I Side with Pokémon

These friends keep talking way too much
Sayin' I should give you up
Can't hear them no, cause I...
I've been here all night
I've been here all day
And boy, you got me walking side to side...
-- "Side to Side", Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj

Sometimes I get the feeling that people are trying to move me away from Pokémon. They try to convince me that something is just as good, if not better than Pokémon. While I'm open to new things (certainly with some reservations), I'm ultimately the judge of whether I'm suited for them or not. And no matter how they turn out in my view, I feel that they cannot be a substitute for Pokémon. In effect Pokémon is "irreplaceable" for me, and that is what prompted me to think of the lyrics for the above recent major hit.

Pokémon makes me do strange things, but then anything that people are a fan of can make them do strange things, so Pokémon is no different. Still, Pokémon also makes me do good things, and that's the "side to side" I'm feeling. Regardless of whatever I do, Pokémon is still there, so I'm not convinced that I should "give it up", even when other people try to (seemingly) talk me into it. And this is how the song resonates for me and Pokémon as something that I like very much.

Thus Pokémon in a way is by my side. It's not something that I can trade for other things; other things may come and go, but what is clear is that Pokémon remains with me. I may move from "side to side" due to my attraction to Pokémon, but it's a good movement with good feelings, and there is no replacement for that, or Pokémon for that matter. I side with Pokémon, and I'm all right with that.

The Subdued Hometown Themes

I'm feeling somewhat lax even though I've got quite a bit of things to do and now I'm just trying to do them all from home. Suddenly I'm reminded of the "hometown" themes in the main series of Pokémon games, the ones that play in the towns where the journeys start. They're all somewhat subdued, considering that they're essentially preludes to journeys full of excitement and chaos aplenty, which is how I feel right now - I feel like I'm anticipating something of that nature.

The most famous of these themes is of course the theme for Pallet Town, which is featured in the first- and second-generation games. A snippet of it is also played for one of the pixel-and-sounds LINE sticker, the one with the caption "Technology is incredible!". Understandably, anything from the first generation is considered iconic and by extension memorable, so the same goes for this particular piece. It was indeed the first piece that came to mind just now, and it's the piece that I have practically memorized the main melody of.

Still, that doesn't mean the other themes are any less special. The third-generation Littleroot Town theme is slightly bouncy but is nonetheless still subdued. The fourth-generation Twinleaf Town theme is somewhat extended than most of the other themes and maintains the subdued feeling longer before the repeat decreases it. It's these little things that keep each theme unique and enchanting.

With the memory of these themes in my mind, I feel I have become even more compelled to finish up those tasks at a good pace, yet not to become too rushed in doing so. In effect I do believe that excitement and chaos will reveal themselves after the tasks are complete. So like a Pokémon Trainer starting a journey, that is what I must resume now.

Spicy Tamato

I like spicy food (to an extent). And I mean spicy food with heat, as in the heat that results from chili peppers. Speaking of chili peppers, Pokémon can be said to have an analogue of this for its world, in the form of the Tamato Berry. It's part of a whole family of Berries that do interesting things for Pokémon in battle or otherwise, and it's one of the Berries that has a highly Spicy quality.

The inspiration for this Berry is quite clear. The name for the Berry comes from "tomato", a fruit of a plant in the nightshade family that is better known for its not-so-spicy quality. However, the nightshade family also does include the chili peppers, which are indeed well known for their spicy heat. So this Berry in the Pokémon world can be thought of as being emblematic of all the members of the nightshade family, though it better represents the tomatoes and the chili peppers. This could also explain its common illustration, which is as a tomato with spikes, indicating the spicy quality.

This Berry also happens to be memorable for its appearance in the anime. In one episode of the Advanced Generation series, Ash was looking for Berries to eat, and after stumbling on a few common berries, he encountered the Tamato Berry, which he tried... to his surprise, as it was maddeningly spicy. This not only affirms its highly Spicy quality, but also suggests that this Berry would be on par with some of the hottest, spiciest chilies in the real world. In that case, its usage would not be too different with how chili peppers are manipulated in the real world.

The prospect of a very spicy Berry seems not to make sense until it is considered that in the real world there are animals that thrive on chili peppers, so naturally some Pokémon would also desire or be suited to some spice. Like all the other Berries, the Tamato Berry would then complement or satisfy this. And perhaps some people (maybe not Ash) would also be accustomed to its spice; I can already tell that I could be one of those people.

Speedblogging Like a Ninjask

Some readers may wonder how I've been able to post everything that I have posted on this blog. It's actually not always an easy process. I know what I want to post about, but then time may become the issue. Sometimes I have a good few hours to type up a post, though I know that I may be pursued by time at any time; other times, I'm already pursued by time. At the latter point, that's when I have to incur speedblogging that reminds me of a particularly speedy Pokémon.

That Pokémon would be Ninjask. Ninjask is known as a speedy Bug type that gets even speedier, and this would be due to its Speed Boost ability, increasing its speed with each passing turn. The Speed Boost ability is by no means unique to Ninjask, but it was the first known Pokémon to popularize it when it newly appeared in the third-generation games. Some enterprising Trainers would even teach Ninjask the Baton Pass move, and in battle, once Ninjask maxed its speed, Baton Pass would be used to transfer the increased stat to another Pokémon. It is surprisingly useful in that regard.

In that regard, my speedblog does seem like I'm a Ninjask countering an opposing Pokémon. Two fairly recent posts, the "hounds and hyenas" and "only one ball" ones, were in fact made through speedblogging. I had already decided upon what I was going to discuss in my post, but then I became a bit pressured by other things, and this created a time crunch. As a result, I had to execute my speedblogging moves (composing and editing) as Ninjask executed its Pokémon moves. Those actions under time constraints can be just as complex as Ninjask at full speed, where I have to weigh my words carefully. In any case, the result was a flurry of actions as we worked our respective battles... and in my case I think I did just fine, winning the battle against time.

Speedblogging is now not an "if", but a "when", as there will always be situations that demand it. But rest assured that I won't stray from my goal of sharing with you my daily Pokémon experiences as it truly is what matters most for me and this blog. Even now I'm detecting future opportunities for speedblogging, and so very soon I will have to turn into Ninjask again to execute it. It's really not easy being a Ninjask.

My Offerings (or, What I Am Not)

I've shared what I intend this blog to be in my six-month post, which in a nutshell is a capitulation of my experiences so that others may take part in it. Logically, now it's time to share what I am not and work back from there. There are many different Pokémon sites on the Internet, and I feel that I have to be different to stand out; this is also aided by my own experiences, which may not be unique, but are still fascinating to share. To that end, there are a few things that I don't try to be with this blog so that I have something different to offer for Pokémon and its fandom.

First up, I'm not a news site. I'm not Serebii.net or any of its kin; I don't pursue the latest word on everything Pokémon, but I try to keep up as best as I can. Still, I do every so often report on the latest goings-on when I am able, such as the Pokémon Direct from a little while ago, and combine it with my perspectives. This last bit is important, for I will often save things until I can discuss them here with some weight - my weight, in most cases. Otherwise, it is not my job (or at least not at every moment) to report on everything new about Pokémon as soon as word is received; the other sites I mentioned can do a better job than me on this, while I can process what they report for this blog later on.

I'm also not a media collection site. Sure, sometimes I'll post pictures of official media to help illustrate my point, but I try to limit this so that I can emphasize my personal aspect. As a result, most of the media I post are personal pictures or creations that pertain as much to me as they pertain to Pokémon. I can vouch for my personal pictures and creations, but beyond that, I try not to transgress deep into others' media spaces and try to promote and share myself more in relation to Pokémon.

I'm also not a site for a fan "shrine". A "shrine" connotes glorification or sanctity, which would mean elevating things too much beyond what they are or giving excess special recognition. I'm all for special treatment - as in everyone or everything is special in their own ways - but if it means creating unnecessary separation or (heaven forbid) a "wall", then I do not approve. Instead, I promote respect and universality: Pokémon is for you and me, and there's all kinds of things about it to be appreciated. Let's enjoy Pokémon together.

This blog means something for me in sharing my appreciation for Pokémon and for others to join in on that, but there are also things that this blog isn't or shouldn't be considered as. By not attempting to be those things, I allow my own personal connections and experiences to appear more distinctly and make the blog what it is. Even so, I'm still one of many Pokémon sites on the Internet, and it wouldn't be hard to believe that we created our sites because we have the same feelings for Pokémon. That is the most important thing for all our sites, including this blog of mine.

After Six Months: Poké-Paradise in a Blog

Well, I can't believe it. It's been six months and I've posted something every single day on this blog. As I've mentioned in the very first post of this blog, Pokémon has been such a great inspiration that really, there is not a day that it's missing from my experiences. Even if it's just a little bit, it's still not missing - and it always comes back. It is precisely this experience that I wish to share with others, and what better way to do it than with words in my case.

My intent is to share as many things as I can in regard to Pokémon. This does obviously mean the games as I play, the anime as I watch, and merchandise and related things as I get them. But Pokémon is related to so many things, big or small, and it even begets other things by way of inspiration. These too are worthwhile to share about in the hope that others may in turn be inspired by Pokémon as well. In the end, everything is an experience with Pokémon for me, and I hope that it may be this way too for others.

In the future, I hope to have a greater variety of content, still related to Pokémon. I'm not very experienced in creating videos of myself, but perhaps I can collaborate with vloggers who do this in and out, and the results will definitely go on here. Collaboration can also be done with other Pokémon people on the Internet, and this is one thing I would like to achieve. I'm open to comments on my posts with some discretion, so in the future I may take those comments and interact with them in another post. As well, I will certainly cover things that I haven't covered before and present different directions of Pokémon. I want to take others through my journey of Pokémon experiences through this blog - I want to take others through my Pokémon "paradise", in a way.

And that is what it really is. My Pokémon experience is a "paradise", and it's only right that I allow others to share it, which is what I wish to do with this blog. Granted, occasionally things go wrong in paradise, but that could become the seeds for a better part of paradise, so I'm not ashamed to share some of those experiences as well. The point is that if something is related to Pokémon, it may be discussed as part of my "paradise" so that others can partake in it. On that note, I welcome you to my "paradise".

3DS Circle Pad and Pokémon Games... Plus My Experience

I haven't been able to get back to playing Sun lately, and there's an important reason why: I broke my Circle Pad. The fragility of the 3DS Circle Pad has been well-known since Super Smash Bros. 3DS was released - which coincidentally also does feature Pokémon in part - and has claimed many victims. For me, however, it seems the story played out in a different way. That leads me to think about and consider how the Circle Pad is used in the various Pokémon games that I've played.

One Pokémon game in particular that I've most played recently does not use the Circle Pad, and that is Shuffle. That is because Shuffle is completely touch-based, and as a matter of fact does not use buttons either. This makes sense since Shuffle has a mobile counterpart which started later than its 3DS counterpart, so it can be said that Nintendo was "testing the waters" on the 3DS by making Shuffle completely touch-based so that the controls translate perfectly when it went mobile, which it did. This is somewhat of an unexpected paradigm by Nintendo but is also reasonable given the rise of mobile games; perhaps it may happen again with a future game.

For a good number of other games, the Circle Pad is optional; it can be used but it is not necessary for progress. The sixth-generation games, Rumble, and Picross fall into this category. For Picross, the Circle Pad may be used in puzzle play to switch marking modes, which is necessary to manage progress. For the other games, movement in the overworld is aided with the Circle Pad... perhaps too easy, in the case of Rumble. When I explained my conundrum to my fellow Poké-friend, he noted that I played Rumble a lot, which might explain how I put stress on the Circle Pad until it broke, much in the same way as players of Super Smash Bros. did. If I knew this, perhaps I might have eased up on Rumble to focus on other games and saved the Circle Pad usage intensity for those games instead that benefit from its use, however optional it may be. It's still a good thing to have.

And then there are the games for which the Circle Pad is necessary, and this includes the seventh-generation games, Sun and Moon. I discovered this fact startlingly back when I played the SM Demo, that I thought I could simply use the D-Pad to move my character, when I couldn't. Back then I had already detected signs that my Circle Pad was falling apart, so I was concerned what would happen with the actual game. Now that the game has been long in the pipeline and my Circle Pad finally fully gave in, I'm somewhat concerned about making further progress, and especially for later when Ultra SM are released, which may as well be Circle Pad-necessary and would mean nearly impossible to make progress with a broken Circle Pad.

So for some Pokémon games, the Circle Pad is sufficiently usable for movement or control aid or even not needed. For others, the Circle Pad is absolutely needed to progress. Whatever the case, a working Circle Pad is a good asset to have for Pokémon games or otherwise. Thus my next step is clear: I'm setting out to repair my Circle Pad so that I can have this asset for SM and its Ultra relative due out later this year. I'm hoping for the best.