Nekonoi Katsu's Foray into Pokémon

It seems like it's a fine day to discuss about something "meta" to (Pokémon) cosplay - that is, not directly tied to a festival or convention - so I thought I'd do just that. In fact, one aspect that I don't mention very often on this blog is the cosplayers themselves... aside from yours truly, but this post will change that up a bit. Those who have read my blog might have come across the name mentioned in the title of this post on two occasions - the same one in fact, just separated by a year - and that name becomes the focus of this post, furthermore with relevance to Pokémon as the overarching focus of this blog.

Nekonoi Katsu (Instagram: @nekonoikatsu) is a well-known local cosplayer, specifically in my region of residence. She has gone international several times, one time of which is in 2017 as the country representative for the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) - which is incidentally around a year after I started this blog. She has also cosplayed as characters of various standings in profile, including of course Ara Akazora for the local festival in order to represent the main face of Japan Culture Daisuki. She has definitely made her mark.

And then comes her Pokémon dealings or "foray". Recently, she has become a featured cosplayer to promote the TCG locally, and that includes playing it - not an easy task, if one of the videos with her indicates. Going back to cosplay, she had taken up Canary, a recently introduced character through the Legends: Z-A game; it's a fascinating choice, given the various other characters from other fandoms that she has brought with her cosplay, many of which could be considered "edgy" somehow, especially this one.

Personally, I'm only glad to see another person taking up Pokémon cosplay, although the fact that the person is an established cosplayer is a big plus for me and her legion of fans - but I consider myself as a friend to her, rather than a fan. With that, the possibility of us somehow collaborating seems to be quite remote, even for matters related to Pokémon (cosplay), which in that case being friends to a certain degree is still fine for me.

While her foray into Pokémon is much more recent compared to my appreciation that has practically lasted since the beginning, with that foray, she could be considered to have "seen the light" as to what makes Pokémon so enticing and appealing to its fans. That seems to bode very well for her as much as that has always been the case for me, and that may just entrench Pokémon further in both of our respective circles.

One year ago: Camerupt Waiting to... Erupt?

Two years ago: The True Nature of Pokémon Things

Three years ago: So Weird, So Glorious (for Pokémon)

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 6/27/2022

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 6/27/2021

Six years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 6/27/2020

Seven years ago: Club 40 ID Tournament Memorabilia

Eight years ago: Leaders

Nine years ago: A Little Dream

The Appeal of the "Sugimori Style"

Nowadays, Pokémon can be depicted in a variety of art styles, whether as dictated by the limitations of the games or media they're present on, or as applied by the artist(s) involved with the artistic creations. Yet one style that has persisted for the artistic depiction of Pokémon species is one with a certain recognition as well as appeal for its style. Predictably, that would be the "Sugimori style" as indicated by the title of this post, and the particulars of that style as well as its appeal are apt to be discussed.

Here, "Sugimori" refers to the one and only Ken Sugimori, who drew the color illustrations for Pokémon species in its early days, which were not only used in main series-related media but also the TCG. As a co-founder of Game Freak along with Satoshi Tajiri, that means he has substantial influence on the art for the series, then and now - as well as for some other games that the company developed. The influence remains with Ken Sugimori being an art director and among those who enjoy Pokémon.

The "Sugimori style" is noticeably characterized - at least in part - by its use of lines and colors, particularly the shading for the latter. In the early days, the shading might also have involved gradients, which can be seen in the art for Weedle and Pikachu, the latter at least to some effect. Later illustrations, especially for things other than Pokémon, tend to have sharper and more distinct lines and colorations, but their designs have distinct elements, like a standard appearance for people's faces and items.

With that, it becomes not surprising that fans appreciate and even want to emulate that art style. In Threads, someone posted illustrations that depict Pokémon species in their original sprite appearances but blending that with the "Sugimori style". Meanwhile, other enterprising fans are developing things unrelated to Pokémon but incorporating the "Sugimori style" into the art for the development. Many other avenues can be explored as well, and the art style can be incorporated into the resulting artwork.

Given the above, it can be said that the "Sugimori style" for art - as applied to Pokémon and conceivably beyond that - is a hallmark for the franchise yet can also stand alone as its own "thing". It's a "thing" that is quite influential for a good amount of the art for the franchise, whether early on for its start or later on as illustrator fans try to (re)work it in other ways into the franchise and even outside it. The appeal of the art style is thus established and becomes a wonder of itself as far as art styles go. 

One year ago: Quickies: Weather Institute Interests

Two years ago: Flying Pokémon Flags High

Three years ago: Come to Me, Hidden Gems

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Fest 2022 (Global), Day 2

Five years ago: Venture Past Cliffs and Old Paths

Six years ago: The Pokémon Battlefields

Seven years ago: Holding Hands

Eight years ago: Raid Preferences

Nine years ago: Sympathy for Villains

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

Respect for James Carter Cathcart... in Memoriam

One of the "prerequisites" for voice actors or actresses for the Pokémon anime could be the possession of multiple abilities, which for some might come naturally. Those abilities might lend themselves to the process of being able to voice multiple characters, including the creatures that the series is aptly associated with. So it is that the voice talent I'm spotlighting in this "Respect for" post may be considered to have such abilities and is practically a star that burns brightly for the English dub of the Pokémon anime.

James Carter Cathcart is part of the cavalcade of new English voice talents brought in in the late 2000s for the Pokémon anime. Since then, he has voiced James (of Team Rocket, by name appropriately), Meowth, and even Gary Oak and Professor Oak, certainly among others. That's a wide breadth of characters that were all previously voiced by different talents, and that would certainly call for different abilities for each character; it's thusly a fulfillment of the "prerequisite" and works out for the many and varied characters.

In fact, he also wrote the scripts for the new dub episodes, in a way putting him as a production helm for this case in particular, since the script is such a crucial part of any production for any screen. Outside of dub production, musical abilities have also been demonstrated, with a video recording of him playing the piano (actually a keyboard, but set to the piano instrument nonetheless) with sufficient flair. Those are also manifestations of multiple abilities, with or without them being realized in the anime.

Unfortunately, as indicated by the second part of the title of this post, the star has burned brightly and is now no more, having passed away. Over the weekend, Sarah Natochenny disclosed of his passing on Instagram with a post and a story, revealing and/or affirming the intricate details as mentioned above. As such, this becomes the loss of a relatively modern voice talent linked to the Pokémon anime - at least on the English side of things - and it's a bit of a hard one to take with all his contributions being considered.

The possession of multiple abilities is always impressive for any person, and even more so for people who go on to be linked with Pokémon. In this case, being able to voice a diverse group of characters and writing the script for that purpose - as well as a bit of musicality outside of that - are great hallmarks for the voice talent that was James Carter Cathcart. Respect is then very well-deserved (and commanding, due to the scriptwriting factor) for him, whose voice has been heard for many years and will remain so for a long time.

With that, there is nothing more to say but rest in peace to a great voice talent.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Fest 2024 (Global), Day 1

Two years ago: The Pokérus and Its Importance

Three years ago: Good Pokémon Cosplay Relationships

Four years ago: YouTube Pokémon Highlights - Sheet Music Boss Edition

Five years ago: Giving the Gift of Pokémon GIFs

Six years ago: I'm a... Bounty Hunter?

Seven years ago: Losing and Finding Links

Eight years ago: Strategy Guides and My Pokémon Experience

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

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

Respect for Rachael Lillis... in Memoriam

Those who read my blog regularly should be able to deduce what I'm about to discuss by the title format. There are actually two parts to this: the first part is the "Respect for" part, which makes it obvious that the post will deal with one of the voice talents related to Pokémon, in this case the anime. The other part... well, that's kind of obvious too, but it will be discussed alongside and later. Certainly, the voice talent aspect is fascinating and important to be discussed, especially with that being relevant now.

So, that voice talent is Rachael Lillis, who is known for her double role in the early years of the English dub of the Pokémon anime as Misty and Jessie - although arguably the former is her claim to fame and will be more recognized for. Aside from voicing human characters, like a few others of her colleagues at 4Kids, who formerly handled the English dub, she also voiced Pokémon species, one of them being Jigglypuff. The double role alone is impressive and makes her fundamental to those early years.

In any case, she has made her mark as a voice talent, with emphasis certainly on "talent", given the above. The Jigglypuff voice has even been reused for Super Smash Bros. up to this day, and that's a vouch for that "talent". At 4Kids, as with the others, she has worked on other projects too, and one example (Ape Escape) seems to affirm her talent at voicing "redheads" by voicing another "redhead". It becomes apparent that she will leave a lasting legacy in at least one way - or in fact, she already has...

...which brings me to the point of all of this. A few days ago, she passed away after her battle with cancer, and Veronica Taylor also broke the news on X (formerly Twitter). As such, the old English dub of the Pokémon anime has lost another one of its key figures, and this one is especially key due to the multiple main roles and significant secondary role, again as above. It definitely hits hard for many fans, who consider her Misty portrayal as on point and "top notch" regardless of its quirks, if any.

Even with the change of hands for the English dub, some things are still remembered as the hallmarks of the old dub, one of them being the voice talent discussed here and the roles played by that voice talent in it. With the passing of that voice talent, waves of nostalgia and remembrance reverberate among those who recognize her for what she has given, for Pokémon or otherwise. And of course, there is also respect to be had for all that, as with any voice talent I discuss here.

Rest in peace, Rachael. Your "redhead" legacy will continue to remain among Pokémon fans.

One year ago: The Matter of Mega Evolution in Unite

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Goodies, Round 4

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/14/2021 and 8/15/2021

Four years ago: Matters of Shadow and Light (Purification)

Five years ago: The Subtle Generational Spoiler

Six years ago: Don't Look Back... in Anger

Seven years ago: Pokémon Desktop Wallpapers

The Incredible and Vivid Art of Pokémon Trainer K (Kelvin)

Some readers may remember the starter Pokémon poster that I shared way back when, as part of the "loot" I obtained from Indonesia Comic Con. It's a wonderful poster to be sure, but so is the creator behind the art for it. He exhibited at the convention, and most recently, he also exhibited at ChibiCon, which was a little unexpected but also worked out very well. In any case, it is also well to do to discuss about this extremely talented artist and promote his art a little more by way of this blog.

As can be discerned, the artist calls himself (Pokémon) Trainer K, where "K" stands for Kelvin, his first name. His works can also be found on Instagram under the handle @kelvin_trainerk, which is also used for X (formerly Twitter). They are nothing short of impressive; the works are amazingly accurate to Pokémon appearances in general, and in all of the works, there is a great degree of artistic technique, in particular shading and gradients, especially in larger pieces featuring scenery and landscapes. This is certainly a point of appeal for his works, including for me.

When I - that is, Ash - visited his booth at the latter convention, I only came away with one postcard (which was on "clearance") and a sticker, owing to the extremely limited budget that I set myself with. The postcard was of the starter Pokémon of Galar, and the sticker was of Pikachu, which are themselves suggestive of special mementos. Yet even in these forms, the art is every bit as expressive as the larger pieces, and I'm just glad I could come away with what I did get.

Even for the postcard on clearance and the sticker, which I consider to be "petty" items, the talent of the artist is incredibly evident. That is what I consider to be the hallmark of a true artist, being able to give their all on (or for) media that seems less significant, in this case being that a postcard or a sticker seemingly isn't quite as "establishing" as a full- or half-page art in regard to artistic talent. Yet it is very much so in this case, and thus the talent becomes evident.

Really talented artists can therefore make great things from little things, and that's what Pokémon Trainer K is obviously doing. He has taken Pokémon as a subject matter and expanded it with his array of creative talents to produce mesmerizing pieces of art that any Pokémon fan (like me) would be happy to procure and possess. As a final remark, the artist says that a driving force for the art is his passion for Pokémon, and that too is considerably important, whether for an artist making great strides in Pokémon art or me promoting said artist on this blog, which is also a "passion product" of sorts. That should continue drive us toward more interesting creations.

One year ago: How Long for a Cosplay Walk (or "Character Parade")?

Two years ago: Non-Trademark Substitutions for Pokémon Names?

Three years ago: Sword and Shield: After One Year

Four years ago: Everyone's Contributions

Five years ago: So Little and So Much

Six years ago: A Pokémon Menu

Emily Rudd and Her Pokémon Links

While I've mentioned One Piece and specifically its recently released live-action rendition, there's an aspect I should discuss in that moment that has some ties to Pokémon. One of its stars is Emily Rudd, and she plays Nami, navigator for the Straw Hat Pirates and a slick money lover. The character is a "rich" one in a manner of speaking, but then so is the person who's playing the character in another manner: she is a total anime geek, and thus perhaps she could be described as an otaku as well. Obviously, this becomes the entry point for Pokémon and all its related influences.

As she explained, she grew up on all the classic anime series that one would expect fans (even otaku) of this day and age to have grown up with. Not only that, she possesses sufficient knowledge of the backstory (lore) of these series, which would be something that is characteristic of intense fans. Emily also further possesses knowledge of an obscure series and can make recommendations based on specific series as well. All these make it evident that she is indeed one of these intense fans (or geeks, or otaku).

Certainly, that's where Pokémon comes into the picture. One of the classic anime series she mentioned is indeed Pokémon. While I'm sure that how Pokémon relates to fans in this regard will be different from one to another, they will likely make the identification in similar ways. She also mentioned of having a Game Boy Color and a collection of Pokémon TCG cards, both of which unfortunately are now lost, having been let go. She feels quite regretful in this regard, and if anything, that's a sign that she is a true fan and not just of the anime.

Now that it's been established that she is a Pokémon fan, could she play a role in a potential live-action rendition for that? Well, she already plays Nami, a character with orange hair, so she would seem a natural to play Misty, the Pokémon answer to this precondition. If hair color is not an issue, she would seemingly qualify to play Chloe, the daughter of Professor Cerise, if the "world saga" were to be adapted into live-action. Still, any role she plays might depend on her own wishes and the creator's wishes.

Emily Rudd by now is making waves (ahem) with the live-action rendition of One Piece and will certainly be busy with that when (if) more seasons are borne out. But through her viewpoints on Pokémon gained from interviews, it seems she would be right at home should another live-action rendition of Pokémon be realized. That ought to be very satisfying for any Pokémon fan, given that she establishes herself as one as well.

One year ago: Delivering an Authentic Experience

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/19/2021

Three years ago: On the Transcription of Pokémon Things

Four years ago: Taking Sides on Shiny Pokémon

Five years ago: Raid Time Length Change

Six years ago: Competitive Stages in Shuffle

Half-Century of the Initiator of Pokémon

Today marks a special milestone or anniversary, which in relation to a person's life would be commonly called a birthday. And of course, if it's on this blog, then it has a relation to Pokémon in some way. The title indicates that the topic of discussion ties into a certain initiator as well as a half century - that is, 50 years. As such, today is the 50th birthday of that initiator, and given Pokémon, that would be none other than Satoshi Tajiri, and they becomes something important for Pokémon as well.

Given his age, his birth date then becomes placed smack-dab in the mid-1970s, specifically in 1973. It was a time when the world was starting to change radically in economic power, which might be a contributor to his childhood fantasies in the years to come. To conceive such fantasies while the world was changing is something completely reasonable, especially for a child living around that time. And it becomes evident that the memories of those times remained alive as they become incorporated in what now makes up Pokémon.

Fast-forward to today, Pokémon is now a little over a quarter-century old, which means that it's still only about half as old as the initiator is (the precise point was actually a few years ago somewhere in the midst of the 24th and 25th anniversaries). Regardless, it means that Pokémon has filled half of his life by now, and that is a fascinating point, even when those childhood fantasies have "evolved" - so to speak - from their humble beginnings, and can be played in various ways beyond the initial conception.

The age of 50 years is now going past middle age and is well past the youthful time when Satoshi Tajiri conceived the first playable instance of Pokémon, along with the involvement in a couple of other projects that relate to the other "cash cow" of Nintendo that has been going on for far longer than Pokémon. It means that games have also filled much of that life of 50 years, and that may be something that anyone who delves into games specifically - or any other area in life - would aspire to undertake, as long as possible.

While I've chosen to commemorate the occasion now instead of in past years (as evident by the posts below), to commemorate it at a nice round number like 50 is still quite fitting. And it might be the only commemoration I'll ever make on this blog, but it's still truly a significant one, in particular for the concern of Pokémon. That will seemingly always be the case, given the name of Satoshi Tajiri as its initiator, becoming something that can never be dissociated from the franchise.

So, happy 50th birthday to the great initiator himself.

One year ago: Pre-Stage Items in Pokémon Shuffle

Two years ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: Divided and United

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/28/2020

Four years ago: Allying with Characters

Five years ago: PokéVerbalisms

Six years ago: After the Faraway Tournament

The (Master) Magnet Man

If there's a hallmark of my relationship with Pokémon, it would be that it is a very social one. That means meeting and interacting with other people, as far as my social interactions allow that to occur, whether physically or digitally. The process includes other fans (or Trainers, in in-game parlance) and popular figures, no matter what domain of Pokémon they are involved with. A significant one over the past several years has been with a fan, friend, and proficient player or master Trainer who has a certain magnetic personality - one that is deeply related to Pokémon - and is therefore apt to be discussed.

That person is called by the nickname Magnetman, but those who are close to him also know him by his first name, Adryan. He is called as such because his favorite Pokémon and effectively his representation, in a way, is Magnezone, and it's present on all the related social media branding wherever he is of concern. Evidently, he likes Pokémon a whole lot, and it's his primary dealings as well, though he's an open gamer as well. His choice platform is YouTube, and it is there that he streams and uploads videos; it can be found by his handle, @MagnetmanGaming.

Specifically for Pokémon, he deals with VGC, an area that I've become rather inexperienced in. As for his experience, it is undeniably great. He's been involved in a handful of national and international tournaments, and even became a winner in one. Nowadays, he also uses his experience to provide lessons by coaching to others, with hope that they'll gain the same experience and be able to adopt his winning ways in order that they themselves can win, and thus preserve his winning legacy in a way. If that's not important for VGC, I don't know what is.

More recently, he's also become proficient in Pokémon Unite, which has become its own thing. Currently, he's affiliated with one of the Wotaman teams, and has been frequently called upon for participation in tournaments. I had the chance to play together in one match at one point in time, and surprisingly, I ended up becoming the MVP of that match - yet that was quite some time ago. It may be a long time before we are able to play together again... or may be potentially pitted on opposite sides in that effort.

As noted, he's an open gamer, and his library (other than Pokémon) is pretty standard and diverse for a gamer - though it doesn't have much correlation to mine apart from Pokémon. Much of it is also streamed, again through the YouTube channel as above. He calls his loyal followers (including me) part of the "Magnet Crew", and we interact on a certain platform familiar to gamers, yet again affirming one of its many social uses.

On that note, my social dealings with Pokémon become affirmed in both position and importance, along with whatever other dealings I choose to take up for Pokémon. And if they involve people like Adryan "Magnetman", then that is quite fortunate, as it means I have a real friend and comrade who I can refer to and link up with at times for Pokémon affairs. That has to be masterful as much as it is magnetic.

One year ago: My Nintendo Rewards - Pokémon Wallpapers

Two years ago: Professor Willow Goes to the TCG

Three years ago: More on Remote Raids

Four years ago: The Switch Lite

Five years ago: Mew @ Everywhere

Six years ago: What Kind of Pokémon Are You?

Fun Pokémon Memes by a Fun Tortoise

Being a part of pop culture, Pokémon has its place in memes to poke fun at just about any relevant issue concerning the franchise. Some of these memes may be furnished by a single creator, and that is fine, because the creator's dedication will likely result in excellent memes that other fans can identify with; it's just like the case with me and this blog. In some cases, the creator can be as fun as the furnished memes, identifying oneself in a unique Pokémon manner and giving the memes a real identity. I've interacted with one of these creators and the creator's memes recently, and I consider the above to be very much true.

Meet Blastoise The Water Cannon Tortle, a page on Facebook that does just that: it posts all kinds of Pokémon memes that are truly unique and truly identifiable. (And no, technically, that's not a misspelling; "tortle" is the obsolete form of "turtle", so the "language check" passes in a way.) A good bit of the content is in Indonesian - more so since the creator and its fans identify as such - but there is a good bit of English or language-independent meme content as well. Since the page title is long, it is often just shortened to "BlastoiseTWCT" - which in fact is approved, evident by the page link above - or the even shorter "BTWCT" for easy reference for fans of the page and Pokémon alike.

This meme page is run by a creator who identifies as "Breaker" and assumes the guise of a Blastoise. The creator does have a real name, though, but I'm not going to divulge it here for posterity's sake; those who join the meme page's online community on a different social platform will have a chance to be exposed to it. Speaking of that community, it consists of Pokémon fans with various interests, including those who play specific games like Pokémon Unite. Its members are also afforded the chance to get creative, having the chance to submit meme creations that might just make it on the page if they are deemed fitting, even if they're few and far between.

As I've stated earlier, I've had the chance to interact with the creator, and that creator is rather masterful in creations outside of memes. "Breaker" is a great illustrator, in particular for basic art that might just become developed into memes on the page. The person is also an extremely capable chiptune maker, being able to adapt the Pokémon music from old main series games in quite surprising ways, in addition to a slew of other musical pieces; all of these creations are made on a Game Boy tracker as the instrumentation of choice for this chiptune maker - a fine choice at that. Both are rather impressive and demonstrate the creator's intense creativity in different ways.

Creativity is regardless the name of the game when it comes to making and showing off memes, and especially Pokémon memes, for which the fans as above may just be of the rather creative kind. It's also very creative for the creator to assume the personage of a Pokémon in doing so, and that is assertive of the creator's creative qualities as well as those of the memes being posted. For a tortoise, turtle, or "tortle" - or however one would call the personage of the creator - there can only be fun to be had, which is evident in that personage and should be as well in the identifiable and jocund memes.

One year ago: Loyalty

Two years ago: Matters of Cosplay and Current Conditions

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 11/16/2019

Four years ago: PikaPool

Five years ago: Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Unleashed

Ed's "Starry Expanse" with Pokémon

You make me feel

Like my troubled heart is a million miles away

You make me feel

Like I’m drunk on stars and we’re dancing out into space

Celestial

Celestial

-- "Celestial", Ed Sheeran

Speaking of collaborations, this one comes to me over a month too late (by now) and needs to be discussed regardless. By now, many Pokémon fans will have recognized that the famous singer Ed Sheeran has his own connections to the franchise, and they're special in their own ways. With that, they've now collaborated on a tune that is expressive of that connection and takes it to the stars above, which would be the song for which the chorus is quoted above.

The music video for this song is what really drives home the point. It depicts what might be a typical day in the singer's life, but with the addition of Pokémon. They appear in animated sequences, Western style (cartoony) as they interpolate into that daily life and Eastern style (anime) in the final moments as the music video shows a TV. Interestingly, that anime sequence is a reimagining of the climactic moments of the first movie or feature film, which should strike the hearts of longtime and/or fervent fans. The Pokémon influence is through and through, and so is the singer's presence.

Notwithstanding the Pokémon connections, the song may be construed as a minor romantic number. Its lyrics on the whole speak of a significant one who might always seem to be far away but upon connection can become very close, even where "far away" is really far away. Note that the song itself is neutral (confer Katy Perry's "Electric" or most of the others on P25 Music), so it also totally speaks out to those who are purely Ed's fans and not so much Pokémon. But indeed, Pokémon is hard to be unconnected from the song.

As a footnote, this song will be included in the Scarlet and Violet games, likely as a credits theme. It's the most plausible entry point, but it'll still be a nice touch regardless from an artist who is now considered a "bestie" with Pokémon.

It has been said that Ed got through a failed first gig and a missed train by playing Pokémon, and that's a magnificent story, whether real or imagined. Somewhere along the way, the "starry expanse" of the night might be involved in that tale... and now, Ed has sung (and expressed, with Pokémon) just what it might be like to swim in that "pool of stars".

One year ago: Asymmetrical Friend Levels?

Two years ago: Life with a Go Plus Peripheral

Three years ago: In the November Sky

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 11/10/2018

Five years ago: Mission Cards in Shuffle

Respect for Zeno Robinson

So far, the voice actors for the Pokémon anime that I've featured in my "Respect for..." series of posts have been very significant ones related to it. The one I'd like to feature now may not sound quite significant, but the voice actor is just that, at least for the more recent iteration of the anime. He's also the first voice actor I'm featuring who is male, unlike the others who are female, and he's Zeno Robinson, the English voice of Goh in the Pokémon anime.

Among others, one of his distinguishing features is that he's a person of color, and even with that, he's been able to achieve success in voice acting, albeit mostly fairly recently (post-2017, he notes). Those who watch certain other popular anime series in their English dub (or other animated features) will also recognize his voice, not to mention the characters. Yet, it is certain that for Pokémon anime fans, the success lies in lending Goh a distinct voice.

On the personal side, he describes himself as a "new age nerd", and it's easy to see why. He has locks on his hair, perhaps not at all what one would expect from a voice actor, let alone one with multiple well-known characters... but then again, quite a few of the characters he has voiced in addition to Goh have their own "unique" hairstyle that stands up to that. He also has a "hipster" appearance, which works out well for him in addition to voice acting.

Like fellow voice actor Sarah Natochenny, he has an Instagram handle (@childish_gamzeno), and it is where he promotes and celebrates his work. That, of course, includes conventions where he has been and will be, for interaction with his fans. He's also rather outgoing and stylish, having gone to different places and having been asked to promote a few anime-inspired products, which can be seen there too. It might just be an inspiration for some.

I've only gotten to admire Goh recently, so it would make sense if I admire his English voice actor as well, and based on the above, there's quite a bit to be admired. Stylishness combined with a real voice talent makes him who he is, and that's saying something with regard to his voicing of Goh in the Pokémon anime. For that, he deserves some serious respect, as is true for any of the voice actors I feature in my post series then, now, and later on.

One year ago: More on Ideal Raid Lengths

Two years ago: The State of Nominations, Part 5

Three years ago: Movie Manga, Part 2 (Really 2)

Four years ago: Pokémon Style Figure Sun & Moon 2 - Mimikyu

Five years ago: Cosplay in a Bag

Steering and Nearing with Tsunekazu Ishihara

Of the biggest names (that is, people) who have ever graced Pokémon, the name that I've mentioned in the title of this post is certainly one of the biggest ones and continues to be relevant today. Many current fans will know him as the first and foremost face in editions of Pokémon Presents, but he's so much more than that. Tsunekazu Ishihara, the president of The Pokémon Company, besides being top in that regard, also has much to do with the Pokémon games and beyond, effectively being someone who "steers" and "nears".

That "steering" and "nearing" for Ishihara occurs similarly to (and incidentally alongside with) his colleague Satoru Iwata, as a developer for different games. The journey began with Ape Inc. and a number of games that are themselves legendary just as much as they are legends for Nintendo. Creatures Inc. became the next "destination" in the journey for Ishihara, as a development company that he founded, with Iwata providing some help; it is evidently also a "port", as Ishihara still holds key positions there today and the company is one of the three involved in the joint venture that is The Pokémon Company.

With Creatures, Ishihara "neared" Game Freak and supported them with development funds for the very first Pokémon games; at this early stage, Ishihara also "steered" Pokémon towards licensing for different media, including the TCG, to help their sequels toward success. The "steering" and "nearing" by Ishihara proved to be directed and fruitful: Ishihara intended to "steer" in a different direction afterwards but ended up "nearing" Game Freak and Nintendo for said joint venture, now tasked with the helm of licensing and brand management for Pokémon that still continues today.

An important way that Ishihara "steered" Pokémon is the conception of Pokémon Go along with Niantic. Ishihara himself is a player of Ingress, and the 2014 April Fool's Pokémon Google Maps prank provided the breakthrough mechanism; with support and blessings, also from Iwata, Pokémon Go came to be popular (and still is today, now even with a championship series of its own). It's just another way that Pokémon Go is established as a full-fledged game for the franchise. Pokémon Sleep also constitutes a way of "nearing" good health, as announced by Ishihara himself.

"Steering" and "nearing" are some of the things that good leaders can do, and Tsunekazu Ishihara has proven that over the years, even up to today. Not only that, he even effectively provided the "ship" by which Pokémon can be "steered" and "neared" according to the flows of time and its devoted fans and players. Ishihara really is at the "wheel" of this "ship" that has allowed players to "sail away" to Pokémon adventures, who have made the "ship" as big as the big name at its helm.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/15/2021

Two years ago: Coming Full Circle

Three years ago: Everything Old Is New Again

Four years ago: 15 Minutes of Fame

Five years ago: Fallen Comrades

Respect for Sarah Natochenny

I've made a post on the one and only Japanese voice actor for Ash (and the companion) as well as the former English voice actor, but I haven't made one for the current and longest-serving English voice actor yet - and the post is long overdue in some ways. That voice actor would be none other than Sarah Natochenny, who has now filled the role for five generations and more, since 2006. That fact alone deserves much respect, but the respect is also deserved in other ways.

Thanks to different means, I've had the chance to listen to her voice characterization for Ash, particularly the more recent ones. From that, what I would say is that the voice work can be described as a "happy medium" between that of Rica and Veronica. She is, of course, neither of the two, but her (relatively more) recent work makes it seem like Veronica never left, while at the same time being (at least a little) closer to the Japanese work of Rica. I'd say that is quite impressive even after many years of service.

Like her predecessor, she also fills in the role of Delia Ketchum and even a couple (among a number) of Pokémon, being Staraptor and Misdreavus. In fact, she mentions this and goes into the dubbing process - as it happened for the very first Sun & Moon episode - in a special feature by Vanity Fair, which is available for viewing on YouTube. It's an insightful look into the process for anyone who is interested in voice acting and dubbing, but more than that, it's also personal in different ways - just watch to the end.

She's also active on social media, specifically Instagram; through her Instagram handle (@sarah_natochenny), it becomes possible to glimpse into the other goings-on of her life. Quite a bit of it is directed to interaction with fans, certainly at conventions and beyond, as well as other happenings, both in and out of her connections to Pokémon. Through it, it's possible to see where she is and has been, as well as where one could catch her next. It's an absolute dream, even for me.

Much has gone on since Sarah stepped into the role of Ash and other characters on the English dub of the Pokémon anime, and after over one and a half decades of maintaining that, immense respect is commanded. Evidently, she is true to her craft and even truer as a real person, and that has to be a dream for any fan of what she does. Indeed, for Pokémon fans, what she does best is to bring to life its primary protagonist, a true position of respect as with anyone else in the same position.

One year ago: Pokémon SM KFC CKM Toy: Rockruff & Premier Ball

Two years ago: Celebi @ Everywhere

Three years ago: At the Same Time

Four years ago: Shiny Lugia Obsessions

Five years ago: A Passion for Red

Respect for Ahmad Zulkifli Lubis... in Memoriam

The name I mention in the title of this post might be lesser-known to the rest of the world and Pokémon fans therein, but to Pokémon fans in Indonesia, he has a particular regard. And since the title contains "Respect for", it becomes obvious, considering posts that I've made on this blog in the past. Yes, Ahmad Zulkifli "Iphie" Lubis is an Indonesian voice actor, and the particular regard is that he voices Ash in the local-language dub, referred as either Satoshi (the Japanese name) or Ali (the adapted Indonesian name).

His career in dubbing goes back to the early 1990s, and he became involved in many of the dubbing projects that are broadcasted on the channels that would eventually also broadcast the local dub of Pokémon, and eventually Pokémon itself. That lasted for a good number of years until the dub changed hands - that is, shifted to another channel - for the Sun & Moon dub. But like Veronica Taylor for the English dub, his repute remains, regardless of what has changed, including the fact that he's uniquely a male voice actor for Ash.

I first got to recognize his distinctive voice characterization for Ash over a decade and a half ago, and it is distinct. There's just one oddity: other characters he voiced (hint: they include a boy possessing many forms) also sound more or less similar. In that regard, it may not have been unique, but by my observation at the least, the characterization is carried through whoever character is voiced by him. I consider that a hallmark of a great voice actor despite the apparent limitation, and he is just that with what he has done for Pokémon and beyond.

As for the "in memoriam" part, well... I'm sorry to say, he passed away late Thursday night my time. The news came to me in the morning, and it was somewhat a shock to everyone in the know. Tributes have poured in throughout the day, and it's quite evident that those in the animation, dubbing, and related pop culture communities recognize his far-reaching contributions. In that sense I am also indebted, and therefore I had to make this post for today in order to honor him and to put in another tribute, one that fans can appreciate globally.

Personally, I consider every person related (and who have contributed) to Pokémon to be of great significance, even if they're obscure to the global context. Such might be the case for Iphie, but I'm sure that once people in the global Pokémon context realize his contributions, they will also be able to realize that he has great significance as well. Like every voice actor I've covered under the "Respect for" tag, he too has to be respected - not just by local Pokémon fans, but also those around the world.

Rest in peace, Iphie. Your voice - for Ash and others - is legendary and forever in our hearts and minds.

One year ago: Quickies: Water, the Source of Life

Two years ago: To Lure or to Walk?

Three years ago: Mewtwo @ Everywhere

Four years ago: Cosplay: CHoCoDays x CLAS:H/ICGP Regionals 2018

Five years ago: Pokémon Art on Walls

Respect for Veronica Taylor

I've thrown the name a couple of times around on a couple of posts on this blog, but I haven't directly addressed the person - not in four and a half years - behind the name much like the ones behind the Japanese voices for Pikachu and Ash - in other words, their voice talents. And yet, she's foundationally important as the first English voice actress for Ash. I'm speaking, of course, of Veronica Taylor, the one who filled the role of Ash so characteristically for the first few years of the English dub of the Pokémon anime. This foundational role makes her deserving of respect, and this post serves to do just that.

For those who don't know me, I grew up with the English dub of Pokémon. Therefore, I grew up being exposed to her distinctive characterization of Ash, and so did many viewers of my generation. It's easy to see why the "voice chaos" happened - one part of which is due to the attachment to this fact, as viewers hold her in high regard. Long after the "voice chaos" has passed, her role is still held in the same high regard; the evidence is that the presentation of old episodes still have her voice among others. If that weren't true, everything would have been redubbed by now, but that's not the case. And that's a good thing regardless.

Now on to her voice capabilities. She's important for voicing Ash, to be sure, but she's also important for being able to voice other characters, one of which is also fundamentally important for Ash as well as the Pokémon anime in general, at least early on: Delia, his mother. As with any voice talents under any agency, she can fill and has filled the roles of other characters, some of which I also had the opportunity to watch and listen to. Yet it cannot be doubted that her work on the Pokémon anime is extensive and even "legendary", and thus she is and always will be best known for that.

As I've noted early on in this blog, before the age of social media and smartphones, she made the effort to reach out to fans by a web site and even a mailing list. She utilized this to promote the Pokémon Christmas Bash album, which allowed me to pick up the album in time. Evidently, she can sing in character as well to a certain extent, given her presence on a few tracks on the album. That becomes further support for her "legendary" work on the Pokémon anime involving different kinds of vocal work for the first few years that laid solid foundations for the existence of the English dub.

If nothing else, that commands respect, and a lot of it. Someone once said - in comments for a different kind of sound work - that being legendary isn't necessary, but being foundational and especially for new kinds of things is always important. Veronica Taylor's contributions to the Pokémon anime, particularly the English dub, is exactly that, being foundational for its existence. But with her work still remaining a hallmark and masterpiece of the Pokémon anime today, the "legend" status is still very much worthwhile. It goes back to the respect that needs to be given as it is due.

One year ago: The Social Value of Pokémon Go

Two years ago: Adventurous Families

Three years ago: Media Master

Four years ago: Catching Up

The Touch of Satoru Iwata

I've mentioned the name a few times on this blog, but I haven't discussed the person directly. For fans of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata is no stranger. He was the CEO of the company from 2000 to 2015 up until his death, and during that time, he brought many successes. What might not be known very well by many fans, especially Pokémon fans, is that he had made his own contributions (his "touch") to said franchise, in a way making it successful than ever. It is therefore worth it to detail and discuss exactly that in a post of its own.

Iwata, prior to his Nintendo years, acted as part of the developer side of things, essentially "mediating" Game Freak and Nintendo. He developed graphics compression for the second-generation games (initially Gold and Silver), allowing the games to hold more data in less space. By doing so, the inclusion of Kanto was also made possible without detracting from the game's main region of Johto. For another game, Pokémon Stadium, it was also Iwata that took the battle system code of the original Red and Green (Japanese) games and made a port of it for use in Stadium. Iwata may not be described as a "miracle worker" regarding his game development capabilities, but these achievements are really nothing short of miraculous, to put it lightly.

His work also paved the way for Pokémon to become internationally recognized beyond its home of Japan. After examining the game code for the original Japanese Red and Green games, he then created the plan for the games to be localized in other languages, which for the American market is of course English. Two years later, the plan was realized to completion, and the games were sold, becoming extremely popular. He also helped to found the other two corporate entities connected to Pokémon, The Pokémon Company and Creatures, Inc., for which Tsunekazu Ishihara then took the reins. Iwata also juggled the licensing for Pokémon for all areas. If it sounds like Iwata is the key person for making Pokémon popular around the world, he actually is; Ishihara himself testifies of Iwata as such.

According to Iwata, video games are supposed to be fun for all people. To that end, Iwata instituted plans in his later years for games that would improve the "quality of life" - in other words, make it better. Pokémon Go is one of the offshoots of these plans, evidenced by its intended purpose of getting people to go out and play. Iwata actually participated in the development of the game as early as 2013, and it was even one of his last contributions - he even asked for feedback on the game from Ishihara just prior to his death; the game was divulged a couple of months later. Pokémon Sleep therefore constitutes a further expansion of the concept, and perhaps the same would be considered to apply to Pokémon Smile. The vision is pleasantly noble.

It's been more than five years since the passing of Satoru Iwata, as the top figure of Nintendo for more than a decade. Yet besides being important to Nintendo, he's also important to Pokémon. Iwata as a game developer was quite adept and then as executive officer was quite visionary for Pokémon in particular and Nintendo in general. It can be said that thanks to Iwata and his "touch", Pokémon fans everywhere now enjoy its lasting success in different forms, and his "touch" remains felt today even without his physical presence.

One year ago: For Want of an EX Raid

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Weekend, 12/1/2018 to 12/3/2018

Three years ago: Fallen Comrades

Respect for Rica Matsumoto

In the first year of posts on this blog, I wrote a post on praises for Ikue Ootani, the voice actress behind the distinctive characteristic voice of Pikachu. However, I haven't written another post for one who is just as important: the Japanese voice actress for Ash (Satoshi) himself, Rica Matsumoto. Now, after having become able to sing a few of her songs, particularly those that can be considered character songs for said character, I feel that it's time to do so. She too deserves a lot of respect.

Part of that respect concerns her musical talents. She was one of the founding members of JAM Project, a band composed of popular anime song singers, though she hasn't been too involved for at least a decade now. Beyond her musical work with Pokémon, she has contributed songs for a few other anime and even tokusatsu series. One of the songs for the latter came to my attention when a friend showed it to me when we met at the last event where I sang. It's masterful, just as masterful as her other works involving Pokémon. And being that I'm heavily oriented to Pokémon, I can almost hear Ash singing it, which my friend didn't disagree with. In a word, it's impressive.

As for her voice work, most of the past twenty-plus years of that voice work involves Pokémon to an extent. Yet along with that, she is also involved in a wide range of voice work for other anime, as well as roles in tokusatsu, video games, and prominent dubbing roles. Some of these roles might be for characters similar to the profile of Ash, while others might be of typical women roles; many are minor and specific, but quite a few are also major and recognizable. Furthermore, it's a career that has spanned thirty-plus years, which is certainly longer than the existence of Pokémon itself. Not only is this impressive, it also borders on unbelievable.

As with Ikue Ootani, Pokémon has practically given Rica Matsumoto a great claim to fame as the voice of a young boy whose goals are as lofty as the sky... or higher. Combined with her musical work, this makes her and her career illustrious. It is therefore prudent to be thankful and to give respect for all that she has done. I suppose, as a Pokémon fan and now part-singer, that would mean in part being able to sing more of her songs that are related to Pokémon. I'm sure I'll be doing just that.

One year ago: Throwing Poké Balls
Two years ago: Cosplay: East and West