Pokemon Anime

Kris P. Home, Kristen, Nintendo, pokemon, Rachel , , , , , ,

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krismii
During this month, Rachel and I have been watching some of the Pokemon anime that’s available on Netflix, especially the original series. The anime is over 20 years old, having first aired in April 1997. I remember first watching the series when I was only in fourth grade and eventually coaxing Rachel into watching it with me when she was old enough to understand most of it. I was definitely more into the games themselves, but I enjoyed most of the characters and the battle sequences of the anime as well.

rachmii
We used to watch the anime religiously every Saturday morning. It was part of our weekend routine and it was a sad day whenever we missed an episode for whatever reason. Re-watching the show now brought back a lot of memories, not just of watching the show, but remembering the show itself.

krismii
I remembered how Ash was a bit of a dope, haha! He was a decent character, one that I didn’t mind following, but Brock and Misty, along with Team Rocket, were the best characters in the show! My favorite episodes were the ones that focused more on Brock’s ambition, Misty’s own growth as a trainer, and Team Rocket’s wayward friendship.

rachmii
Ash is a doofus, everyone knows that, but we all love him just the same. I do have to agree with you though. I loved the episodes where they had to work together with Team Rocket. One episode sticks out in my mind, “Island of the Giant Pokemon” I believe it was called. There were giant Pokemon (of course) and they all got separated from their Pokemon. Pikachu, Charmander, and company could even talk so the audience could understand them. It was cute.

krismii
That was a good episode! Seeing the Pokemon work together without their trainers really helped them all be their own characters as well. My favorite episodes tended to be the ones with epic showdowns, like the Pokemon League battles. One of the best movie openings, in my opinion, was for Pokemon 3: Spell of the Unknown, where Ash and a local trainer battle with the Johto theme song playing. The cinematic for battles were always my favorite aspect of the show and movies.

Rachel Mii Double Jump
The battles are amazing, which is why I wish they could do more like that in the games, though I know that would be difficult to pull off. The games still do a great job! But yes, that theme is the best and I have to say, that movie is one of my favorites out of all the Pokemon movies.

krismii
It definitely was! I think there was an improvement in the anime for the animation and battles if you compare the episodes from the original series to the XY and Z series. We stuck a couple of those episodes on after rewatching some of the Indigo Plateau, and I was definitely impressed at seeing the differences in the battles. The music, of course, helps make the series! Most of the theme songs were some of my favorite guilty pleasure songs to listen to while growing up!

Rachel Mii Double Jump
Overall, the anime can be ridiculous at times, but it really is a great show to go along with one of the biggest gaming franchises there is. I’ve been trying to decide what show to binge while I work and I’m thinking I may watch Pokemon.

Do you, or have you ever, watched the Pokemon anime? What are your thoughts on it? Let us know in the comments below!

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Friday Favorites: Rivals

Kris P. Friday Favorites, Home, Kristen, Nintendo, pokemon , , , , ,

Double Jump Kris MiiHello, everyone!

The Pokemon games boast adventure for your little character as you explore and grow with your team of Pokemon. Battling is a sure way for your Pokemon to grow, and what’s better than having someone — friend or not — always be lurking around the corner to compare your teams’ strength? This week, I’m detailing my favorite rival characters from the games!

Pokemon X/Y: Everyone

Alright, so technically Calem/Serena are supposed to be your main rivals, but I really enjoyed the group effort when it came to the Kalos games. Instead of just having that one rival that is always one step ahead (even if you always kick their ass in battle), you have this little group of friends who are all pursuing their Pokemon-related dreams. I just remember marveling at the Santalune Forest part at the beginning of the game, seeing everyone scatter about as they explore and engage in battles with you as you make your way through. That sense of community and friendship is something that the entire franchise is about.

Gary

The original rival in the games, this guy was an arrogant kid who always talked down to you even after you beat his team in a battle. He was rather clear-cut when it came to rivals with his simple motivation to just be better than you. While I did feel a little bad defeating him after he had been Champion for a mere two minutes, it was due to his pushes, to his name always being on the gym leaders’ pedestals before mine, that made my kid-self want to carefully grow and nurture my team.

Barry

This kid was ridiculous. His energetic mannerisms amused the hell out of me when I started playing the fourth generation of Pokemon games. Really, I think he just reminded me of Rachel, haha! Nevertheless, it was refreshing to have such a bouncy friend for your character considering many rivals tend to be a bit stoic when it comes to reaching their goals.

Silver

While Kanto was the first region my game-self had explored, it was Johto that really made me fall in love with the Pokemon franchise. Having Silver as a rival added to the depth of the story, especially when I got older and read the stories of him being Giovanni’s father. He was a rival whose main goal wasn’t just to beat you — he was trying to find his own place in the world himself. Even if he did steal his first Pokemon, he was really just looking for someone to be his friend for himself. I’m a sap for those kind of character development stories!

Who are some of your favorite Pokemon rivals?

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Too Many To Count [Pokemon Cards]

Rachel Home, Nintendo, pokemon, Rachel , , , , ,

Happy Thursday!

I love collecting things, especially if it’s from a franchise I love. I have a ton of stuffed animals, a lot of them being Pokemon plushies.

Pokemon cards are no exception.

Pokemon Cards

As you can see, I have eight books, two tins, and two binders. All of these used to be filled, but then I bought the Pikachu binder. I started organizing them one day and put duplicate cards in one slot together. So, if you open the books up it doesn’t look like I have a lot of cards, but I do… Oh, I do.

Speaking of organizing them, when I have free time (which is rare to come by), I like to lay out all my cards and organize them. I’ve gotten through Kanto so far, that’s it. Like I said, my free time is becoming harder to come by.

Kanto Pokemon cardsI bought the Pikachu binder to start over in organizing them. All my Kanto cards are in there, in numerical order.

It took me a couple of hours, especially since I made a couple of mistakes. Then I got a new package of cards the following week and, of course, a wild Zubat appeared.

In fact, I don’t think I ended up putting that Zubat in the binder just yet. I believe he’s in one of the tins.

I love the tins, but only have two of them because those sets of cards tend to be on the more expensive side.

(I love collecting the cards, but I have to admit that I don’t have the money to burn on them… I wish I did.)

My Raiku tin is filled with more Pokemon cards that I haven’t fit into the books. (Plus two decks of Magic: The Gathering cards… I was wondering where those went!) The Latios tin is filled with Pokemon “extras,” I guess we’ll call it.

I have mini cards that look 3D, Pokemon coins that sometimes comes with the cards, tattoos that I used to wear when I was kid, and more.

Gold Pokemon cardsI also have these in there. They’re “gold” Pokemon cards.

It might be hard to tell, but the left is Charizard and the right one is Mewtwo.

My brother-in-law gave these to me. His parents were cleaning out the attic or something and found them. They were going to get rid of them, but he took them to give them to me.

I love them, I think they’re so cool.

My brother-in-law was also the one to give me the binder with Ash and company on it. That was filled with his own Pokemon card collection. Again, his parents were going to just get rid of them, but he took them for me to keep.

Needless to say, I have too many Pokemon cards to count. I don’t think I could ever have enough cards, but it is getting harder to find spaces for them.

Jumbo Pokemon CardsEspecially these cards right here.

I’m sure you’ve all seen “jumbo” Pokemon cards. I think they’re awesome and want them all (of course).

I have two, as you can see: Keldeo and Tepig’s evolution train.

Right now these cards sit in the front pocket of my blue Pikachu book. That’s the only place they fit since I can’t put them in a sleeve with all the other cards.

One day, I think it’d be cool to frame them and have a display wall of jumbo Pokemon cards.

If only I had the money to burn…

And no, before anyone asks… I have no idea how to play the Pokemon card game.

Do you still collect Pokemon cards? How many do you have? Let me know in the comments below!

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Gotta Catch ‘Em All

Rachel Home, Kristen, Nintendo, pokemon, Rachel , , , ,

rachmii
There’s over 800 Pokemon in the Pokemon universe and with each new region, you make new friends to journey with. You can catch all the Pokemon in the world, but you can only carry six Pokemon at a time with you. So, how do you choose?

krismii
I tend to not plan my teams before playing the games. There are certain types that I prefer over others, especially move-wise more so than Pokemon-wise. For instance, I tend to favor the Grass-type starters, usually with Poison-type moves, and Ground- and Flying-type moves are some of my favorites as well. While I try to catch every new Pokemon that I come across on my journey, it’s always up in the air as to which Pokemon will end up in my final team.

rachmii
You definitely play the games more “spur-the-moment” than I do. I mean, I don’t typically plan my team either, but I do have a certain formula. I try to have a team that region-exclusive to the game I’m currently playing. I typically nab the fire starter and the rest of my team is filled with a water, grass, flying, and electric type. That sixth slot is, as I call it, a “freebie” and can be filled with any Pokemon I fall in love with, no matter the type.

krismii
Yes, I try not to look too much into the game before playing. In today’s age of the Internet, it’s really difficult — for instance, the X/Y Pokemon were all leaked and showed off before the games were actually released and it destroyed part of the adventure for me. I love how you have a formula, if you will, for your teams, Rachel! I’m no stranger to having multiple of the same types, usually move-wise, on my teams. My teams’ strengths and weaknesses are more fluid and overlap with each other, while Rachel’s team is more clear-cut and planned.

Rachel Mii Double Jump
I agree with that. I try not to spoil anything for myself either. I never know what Pokemon will be on my team, I just know what specific types I want. Then again, you know me. I’m super organized and need to have a plan for everything! Still, there’s a lot about my team that remains the same. I always get the fire starter, for example.

krismii
Aside from you just loving Fire-types, it makes sense for you to pick that starter with your plan for the types on your team. Fire-types is one of the rarer types in the games, so if you want one for your team, nabbing the starter makes sense. I tend to go for the Grass-types because of their move versatility and the fact that Bulbasaur was my first ever pick for a starter, so I keep the tradition in honor of him.

Rachel Mii Double Jump
We all have our favorites! Adding the diversity of types helps your team be more well-rounded and can help in the long run. Though it is fun to try to have all one type or, I’ve done this before, get through the game with just your starter Pokemon.

What do your Pokemon teams typically look like? Do you plan it out ahead of time? Let us know in the comments below!

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I’m Missing One Pokemon Game

Rachel Game Collection, Home, Nintendo, pokemon, Rachel, Video Game Confessions , , , ,

Happy Tuesday!

There are a million Pokemon games out there and I have just about all of them. Sure, I’m missing a few side games here and there, but as for the main games, I have them all.Except one.

Except one.

I didn’t start playing the Pokemon games myself until the Johto region. When the Kanto region came out I was too young to play the games properly.

I watched the anime, of course, and I watched Kris play through her Red, Blue, and Yellow games. Yet, I still didn’t fully understand the concept. Even when I started playing Johto I had no idea what I was doing.

But that’s where I started and that’s when I began my Pokemon collection. Gold, Silver, and Crystal.

It wasn’t until many years later that I realized I had never played the original games. I ended up getting a hold of Yellow through the Internet. I won a bidding war on Ebay for Blue and got it for $8.

But no Red.

Red has been on my Amazon wishlist for years now. It’s never available (or the price is $600). I’ve checked Ebay here and there, but have never gone for it because I know it probably doesn’t work anymore.

Technically, I do have Red. I downloaded the virtual console along with Blue and Yellow onto my 3DS.

Still, I just want the cartridge for my collection. I mean, I gotta catch ’em all.

Do you have the full Pokemon game set? Let me know in the comments below!

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Pokemon Art Academy Review

Kris P. Game Reviews, Home, Kristen, Nintendo, pokemon , , , , , ,

Double Jump Kris MiiHello everyone!

Being Pokemon month, Rachel and I decided to play through some of the Pokemon side games that we haven’t picked up in a while. The one I chose was Pokemon Art Academy for the 3DS, a game that I nearly forgot existed.

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Title: Pokemon Art Academy
Company: Headstrong Games, Nintendo
Release Date: October 24, 2014 in NA
Console: Nintendo 3DS
How I got the game: Rachel bought it and I borrowed it for the review.

Warning — there may be story spoilers!

gameplay

Pokemon Art Academy is rather simple in its gameplay. There’s not much of a story, except that you play as a character going to an art school to create Pokemon trading cards. At the school you learn various techniques when it comes to drawing the creatures, advancing through classes and developing your skills along the way.

The game consists of teaching you step by step on how to draw Pokemon. The touchscreen of the DS is liberally used as the stylus (or your finger) takes the place of whatever art medium you are using, such as pastels and paintbrushes. The beginning stages have you draw portraits of Pokemon, simple pictures that utilize common shapes such as circles. Later lessons teach you about techniques such as shading and opacity, along with having a freehand sketches. Unlike other Art Academy titles, Pokemon Art Academy showed various techniques that are used in digital drawings — such as layers and an undo button — rather than mimicking traditional mediums on a digital platform.

graphics-music

The graphics and music were both charming in this game. The graphics were simplified, being a nice contrast to your drawings, showcasing your art rather than being flashy with its own designs. Likewise, the music was always relaxing with the occasional sound effects used to mimic the art mediums you were using, such as the squeak of the pastel chalk, as you went about creating your art.

replay-value

Pokemon Art Academy has over 40 art lessons and, while some of them can get tedious for someone like my age (because, honestly, the game is aimed towards players about twenty years younger than me), I did have fun with it. I had always liked to draw when I was younger and it was nice to get back into it a little with this game.

While the lessons don’t change, there’s enough of a variety to amuse yourself with for a while. There was also a Free Paint Mode where you can draw whatever you wish, giving the game a bit more replay value than just going straight through the lessons. It’s a cute game to just sit back and relax with if you have a few minutes to spare.

Pokemon Art Academy gets…
Video game review: 3 Lives
3 out of 5 lives.

Have you played this game? What did you think? Let me know in the comments! 

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Pokemon Theme in 20 Styles of the Late 90s

Rachel Home, Kristen, Music, Nintendo, pokemon, Rachel , , , , , , ,

Alright, so we found this fairly recently, and it’s both impressive and hysterical.

Here’s this guy with enough vocal range and musical talent to imitate the original Pokemon theme song in 20 different styles, all from the late 90s era. We’ll admit, we’ve really only heard of most of the groups that are listed (Kris more so than Rachel), but many of them are iconic to be recognizable.

His name is Anthony Vincent and his channel is called Ten Second Songs. He has a decent amount of videos, all boasting songs that he sings in various styles in one go. We hope you guys enjoy (or, at the very least, are amused) at his sheer talent!

What’s your favorite Pokemon song cover? What did you think of the video? Let us know in the comments!

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