J – Journey

A high level of nostalgia means that this year my chosen theme for the 2016 A to Z challenge is Pokemon. Whether you yourself have a similar level of sentimentality or you’ve never really gotten into it, I hope that you enjoy this month of posts as I indulge myself.

Your very own Pokemon legend is about to unfold! A world of dreams and adventures with Pokemon awaits! Let’s go!

A Pokemon journey is very much like a questing fantasy novel, and is pretty much the basis for all the games. The standard journey, and the one you undertake as the player in the games, is that you, as an individual trainer, will be given your first Pokemon and a Pokedex, and you will battle your way across the region of that game, defeating all eight gym leaders and then challenging the elite four and the champion. Quite often this involves some other stuff, like taking on the villainous team of the region, but your goal, as the trainer, is to become the champion by defeating a whole bunch of people in Pokemon battles.

Of course, that’s not the only journey that a trainer can undertake. Some younger trainers decide that they want to compete in Pokemon Contests, competing not in battle but in shows to collect ribbons and get to the Grand Festival, where they can compete and win the biggest show of all time. Other simply want to travel and explore the world, or they want to study Pokemon in all kinds of habitats and scenarios, working with or for the Professors.

A Pokemon journey can begin as early as 10, which is the age at which one can officially apply for a Pokemon Trainer’s license, which allows them to get a starter Pokemon. Of course, in the real world, children can become friends with Pokemon well before this point, but 10 is the age at which they start to think about leaving home and going on their own journey.

In the anime, Ash Ketchum is the young trainer that we follow as he starts off on his Pokemon journey. Unusually, he starts off with a Pikachu as his first Pokemon (due to oversleeping) but after that things get on track, he meets several friends of his own age, some of which sign up to travel with him – Misty and Brock in the original series, and other of which are going about their own journeys. They meet Pokemon, people, compete in various contests and battles, and of course, encounter team rocket and thwart their plans.

 

In the games, you can usually see roughly what’s up ahead through the map of the region. I mentioned this yesterday in the Items post – the Town Map is a key item that you get really early on in the game, and it helps you navigate the Pokemon world. You’re unlikely to get lost without it, but I find it really useful.

 

Pokemon of the Day

J is for Jigglypuff

Known as the balloon Pokemon, Jigglypuff is a round pink Pokemon, with triangular ears and stubby arms and legs. It is filled with air, and when dejected, will let out this air until it becomes completely flat. It can use it’s large eyes to mesmerize opponents, and will then begin to sing a soothing lullaby, which lulls all those who hear it into a deep sleep.

Talking on a level of Pokemon that I like, I actually like Wigglytuff more (A Wigglytuff appears in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, as the guild leader, and he’s fantastic) however there are very few J Pokemon, and Jigglypuff is amazing in the anime. All it wants is for people to listen to its beautiful song, except, every time it sings it, they all fall asleep! In the anime, it follows Ash and co around, and every time they fall asleep, it reveals that it’s microphone is actually a permanent marker, and draws on their faces! Makes me laugh, every time.