#it shows a cool progression in the personality of this pokémon

[front-facing-pokemon]

[sprinklenoodles]

Read the first chapter, have some thoughts! Some simple ones before I go on a specific tangent and all!

As for my tangent, while reading the first chapter of A Heir's Journey but the more I think of it, Kijo kinda reminds me of Lusamine in an odd way. Not specifically here but I shall elaborate of course!!! The game version of Lusamine is absolutely awful but in the anime, she's much more doting, a bit clingy, but she means well despite her flaws. I'd mention Ultra Sun and Moon Lusamine as well since she's also a variant of her character but also like, I didn't play those so I only know so much about how different she is to her other game counterpart. I know she's kinda an awkward middle ground though due to the changes in who the main antagonist is in those games. But, where Kijo comes along in this is, like Lusamine, there are differing variants of him in your fics which I already mentioned the slight variants of characters being cool and interesting and being a sorta mini analysis of the character by showing different facets of their personalities depending on what au they're in. And like, it doesn't help that I am reading The Pokemon AU fic now and got reminded of Lusamine oddly enough. Like, in this fic, I can already feel the lot nicer side of Kijo showing as apposed to other fics that show his calculative side, his more authority-driven side, even his love life and more controlling side of him. And damn it, I will never not find this cool!!! It shows the multifaceted nature of Kijo and how, in some instances, he could even be shown as a good father.

Like, damn it! I don't even know if this will last in this fic or not cus I dunno all the twists and turns QUITE yet, but damn it. Kijo's just lowkey wholesome here. Like, it was actually sweet reading Byakuya saying that he loved his father, even if it was just to get the damn man off his back so he can be cool and do Pokémon trainer shit! I am definitely interested in Kijo in the near future while slowly reading this fic, how the plot progresses, if I'm proven wrong on some things. Silly stuff like that! I really gotta psyche myself up into drawing him more so I can finally get a definitive design and draw him being both a menace to society, a charming gentleman, and of course goofier doodles cus I will never not shitpost! It's too fun heehehe!! Hope this little ramble made sense and I also will be continuing to read this fic of course!! Hell, even if I say I'm not as big into Pokémon anymore, I got too invested as a kid so I'll at least be somewhat of a sucker for it, even if I'm not playing the games or watching the anime anymore!

AAHHH!! I'm really honoured you're taking so much time to think about my silly fics!!

And I suppose that Kijo is kinda like Lusamine. This Kijo would really just be like animated Lusamine tho!

But glad you like this so much. Kijo and Byakuya do just really have a good relationship here... because I could. Byakuya deserves it!

Also happy I managed to convert you!!! The Byakuya &Chihiro friendship is the best, though there are not there yet here. They gotta develop some first! Same goes for Byakuya and the other person in his group!

And it's not like you need to be a huge fan of pokemon to enjoy it, as long as you know it. Like, it helps to know how moves, evelution and that stuff works because I... can't really explain it a lot without it being weird- the characters know this stuff already after all.

But really happy you enjoy reading it :D

[secretsnowclub]

Finding My Ideal TTRPG

Of the many things I can say of Disco Elysium, the thing that strikes my gamer brain right now is the system. At its simplest, it's 2d6 + Skill. The gear you wear gives skill bonuses. You can have "Thoughts" that also give bonuses.

In my mind, it's perfect. It's all I need. A skill list and some dice. It's how I ran 5e for so long. But a lot of the 5e skills are boring. And it's not possible to just steal the Disco Elysium skill list and use it, because a lot of it is specifically about being a cop and specifically about being the kind of cop that Harry is.

But I think a good place to start would be to ask similar questions. For instance, if I wanted to make a dungeon crawler that was "my perfect ideal of a dungeon crawler," I could ask "what skills would a dungeon crawler possibly need?"

A question like that might get you a few of the same skills in 5e. But I think the question suffers from being not only too broad, but too boring. The question is flawed because as we've seen over the last 30-40 years is that there are a lot of different ways to do a dungeon crawler.

Troika! isn't The Nightmares Underneath isn't Cyberpunk Red isn't blah blah blah.

I think about Venture from Riley Rethal a lot. One of the Paladin's "Strong Moves" is simply "Kill someone." I imagine a skill list with "murder" on it. Such a strong word to use, but it's a choice. And choices are more important to me than trying to hit a common denominator.

A skill like "Pray" would be open enough but also says something about the world. I think in a game like this, your chosen skills would be the answer to choosing a class. There wouldn't be combat rules beyond roll dice + skill to do a thing. What you do with your skills is the important choice. It's roleplaying.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Kinda losing my train of thought. I'm thinking about how "Thoughts" would work as ways to expand your character. Clocks from BitD would work well to emulate the progression of time, and they're a tool I've used in my dungeon crawler games for a while now.

Essentially, whenever a player wants to learn something. Anything. I have them figure out *how* they're going to learn it, and then I make a clock. And whenever they get the time to sit and work on that thing, we fill in a slice of the clock.

It's a very organic way of growing a character beyond a set level progression or needing to gain EXP at all. Clocks can be filled with time or money. "Pay the thief 50g and she'll train you for the day," or whatever.

You'd never run out of Things to make for the game, because you could just work out more Thoughts, deepening your worldbuilding with them, and giving them in-game benefits.

Gear is another thing that I think would be improved. Y'know, a sword could give you +1 Fighting or Murder, but it might also give you +1 Cool, or a bonus to your negotiating skill. What you wear is more important than Armor Class bonuses or whatever. What you wear would increase or decrease skills. It would *say* something about your character.

A few other things I think about in regards to conceptualizing my "perfect rpg":

The way Pokémon games handle a Pokémon's stats. Attack, Defense, Special Attack, and Special Defense. It's nice and simple and if they were included (reworded of course) in a bigger list of skills, it would help to put choices on an equal footing. If choosing between diplomacy and combat were as easy as putting skill points into particular skills, the choice is on you to decide how you interact with the world.

The skill list determines the various ways "Dungeon Crawler Persons" interact with the world, just as the Disco Elysium skill list shows the various ways a cop like Harry might interact with the world. The skills you choose then are you deciding how to interact with that world. They open and close different doors. Put barricades in your way. Remove others.

Anyways, these are just my rambles right now. I've been thinking about this shit for a while. I've probably tweeted about it before too. It's something I've tried to incorporate into .dungeon//remastered and it's what I plan on incorporating into whatever is next.

Thanks for reading.

[stardewsnail]

Sam SFW Alphabet

SFW Alphabet requests CLOSED

Bold  = complete

Italicized = available

crossed out = in progress

Remaining: none!

Snail’s directory

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Sam is so affectionate like who says the homies can’t hold hands or cuddle? Literal golden retriever boy, shows affection by laying all over his friends and loved ones. He also will pick up any cool rocks or shells he finds to bring them to his partner. Always brings wildflowers rather than a purchased bouquet. 

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Sam decides he’s friends with someone and then you’re friends. He is the extrovert adopter of introverts. He collects them like Pokémon.  He’s the kinda guy who’s easy going and can talk to anyone. He makes a deeply loyal friend and is always on deck when you need cheering up.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Sam is super into cuddling but he’s a little wiggly and a little chatty. He’s got a lot of energy that makes him unable to sit still for lots of cuddling. (Unless you like to be bounced as he shakes his leg lol). But his favorite thing is to cuddle while he plays video games and you do your own activity.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Sam does want to settle down eventually, but he is a little hesitant at doing it too soon. That’s more on the commitment side of domesticity—this boy can cook and clean but his success can be inconsistent. He’s easily distracted and tends to try and do too many things at once.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

He wants to just rip the bandaid off and get it over with as fast as possible. He’s gonna be upset even if it’s mutual or it’s what he wants. Unless it was really gnarly he’d want to remain friends after because he’s got abandonment issues and a deep seated fear of being left and unloved.  

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Does Sam want to get married and be a dad and have a family? Absolutely. But he has a hard time conceptualizing the future (I hc him as having adhd and my credentials are that I too have adhd) so it always seems like something that’ll happen in the distant future until literally he’s being handed a mermaid pendant and tripping over his words in absolute joy to accept. 

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

So gentle emotionally but a little rough physically. Not mean, just a really physical kinda person who likes to pick his partner up or flop on them or jokingly wrestle.  

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

King of hugs. Not only is he a hugger but Sam gives the best hugs, I’m talking both arms and squeeeeeeze. He sways side to side too and might give you a lil shake for extra affection. 

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?

Sam actually holds off for a while due to his parents. He’s heard his mom say more than once she wishes that she’d have waited to have kids—that she’d really thought about what it would mean to be a soldier’s wife. Even though his stakes are lower, he still hesitates because marriage wasn’t a super duper positive thing growing up. 

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

He’s pretty easy going, but he does get jealous. Usually he’ll go to Sebastian or Shane for advice (very different kinds of advice lmao). He’s been the man of the house on and off for his whole life and all that parentification made it hard for him to address or prioritize his feelings. He might get a little snappy and then feel bad after. 

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Sam’s kisses are like sunshine—he’s very sweet and affectionate. He loves to hold his partner and kiss them all over their face rapid fire. 

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Sam is an expert, five star older brother. Shane and Marnie both trust him to watch Jas. He’s so good with kids in part because he treats them like people and is good at communicating on their level. The king of convincing a kid something was their idea to get them to behave. 

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

He loves to sleep in but once he’s awake he is AWAKE.  Sometimes he can be a little overwhelming if you’re not a morning person but he’s good at keeping himself busy so he doesn’t disturb a less chipper partner until they’re ready to be coherent. 

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)He’s a cuddler but he’s also a furnace. When he falls asleep it’s like he just turns into a space heater and is radiating. He also sleeps all over the place and moves around quite a bit. Loves to spend some time sitting in bed before sleeping to talk.

O = Open  (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say  everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Sam says things as they occur to him, which means one second he’s info dumping about the history of skateboarding, and the next he’s dropping his tragic backstory. It comes in bits and pieces, but there’s not a deliberate withholding. 

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Sam is laid back and good with kids, he’s super patient. It’s rare he gets actually angry but he will get frustrated. When that happens he gets snappy and sarcastic. He’s not outright mean, but it’s not pleasant to be around. He’s the kind of person that if you call him on it he does stop immediately. 

Q = Quizzes  (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little  detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

The things that Sam remembers are often hit or miss–-his partner’s favorite food? Yeah. Their allergies? Totally? Their birthday? Well, he’s probably at least got the month right. He remembers his partner’s habits–the things that he sees everyday. He’s really observant and puts that to good use in a relationship.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

It’s the time his partner let him teach them to skateboard.This isn’t a one time only event, but there was a specific time where his partner skated from Pierre’s to his house all by themselves (with him within arm’s reach should something go awry). They looked so proud of themselves and they were so excited to be involved in his hobby. They absolutely ate shit not a minute later but Sam caught them! No injuries were had, they celebrated with ice cream.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Sam’s a lover, not a fighter. He’s very protective of his partner and his feelings, so most of his protection is emotional. He’s so loyal that it’s impossible not to feel secure in a relationship with him. He doesn’t think he needs protection, but his partner absolutely will go for the throat of anyone who wants to take away some of Sam’s sunshine. This is also a role Sebastian, Abigail, and Shane had taken on. (I hc that Shane and Sebastian are work besties who end up hanging out at the saloon whenever they’re both there. 

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Sam tries really hard but dates and time and planning are all very hard for him to manage. He’s much better with everyday tasks and gifts. I said it before and I’ll say it again: this man brings you cool rocks.  

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

He’s perpetually late and kind of really messy same. 

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Nobody who doesn’t care about their appearance has hair that so completely defies gravity. Half of being a rockstar is having a lewk—Sam takes this very seriously both on and off the stage. It’s more about having a vibe than looking “good” exactly. 

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Look, Sam is fine he’s a whole person on his own yeah, yeah yeah. But he is NOT going to be brave about it. 

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

He’s always missing something. Like at all times something is lost and he is looking for it. He’ll usually find it but it’s like every couple of days—CDs, keys, his phone, his headphones, Sebastian (He and Abigail left him at the mall once on accident) 

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

He doesn’t like people who make disliking children a personality trait—or disliking anything as a personality trait honestly. Liking things is cool! Cringe is dead! He’s ecstatic to find someone into the same weird indie band he likes! Enjoy things! Humans are cool! 

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

Sam has exactly two modes: awake and asleep. When he’s sleeping he is gone, out for the count, unwakeable. When he is awake he is going, he is moving, he is grooving. There is no in between

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 24/06/2023

Battle! The Trainer Inside Your Head!

Season 2 Featured on: Rips of Christmas Past (Exclusive!)

Ripped by Nape Mango

Boy doesn't that look a bit different? Yep, we're doing an album-exclusive track this time, meaning there's no YouTube link to embed to. That might also mean that this is a rip that has flown under the radar for a lot of you!

I've already talked about just how cool I think Nape Mango is as a contributor in a prior post, and I believe it was this rip in particular that solidified that for me. He doesn't show up much, most often being part of collabs or helping out other projects, but almost all of his solo rips have this aura of being perfectly thought through - either something that was blindingly obvious before, or something that FEELS blindingly obvious after having heard the rip.

Though I might be biased having grown up with Pokémon Gen 5 in particular, that kind of retrospective obviousness hits hard as ever with this track. It adapts one of the game's most triumphant battle themes, the battle theme for the Pokémon World Tournament grand finals, into close to a dozen jokes all pertaining specifically to SiIva's own lore. With the album this rip debuted in releasing at the very end of Season 2, after several episodes of the Christmas Comeback Crisis storyline had gotten me woefully invested in it? This rip felt like an unofficial anthem for the channel, hidden only to those turbo-nerds like myself who listen to these albums in their entirety. There's something about how the rip escalates that's always struck a sort of poetic chord with me, as if its a musical retelling of the actual story so far in the CCC. Beginning with the simple Flintstones riff as an intro, leading into a building melody of Kirby: Planet Robobot Music setting up the actual scene of the CCC alongside the repeating Nutshack progression - remember, dear readers, The Nutshack was in a way intrinsically tied to the original Season 1 channel ending. Transitioning from that theme, one almost coded in a sort of doom in the context of the channel, into Snow Halation - a theme of hope and prosperity, it really feels like a narrative is being told with this rip!

I'm almost certainly looking too much into this rip, but its context and release paired with its Nape Mango seal of quality did really do something for me. Its become my personal anthem for the Christmas Comeback Crisis, and I've genuinely thought about storyboarding some sort of CCC music video using it as backing several times. Lets hope more of the Youtube-only audience get to hear it soon.

[wallflower-koharu]

Hello again! Today let’s ponder this: do you have any ships you like? If so, talk about them! Why do they spark joy? If not totally cool, shipping isn’t for everyone! Alternate/bonus question- what’s your favorite friendship in Pokémon? I personally love Ash and Pikachu’s friendship, but also the main character and your partner in mystery dungeon games! Or, bonus question, two characters who have the funniest mutual hatred. 

Hi :)

I wrote a small essay here https://www.tumblr.com/wallflower-koharu/705062752722485248/my-ship-tier-list?source=share

But I like other ships too, like Pallet and Negai and Tokigou

What about my favorite friendships? The anime puts more attention to friendships than romance (like it should) so there are a lot of them:

-The Alola gang, they were so tight! I loved them.

-The Paldea gang (in the games)

-Iris and Cilan

-Goh and Iris

-May with Misty and Dawn

-Dawn with every companion

-Brock with Misty and Ash, Also Brock with every companion

-Ash and Ritchie

And a lot more...

And those are the missed friendship opportunities:

-Misty and Iris

-Chloe and Iris (Do you know that Iris'VA wished for them to meet but got ignored?)

-Chloe and Lillie (they have a lot in common, so why not? Why is Chloe supposed to interact only with eevee owners?)

-Goh and Penny and Chloe

-Nemona and Ash

-Goh and Arven

-The Galar rivals with the Journeys trio

-Gary and Horace (they were in the same missions, but never really interacted)

-Goh and Chloe (don't hate me, I like their friendship, but I feel like fans wrote better than the show writers, it's a really wasted potential.)

-Ash and Chloe (they didn't interact much, and the writers made him disinterested in her progress in jn105 for no reason)

[psyoniks]

Fankids rant

When the brain hyperfixes on your own characters

This is just a bunch of stuff thrown together about my fankids.

None of this is going to be organized.

----

(I just realized the photos might be out of order so for reference Casy is the one with black hair and Cain is the one with blonde)

My fankids are Casy(pronounced cai-see[Casey] instead of cas-sie because cannon hates me), Garcia and Cain Carter.

In the beta timeline, Cain is Casy's gurdian as his older cousin and vice verse in the alpha timeline.

They're both half-mexican, i don't know why they have different last names.

Casy Garcia 13(at the start of sburb), 16(current) He/they Unlabeled 5'1

Here's an old-ish intro:

ENTER NAME

Your name is CASEY. But for the sake of cannon you begrudgingly also accept CASY. Screw the e. Is it now CAS-E or CA-SY? This is an incredible miniscule and dumb thing to be thinking about but it still bothers you anyways. For clarification it's pronounced CAES-E. Long A sound. CAY-SEE. That's not a long a sound is it?

It is nowhere NEAR your BIRTHDAY, nor do you really CARE. It's too far away to even being thinking about.

There's nothing particularly interesting going on in this moment. Then again you are completely FINE with nothing interesting happening. You like doing absolutely JACK SHIT and wasting your time doing NOTHING. It's practically the same thing.

Your interests include a variety of POCKET-MONSTER FRANCHISES such as POKÉMON, BAKUGAN and DIGIMON. If someone mentions how much better DIGIMON is than POKÉMON then you are promptly, going lose your mind. It's simply NOT TRUE.

Of course you have more INTERESTS than just those things. You aren't a complete LOSER. Yeah you're not fooling yourself either. You spend ample amount of time DRAWING, even if you claim that you're not very good at it. It's a work in progress. You also like SLEEPING. Who the hell doesn't. This is how much of a LOSER that you are. You don't even have enough interests to make this interesting.

You have an APPRECIATION for most things in the EARLY 2010's. INCLUDING but not limited to, WEB-COMICS, CREEPYPASTAS and other things you can't be bothered to recall. WARRIOR CATS is also one of them and you SHAMELESSLY will not admit that you may or may not ROLEPLAY as said WARRIOR CATS. You warily kick back your metaphorical drawings of you ocs under your metaphorical bed. No one needed to know this.

Just recently you've ASENDED the peak of being a LOSER and got yourself interested in the HORRORS any sane person calls D&D. Do you understand any of it? Hell no but it's cool as hell. This is why you have no irl friends.

You have a INCREDIBLY ANNOYING HABBIT that's called PROCRASTINATION. There's many ways you could get around this issue, but you don't really feel like it. Ironic.

What will you probably not do?

---

Your pesterchum handle is [AA] apprehensiveAnomaly and you type with all lower case, making sure to end each sentence with a period for punctuality. You have no idea if you used that word right, but it sounds cool so you don't bother to fix it.

Your STRIFE SPECUIBUS is Yo-yo kind, showing off the one sick yo-yo move you know how to do. Most of the time you just end up with a tangled up yo-yo though.

--

Casy dreams on Derse and is a Mage of Mind.

TrollAu: He's a gold blood with a more neon purple and yellow for his color scheme. Only his psyonics works in one of his eyes, the left one which is purple. The other is just yellow.

---

Okay that's enough about him now onto Cain.

Cain Carter 16(current) He/him Gay 5'6

I don't have a lot for him yet but I have a half finished intro:

You speak often with 80s SLANG. Why? Because it's RADICAL. Much to the dismay of EVERYONE AROUND YOU.

You enjoy PLAYING BASKETBALL as a choice of SPORT. But RECENTLY, you've been unable to play due to AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT of you THROWING your BALL at a WINDOW in ANGER. Causing the WINDOW to shatter and your BALL deflate in DEFEAT.

You also have a SECRECT HOBBY, not even your closest friends know about. You SECRECTLY enjoy playing D&D. But you wouldn't tell anyone that. You don't want to be seen as a NERD. Imagine that.

Your PESTERCHUM HANDLE IS [AA]abstractedAdversary. Thank goodness none of your friends have the same abrievation otherwise that would get confusing fast.

Your STRIFE SPESIBUS is BatKind. Even though...you don't play baseball? Where did this come from? Must've belonged to your OLDER COUSIN. Oh well, now it's yours.

--- Cain dreams on Prospit(is that even allowed? Can like the ectobio relatives dream on different moons? Idfk) and is a Heir of Heart

If he was a troll he'd be a Bronze blood hiding as a Fushia. I don't know how but he'd figure it out how to pull it off. Why would he try and disguise himself as a troll where's there only one living at a time? No idea, it's Cain.

---

um i think thats mostly everything so heres so random pesterlogs

[proudpokemonmama]

Kelly's PokéBand

All the pokémon that Kelly has chosen specifically for her band and which are not very interested or aren't active often in battles, preferring to show off their skills in music at their trainer's concerts.

Ashley, the [Low key form] Toxtricity on bass

Ashley will not relinquish her position as the band's bassist for nothing, very different from the former bassist who only let himself be bribed for a pittance;

Kelly doesn't need her empathic powers to win Ashley over and get her excited to play, the sincere love for music that the pokémon trainer demonstrates is more than enough;

Both she and Amber love sharing moments with Kelly, especially when music is involved like Kelly just as chilling with all the pokémon in the ranch while playing guitar melodies along with Ashley.

Alecia, the [Shiny] Greninja on drums

So Galar has a gorilla drummer huh? Okay, cool…

But not as cool as a ninja frog who can give a Rillaboom a run for his berries if we're talking drumming skills.

Oh come on! Make way for the one and only amazing Alecia! She learned from the best drummer since said pokémon was still a frokie!

Alecia proved it by humiliating the Galar's UNBEATABLE Grand Champion's rillabom in a drum skills competition!

(Dude, Alecia can play classical music on the drums easily, obviously every rillaboom doesn't stand a chance against this ninja frog pokémon's drumming skills);

And when Kelly managed to make her career as a singer and pop idol take off, Alecia even received the position of drummer in her trainer's band with flying colors! Don't @ her!

Amber, the [Amped form] Toxtricity on guitar

Pfft! Amber and Kelly are the wild duo in the band and lovers of various rock genres;

Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Indie Rock, Glam Rock, Punk Rock, Grunge, Progressive Rock, Country Rock, you name it.

But Metal is a favourite, especially when Kelly wants to vent her frustrations and does special Heavy Metal versions of other songs of hers and Amber just goes wild;

Amber, like Ashley, loves her guitarist position and she won't give it up for anything, at least not without putting a good fight to defend her position.

Lucy, the Inkay on DJing and synthesis

The sweetheart and cutie of the band and fans!

Lucy is the sweet little bean and the entire Kelly's fanbase loves the little pokémon and gushes over how cute she is having fun while she's the DJ band at concerts;

Kelly once invited Piers to feature on an album of the Metal version of her songs and some new ones and he cried and fainted not unable to handle Lucy's cuteness when he saw her DJing all happy and helping Kelly record a Metal version of one of the pop idol's greatest hits;

Well, Kelly's Charlie the Rotom still being quite mischievous had recorded and shared the moment thhat become a meme;

And Piers has no regrets gushing about Lucy's cuteness so don't @ him;

(This spawned another meme);

Pretty much all of Galar (and the rest of Kelly's fanbase around the world) couldn't handle her cuteness either so everyone was even.

Juan, the Inteleon on piano and keyboard

Pfft! Excuse me? Did anyone really think they could be the band's pianist besides Juan himself? Nah, dream about it!

Juan is just like Alecia, he was personally taught by Kelly who has innate skills both in singing and playing practically any instrument;

(Bruh, Juan made the most talented pianist in Galar cry and get emotional with the pokémon playing his own interpretation of a collection of classic operas);

Juan's hands are solely for art and play the piano that he so reveres as a symbol of overcoming his unhappy past and a mark of unconditional love from his trainer who made him what he is today;

Well, unless there are other male Pokémon flirting and courting his mate, Alecia... Then he's going choice violence;

(And yes, he is glaring menacingly at Leon's rillaboom).

Marisol, the Primarina on vocals

Marisol would obviously be a vocalist with Kelly and as a pokémon known as a soloist she knows what she's doing;

Obviously many of Kelly's fans freaked out about Marisol being able to speak like a human, but Kelly's fanbase soon fell in love with how amazing duo these two form on vocals and their performances;

When this duo hits the high notes? The audience goes crazy!

Marisol loves singing with Kelly and having fun with the rest of the band, whether it's just casually or during rehearsals and shows she can't describe how happy she is.

[shinneth]

hello~!! didja see the journeys ep with paul yet? what did you think of it? 👀

Oh, I sure did! Less than 24 hours after it came out, no less. Which is saying something, since I've not watched any of the Pokémon anime since XY (more had to do with getting rid of cable + general burnout; not to knock on XYZ, but Best Wishes hurt me).

Thoughts on it? Well, a little on the mixed side. Least I can do is go over it in more detail. Without watching Journeys at all outside this episode, I've got the overall gist well enough. So, guess it's time to pick this apart.

Cramming 2-3 plots in one episode was a misstep imo

I heard the last time Ash's reserve group at Oak's lab was featured in Journeys, it did a less-than-stellar job showing them off. Apparently, a good chunk of them weren't even seen in that episode, let alone had a role in it. This episode rectified that and made sure every single one of Ash's currently-owned Pokémon was at the very least visible, as even the ones who only got background/still-shot moments at least got to display an element of their personality. That much I greatly appreciate. Guess it's inevitable that pulling this off well will only become increasingly difficult as the series presses on with Ash as a protagonist, so at the very least I can respect this episode for going out of its way to make the vast majority of these Pokémon relevant in one way or another.

Especially since the Fire-type brigade had a special purpose in helping Ash's Gengar learn Will-o-Wisp. And as someone who values the strategic aspect of Pokémon battling, I'm super happy it was this move that Gengar learned and not something like Fire Punch. I enjoyed seeing this being shown in such detail! It really did feel like stepping back to the older seasons that actually put effort into showing off the importance of training.

However, as I watched the episode, I noticed how much time was being invested in these two plot points and remembered this is supposed to be the episode where Paul returns after a 12-year absence...

And from what I understand, Paul ain't gettin' any more appearances after this. This is it! This is all we get after a decade-plus of nothing!

So, in all honesty, I think at the very least the plot of Ash reuniting with all his Pokémon, Goh properly getting acquainted with them all, and the training for the Masters 8 should have been its own episode. Because I do believe it's very important to honor history and give everybody their due diligence when the anime gives them time to actually show up and matter.

Now, with Gengar learning Will-o-Wisp? That meshes in well with Paul showing up. I'd keep that. But the abundance of nostalgic fluff (that I love, but I gotta tell it like it is) really made this episode feel more than a little truncated in the areas that should have mattered most.

It was a competently written comeback for Paul...

On a superficial note, I am a little bummed that Paul didn't get any tweaks in his design (such as colored irises, which Ash was granted from Best Wishes onward; before then, his eyes were just as dotted and black as Paul's). I certainly didn't expect him to get a new outfit or anything since they didn't give Dawn that much (... from what I recall they DID give that to Serena, buuuut Serena's from the era of customizable PCs so I guess that makes a little more sense? Didn't play Gen IV's remakes, so idk if they offered that in those), but it would've been cool.

Then again, I HAVE heard about the interview in which the logic for never ever letting Ash age for the sake of keeping some "feeling like the first day of summer every day" sentiment... much as I roll my eyes at that, I've pretty much given up on the progression of time EVER being feasible in this series. Up through DP, I could at least pretend Ash was aging a year per major region (minor quests like Orange League and the Battle Frontier didn't warrant full-year lengths to me). At this point, given the design and how many generations we're in now, there's really no other choice than to accept this is basically Anime Simpsons time-wise.

Paul having his own Gyarados, Garchomp, and Metagross was completely believable, of course. He's been doing this Pokémon training thing just as long as Ash has, and there was zero indication that he would have stopped after Ash beat him. Unlike Gary, Paul didn't decide on a career change. He was set on challenging Brandon again (more on that later...). So, yeah. It would be perfectly logical for Paul to have about as many reserves as Ash. Reggie's got a big-ass backyard for that, after all. And all three of these Pokemon are ones I'd totally see have Paul having on his own journey.

Would've liked a longer battle, ngl

I'm not sour that Paul lost to Ash again here. Ash losing to Paul at this stage probably would have damaged his cred significantly (considering what all he's accomplished from XYZ and Sun/Moon) - this is right before the Masters 8 stuff starting up, after all.

But I think I would have at least preferred a tie.

Then again, with a certain other plot element I'll get to in a bit, I suppose that might have weakened that message a tad. Really, though, I would've liked a longer battle. I'm just used to Ash/Paul battles being lengthy affairs, full of twists and turns and crazy-ass strategies being utilized. Like, in all fairness, all 3 of Ash's Pokémon gained significant abilities from this battle alone (Lucario got Bullet Punch, Dragonite got a crazy-ass combo move, and Gengar got Will-o-Wisp). I am bummed we didn't get a resurgence of Counter Shield - THAT would've been cool to see make a comeback! And it's one of Ash's few legitimately clever tactics. Though I guess that technique was more of a Dawn-related thing, ultimately. Still, didn't stop Paul from copying it in the Sinnoh League :P I wanna say Dragonite's made-up technique may have been some kind of loose reference/spiritual successor, but in practice it looks like they serve completely different purposes.

Thanks to so much time being eaten up with Ash's Pokémon reunion, there sadly wasn't much left for there to be an epic fight. What little we got was good enough, and it was very nicely animated.

The real appeal in Paul and Ash's rivalry, though, was in how Paul actually made Ash question himself and his methods/motivations. Paul on the outside came off as someone who should have no business being as good as he is because he isn't all about the "love and friendship" aspect of Pokémon. Naturally we're past that development for both of them, but this extended into their battling as well. Their first full battle was loaded with multiple switch-outs on both ends, Ash being forced to wonder what Paul had planned when something didn't immediately make sense to him, and it was just a glorious display of battling psychology.

I guess switch-outs being forbidden from the off in this battle played a role in how this could have been just a little bit more in-depth. And it'd be foolhardy to just expect this battle to be right up there with both of the full battles that happened in DP. The characters are both in very different places now compared to then.

Still, I couldn't help but roll my eyes a little when Paul actually wondered "Oh shit, is Burn really affecting my Metagross' strength?! The thing that the Burn status effect has always been?!"

ofcoursehefuckingknowshehasafuckingmagmortarwithflamebodyandREALLYfuckedpikachu'sshitwiththeburnstatussowhytheeverlivingfuckisheevenwonderingaboutthistohimselfgoddammit

... a GYM LEADER you say

So. I'm of two minds about this.

It's REALLY COOL the series itself is acknowledging that Paul is far too talented to just be an aimlessly-wandering nobody trainer and gave him something that'll elevate his status and reflect just how his presence positively affected the series.

Bonus points if (and this is SUPER-DELUSIONAL OPTIMISM btw) Paul actually became a Gym Leader for the next series AND was adopted into the game canon by actually being a Gym Leader in the Scarlet/Violet games.

On the other hand...

COME ON, HE IS AT LEAST A FRONTIER BRAIN CANDIDATE

YEAH FUCKING REMEMBER THAT? LAST THING WE KNOW PAUL DID POST-LEAGUE WAS GO OFF TO CHALLENGE BRANDON AGAIN.

WHEN ASH BEAT BRANDON, HE WAS OFFERED A POSITION TO BE A FRONTIER BRAIN.

SO EITHER

PAUL BEAT BRANDON BUT TURNED DOWN THE OFFER BECAUSE WHY BE A FRONTIER BRAIN WHEN YOU COULD BE A GYM LEADER AND IT'S NOT LIKE THE ANIME ESTABLISHED FRONTIER BRAINS > GYM LEADERS OR ANYTHING OH WAIT YES IT HAS

"It’s a group of facilities, somewhat like a Gym, but more intense where you challenge and battle against an amazing group of powerful trainers called Frontier Brains." -Brock

OR

PAUL JUST NEVER DEFEATED BRANDON I GUESS

(also lowkey I really really really would've loved for Paul to meet Cynthia again...)

His behavior in the battle this episode DID have him more in, say, a "gym leader's" mindset, I would say. I'd go as far to argue that Paul wasn't really putting his all into any of those matches with Ash. He really seemed interested in drawing out new powers from his opponent. The few times where he shows something of a reaction during the battles, it's when one of the three new powers/techniques started showing that aura-like flare.

I'm certainly not saying Paul wouldn't make for a good Gym Leader. Given the subtle showings of his growth in the episode, such as Infernape actually following Paul's suggestion; something he wouldn't have done in DP regardless of Paul's prior ownership of him... also, him telling Electivire to play and all that, yeah. That's indicative that he's not as excessively rigid as he was before. Paul has the maturity and discipline to be an excellent Gym Leader; certainly 8th Gym Leader material for sure.

My thing is... this is very much beneath him. If the episode had more time, maybe we would have gotten Paul saying that in his pursuit of gaining power, he realized that wasn't ever going to stop someone out there being more powerful than him no matter what he did.

We could have gotten something like, Paul admitting that his fascination with seeing power really felt the most rewarding when his influence drew power out from his opponents.

Looking at the facts, almost every time Paul and Ash battled in DP, Ash would either get one of his Pokémon evolved or they'd learn a significant new move or ability (or technique). Paul is really good at making Ash dig deep and bring out the best in all of his Pokémon.

It stands to reason that Paul's passion might lie in bringing out the true potential of other trainers; it gives him a better battle to have that improves his own team while simultaneously benefiting his opponent.

With a specific sort of focus like this, added with the fact that Paul has zero type preferences of any sort (all we know is that he really likes powerful 'mons who are as good at tanking hits as they are at dishing them out), that really screams "Frontier Brain" more so than "Gym Leader".

In all fairness, it's never outright said whether or not Paul accepted the offer to become Gym Leader. Which can let me headcanon that while he went to Professor Oak to educate himself, it wasn't necessarily to become Gym Leader. Paul's realizing that he can't rely entirely on self-taught methods to ascend in this way of life. Whatever he becomes in the future, Paul's clearly taking the steps necessary to reach the level he seeks to be.

So while I wasn't really thrilled about Paul being used as the "measuring stick" for Ash's chances against anyone in the Masters 8, at least there's an implication that Paul isn't exactly spinning his wheels, either. Much as I'd love to have him be part of the Masters 8 (no guesses on who I'd have him replacing in that), clearly the powers-that-be did not have that intention from the onset.

Hell, one can argue that Paul becoming Gym Leader is just his stepping stone to reach greater heights. After all, it's not uncommon for Gym Leaders to later challenge, on on rare occasions, defeat and replace members of the Elite Four.

So there's an ounce of hope here. Of course, I don't expect we'll ever actually see Paul in the anime again. Maybe 24 years from now. I'll be lucky to be alive by then!

Paul plz

gawd you're still so tsundere af

BITCH YOU HAVE BEEN IN NO LESS THAN FOUR POKEWORLD EQUIVALENTS OF THE SUPER BOWL

SHUT YO' ASS UP

I'd post more pics/gifs but I ran my limit now

So uh... yeah! Those are my thoughts on the episode. In a vacuum, it's great, had lots of nostalgic potential and at the very least they didn't completely ruin Paul like they EASILY could have. Kudos on the writers for making him show his maturity through his subtle cues rather than making him overtly friendly like the rest of Ash's recurring posse.

I really do enjoy more strategic elements being employed in the battle and the episode overall. I feel like Gengar's Will-O-Wisp especially will be a game-changer for Ash's chances in the Masters 8.

However, I would've really appreciated having more time, maybe not compact this episode with three major events, y'know? I'm sure there's a filler somewhere in Journeys that could've been trimmed out to facilitate this.

Also not thrilled about the prospect of Paul becoming a Gym Leader as it's very much beneath him (unless this is some clever-ass tie in to the games and god is that ever wishful thinking or his stepping stone to reach the top), but I do like that I can infer that Paul's at least found a reason to battle for his own sake now.

Yeah. Remember when Brandon asked Paul why he battles? We never got an answer to that, ever.

So this might be the closest we get: not a Gym Leader aspiration, but a necessary step in Paul's mission to bring power out in others to improve his own style.

Could use some work, but considering I'm almost certain this is all of Paul we're gonna get from here on out, I'm just gonna treasure and headcanon the hell out of it.

[wehatechairmanrose]

thoughts on how rose was written in swsh?/gen i mean obvs you hate him (fair, honestly) but like personally i think he had a lot of potential to be more interesting but they just...didnt.

Gonna go on a bit of a tangent bare with me here

SAME I was thinking with how much of the region is under his control (coal, electricity, the tournament, etc) that he would just shut one of ‘em down and deprive the people of natural resources or something cool like that, he could’ve actually been a threat!!! The way they have done him dirty is inexcusable and disappointing to say the VERY least. Ya know Oleana felt more threatening than him, goes to show how much they fucked up his character. Ah yes saving the region by destroying it what a great plan…what did he think was gonna happen by invoking an ancient evil and arousing it from its slumber? That it was just gonna be okay being used as a battery for a whole region of people?!?!!? The reason he wanted Sonia to research the darkest day was to know more about Eternatus and how to harness its energy, yet obviously did not pay any attention whatsoever to the fact that ETERNATUS CAUSED IT. Now my dear audience, you may be wondering to yourself, “ Well maybe he DID pay attention but thought that either he or Leon could tame it” well I get that both Rose and Leon have respective track records for being chairman/champion, but no matter how great they both may be (or think themselves to be) Eternatus is:

A Legendary Pokemon capable of mass destruction

In order to sustain itself, its job is to LITERALLY SUCK THE ENERGY FROM GALAR

Ah yes, totally solving my region’s energy crisis by awakening a legendary beast who absorbs my region’s energy to make energy for it instead! ROSE YOU TWAT! And because he messed with it, Eternatus then proceeded to turn into a gigantic hand and absorbed ALL OF GALAR’S ENERGY. Rose you are an absolute CLOWN I know he probably doesn’t know where the legendary dogs are or how to awaken them BUT I BET HE CAN FIND OUT IF HE FOUND ETERNATUS thaaaaaaat’s all I’m saying he could’ve been better or at least tolerable…..do not get me started on Bede or Peony…

-Sincerely, your friendly neighborhood Z

Personally, on the more technical side, the devs themselves failed this character. I know its obvious but I think it should be said. I think the idea of Chairman Rose is brilliant (and from the very sparse knowledge I have of Pokémon) and very unique villain idea. And what the game devs did was throw all that potential out the window and then churned it into a meat grinder, getting this misshapen vaguely smelling similar chicken nugget of what it could’ve been. The whole game was a disgrace to the Pokémon name with very few mediocre redeeming qualities. And the biggest failure was their villain. The main strive of the game, a major plot point of progression and overall lore. A big stain he is. A big stain this whole game is.

- A very tired and disappointed Lanal 

[ballonleaparadise]

What is Chloe’s real role in the Pokémon Anime?

Chloe (Koharu) is by far my favourite character in pokémon journeys, due to her level of development. I was discussing Chloe's characterisation on discord with @mala-sadas​. Throughout the past two seasons, we have seen Chloe's bond with pokémon deepen. One thing that I hope the series will explore more, is what her role is as a friend to Ash and Goh.

Chloe as a Major Character

Despite the fact that Chloe is a major character, there have been many instances where she is not involved in the main plot. It is important to take into account that the structure of the anime is episodic, so the episodes are designed to be distinctive from one another. However, there is still progression between the episodes, and an end goal for both Ash and Goh. For Ash, it is defeating Leon, while for Goh it is catching one of every type of pokémon. An example of how Chloe has little involvement in this, is how she does not appear in the episodes of the Darkest Day. During these episodes, there is significant development for the dual protagonists (Ash and Goh) and side characters such as Sonia. Chloe is also not shown during the most significant plot markers, such as when Ash and Goh meet Leon, and during Ash's first match with Bea. I think this was partly done intentionally, to show Chloe's reluctance to go on a journey with Ash and Goh. However, the number of episodes where she is not involved in the story, makes me question what purpose she serves as a major character.

We have been given deep insight into Chloe's personality, to an extent. She is presented as a person who tries to stay true to herself, while feeling unsure about what she wants. We see her living in the shadow of a successful professor (Cerise), who is labelled as being a "Genius since he was young". On the other end of the spectrum, we see Chloe as a foil to Ash and Goh, who have completely different lifestyles as trainers. At the start of Pokémon Journeys, she is disinterested in pokémon. However, after joining Ash and Goh in some of their adventures, she becomes more fond of pokémon. Chloe seems almost stuck between the pedestal which her dad is placed on, and the pressure to be like trainers such as Ash and Goh. This is why she is such a cool character to me.

The problem with Chloe's characterisation The main issue with Chloe's character for me, as mentioned earlier, is her lack of significance to the main plot. Of course, Chloe is not a protagonist, so she will not be the main focus of the series. On the other hand, Chloe is the only other major character besides the dual protagonists (Ash and Goh). This arguably creates a strange dynamic, where Chloe just tags along with Ash and Goh when it is convenient. If all three characters were given the same amount of focus, this would maybe create a more balanced dynamic. Speaking of having a trio of characters, I do miss the old format of the anime, where Ash would have two or three travelling companions. The main reason why I loved the anime as a kid (as a girl), was due to strong female characters such as Dawn and Iris, who had a significant part in the story.

Summary More development has been teased for Chloe in the upcoming episodes of Pokémon Master Journeys, which I'm looking forward to. It would be great to see her bond more closely with pokémon, particularly her Eevee. The trailer for upcoming episodes also shows Chloe entering what seems to be a pokémon contest. (Many pokegirls are presented as pink, very overtly feminine, and into pokémon contests, but that's a topic for another essay). To conclude, Chloe is definitely one of my favourite characters in Pokémon Journeys. This analysis not intended by any means to bash the anime, I think the series overall is really entertaining and nostalgic to watch. I hope that Chloe’s role as a major character will become more intertwined with Ash and Goh's story, as the series goes on.

[goldensimisage]

TEN LAYERS OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

>>>  COPY N PASTE TO REPOST,  DO NOT REBLOG MINE, with the information of your muse,  including headcanons.

LAYER ONE : THE OUTSIDE

Name: Gold

Eye Color:  Amber

Hair Style/Color: Long, near-waist length green hair kept smooth and tangle-free by almost daily showers. He likes having it flow in the wind.

Height: 4′

Clothing Style: Loose fitting robes, worn more as a fashion statement to try and look cool than out of necessity.

Best Physical Feature: The tail. While he’s got plenty of natural simian strength in his arms and legs, having an extra fully prehensile limb is kind of hard to beat.

LAYER TWO : THE INSIDE

Fears: Bugs, losing his livelihood, threats to his daughter’s safety

Guilty Pleasures: Top shelf vodka.

Biggest Pet Peeve: People being assholes to kids.

Ambition for the Future: To be well off enough for a comfortable life. Not to be rich, just to have enough to send Suzy to a good school and live quietly in a decent sized house.

LAYER THREE : THOUGHTS

Your First Thoughts Waking Up: “Time to get breakfast ready.”

What You Think About the Most: “Keeping Suzy on the straight and narrow. Make sure she’s better than I was when I was young.”

What You Think About Before Bed: “A three ‘mon team really isn’t enough for that place anymore...”

You Think Your Best Quality Is: “Bold of you to assume I have good qualities.”

LAYER FOUR : WHAT’S BETTER?

Single or Group Dates:  Dates are supposed to be a good time, aren’t they? If a partner feels better bringing friends along, he’s not going to say no.

Beauty or Brains: Lord knows he needs the help, so he honestly prefers brains.

Dogs or Cats: Why not both?

LAYER FIVE : DO YOU?

Lie:  Preferably no.

Believe in Yourself: Depends on the context. In a fight? Absolutely. In parenting? He’s got a lot of doubts.

Believe in Love:  Definitely.

Want Someone: Yes!

LAYER SIX : EVER?

Been on Stage: No.

Done Drugs: No.

Changed Who You Were to Fit In: No.

LAYER SEVEN : FAVORITES

Favorite Color: Take one look at him and guess.

Favorite Animal (Pokémon type): He’s got a bias for simians.

Favorite Movie: Return of the Jedi.

Favorite Game: He really likes playing ones about board games and star collecting with Suzy.

LAYER EIGHT : AGE

Day Your Next Birthday Will Be: June 30th

How Old Will You Be: 27 (human years)

Age You Lost Your Virginity: 18

Does Age Matter: He finds it progressively more creepy the closer a partner gets to 18, so he prefers those in their mid 20s like himself.

LAYER NINE : IN A BOY OR GIRL

Best Personality: Gotta be easygoing. As fun as a good fight can be, he can’t be doing that all the time.

Best Eye Color: Grey.

Best Hair Color: Green. Come on, he can’t not be biased.

Best thing to do With a Partner: Sleep together. The best way for someone to reinforce his feelings for them is to show they’re comfortable with sticking around.

LAYER TEN : FINISH THE SENTENCE [IC]

I love:   “My daughter.”

I feel:   “Anger, uncertainty, and loneliness.”

I hide:   "Behind my work to ignore my insecurity.”

I miss:  my wife tails, I miss her a lot. “Suzy’s mother.”

I wish:   “I could have made it work.”

Tagged by:  @spiky-thief​

Tagging: @team-destiny-rp​ @dimensionhoppinghybrids @pokemon-experiments​ @avtxmn-hxnter​

[moved-to-void-kissed]

actually no no no I can make something positive out of this

it’s going to end up long, but I can make something positive out of this

..It got long, so it’s under the readmore, but I think I made something positive out of this

So, Aria - my main Kingdom Hearts self-insert - came into existence as my avatar/player character for KHUX. Initially, I didn’t have much story planned for her, I just knew that she would be a Keyblade wielder who used darkness - I think I still have some super-old screenshots of her first ever outfit, before even the cat-eared hair (technically it’s actually called Puppy Hair in-game) was added to the game in a Union Cross event. She initially had Naminé’s hair, then Marluxia’s, and she had the Halloween Sora wings before the Halloween Crow ones were added.

Once the person who would become the one I called my best friend joined the party I was in, and we started talking, it didn’t take long for us to see lots of similarities to each other, and we joked that we were Heartless and Nobody counterparts - which is how the thing of Aria being a Heartless came about, because hey Heartless are cool but also how (we sorted out the how two seconds later), and also the idea of a Heartless being a Keyblade wielder - you know, wielding the one and only thing designed to destroy them - could have a lot of potential

So we kept talking, and moved parties and crossed unions together, and kept playing, and Aria kept developing as her own character (yet still, of course and always, staying as me), and once Anti-Aqua was first revealed for a few fleeting moments in a KH3 trailer, I somehow ended up thinking “hey, I can put her with her, wouldn’t that be neat”. I can only assume I’d already come up with Aria getting trapped in the realm of darkness after the Keyblade War by that point, since I knew she definitely wouldn’t have been chosen as a Dandelion due to her darkness.

As time passed, the one I called my best friend and I started talking to each other less and less - no fault of either of our own, I wouldn’t say, just the natural drifting away that can happen when one of you stops being interested in the thing that brought and kept you both together for multiple years. But, part of that - or rather, the later stages of it, given that it was only last year - coincided with me finding out about the selfship community. And, I think it was safe to say I was well aware of my feelings for Aqua by the time that happened, even if my focus at the time was playing Pokémon Reborn (which is basically why Luna and Aqua were my first two main romantic F/Os), so that combined with the fact that Aria already had a lot of development as a character to all go together very well.

But, finding out about the community here was also the initiative I needed to start thinking about what would happen to Aria in the timeline of the other games, and how her being with Aqua in the realm of darkness would actually work out and progress - them being together became almost the start of the story, rather than its very end. So, over the summer, that’s sort of when I started piecing things together - of when things happened, of what their meeting was like, of how we get torn apart and brought back together again, dancing around the timeline of the games - to still maintain what I hope is the feeling Aria’s meant to have maintained this whole time, or at least started out as having; that “there’s no reason why she isn’t canon according to what the game itself shows you” (with I suppose the only exception being the cutscenes that my most recent piece of writing replaces, since it writes out Anti-Aqua’s existence in the story).

That then led to me exploring Aria’s dynamic with Terra and Ventus, and giving her the ability to siphon darkness out of other people’s hearts and absorb it to strengthen herself, and how that tied perfectly into how she would realistically be able to make friends with them both, and prove herself to them by helping them. Then I started playing about with thoughts of her getting to meet Vanitas, of drawing him back out of Ven’s heart because of how the two had filled in the gaps left by the other and there wouldn’t have been enough space for them to go back to being one again, and giving him a chance at redemption and living for himself. And then now, at the moment, I’m thinking about other things to do with Aria, and the selfship as a whole, too - what her new outfit is like in her replica body, whether she loses the ability to wield a Keyblade after leaving Ves, how she would act on missions with Aqua, which villains she’d take down with her tactic, what she thinks of everyone else, and so on and so forth.

So, I suppose, what I was trying to say all along for this was - being part of this community has helped me develop Aria past the confines of the story of KHUX, because of how I use her to selfship with Aqua since she’s my self-insert. And so, without that, I would have technically had a whole lot more to lose now that KHUX is going down. So.. thank you all, for being here, I suppose?

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: Why The Early Pokémon Anime Was So Important To Its Audience

  The '90s was a big decade for anime. Iconic series like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop were born, shows that are still presented as the gold standard of what the medium can achieve. Studio Ghibli continued their string of soon-to-be classics, helping to cement Hayao Miyazaki into a globally-recognized “auteur” status, a title usually reserved for the creators of live-action fare. Meanwhile, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, and others made their debut on the programming block Toonami, effectively introducing anime to an entire generation of Americans who may have otherwise never been exposed to it. 

  But what about the importance of Pokémon? That was pretty big, too, right?

    Obviously, the status of the Pokémon anime as it relates to Pokémon as a whole is clear. There has perhaps never been a franchise with more coherent brand synergy, none better at directing traffic so fans of one aspect could be easily guided to another. Aided by an almost supernaturally compelling catchphrase “Gotta catch ‘em all!,” the uncertain development and angst surrounding the first set of titles in the core game series Red and Blue were quickly left in the rearview mirror. Pokémon is seemingly an undefeatable pop culture hydra with the anime serving as one of its many heads.

  So how does Pokémon fit in the grand scheme of anime and what it can give to us? Because with all of that in mind, it’s hard not to look at it with a kind of cynicism, viewing it less as a fictional series with all the pros and cons that come with it, and more as an advertisement for itself and other parts of the franchise that has lasted over 20 years. However, I believe the Pokémon anime can be, depending on the specific section, very good at times. And though the explosion of “Pokemania,” as it was dubbed when the franchise landed in the United States, seemed to render it as an extended commercial urging kids to get their parents to buy them a Game Boy as soon as the "PokeRap" finished, I think the early parts of the series are particularly strong. 

    Because while the anime has formed a kind of cyclical pattern in its storytelling, one that allows newcomers to easily latch onto the series whenever they happen to discover it, I think the portions set in Kanto and Johto are extremely cool to examine. The space from the first time Ash Ketchum wakes up too late to grab one of the three “starter” Pokémon from Professor Oak to the time he says goodbye to Misty and Brock at the crossroads following the Silver Conference contains a really touching narrative. One about growing up and learning to rely on others and then, eventually, learning to rely on yourself.

  When we first meet Ash, he can barely keep things together. He’s desperate to be a Pokémon Master, but clueless when it comes to most of the techniques involved in actually doing that. He’s stubborn, but his confidence often reveals itself to be brittle bravado, a ten-year-old puffing his chest out only to be deflated when overtaken by an obstacle. His travel partners, Misty and Brock (and Tracey Sketchit for a little while,) obviously adore him, but their greatest shared trait is likely patience. Ash has a lot of learning to do.

    This learning is usually slow and painstaking. Critics of the series are often quick to point out that Ash rarely wins his gym battles outright, something that’s a requirement to progress in the games the series is based on. Thus, more important than a solid KO is the lesson learned due to the battle, often something centered around taking care of your Pokémon, yourself, and other people. The “monster of the week” structure usually has Ash learning these lessons again and again, like a child that needs to be politely reprimanded until they fall out of a bad habit.

  As the series moves from Kanto to the Johto region, Ash gains legitimate wins with higher frequency, gathering experience while his style remains eager, clumsy, and definitively Ash. His rivalry with Gary Oak — one initially informed by Ash’s seeming inadequacy and Gary’s loud, yet often precise assurance — evens out. At the end of the Indigo League in the Kanto region, Ash finally gets to battle Gary and loses. Then, in the Johto League tournament, Ash defeats Gary and the two make amends thanks to Ash’s defeat of his bully and Gary’s newfound serenity. It’s a nice payoff to their relationship, and Gary’s change of heart reflects the themes of personal growth found in the Original Series.

  Meanwhile, Ash’s personal growth often comes with much more heartache. In “Bye Bye Butterfree,” he bids farewell to his first-ever caught monster because it would be happier with its own kind. A few episodes later, in “Pikachu’s Goodbye,” he seems all too ready to let Pikachu live with a pack of the little yellow critters, likely because his experience with Butterfree indicated that it was the right thing to do. Of course, Pikachu comes back to him, because he’s Ash’s ride or die.

    Another relationship Ash learns from is the one with Charizard. Evolved from an abandoned and emotionally distraught Charmander, Charizard is rebellious to the extent that it causes Ash’s Indigo League loss, not because it gets knocked out but because it just doesn’t feel like fighting anymore. What follows is one of the most disheartening scenes in the series, with Ash shouting in anger and sadness at his Charizard to continue while Charizard just doesn’t respect his trainer enough to stand up. Though they eventually gain a sense of mutual reverence, their partnership is marked by this uncertainty.

  And finally, the ending, which sees Ash, Misty, and Brock go their separate ways, recalls one of the franchise’s most resonant homages, that of the '80s film Stand By Me. Referenced in the opening moments of the first game, the movie about setting off on your own adventure as a youth and learning where nostalgia ends and the harshness of growing up begins mirrors the ethos of the franchise constantly. At the end of that film, the characters depart one another and the main protagonist muses to himself, “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”

  You can get the same feeling from the affirmations of the importance of their friendship Ash, Brock, and Misty make when they head off on their own (though Brock quickly re-joins Ash in the next season of the anime). It’s here that Pokémon displays why it deserves its place among the notable anime of the '90s, not because of its massive marketing push (though that certainly helped its popularity) and not because of how it retold the story of the games (which, as adaptations go, is pretty hit or miss).

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  Instead, it’s a story about growing up. By the end of Ash’s time in Johto, it becomes clear that strength was never the objective, that the point of the whole affair was not Ash becoming a "Master." It was about teaching Ash enough so that when the time came for him to go out on his own, he could. And though he finds new companions in the regions to come pretty quickly, the impact of this is not diminished. If you began watching the show when it first appeared in America in 1998, you likely grew up with Ash to an extent, and you likely experienced some major life events during that time, whether it was going to a new school or facing some kind of family change or attempting to achieve some new, grand goal. 

Ash and the Pokémon anime’s message was that you could do it. That the trials you’d experienced and the lessons you’d learned and the relationships you’d made had prepared you for it. And that while the future seems scary and unknowable, it isn’t insurmountable. Pokémon teaches you that you’ll be okay. That sounds pretty important to me.

      Daniel Dockery is a Senior Staff Writer for Crunchyroll. Follow him on Twitter!

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

  By: Daniel Dockery

[not-iscariot]

This was really hard but if you’re interested in my reasoning then scroll below...

Favorite game of all time: Dragon Age Inquisition

For a lot of the answers I wanted to give Big Brain Answers, but thinking through all the games I’ve ever played... I don’t have the hours on any other game like I do this one. I have my own issues with the franchise and some of the decisions that get made but hot damn does a good RPG Fantasy series do it for me. I’ve never played another game that genuinely feels different and unique every playthrough, the world is so big and the ability to feel like a bunch of different versions of the Inquisitor are some of the reasons I find the game so fun to replay. I’ve played 3 games through to completion, 2 with the Trespasser DLC, and 1 where I played every DLC available. I’m currently on another playthrough right now... so based on my attachment and hour log I would say this is my favorite game of all time.

Best Story: Mass Effect 3

This was also really hard because there are a lot of games where I loved the story. I think it’s really hard to end a series and I honestly liked the ending of Mass Effect although not everyone is a fan. The choice-consequence ramifications in this game are pretty brutal and it’s rewarding to see the conclusion of so many of the companions’ arcs. The first time I finished this game I was sobbing which showed how much investment I had in the story and the characters, especially Shepard. I think there are a lot of interesting larger ideas explored in the series like collective consciousness through the Geth as well as the tension between synthetic and organic, which I found myself thinking about a lot when reading Emergent Strategy. 

Favorite Art Style: The Wolf Among Us

RIP Telltale. I liked a lot of their games, but WAU is where I feel the style really hit it’s stride. It worked super well with the fantasy/detective story. I’m sad they never got to finish the game. 

“I’ll finish it some day”: Zelda: Breath of the Wild

BotW is a really amazing game but I have never in my life finished a Zelda game. I want to finish it bad but I sucked literal ass at the boss fights. I also struggle hard with games that have huge open worlds when there isn’t a story really driving me through objectives and missions. Some people love the freedom, I tend to get bored quickly. I dropped the game because I didn’t have time to play it so when I feel up to it again I’m starting from the beginning.

Big Personal Impact: Dragon Age 2

This game made me realize I was bi and helped me come out. That’s pretty much all there is to it. By far my favorite companion set, I hope for future games they take more cross impact between companion characters because that was seriously lacking in Inquisition.

Best Combat: Spider-man 

Super fun combat that you personalize to your fighting style. When I was hitting my best in terms of combos it felt super cool. Just a really strong game gameplay-wise. 

You like, but everyone else hates: Beyond: Two Souls

I don’t know if everyone hates it but when I talk about it I hear a lot of groans... this is definitely one of my favorite games to play with someone else and I think it’s super engaging to play with people who aren’t really into video games. It’s easy enough for them to get into with a decent story and decent twist reveals. 

You hate, but everyone likes: Fallout Franchise

I’ve tried so hard to get into these games. I own most of them but I have never been able to finish one. Fallout 4 was super buggy and I couldn’t get through some of the critical fights. I wanted to be into it but it just didn’t do it for me.

Underrated: Jedi Fallen Order

I don’t think it’s that underrated but I had a friend tell me it was “just Dark Souls with lightsabers” and I thought that was an unfair assessment. The Jedi gameplay is really fun and the boss fights are hard but so worth it to keep trying until you get through them. Also, as a Star Wars nerd, I liked this offshoot exploration of the Jedi. 

Overrated: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

OK I bought this game having never played a Witcher game or engaged with really any Witcher content and I thought, based off the amazing reviews, that wouldn’t be a problem but I could not get through it. I just didn’t understand what the heck was going on or get attached to any of the characters. I went back and bought the first two games on sale, although the first is so frustrating because you have to obsessively save so that you don’t lose progress. I’m open to changing my mind down the road but I just didn’t get into it.

“Why do I like this?”: Grand Theft Auto V

I bought this at the beginning of quarantine last year as a long game to have that would take me ages to complete so I wouldn’t lose my mind. It’s the only GTA game I’ve ever played and I got super into it even though it’s like... GTA. Truly just THAT video game stereotype, you know?

Game you always go back to: Borderlands 2

I’ve played the other Borderlands games but this is definitely my favorite. Just a decent game to playthrough either on your own or with other people. I like the drop-in, drop-out story play through you can do with people.

That atmosphere...: Stardew Valley

Pretty self-explanatory. I wish I lived there. I want what they have...

Bad Day Cure: The Uncharted Franchise

Decent story and story arcs. Good gameplay to zone out to. I like the characters. This was the first set of games I played on my PS4 and it was during a blizzard. Super replayable.

Favorite Protagonist: Hades (Zagreus)

I almost said Dragon Age 2 for Hawke but because Hawke’s personality really depends on the player (I exclusively do humorous) I didn’t feel that counted for strong protag writing. Zagreus rocks. Bi king. He’s sensitive and caring and tough and funny. His arc is so wholesome... my childhood trauma definitely projected heavy onto this game.

After Work Game: Left 4 Dead 2

This was the first game I ever bought on Steam back in 2012 to play with my online friends from deviantArt... that’s how old this game is for me. I’ve clocked almost 400 hours and it’s definitely my go-to comfort/tune out game. I literally play this game to self soothe when I have anxiety... I’m so used to it and familiar with the gameplay that it doesn’t stress me out at all. 

Biggest Letdown: Mass Effect Andromeda

After ME series I was honestly fine where Shepard’s story ended and I was down for another protag and offshoot story but... the game sucked. The combat was fun and it wasn’t unplayable but ME was so good that this game just didn’t live up to the standard. The companions are just not as interesting or engaging, it was buggy and animated weird as hell, and I couldn’t give a fuck about Ryder honestly...

“Back in the day” game: Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire

Curling up on the couch or in my room on my Gameboy Advanced SP in red collecting pokémon... these were the DAYS. 

“Not the best but having fun”: Fire Emblem Franchise

Three Houses is definitely my favorite and the only other that I liked out of the few I’ve played was Awakening. I think the games are decent and fun, Three Houses was definitely the strongest in terms of side characters and story, but there are still issues like... how romancing works. Claude is so bisexual it’s actually alarming... 

Criminally Overlooked: Mirror’s Edge

This series had potential to become such a cool franchise but it stopped after Catalyst. I was so invested in the world they created and it was just very... whatever Watchdogs was trying to do but I didn’t like as much. Some really awesome gameplay, just a lot of parkour and running.

Depressing Game: The Walking Dead 

This game and the subsequent ones I just feel so bad for Clementine, this poor girl cannot win. I never finished the last season because I lost track of what Telltale ended up doing, but now I know they finished it so I gotta get back in there. Yeah I cried at the end of this first game.

Favorite ACTIVE Franchise: Dragon Age

So many issues with the series but... it’s likely if they’ve announced a new one I’ve already pre-ordered. I’m very invested and hope Dragon Age 4 is as good if not better than Inquisition...

Not usually my thing but...: Red Dead Redemption 2

Not at all a game I would usually get based of how it was advertised and explained to me as well as the usual crowd who’s into it but... I really loved it. I said this before that I’m not great with super large maps and free reign but RDR2 is one of the few exceptions. I would spend hours just running around and hunting. I started playing it in quarantine and lord... it was so nice to just roam around this huge, beautiful map and feel like I was hanging out outdoors. It also made it shitty to be stuck outdoors because all I wanted to do after I finished was go on a cross-country road trip. Still very much a like... manly man game. But I don’t mind that.

Anyways that’s my two cents. Here’s the blank:

[lunathewafflelord]

Things I’d Like To See In Future Pokémon Games

Been a while since I did one of these posts.  This is just a list of things I’d like to see in future games. Not story related, just in game features, mostly related to character customization:

-More ways to interact with your Pokémon! I’d love it if we could dress up our Pokémon, similarly to LGPE, but with more Pokémon available. You could (sort of) do this in the gen 5 games, but let’s be honest, almost nobody did Pokémon Musicals.  Another idea I had was giving some species of Pokémon baths in certain locations. For some reason minigames where you’re cleaning virtual pets are really fun, at least in my opinion. But it’d only be available for some Pokémon, because I know there’s going to be creepy people out there when it comes to humanoid Pokémon.

-Making clothing items and other customization features not be gender locked. Seriously. I don’t like it when character customization features are gender locked. Animal Crossing did this, so hopefully they can do that too.  -Being able to change our character’s height and body type. This would especially be helpful when you’re playing the game as one of your OCs, since you can make it look more like your character.  -Custom design clothes. Maybe not to the extent of Animal Crossing’s custom clothing, but some method of customizing clothes. Perhaps you could combine premade designs in order to create custom designs. Like choosing the shape of a shirt, choosing the color, choosing a design, adding certain stickers, etc. it could be fun! (Character creation is one of my favorite parts of video games)

-Not having to spend money every time you want to change your character’s hairstyle or eye color. It’s annoying. And there’s no way to cancel when you go to a salon. Sometimes I want to see what options there are, not change my hair. In Sun and Moon you had a color contacts case, perhaps they could do something similar and have more eye colors available as you progress through the game.  For hair, perhaps you’d be able to save hairstyles as wigs? Or after trying out all the hairstyles, you’d get a hair styling manual and you’d be able to style your hair yourself.

-Ability to make your hair have more than one color, and giving your characters differently colored eyes (heterochromia). Not much to say about this one.

-Pokémon Contests where you’re able to compete with people online

-Making it so you don’t need Nintendo Switch Online to complete the Pokedex. Seriously, I hate that.

-If we get something similar to the Alola Photo Club again, MAKE IT SO WE CAN REPOSITION OUR TRAINER. SERIOUSLY, why can’t we move our character, but we can move our Pokémon? IT WAS SO ANNOYING. Lots of pictures I wanted to make were impossible since my trainer wasn’t able to move. And the area around the trainer where you couldn’t place your Pokémon was waaaaay too big. Isn’t the point of having a picture of you and your Pokémon so you can show your bond with your Pokémon? Also, being able to have multiple Pokémon in your pictures.

-Jewelry. Idk, being able to give our characters a necklace or bracelet would be cool. Other characters like N and Blue have necklaces, so why can’t we?

-Being able to wear your gym badges on your clothes. That sounds kinda cool, right?

-Random trainer NPCs having varied skin colors and not always looking exactly the same. It seems unnatural for every single person of a certain trainer class to have the same skin color. Though there could be some exceptions, like Hex Maniacs would always have super pale skin to look like the “ghost girl” trope.

-REMOVING. TRADE. EVOLUTIONS. Enough said

-not necessarily something I want to be in the game, but why can’t our player character swim, and instead we need to get a Pokémon/bike in order to cross water? If the game was realistic, we’d be able to swim in the water right away. Is there an in universe reasoning to this? I’d say that maybe the water isn’t safe to swim in, but there’s lots of NPCs who swim in the water. Why can’t we? Does the player have hydrophobia? Hm. Maybe someday they’ll bring back diving, because that was pretty fun.

uhhh that’s it for now! Feel free to comment with things you’d like to see in the games! I love seeing other people’s ideas. I generally mean in game features, not storyline related things. I’ll probably make a separate post for storylines I’d like to see.