Getting Collective and Connective with Pokémon

There's something out there that has (at least) two patterns, one being collective and another being connective. Regretfully, I have to say that the thing that is described by these patterns is rather unsavory, so it's not worth it to discuss about that. Instead, it is much better and more worth it to discuss about good things like Pokémon. Incidentally, it seems that the two patterns can be discussed in terms of Pokémon and particularly its games, so the discussion becomes more deserving for the two patterns of concern.

It would be wise to start off the discussion with an explanation of how the two patterns are realized. The "collective" pattern involves people being banded together in a group for a common cause, and showing the identification that they belong as such. The "connective" pattern involves people being linked to others but not necessarily identified in or as a single group, yet the common cause is still there. The relation between the two is therefore that there are connections among people who are still directed towards a certain objective, but the connections are manifested differently. There is also an additional relation in that the former seems to have transitioned to the latter in recent times.

I can readily identify the occurrences of the patterns in my Pokémon relationships. The "collective" pattern used to be the evident pattern in dealing with the main series games and even Pokémon Go. Back when I joined the national association for the former and my local raid group for the latter, both were very lively on whichever medium of communication they are present on, and everyone liked that we bore the identification for the respective group. The "collective" quality is highly evident because of that, in addition to the common cause of promoting the play of the main series games and facilitating raids to occur in my local area.

But then things changed to the "connective" pattern. The association and group still exist, but now the former is just the front-end for people who play the main series and the latter is not only the sole facilitator. Instead, everyone is now linked in various ways and from various places, and the common cause is achieved through these various little links to make up the bigger whole. The communication has decreased somewhat in the different media of communication for them, and yet the main objective of the common causes can still be achieved through all the relationships.

Today's world is a tricky world, more so with current conditions at hand, so it may be understandable that things changed the way they did. The previous pattern of collectivity changed to allow for greater connectivity among people, but miraculously and thankfully, the common and primary causes could still be achieved somehow. Beyond the association of these two patterns to the thing that is unsavory, they do appear to satisfactorily apply to matters of Pokémon, and they may be considered good relationship dynamics after all.

One year ago: Quizzes and Knowledge

Two years ago: Going For New Competitions

Three years ago: Artistic License

Four years ago: I Found You, Black and White

April Fool's Day 2021: Aipom Business

Hmm, yes. It's April Fool's Day once again, and the world is still quite uncertain. Or maybe not - even with uncertain conditions, some parts of the world are getting up and go, but still in a wary position. That includes for this very day, for which I've spotted quite a few pranks. As for Pokémon, that bears some discussion right now and some later on. This time, the overall topic I've chosen to discuss is the occurrence of happenings in the fashion of a "monkey business" - or rather, in the Pokémon case, it would be an "Aipom business".

The original term refers to action(s) that are considered trivial, silly, and/or foolish. But looking at what I've (and others have) done over the years with Pokémon, it is hardly such an "Aipom business". In fact, for many fans like me, Pokémon is very well something that has a guiding aspect. It directs how they can be entertained, connect with others, and most of all, enjoy life to the fullest by doing things around or in connection to it. And for the people who bring about Pokémon in various guises, it is a business to be sure, and it surely isn't an "Aipom" one. It is one that is tied to the hearts of many people, and that would need good business, not an "Aipom business".

Meanwhile, today it seems that a certain collective of unsavory people have decided to execute some "Aipom business" of their own, only this time it involves actual Aipom and not a figurative one. As it stands, though, this effort doesn't seem to bring them much benefit, and it instead makes them more of a pushover than they already are (at least if one is well prepared). At the same time, the Aipom they've left behind after being defeated have a uniquely shady quality about them, and if a good one is found, it may just be appropriate for certain purposes. Their "Aipom business" might just have some usefulness after all.

Not to forget:

Ash: I guess it'll be a while before I can show off for you.

Me: Maybe, maybe not. But if it does happen, you can be sure that the precautions today are a must - that's definitely not an "Aipom business".

Pikachu: Pi pika chu! ["So right!"]

Ash: By the way, I like Aipom. They're a neat Pokémon when they're calm.

Me: Sure enough. No one wants a rabid Aipom or even a host of them as with that one time in a certain city.

Ash: Maybe you'd like an Aipom too?

Me: That seems nice for certain purposes. But as with you, Pikachu is still tops in my book.

Pikachu: Pi pika pika! ["I'm honored!"]

Ash: I'd have to agree!

Now, it seems the tomfoolery of April Fool's is ripe again to some extent. Some of them might be due to tolerable "monkey (Aipom) business", but as they say, too much of anything is never warranted, for Pokémon or otherwise. The good thing is that there is just enough of that to consider for today.

Happy April Fool's - and don't let the Aipom meddle too much with the mind.

One year ago: April Fool's Day 2020: Truth in a Post

Two years ago: April Fool's Day 2019: Objectivity and Subjectivity

Three years ago: April Fool's Day 2018: Stepping Back, Moving Forward

Four years ago: It's April Fool's Day!

"New Daybreaks" for Pokémon

It must be a strongly brilliant thing.

Therefore I came to "overground".

To declare it. The new daybreak.

U1 overground

I last discussed a part of the above comments for a piece of music on a music game - but with a Pokémon context instead - for a development that occurred around two and a half years ago. Now I'm compelled to discuss another part of it, but certainly still with a Pokémon context, this time with more recent developments. That is why I've quoted the comment above in full to link up the contexts. As for the current context, it would appear that it is the time for Pokémon to make some strides to go into the "daybreak", and as such the music comment became relevant once again.

It's also relevant for another Pokémon thing. Recently, the Pokémon Go app icon became updated with a neat detail: the horizon in the background became illuminated with a warm glow reminiscent of, well, a "daybreak". For the longest time, the background has always been dark blue, appearing to be set at night or dusk complete with some shining stars. But now, with a "daybreak" icon, the game is seemingly ready to move in a new direction, as if the game itself isn't already a new direction when it was released five years ago and it has had many new directions along the way.

Meanwhile, Pokémon as a whole turns 25 this year, which is a significant anniversary milestone, one that I cannot state enough. With that many years of existence, lots of things have happened, and they surely have. But while many of those things are remarkable, it may be that some of them are repetitions that have become (considered) stale. The natural thing would be to allow movements in new directions, which would allow for Pokémon to "chase after the daylight" toward the direction of "a new day". That has happened with Pokémon Go at a nice clip, yet for other things, it seems to be at a slower pace.

With the new Pokémon games that are announced to be in development and due out this year and the next, it may be that the pace is picking up, if at all ever so slightly. That may make sense - the journey to a "daybreak" may take a bit of time and the sights may not be as expected. But if they're good sights, as may be demonstrated by Pokémon Go, they could and should be deserving of longevity. In the case of the new games, the journey to the "daybreak" has only begun, while for Pokémon Go, the new app icon may indicate that the journey is already there. Still, much remains to be seen.

I personally still consider what I considered back then as "a strongly brilliant thing" to still be one, especially then. Only now, with a big anniversary and great new things to come within the times ahead, there seems to be a whole lot of more brilliant things. The hope is that at least quite a few of them will lead one to a "daybreak", though at least one (being the stuff related to Pokémon Go) may have indicated as such. Unlike the comments for the music piece, at least I don't have to "make the journey to the surface" to "declare" the Pokémon "daybreak"; I can let them unfold by themselves into a brilliant future for all.

One year ago: The Long-Winded Side of Things

Two years ago: Cosplay: ONEGAI Bunkasai 2019 - Eiyuu no Uprising

Three years ago: Mauville's Progress

Four years ago: Nostalgia: Episode 672 - "Here Comes the Trubbish Squad!"

Road of 25th Anniversary: Beckoning Specials

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

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

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

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

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

One year ago: The State of Nominations, Part 3

Two years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Cup

Three years ago: Lugia Raid Burnout

Four years ago: Ice Is Nice with Pokémon

Pokémon Go Regional Event Rollup

OK, so Pokémon Go is well-known for all of its events, which I regularly recap or roll up, or even cover specially, as with one year ago today (see below). Lately, though, it has also been known to hold certain events for specific regions of the world, where Trainers in that region can participate in them. Since there have been quite a few of these events and since I roll up or cover global events, I thought it would be as well to roll up the regional events for an added perspective to how Pokémon Go ticks around the world.

In Latin America and the Caribbean (though mostly the former), there is a celebration called the "Day of the Dead" that coincidentally takes place just after Halloween (November 1, next to October 31), and last year, this was celebrated for Trainers in those regions. The celebration took place on November 1 and 2 for them. Some of the featured Pokémon - appearing in the wild and by Incense - were notably Ghost and Dark types, which bridged the Halloween celebration quite nicely. The Cubone family became a particular highlight as well, including in Field Research for its evolved form Marowak (both Kanto and Alolan) also featuring a couple of other Pokémon. The Poffin took on the symbolic role for pan de muerto, a popular treat of this celebration, and it became available in the GBL as well as a box in the Shop. All the elements of the event nicely complemented the heart of the celebration.

Still in Latin America and the Caribbean, there is a celebration called Carnival that is held in the times before Easter, and in a typical year, this tends to be very festive. Due to current conditions, it is much less festive and more restricted, so Pokémon Go stepped in to make things a bit more festive even with the restrictions. For two days on February 18 and 19, Trainers in the region had the opportunity to celebrate with 3-hour Incense and a Shop box featuring them, as well as a host of supporting items, to catch a number of festive Pokémon - among them Jigglypuff, Munna, and even Hitmontop - that appeared more frequently by Incense. They even had the chance for two Raid Hours on both days, one for Kricketot and one for Emolga. Carnival is known for being very celebratory, but with Pokémon Go in the mix, it seemed like it upped the ante, both for now and later on if (when) the real event can be very festive again.

Meanwhile, India has its "Festival of Colors", also known as Holi, and true to its name, its a colorful celebration of the good in life. To celebrate this unique festival, Trainers in the region on March 28 (yesterday) were able to partake in the celebration by being able to catch a number of Pokémon of all colors, attracted to Incense. Complementing this, a Timed Research set was included with very colorful rewards in addition to two Shop boxes, one paid and one free, with supporting items. Further support was given by a Wayfarer challenge to encourage Trainers to approve new PokéStops and consequently affect the celebration. For those not in India, two shirt items became available for all Trainers to show their spirit of the celebration despite not being in the location. But then again, the fame of this celebration around the world deserves at least some recognition, including by way of Pokémon Go.

The myriad of events in Pokémon Go are nothing new for any Trainer. But the events above may be a novelty, especially for those not living in the regions that become the location for the events. The hope is that other Trainers may be able to experience their own regional events as those who experienced the above, if not in lieu of participating in the above by coming directly. That would mean more festivity for them when the time is appropriate and something new for all to discover.

One year ago: Pokémon Go: A Drive to Investigate

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 3/29/2019

Three years ago: Takara Tomy Pokémon MonCollé Friends: Pikachu

Four years ago: Pokémon Mechanical Fan

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 3/28/2021

This month has actually been a busy month for me, leaving me with less time to play Pokémon Go than usual. By the same token, this month has been a moderately busy month for Pokémon Go, with a few exciting events in it. Even with less time to play, I've been able to experience the events of this month, and they're a fascinating blend of things that need to be summarized in this month's rollup, which is a good thing for today. 

This month kicks off the Season of Legends, which is something I've noted early on in the month. It would be wise to have something to build up on the start of that, and that was what the "Searching for Legends" event was for, which took place in the second week of the month after things had settled in. The star of this event was the Nosepass family, who now could be Shiny. Accompanying the species family was a host of Pokémon of the Rock, Ground, and Steel types in all the usual channels, being in the wild, Research, Raids, and Eggs, plus a Timed Research set. It was said that Nosepass (and perhaps its evolved form Probopass as well) can help "sniff out" Legendary Pokémon, and I'll believe that, even if it may not be Shiny, which was my case and for a few others.

After "earthing oneself", so to speak, with the previous event, it was then time to "Charge Up" with Electric-type Pokémon, which became the next event in the third week. It's the first of its kind, in line with similar type events of Psychic Spectacular and Bug Out. Along with a menagerie of Electric-type Pokémon in the usual channels and a Timed Research set, this event also marked the entry of Mega Manectric and the Tynamo species family. A good part of the event, besides being devoted to Electric types, is also devoted to Mega Evolution, with new Field Research tasks could be completed to earn Mega Energy, and thus the Mega Raid Hour becomes an appropriate complement. For a first-time event, it promised great things, which should be even greater the next time around.

As the last event of this month in the last week and a half, there is the "Weather Week". This event celebrates the wonders of weather, with Pokémon that correspond to Rainy weather for the first half of the event, then to the Windy weather for the second half. Accordingly, the Timed Research is paced for the inclusion of tasks oriented to the kinds of Pokémon included during each phase of the event. For those who actually experience Rainy weather, they can expect to encounter Castform in its Rainy form, which can now be Shiny, marking its debut. This event is slated to conclude in a day, also wrapping up this month.

Meanwhile, there were a couple of extra and complementary events. The first was an Incense Day on the last day of "Searching for Legends", featuring both Psychic and Steel types as well as Beldum, which made this resemble a "Community Day adjunct" of sorts. The second was yesterday and today, with a Special Raid Weekend featuring Rayquaza, as the most emblematic Legendary Pokémon of the Windy weather, featuring two of the three types that are boosted in this weather. Both of these provided different challenges and yet also made up for existing ones, whether of this event or others.

Looking at the events, the businesses of the month in Pokémon Go and in particular those events were to explore, expand, and experience, however much time anyone has to devote to doing so. In that way, they do seem to mark a good start to the Season of Legends, which will continue its tribulations soon enough. I'm sure I and the other Trainers will be able to deal with those, particularly in my case as well.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 3/28/2020

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

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

Four years ago: A Pikachu Wall Hanging

Quickies: Finding Pokémon in Trees

For the longest time since everything started happening, I've been unable to find animals in trees, at least those that actually inhabit them most of the time and not those that occasionally go up into them from the ground. That changed recently when I and another person found a squirrel (think Sentret) in a tree close to the place where I live. It is reminiscent of certain ones I've encountered in the past, both near and far. It is also reminiscent of a particular mechanism in an older Pokémon main series game where one can hit certain trees in order to knock down a Pokémon for an encounter and possible capture. The mechanism also affirms that the Pokémon of concern dwell in the trees, as places where one may find them even without knowingly using the mechanism.

The mechanism makes use of the move Headbutt, becoming a "field move" in this regard. There's a certain uniqueness in this usage of the move, which would ordinarily be limited to certain circumstances in battles. One of the Pokémon that could be encountered and then obtained in this regard is Heracross, which confirms its status as a tree dweller, being that it is evidently a bug of the truest kind. The trees are similarly a home for the "bug" that is Pineco, which bears greater resemblance to plant parts than it is to a bug, yet the fact that they are begotten in the same way by knocking them down from a tree affirms that they are very much a part of those trees. Neither are really like the "Sentret" that may be seen occasionally in them, but at least they are identifiable as creatures that are supported by the presence of trees.

By now, the "Sentret" may either still be in the tree or have departed for other trees and/or other food sources, with no guarantee that it is the same one if it were to return, provided that there are or may be others. But it's still nice to know that I can still encounter certain creatures from time to time amongst the trees that are present. It will likely take a bit of time before that happens (and maybe a bit of luck as well) but that will become a sight to behold. Similarly, the old mechanism from an older Pokémon game of the main series is something unto itself with the way that it works, with appropriate species for the occasion. Though I don't hope to encounter a beetle ("Heracross") or a pinecone ("Pineco"), the "Sentret" is at least the primary expectation, whenever that one may reappear.

One year ago: Countermeasures for Pokémon Go

Two years ago: Ingress and Out

Three years ago: Pokémon in Common Terms

Four years ago: Cosplay: CLAS:H/ICGP 2017, Regional Edition