ago: Play Pokémon on a Plane

Six years ago: A Tropius Keychain

Seven years ago: Cosplay: J-COSHOKAI 3 - Saikou no Yorokobi

Eight years ago: Shuffling Stages

On 2B A Master's 25th Anniversary

I meant to make this post much, much earlier in the year (and even at or closer to the tail end of the previous year), but some things got away from me. In any case, it's just as well to make the post now and supplement it this week with a few posts on related topics. So, around that time, there was an important milestone in Pokémon music, as far as the English side of things is concerned: it was the 25th anniversary of the "2B A Master" album, an iconic (by now) collection of Pokémon songs in English. Despite that status, the anniversary seemingly went by without much regard or consideration, and because of that I want to (re)draw attention to it and provide a few considerations of my own.

The contents of the album comprises many of the songs that western (influenced) fans like me will recognize, including the instantly identifiable Pokémon Theme as well as the PokéRap. All of the songs were also present over the course of the Kanto saga, though one needed to have the album to listen to them in their entirety. Besides the explicitly mentioned songs, it could be admitted that the others are slightly "cheesy" yet have significance, so there may have been the thought that the album could be remade to coincide with the anniversary as mentioned above and be made relevant to current Pokémon developments.

Of course, it's not always easy to do that, especially given the flurry of rights management in music today; some concessions may even have had to be made for using Pokémon Theme in the dub of the "finale arc". Furthermore, it may not be in the best interest to remake the album one-to-one as some elements may not be relevant to today, like Team Rocket, being no longer significantly present. Overall, the "hoops" for remaking the album are plentiful and not easy to go through, regardless of its significance for many fans.

For a Pokémon fan, though, any kind of related music will still be significant regardless if it's recent or long in the tooth, the latter of which applies to the album that becomes the focus of this post. After its 25 years, a little later than the one for Pokémon, it's still on my mind and perhaps likewise for many fans. Whether or not that leads to other developments like a remake is another matter, but it's still a fine album today as it was back then.

One year ago: Cosplay: Foodtopia Season 3

Two years ago: Special Research Guides

Three years ago: Brave with the Firefly

Four years ago: On "Digital Talents" and Pokémon

Five years ago: Play Pokémon on a Plane

Six years ago: A Tropius Keychain

Seven years ago: Cosplay: J-COSHOKAI 3 - Saikou no Yorokobi

Eight years ago: Shuffling Stages

Giving Pokémon Gifts... with Santa Included

Prof. Oak: I'm giving Santa a Pikachu this Christmas

Ash: Wow! Just like the one you gave to me?

Prof. Oak: That's right-

I'll hide it in my stocking

And he'll find it rather shocking

Ash: Ha ha ha!

Prof. Oak: 'Cause giving gifts to Santa's quite a novelty...

-- "I'm Giving Santa a Pikachu This Christmas", from Pokémon Christmas Bash

As I brought up last year (see below), the giving of gifts on Christmas is rooted in part thanks to a certain poem and otherwise by tradition. Considering what is involved, there is also the party of a certain "big red guy" (also see below, two years ago) in play as the giver. But what if the tables were turned, and the giver also becomes the given? This song from the Pokémon Christmas Bash album attempts to shed light on that matter, certainly with a Pokémon perspective.

The song is mostly a duet of Ash and Professor Oak, voiced by the then-current talents of Veronica Taylor and Stan Hart, with some background vocals thrown in. Its verses all begin with the phrase that makes up the title of this song, leading both characters to discuss what makes Pikachu such a wonder and how that wonder might just assist the "big red guy". And as noted way back near the beginning of this blog, it has a karaoke version, one of the only two tracks on the album with this property.

Now, for that perspective, the statement of Professor Oak as above captures what might be the sentiments of most people, that it is a "novelty" or unusual thing to give a gift to the "big red guy". But in the vein of Pokémon, it may be not all that strange if Pokémon and all people related to it (including fans) want to "give back" somehow to the figure, and that leads to the conception of the song. After all, Pokémon gifts are still somehow involved on the occasion of the holiday.

Of course, as further noted in the preceding post, certain people consider the song as being "kooky" or even "cheesy", an oddity among today's Christmas songs and classics. Still, I'm inclined to think that those who have such considerations haven't embraced the perspective presented by the song or Pokémon elements, or maybe even both. Beyond this apparent consideration, the song may just make both Pokémon fans and people celebrating this occasion think about what it all means.

Regardless of certain perspectives, gifts will always be given somehow on this particular occasion, whether from a certain "big red guy" or from one another. As noted, some of those gifts might just pertain to Pokémon, particularly among those in the know. And to get more people in the know, it might just be necessary to do something as wild and radical as suggested by Ash and Professor Oak in this song to make the (Pokémon) world more cheery and bright, for both a "big red guy" and everyone.

I'm coming down to the wire of songs that I can pull from this album for discussion - and in fact, there are two left, which should fill the voids in the next two years, assuming that I can still keep up discussions for that long. To close the current discussion, however, it's fitting to quote the final set of lyrics from this song to make things come together for this particular occasion. With that, gift giving for everyone on the occasion may just become something that is inherently pertinent. So...

Prof. Oak: I'm giving Santa a Pikachu this Christmas

It's just the perfect thing to do

Ash: And as his sleigh pulls out of sight

We'll hear him calling through the night

All: With a ho-ho-ho

And a "Merry Christmas!"

Pi-ka-chu...

One year ago: The Pokémon Intrigue Before Christmas

Two years ago: It's Gotta Be... A Big and Red Guy

Three years ago: The Mistletoe Dangled Over...

Four years ago: Christmas Song, Really

Five years ago: Let's Go Play with Buddies

Six years ago: Keeping Homes in Hearts

Seven years ago: Cool Wintry Song

The Music of TCGP

Some years ago, I discussed the music that accompanies the gameplay of the designate virtual client for playing the Pokémon TCG, as Trading Card Game Online (TCGO). Fast forward years later, the game has been succeeded by Trading Card Game Live (TCGL), which has its own selection of music, though I'll have to save the discussion of this for much later on when it's more convenient. Luckily, the newest mobile, portable, and compact rendition of Trading Card Game Pocket (TCGP) also has its own selection of music, and that is something that I can conveniently discuss right now.

The music of the game can be described as "lounge-styled", starting from the intro music at the splash screen and going into the music of the main screen for dealing with affairs related to obtaining cards. The card display functions, for both owned cards and the Social Hub with its Community Showcases (friends and others), also share a piece that is similarly lounge-styled but is different from the main screen music. As with TCGO, the music pieces have a "chill" factor but are definitely somewhat more lively in comparison.

Booster pack selection - first the expansion and type selection, and second the pack draw itself - have ambient pieces that may (or may not) foreshadow what the packs may bring. After choosing and opening, though, the tune changes to a lively and minorly celebratory piece. The Wonder Pick process, for both selection and draw, meanwhile have pieces with a more lively quality, perhaps as a nod to the "Wonder" aspect. Having the lively portions being what they are may be considered a way to keep players attracted.

Certainly, there are also music pieces for the battle features. These are probably the liveliest pieces in the game, from the venue selection to the battle itself; the latter has pieces for the setup phase, the "primary struggle" (when neither player has two points), and the "crunch time" (when either player has two points, with different pieces depending on if one is behind or ahead). The battle ends with a mellow piece regardless of outcome, reflecting that the only source of intensity here is in the battles themselves.

Rightfully, even a compactly reorganized electronic implementation of the Pokémon TCG has to have its own assortment of music pieces. In this case, the moods are of major calmness - likely for those who are more attracted to drawing and collecting cards rather than playing them - and minor excitement for those who actually do enjoy putting the cards into play. Either way, they're all convenient adjuncts to whatever TCG experience that may be had.

One year ago: Cosplay: "My Town" Food Festival II

Two years ago: Cosplay: The Lidos Cosplay Contest

Three years ago: Chiki Balls Pokémon Coins: Selections Once Again

Four years ago: Night Falls, Heavens Rise

Five years ago: Pokémon Center Pilot Pikachu Plush - Narita Airport Ver.

Six years ago: Stage Coin Tricks in Shuffle

Seven years ago: Cosplay: Utsuru F!

Forgotten Music from Pokémon Go

I've written two posts on some of the background music pieces featured in Pokémon Go, and they can't (and don't) cover all the music that the game has, so I thought I'd make one more. This time, however, I decided to go with a thematic approach, the theme this time being music that is "forgotten" from the game - pieces that used to be there or present in one form or another but aren't there anymore, or pieces that one in most cases may only hear a snippet of and then not remember the rest. Either way, they become "forgotten", and that's what I would like to highlight in this post.

A long time ago, entering a Trade lobby would prompt a special music to be played, which is similar to the evolution music, just like how the main series games also actually use the evolution music during trades. The piece, however, is somewhat muted and felt like a hum, and even with music turned on, some may not have realized that it was there; it was later on eliminated, and entering a lobby now just continues the regular overworld music instead. The trading sequence also used to take somewhat longer and one could hear more of its special music, but now one only hears just a snippet. For these reasons, both are "forgotten".

Similar to the above but in some ways less so is the music that plays when one purifies a Shadow Pokémon. If one performs this action directly after capturing a Shadow Pokémon, one will still hear the music in full, including the part where it loops. But if one does so for already captured Pokémon, one will only hear half of the piece - not even to the part where it loops back. So, while the piece is likely to be still present, there's the potential that one may forget a part of it existing due to the way the music is played under certain circumstances.

Then there are the "special themes" that used to be played during events like Go Tour and Go Fest. Admittedly, they're specific (contextual) to the events and will likely never be used again, but it bears mentioning them... since they would otherwise be "forgotten". But then there is the vocal version of the nighttime music, which would be expected to be context-free and could be reused in special events again, but this hasn't been the case - and as such, this piece has fallen into the same realm of "forgotten" music pieces.

By now, Pokémon Go has expanded in features and, by extension, the music used for those features. Yet if the above is of any indication, some of the music pieces have the potential to become "forgotten" - or perhaps they already are as such - due to the way they are (or were once) used. In covering music from Pokémon Go, this is indeed a fascinating aspect, and expectedly needs to be brought up, lest it's also "forgotten".

One year ago: I'm Spellbound, Wanting Tomorrow

Two years ago: The Old New Addiction: Pokémon Café Remix

Three years ago: Quickies: More Alton-Pokémon Quirks

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/8/2020

Five years ago: The Other Side of "Childhood"

Six years ago: Making Decisions in Magikarp Jump

Seven years ago: Pokémon Wrapping Paper

To All the Lovely Boys (and Girls)

Hello! Boys and girls

Take me to your heart

With a kiss to a musical note

You and me "sweet song"

Is always with you

When we are holding hands together

Let's go! Boys and girls

Take me to your dream

I love these feelings, they are so sweet

Like a sunny day

I'm always with you

You only look at these dreams, oh lovely boy...

-- "L-O-V-E-L-Y ~Yume Miru ['I Dream of You'] LOVELY BOY~", Tommy february6 (interpretive lyrical translation)

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

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

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

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

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

One year ago: Cosplay: Indonesia Comic Con - Pop Asia 2023, Day 2

Two years ago: The Pokémon Unite Club Membership

Three years ago: Until Perfect, Until Appreciated

Four years ago: Let's Talk About Grievances

Five years ago: The Show Must Go On

Six years ago: Jumping the 'Karp

Seven years ago: Married... to Pikachu?

Not Alone... But Alone

No more fears, always be brave

You're no longer alone

Together and forever, we'll pursue the stars

As they shine

-- "Hitoribocchi Ja Nai", coba & Kazufumi Miyazawa (interpreted)

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

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

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

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

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

One year ago: The Mystique of 151

Two years ago: Knotting Destinies and Love

Three years ago: The Mystique of the Slowpoke Well

Four years ago: Good Storage Limit Counts

Five years ago: I'm a "General"!

Six years ago: Viewpoints and Preferences

Seven years ago: Hounds and Hyenas, Canines of the Dark

Signs of a Good Day (and Morrow)

All around me, the windows are brightened

There are dreams in the heads of the people

It seems today is a fine day

Tomorrow should be a good day

Tomorrow should be a good day...

-- "Ashita Tenki ni Shite Okure", Fumiya Fujii (interpreted)

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

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

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

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

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

One year ago: Cosplay: "It's My Town" Competition

Two years ago: Finding Reasons to Sing and Connect

Three years ago: Justification for Writing My Blog

Four years ago: Low-Bit Fantasies with Pokémon

Five years ago: Field Research Task Reporting

Six years ago: The Myth of Shiny Pokémon

Seven years ago: On Skateboards and Pokémon

You and Me, In Our Life Struggle

Courage and hope flowing from a place

Will lead me to save you from drowning

There is not a soul who believes me, and yet

I have walked so long, never straying from my way...

-- "toi et moi", Namie Amuro (interpreted)

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

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

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

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

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

One year ago: Rising Troubles, Falling Embers

Two years ago: The Forge of the Trainers

Three years ago: Nights of Raging Battles

Four years ago: Trainers of Might and Sorcery

Five years ago: Local EX Raid (Time and Again), 6/3/2019

Six years ago: Classical and New HP Heal Amounts

Seven years ago: 3DS Pokémon Themes

"Pokémon in Concert"?

Pokémon is known for having a breadth of musical content for all of its media forms, from the games to the anime and beyond. It's a rather wide breadth, and what could seem to be a good idea is to take elements of that wide breadth, package those elements in a single happening, and make it available for audiences to view. Certainly, I'm suggesting a concert of the musical kind, which would seem to be an exciting prospect by the above, yet would also have to be fleshed out in detail.

Some Pokémon music has been featured before in concert - specifically in orchestral form - in the "Smashing... Live!" concerts from many, many years ago, but these were for the greater Nintendo co-mingling that is Super Smash Brothers. Furthermore, there has been a history of some other Pokémon songs in orchestra symphonic form, and they could make for good concert material. As such, an orchestra seems to be in demand for a possible Pokémon concert, along with the musical material for it, some of which might need further adaptation while others can be used directly in this form.

Many artists have graced Pokémon, for the anime or otherwise, and their songs can stand to be included. Rica Matsumoto is certainly an artist fodder, but admittedly she's getting on in years - which does explain why things moved from Ash - so if she is to be included now, the Pokémon concert has to be realized quickly. A more recent entrant is YOASOBI, who has contributed to Pokémon with a song of their own and has in fact performed with Pokémon mascots in their concerts, and thus could also be included. Any other artists who have (covered) Pokémon(-related) songs are also surely welcome.

Recent local Pokémon events (in my area) have also featured a "Pikachu EDM" segment featuring electronic music and dance, and this could also become fodder for a full-fledged Pokémon concert, expanding the musical diversity. The current concept could be utilized, but it could also be possible to collaborate with others like Ryutaro Nakahara (Ryu☆), who also happened to be at last year's ICC and might be interested in dropping a few contributions of his own. EDM is certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but at least some of it might just appeal to Pokémon fans and other concert-goers.

With all the content possibilities, a musical concert built around Pokémon musical works could be an enticing possibility, even with the possibility that it might be difficult to realize such an event, considering the talents that might be involved. Yet it could be a great Pokémon wonder if one ever comes to be, for the more musically inclined fans like me and perhaps a few music observers in general, as a showcase for all existing potentials of Pokémon music that is just as diverse as the species. 

One year ago: Master Ball, Now in Pokémon Go

Two years ago: Chasing Competitive Dreams

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 5/28/2021

Four years ago: Pro Job, Fun Job

Five years ago: Memories of Sinnoh

Six years ago: Helix Fossil Understands

Seven years ago: Takara Tomy Pokémon XY Pikachu Plush Doll

And Now, We Go

Discover whole new different worlds

Ready, set - here we go

Together to the farthest places

There's a magical adventure ahead if we go

Wherever our destiny takes us

You don't have to be afraid anymore

Spread your wings

Believe you'll rise up and soar

We go, We go...

-- "We Go", aespa (English version)

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

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

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

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

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

One year ago: Every Day Is a Grind

Two years ago: New Factions Battlefields and More

Three years ago: One-Day Pokémon Adventure

Four years ago: Trivia Questions and Answers

Five years ago: Trainer Image Cards

Six years ago: Marathons...?

Seven years ago: Pins and Pins

Musical Emotion, Place, and Event

A fan for a different game series suggested that music for a game could evoke senses of emotions, places, and events, based on what has been contributed to it. While I'm not about to make a comparison of the contributors with those for Pokémon games, as I consider all of them masters in their own regard, I can make a comparison of how those senses are reflected in the music for Pokémon games, which in many respects would be a fairer comparison.

It is perhaps fairly easy to identify event in music, as that is what happens when two Trainers come into contact with each other and subsequently battle as in the main series games. Then there's the Mega Evolution music in Pokémon Shuffle, which for its over-the-top quality does indicate the event very well. The initial pre-battle screen in Pokémon Unite has a pretty distinct musical indicator as well. All the events vary, but the music serves well to represent them.

The identification of place is a little less easy but still workable. Hometowns (and some major cities) in past main series games can be quickly identified by the music alone, and so does the main part of the café in Café Remix no matter what time of year it is. Of course, there is also the Pokémon Center (and in some cases the Poké Mart) music, which become identification for their respective places. The places are "out there" yet are also in the music.

Emotion (or feeling) may be the hardest of the three to identify, as it may not be clearly evident in some cases. Yet some pieces of music for ruinous places - for example the Abandoned Ship in Hoenn - do in a way convey a derelict emotion about them. How Fever Frenzy in Café Remix is adjusted musically according to mode (One-Minute or Slow Cooking) can be considered to convey different emotions as well. It's still a hard thing to say.

Considering that fan's characterization of senses in music pieces for a game, there may be some truth in it - not only for that other game series, but also for Pokémon games too. As hard as it could be to determine if the senses are actually present, there is still the affirmation that music can and do convey different senses, which is in a way important for modern games and has to deserve some consideration and thought in involvement.

One year ago: Going for (Real) Pokémon Cookies

Two years ago: Rotating to Objectives

Three years ago: Longing for Team Go Rocket

Four years ago: Impressions of Chef Mallow

Five years ago: Choosing Pathways

Six years ago: And Again, I Dream

Seven years ago: We're All Tied to Pokémon

The Pokémon Intrigue Before Christmas

"Twas the night before Christmas,

When all through the house

Not a creature was stirring,

Not even Meowth,

...

But I heard him exclaim

As he drove off to the mall:

'Happy Pokémon Christmas -

Catch 'em all, catch 'em all!'"

-- "The Night Before Christmas", from Pokémon Christmas Bash 

For some people, Christmas isn't complete without a certain poem, whether read, recited, or reenacted. That certain poem is the original version that was then modified for inclusion in Pokémon Christmas Bash, corresponding to the above excerpt. Almost the entire original English dub cast of the Pokémon anime had a hand (rather, voice) in this modified version, for which the modifications are indicated by the underlined parts above. It's another unique yet odd track on this album, having certain intrigues about it.

Before discussing the modified version, a little background on the original version is in order. Also known (more properly) as "A Visit from St. Nicholas", the poem has a bit of an authorship dispute. What is not disputed, however, is that the poem has had a great influence in establishing Christmas nuances and traditions, including the giving of gifts, the illustrious nature of Santa, and even the names of reindeer (in Pokémon terms, this would perhaps be Stantler). It's a sufficiently famed poem for that reason.

As for the modified poem, aside from altering the verses a bit, this modified version also includes dialogue. In fact, the track starts off with the premise of Ash having gone out to get firewood, followed by him and Misty "running into" the poem. Shenanigans then occur as the cast joins in, including Team Rocket, reading different parts of the poem. The only "musical" part about this is the subtle background accompaniment; in effect, this is the only "spoken" track of the album aside from the one from three years ago, technically speaking (see below).

It could be said, then, that by playing into this poem, there is the intent to bring out those familiar Christmas nuances and show that even there, Pokémon can be pervasive. Like the album in general, the bringing together of Christmas and Pokémon could be said to be a little forced, yet as it happens here, it can become somewhat entertaining for at least some of its biggest fans like me. With the two together and the intrigue that they create, it seems that fans do indeed have a complete Christmas.

One year ago: It's Gotta Be... A Big and Red Guy

Two years ago: The Mistletoe Dangled Over...

Three years ago: Christmas Song, Really

Four years ago: Let's Go Play with Buddies

Five years ago: Keeping Homes in Hearts

Six years ago: Cool Wintry Song

The First-Generation Wild Pokémon Battle Theme

In the past, I've discussed the first-generation themes for zipping through land and crossing the sea, but I've yet to discuss what may be perhaps the most very well-known piece from that time that relates to action. That would be the wild Pokémon battle music, one of the pieces that any player of the games will hear as they are thrust into the first moments of action. That action would define many of the critical moments in the games, and thus it is fair to say that it is an iconic piece along with the others. 

The game arrangements (in certain games) of this piece are classic and timeless, but so is the arrangement used in the Pokémon anime, transforming it from a chiptune nicety to an orchestral wonder that satisfactorily accompanies the battle scenes there, even not necessarily involving wild Pokémon in battle. Though the contexts may be different, that does solidify its reputation as something representative of the games, and for that, it's the arrangement that I enjoy the most and consider well-done.

So classic is the piece that Pokémon Go essentially reinterpreted as well as interpolated the piece for use in Pokémon encounters, both wild and special ones (Field Research, raids, and so on and so forth). This also further affirms the classic quality of the piece, recognizable even for those whose experience with the actual first-generation Pokémon games are scant, as well as something for Pokémon as a whole.

On a list of things that are definitive of Pokémon, this piece of music has to be somewhere on that list for its pioneering nature, certain intensity, and wide recognition. Pokémon itself as a whole may be considered to have some of those qualities to certain extents, and that ought to be something amazing - just as amazing as hearing this piece for the first time and every time a significant wild Pokémon appears to be battled (and caught).

One year ago: Possible Participation in Pokémon Unite Tournaments?

Two years ago: All for Pokémon Communication

Three years ago: "To the Sea" with Pokémon

Four years ago: Some Pokémon Commercials

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 10/21/2018

Six years ago: Pokémon Brand Parodies

Unexpected Collaborations with Pokémon

Now that Pokémon has persisted for over a quarter century, it's time for it to collaborate with different parties. And if the present is of any indication, then the time is rife for them. In fact, among some of these collaborations, there are or have been some "unexpected" ones, involving parties that could be thought of as some of the last to collaborate with Pokémon. Yet they do occur to the wonderment of fans, and for all their wonderment, some of them deserve to be discussed - particularly the most significant ones presently.

In that regard, one significant one - if not the most significant one right now - is a little something called "Project Voltage". It's a collaboration between Pokémon and Hatsune Miku, representing Vocaloid in general; more precisely, it's another edition of that collaboration, as a Snow Miku collaboration had been realized a while back. The scale this time is even greater: it started by showing off Miku as a possible Pokémon Trainer of each of the 18 types, which was then followed by songs created by well-known Vocaloid producers, making this both artistic and musical. That scale makes it significant as well as unexpected, especially considering what results from the collaboration.

A little less significant yet a whole lot more unexpected is a collaboration of Pokémon and the Van Gogh Museum - yes, as in the impressionist artist. As can be discerned, this is an artistic collaboration to a high degree, and it resulted in six Van Gogh paintings given a Pokémon twist. One of them, the "Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat", was also turned into a promotional TCG card, and it was released... to unexpected flurries among certain collectors. The objective of this certainly involves kids in a way, as it is designed to get them interested in art. Still, interest in art seems to know no bounds, and fans of both ought to have appreciation for that.

One last collaboration is one that goes back to the past for a bit, and it's a more locally constrained collaboration, specifically where I am. Yuri, a company that makes products for personal hygiene, had once released a line of soaps and shampoos featuring... well, understandably so. They were specifically under the "dee-dee" line for products intended for children, as with this collaboration, the previous one, and other forays, no doubt Pokémon is also geared to appeal to children. Granted, this was more of a licensing deal of sorts rather than a collaboration, but it's as close to a collaboration as they could get, and it's still fitting to mention it as such.

Something that could be gained from the collaborations of Pokémon and different things or parties above is the flexibility of the former to suit a lot of things, even those that are distantly related in spirit and form. In that sense, the "unexpected" quality that the collaborations then possess is the result of realizing a sense of wonder and interest, for which all of the above can and do generate. Given a history of 25-plus years and continuing, it's only very well that it can happen with Pokémon... and other parties embracing each other.

One year ago: Pokémon Café Remix Burnout?

Two years ago: Tournament: Raid Group "Relaxed" Lunar Cup

Three years ago: The Day-Night Cycle and Pokémon Games

Four years ago: Cosplay: KAI ESports Exhibition

Five years ago: Pokémon and Adventure Games

Six years ago: Respect for Ikue Ootani