Happy September!
*I have decided to dedicate this week (one blog entry a day) to a revisiting of my favorite and most memorable aspects from childhood. Whether they were manifested in cartoons, films, or television shows, their memories have continued to stay with me, even long after I got older and abandoned them for other "mature" forms of entertainment. This is not to say that they have shaped or changed my life in dramatic ways, but they have served as feel-good reminders for the simple, good ol' days. It's not bad to reminisce, not at all, and I think that it is important to do so. Nostalgia, I believe, is like meditation: simplifying complicated matters in adulthood into a single breath of pure, unadulterated pleasure.
"I Choose You!"
For those who do not know what Pokémon is (c'mon, who doesn't know?!), it is a multimedia franchise that was established in 1996 by the Japanese video game company Nintendo. It is one of most successful and lucrative brands in the world, spawning a multitude of video games, anime, graphic novels, and collectible toys, to name a few.
*Disclaimer: if you think that this is a blog on the politics of Pokémon, you're dead wrong. I am aware that there are other sites dedicated to exploiting the capitalism, the poach-like domestication of the "monsters," and the controversies from the anime series of this ubiquitous franchise, but I am not going into that. Why? For one thing, that shit's already been written. And also, I am writing from the introspection of my child self, so no cynicism (at least for this post). If you want to read about the franchise's critiques, either check out the Wikipedia page or click here:
I first began my affair with Pokémon when I was around eight, watching the epic adventures of Ash Ketchum and his bamf sidekick Pikachu take the Kanto region by storm in the English-dubbed anime. I would look forward to coming home from school everyday, to see what this dynamic duo was up to next: were they going to battle another gym leader? Would they foil another scheme from Team Rocket? I watched all of the episodes from the first season, and the second, and the third as well. I even watched the first few movies (Mewtwo Strikes Back, The Power of One, Spell of the Unown, up until Jirachi Wish Maker). I still remember all of the first 150 original Pokémon, that is, from the first season, as well as the ones from the Johto and Hoenn region.
"Gotta Catch 'Em All!"
I started playing the video games when I was ten, when the Ruby and Sapphire versions came out. I was hooked! Day after day, I would train my Pokémon to the next level, venture to the next gym battle, and earn moniesss! The adventure never ended in this world, well, except when my Gameboy Advance ran out of battery (I know, so old, right?)
Friends have asked me, "Who's your favorite Pokémon?" To be honest, I don't have one. The number of new Pokémon continues to grow and grow with each passing year, each new season. I swear, there's probably over a thousand of them by now, and I don't even know half of them anymore (I stopped keeping track after Hoenn). They are all awesome, with their own quirks and bad-assery.
However, I have always had a penchant for Grass-type Pokémon. Take, for instance, the original starter Pokémon, Bulbasaur. I don't know about you, but in the English-dubbed anime, he (she?) had this sort of...moody, serious attitude that I could relate to (I felt like that our personalities were similar), unlike the hapless Charmander or cocky Squirtle. Plus, he (she?), to some critics, was not "as cute" as the other starter Pokémon, with his/her stoutness, downward-turned red eyes, and fat bulb on his/her back that resemble a festering plant-sore. Plus, his/her evolutions (Ivysaur, Venusaur) weren't as attractive. But that's debatable. Personally, I see Bulbasaur as someone who's misunderstood; in the anime, he/she had been abandoned like a lost puppy, and it took time before he/she could regain trust from Trainers, particularly Ash. Bulbasaur kind of grows on you, the longer you watch him/her progress in the series.
Another Grass-type Pokémon I have a bias towards is Treecko, and his evolutions (I'm going to call Treecko a male, 'cause it's easier and I've always associated him as a male). Like Bulbasaur, he has these freakishly-large, downward-turned eyes that penetrate your soul with brazen coolness. Treecko is so...cool. With that leaf in his mouth, his "I-don't-give-a-damn" attitude about the world...yeah. He's just awesome. Plus, as a Sceptile, his "Leaf Blade" move just KILLS.
Other notable, non-Grass-type Pokémon that I have inclinations for:
Slowking; although I think his previous evolution, Slowpoke, as well as the alternative Slowbro, are just idiotic, this dude is smart! I don't know what toxins are injected into his brain from that Shellder, but he knows how to communicate with humans AND Pokémon! If I didn't know any better, he's a linguist for both parties.
Absol, 'cause he/she consists of both cute and cool, traits that I didn't know could exist simultaneously. Absol is that exception. The blade-thing on his/her head is stunning as well.
Mewtwo. Such a sexy beast. Enough said.
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| Treecko |
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| Sceptile |
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| Grovyle |
Other notable, non-Grass-type Pokémon that I have inclinations for:
Slowking; although I think his previous evolution, Slowpoke, as well as the alternative Slowbro, are just idiotic, this dude is smart! I don't know what toxins are injected into his brain from that Shellder, but he knows how to communicate with humans AND Pokémon! If I didn't know any better, he's a linguist for both parties.
Absol, 'cause he/she consists of both cute and cool, traits that I didn't know could exist simultaneously. Absol is that exception. The blade-thing on his/her head is stunning as well.
Mewtwo. Such a sexy beast. Enough said.
It has been several years since I've played or watched Pokémon. My commitment to the franchise tapered off when I hit high school, then college. Sometimes, whenever it airs on Cartoon Network, I watch it. But the magic seems to have worn off; it no longer excites me. Through my now-adult eyes, the adventures seem trite and repetitive, the plot is predictable, and the new characters do not appear as appealing. Maybe it's true that the quality has diminished over time, but still: it's a shame that I cannot feel what I used to feel about it anymore.
This has left me wondering: do I still have my Pokémon collectibles? It has been so long; I used to have three boxes worth of miniature collectibles; my sister and I used to play with them when we were younger, pretending that we were in the Pokémon World squaring off against each other. I'm guessing that they are in the garage. Perhaps I'll venture into the dusty abyss and restore them to their former glory. Someday.
P.S. Herman Cain, a Republican candidate for the 2012 presidential election, quoted Pokémon from one of his speeches. Specifically, it comes from the song "The Power of One" from the movie "Pokémon 2000." Here is the video where he says it:
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