Tag: Pokémon

10 Pokemon That Would Make the Best Household Pets

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There are numerous cute and friendly Pokemon in existence, with over a thousand different specimens available to choose from. Among them, certain ‘Mons seem to be the perfect contenders for household pets in the Pokemon world, and we’ve rounded up ten of these adorable critters to show off!

Eevee

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

I’m sure it’s no surprise that Eevee is among the first contenders for a Pokemon pet. After all, look at the adorable little ball of fluff; It’s like the cute little fox-dog everyone dreams of owning!

Besides, in the Pokemon anime, Eevee has been portrayed as very loyal, friendly, and well-behaved, making it the perfect companion even for young children.

On top of this, owning an Eevee as a pet would give you plenty of flexibility for the type of pet that you’d like to gain, as it can evolve into several different forms. Perhaps a Vaporeon for all of the surfer kids out there, an Espeon for those who enjoy peace and quiet, an Umbreon for people who enjoy investigating the mysteries of the night, or a Sylveon for those who love making new friends and exploring new places, among others.

The choice is yours, and you’d still be left with a cute and cuddly companion once all is said and done.

Alolan Vulpix

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Look at this cute, frosty little friend! I would most certainly enjoy having an Alolan Vulpix for a pet, that’s for sure!

This is especially true after seeing just how sweet Lillie’s Alolan Vulpix Snowy was in the Pokemon Sun & Moon anime. This creature has a quiet and calm temperament and is perfect for any individual who doesn’t enjoy the heat, such as myself. I couldn’t imagine anything better than having a chilly little pal to cool down the temperature on a hot summer’s day.

Plus, Alolan Vulpix looks adorable and has some very cute little hair and tail poofs that are just begging for pats.

Furret

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Who wouldn’t love this fluffy little ferret creature and its long, slinky, noodle-like body!

Furret is absolutely adorable and looks like it would make the perfect neck pillow for the best cozy cuddles after a long day. Would you not feel like you have the coolest animal companion ever if you rocked up with one of these little friends twisted around your arm or looped around your shoulder wherever you go?

On top of all that, Furret loves to go treasure hunting and collect little knick-knacks, which makes it the perfect companion for any child or adult who loves to explore and discover new things.

Skitty

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Cat lovers rejoice! Skitty is the perfect contender for any cat enthusiast’s household pet, with this cute little critter spending most of its time chasing its tail and making itself dizzy; much like a playful kitten.

And I mean, just look at that little face — is that not the most precious thing in the world?

Skitty undeniably deserves all of the pets and attention it desires, and would be a great first pet and companion for young children and adults alike. You can’t go wrong with this tiny pink catto.

Cinccino

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Adorable chinchilla pet? Check.

Cinccino is the best choice for such a critter, with this little guy making a perfect household pet for anyone in search of an adorable little companion.

In addition to having a sweet little face, Cinccinos are known for their cleanliness, as their fur produces oil that both helps prevent dust and provides healing properties for the skin of their human comrades. Not only would the Cinccino be a cute little critter to have by your side, but it’d be extremely low maintenance, not needing excessive grooming or care as some other species would require.

Smeargle

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Do you consider yourself a creative individual? Perhaps you wished you could have a little buddy to help with your artistic endeavors and projects.

If so, Smeargle is the perfect Pokemon fto have as a pet, as this strange lemur and dog hybrid creature loves to use its tail as a paintbrush to form pictures and create masterpieces. Just call him the Da Vinci of Pokemon!

Imagine being able to collaborate on a fun little drawing or artwork with your pet. Would this not be the best thing in the world? I certainly think so.

Arcanine

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Come on, we can all agree that Arcanine is the biggest and bestest heckin’ boi in the Pokemon franchise.

Provided your home has the space to house such a large ball of fluff, this creature would be one of the best options available for a household pet. They’re known to be perhaps one of the most loyal Pokemon in existence, and are also extremely large and lovable.

as an added bonus, these Pokemon are so big that both children and adults can ride them around as a method of transport. Does that not make Arcanine one of the coolest Pokemon pets of all time?

Pidgey

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

This one might come as a surprise, as Pidgey and their evolutions can have a bit of a defensive and hostile streak in them if they are disturbed by others.

However, Pidgey is usually docile, for the most part. If raised from youth, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Pidgeot can also be some of the best bird companions in the Pokemon universe, known to be extremely loyal to their owners.

This makes this cute little bird a great choice for a household pet, and even suitable for children to grow up alongside. I’m in favor of having one of these little buddies sitting on my head or shoulder as I walk around the house, keeping me company with little chirps. Yes please, precious birb child.

Bulbasaur

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

While any of the starter Pokemon would probably make good choices for a household pet, one stands out above them all; none other than our lovely little plant dino, Bulbasaur.

First of all, there’s no worry about your house being burnt down, or having your possessions ruined by an accidental Hydro Pump attack. Plus, Bulbasaur has been shown throughout its existence in the Pokemon franchise to be a friendly and caring Pokemon, gently taking care of other Pokemon with a kind and nurturing personality.

Bulbasaur really is just a happy little friend, making him the best kind of pet anyone could ask for.

Pikachu

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

C’mon now, you didn’t seriously think we could complete this list without mentioning the understandably popular Pikachu, did you?

Pikachu has proven itself time and time again to be one of the most loyal and trustworthy companions in the Pokemon franchise. Though Ash’s Pikachu initially had some temperament issues, this Electric mouse has proven itself to be extremely reliable and the best of partners throughout their journey.

Many other Pikachu in the franchise have also shown themselves to be some of the best little buddies around, such as Ritchie’s Pikachu, Sparky, and Victor’s surfing Pikachu, Puka. Pikachu is always ready to stick by its Trainer’s side, defending them when needed and getting up to much fun and adventure.

Oh, it’s also completely adorable, so that earns it some obvious bonus points too.

About the author

Grace Black

Grace is a writer, digital artist, and character illustrator from New Zealand with a love for fiction and storytelling. Grace has been writing for Twinfinite for seven months and in the games industry for a year. She’s a horror enthusiast, occasional anime enjoyer, and die-hard Ghost-Type Pokemon fangirl. Her favorite video games include Overwatch 2, Life is Strange, The Last of Us, and Pokemon – all of which she will never tire of.

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Grace Black

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November 4, 2023
10 Pokemon Who Are Much Scarier Than They Look

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Pokemon are often rather interesting little creatures with various Pokedex entries to offer extra insights into a their quirks, lore, and abilities.

It may come as a surprise, but many cute and cuddly looking ‘Mons have much darker or more dangerous Pokedex entries than you’d have ever imagined, and we’ve caught ten of ’em!

Mawile

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Mawile may look like a nice little friend, with a face that screams cute and harmless. Don’t let this fool you though; Mawile has a set of giant, Venus flytrap-shaped steel jaws in the style of a ponytail, making it very dangerous. Mawile also uses its docile face to its advantage, luring people in and fooling them into letting down their guard before using these jaws to strike with devastating force.

Pet cats get a bad rep for dishing out some pretty brutal bites and scratches when provoked, but I’m sure that would be absolutely nothing in comparison to an angry pet Mawile. Yikes!

Stufful

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Stufful looks like a cross between a red panda and an adorable little teddy bear, which gives it an overwhelmingly lovable appearance. However, Trainers Bewear; this Pokemon is not one you should make an effort to cuddle!

Despite Stufful having an adorable (and rather harmless) appearance, this Fighting Type ‘Mon’s Pokedex entry states that when it gets angry or is touched by anyone other than a trusted friend, it flails its arms and legs around with enough force to snap tree trunks clean in half. Just imagine if your limbs got in the way of one of Stufful’s temper tantrums…yeah, it’s a no from me.

Shuppet

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Sure, Shuppet may be a spooky little Ghost Type, but it’s not all that scary by appearance. It just looks like a friendly little puppet, the Casper of the Pokemon world, if you will. However, just as many others on this list Shuppet isn’t as sweet and harmless as it seems on the surface. In fact, this little ghostie is attracted to feelings of vengeance and jealousy, meaning it’s naturally drawn to negative, vindictive people.

In true paranormal entity fashion, Shuppet feeds on the negative emotions of other Pokemon and Trainers, which it converts into power. If you see a horde of Shuppets gathering around one place, then it’s a major red flag; either someone or something in the area is attracting these ‘Mons with overwhelming negative energy, so I wouldn’t stick around for too long!

Drifloon

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Drifloon may look like a silly little balloon pal, but unfortunately, the nature of this Pokemon is much more sinister. Despite having quite a cute appearance, Drifloon has been noted in its Pokedex entries to tug on the hands of children, attempting to steal them away to the afterlife. Hide your kids, everyone!

No, seriously, that’s horrifying information, especially because young children are generally drawn to bright and colorful objects such as balloons. Thankfully, because Drifloon is relatively small, it usually finds itself being tugged around rather than kidnapping youngsters as it intends. Still, I’d hate to know how many victims the Drifloon species collectively has stacked up. Oh, and to keep things spooky, if Drifloon’s balloon-like body bursts, its soul will spill out with a horrifying scream — never would have I assumed that a balloon could be such nightmare fuel.

Absol

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Absol may look like just another cute fox/cat/dog-like creature to any unassuming Trainer, but there is a rather tragic and frightening story told through the ‘Dex entries of this poor Dark Type. Absol’s horn has the unique power to sense and foretell natural disasters, with a devastating event occurring each time Absol makes an appearance in a certain location. Because of this, Absol earned itself the title of ‘the Disaster Pokemon’, and was witch-hunted, causing it to flee deep into the mountains.

Absol still returns from its home terrain to warn people of natural disasters that are to come. It’s not exactly Absol itself that is so frightening, but more the feeling of impending doom that can be stirred by catching a glimpse of one out of habitat — I can’t imagine the gnawing dread of knowing something big and dangerous is about to be stirred up by nature.

Froslass

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Froslass may look like just an average Ice Type Pokemon, or perhaps more elegant and alluring than others if anything. However, Froslass says otherwise, with this Pokemon being much more intimidating than what you may assume at first glance. You see, Froslass’ background involves a woman who met her end on a snowy mountain, with this ‘Mon being created from the will of her regrets at passing.

Froslass is said to relish on the souls of men and is known for targeting hikers on snowy mountains. Froslass prefers to freeze its prey, before bringing it back to its den, where it will line them up in an orderly fashion. There are also ancient legends about Froslass placing curses on men, as mentioned in Pokemon Legends: Areceus, so all around this ‘Mon is more of a hazard than anything. Froslass is the soulless ice queen of the Pokemon world, that’s for sure.

Zorua

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

It’s a pretty well-known fact that the little Dark Type fox Pokemon, Zorua, is a huge trickster, known for shapeshifting into other Pokemon. However, Zorua’s Pokedex entries state that it also commonly transforms itself into a silent child to blend in among humans and steal food.

However, Zorua’s ‘Dex entry in Ultra Moon takes things a step into more ominous territory. This entry states that if a normally talkative child stops talking, it’s likely been replaced with Zorua. Um…excuse me? What happens to the real child? Do I even want to know? Does Zorua harm them and then steal their identity? Are they smuggled away with the rest of Zorua’s stolen goods? Or are there simply just two clones of the same kid walking about? Either way, the situation would be incredibly mysterious and downright creepy to consider.

Espurr

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Espurr has a cute little face, but this Psychic type is a lot more intimidating than it seems. Espurr may for the most part have a rather blank and neutral expression, however within its mind is an immense struggle to control its devastating force.

Espurr wields psychic powers, however, it lacks control over these abilities, which can make this ‘Mon wildly dangerous and unpredictable. To avoid these circumstances, Espurr usually keeps its ears folded down, but when they are up, this little fluffball is capable of blasting everything within 300 feet of itself. Now that’s some seriously freaky power! I wouldn’t want to get this little guy angry, it’s giving me slight Carrie vibes.

Hatterene

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Haterrene has rather soft colors and seemingly delicate features that make it rather admirable, but this Pokemon is capable of absolutely brutal things. Hatterene hates loud noises, and if someone were to be too loud around this Psychic/Fairy Dual-Type, then they’d risk being torn apart by the claws on its tentacle, which sounds rather gruesome. This Pokemon takes being an introvert to the next level.

Haterrene has made a name for itself as the Forest Witch, which makes this Pokemon significantly spookier. In Pokemon Violet, Haterenne’s ‘Dex entry states that Trainers should beware of forests that show no signs of living creatures, as this may be Haterenne’s territory. Keeping this in mind, it seems that the creature is some sort of pastel Blair Witch when it comes to the Pokemon World.

Sneasel

Image Source: The Pokemon Company

Sneasels are notorious for having an extremely vicious nature, which can be a deadly force when paired with their sharp, blade-like claws. Though it’s an intriguing and mysterious Pokemon, Sneasel is quite terrifying, known to hide in darkness and wait to strike its prey. What even is this little guy, some mini Jack the Ripper?

Sneasel is also frequently known for driving wild Pidgey away from their homes through sheer violence, feasting on the eggs that are left behind. In other words, Sneasel chases families of bird Pokemon from their nest and consumes their unborn children for a fun little snack — talk about brutal!

About the author

Grace Black

Grace is a writer, digital artist, and character illustrator from New Zealand with a love for fiction and storytelling. Grace has been writing for Twinfinite for seven months and in the games industry for a year. She’s a horror enthusiast, occasional anime enjoyer, and die-hard Ghost-Type Pokemon fangirl. Her favorite video games include Overwatch 2, Life is Strange, The Last of Us, and Pokemon – all of which she will never tire of.

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Grace Black

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October 28, 2023
Dashcam Footage Shows Cops Ignoring Robbery To Play Pokémon Go

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Newly released dashboard camera footage shows two Los Angeles Police Department officers ignoring an active robbery in order to catch some rare creatures in Pokémon Go. The footage shows how the driver ignored stop signs, sped through quiet residential areas, and drove the wrong way down a one-way road. All this was done to catch a Snorlax and Togetic.

New Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Trailer Features Hot Profs, 4-Player Co-Op, And Lechonk, The Hero We Deserve

In 2022, we reported on then-newly-released court docs that revealed a 2017 incident involving two LAPD officers who drove dangerously and ignored direct orders while playing the hit mobile game, Pokémon Go. Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell skipped out on their job to catch some rare digital critters and then lied about their actions. The two law enforcement officers had a combined 28 years on the force. After a 2017 investigation revealed what they had done, the two officers were fired. Last year, we didn’t have footage of what happened. Now, six years later, video has finally emerged.

ABC 7

Thanks to 404 Media’s Jason Koebler, the dashcam footage from that day in 2017 is now publicly available following years of requests. As Koebler notes, the footage proves that the previously mentioned report was accurate. But this new video also reveals more details about what happened and shows just how recklessly the officers acted.

New footage shows LAPD officers trying to catch ‘em all

As seen in an edited version of the three-hour dashcam video put together by 404 Media, the officers can be seen driving quickly in their patrol car. The two tailgate dangerously behind numerous cars, forcing the other drivers to move out of the way. At another point in the video, the police can be seen speeding in a residential area, running a stop sign, and flying over speed bumps.

The police were apparently driving so quickly because they were concerned the Snorlax would despawn after a short timer ran out, saying in the video: “It’s gonna go pink and change into something else.”

After losing the Snorlax, the two officers track down a Togetic and while catching it, talk about Pokémon lore. According to 404 Media, the two cops mentioned that Togetic is Togepi’s evolution and discussed that the creature knows “Hidden Power,” a rare move in the series. Later, Officer Mitchell suggests that Master Ball items are buried in the game’s code and that one day they will be added to the game. He was right, but it would take another six years before the Master Ball would be added to the game.

After finally catching the Togetic, Mitchell can be heard shouting, “Holy crap! Finally!” He adds that the guys back at the station are “going to be so jealous.” Mitchell further celebrated, telling his partner—while the pair reportedly drove the wrong way down a street—that he “got a new high-level Pokémon today.”

A few minutes later Mitchell and Lozano were questioned by a higher-ranking officer, who was confused why the two of them—who were near the area where the robbery occurred—had failed to report in for 40 minutes. Their superior added that it’s “concerning” that they didn’t hear the radio or respond in a “swift manner.”

At this point the two officers decided to lie, and explain that they didn’t hear the radio, claiming they “were not always” in the car when the backup requests were transmitted. However, the video shows that at least one of the two officers was always in the patrol car during the incident. As mentioned, the two were fired in 2017 after an investigation by the LAPD.

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Zack Zwiezen

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October 10, 2023
Detective Pikachu Returns Has A Fun Joke About The 2019 Movie

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Detective Pikachu Returns is out on Switch today, October 6, and as someone who considers the original 2016 3DS game to be one of my favorite things Pokémon has ever done, I’m stoked. But Nintendo’s adventure game sequel exists in a weird place, because the 2019 live-action Detective Pikachu movie may have already wrapped up its story.

HD-2D, The Unique Retro-Inspired Art Style, Took Off In 2022

While the circumstances are a bit different, the Detective Pikachu movie does the whole “Game of Thrones” thing of ending a story that wasn’t quite complete in the source material. Did its ending end up spoiling the video game sequel that wouldn’t launch for another four years? As I play Detective Pikachu Returns, I assume I probably know what’s going to happen at the end. However, I’m not totally sure, because the game has a cute scene that references the movie and affirms that the game is doing its “own thing.”

The scene in question takes place maybe 30 minutes in. Protagonist Tim Goodman is speaking with his mother Irene and sister Sophia about his detective adventures alongside the titular Detective Pikachu. Apparently, the mystery-solving duo has become so well-renowned for their work that they’ve made a movie about the first game’s case. Sophia says she thought the movie was “pretty good,” but laments that she and her mom don’t show up in it at all. Tim says he has “no idea, but movies usually do their own thing, don’t they?”

Buy Detective Pikachu Returns: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop

Screenshot: The Pokémon Company / Kotaku

2019’s Detective Pikachu movie follows a lot of the same plot beats as the 3DS game it was based on, such as Tim and Pikachu being able to talk to each other while they search for Tim’s dad Harry. But Irene and Sophia don’t appear in the movie at all; Sophia doesn’t even seem to exist in the film’s continuity. Her now being upset about that in Detective Pikachu Returns, and Tim’s nonchalant response, is a cute meta reference to the real movie and the liberties it took with the source material.

Tim’s mother, specifically, is very different in this new game, because she was long dead in the film’s chronology. Harry grew distant after Tim’s mother’s death, leading to tension between the two. But she is alive and well in Detective Pikachu Returns. Does that mean she gets a happy ending now? To be determined.

Whatever happens, the most comforting thing I’ve experienced playing Detective Pikachu Returns is its repeated insistence that your mystery-solving electric mouse isn’t a cop in the games; in fact, they’re actually pretty at odds with Ryme City law enforcement so far. We stan a private investigator vigilante king.

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Kenneth Shepard

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October 6, 2023
Kotaku’s Weekend Guide: 5 Games To Kick Back With

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Screenshot: Digital Eclipse

Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Windows (Steam Deck: YMMV)
Current goal: Bring some game history to life (and survive the damn bird)

“Wait,” I hear you saying. “You’re playing something called The Making of Karateka? That sounds like a documentary, not a game!” Well, my friend, it’s both!

Karateka is a hugely influential and important game from 1984, designed by Jordan Mechner, who would go on to create the original Prince of Persia, among other well-regarded games. This new release from prestige emulation studio Digital Eclipse lets you play Mechner’s classic, of course—multiple versions of it, in fact, as it was released for numerous platforms in the ‘80s. But it aims to do more than that. Through interviews, archival materials, and other supplements, it aims to contextualize Karateka within the larger scope of game history, providing insight into what makes it significant, and why we should still appreciate it today.

I often lament that game history—even from as recently as 40 years ago—is so often overlooked and erased, as many people playing and writing about games today simply lack a real awareness of or interest in the age of Atari and Apple IIc. It’s very important to me that it not be forgotten, and that the games of that era continue to be recognized for both their significance to the medium’s development and for the playability and enjoyment they can still offer today. I haven’t even fired up The Making of Karateka yet, but if Digital Eclipse’s recent release, Atari 50, is any indication, this one will also do a wonderful job of illuminating an important piece of game history.

The studio is calling this the first in its Gold Master series. I very much hope that it’s successful enough to be merely the first of many. Game preservation guru Frank Cifaldi recently said on Twitter, “If the world is to take video games seriously as an art form, we must be able to support products like this.” I strongly agree. — Carolyn Petit

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Claire Jackson

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September 15, 2023
The Pokémon Company Finally Gives Us What We Want: Penny’s Eevee Backpack

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Screenshot: The Pokémon Company / Kotaku

Ever since Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launched last year, a subset of fans have been asking for one particular piece of merchandise: Penny’s Eevee backpack. The satchel Penny wears throughout the game is made to look like the normal-type fox Pokémon, and given that Eevee is one of the franchise’s mascots, I’m surprised it took The Pokémon Company this long to capitalize on its popularity. But it finally has, and Penny’s Eevee backpack is up for sale…albeit only in Japan, for now.

The Week In Games: Pocket Monsters And Simulated Goats

The Eevee backpack is part of a “Paldea Pokémon Trainers” merch line made up of products based on characters in Scarlet and Violet. This includes replica items, such as the electric-type gym leader Iono’s hair bow and Elite Four member Rika’s gloves. These accessories will launch in Japan on September 16, and the Eevee bag will run ￥6,930 (roughly $47 USD). But as of this writing, there doesn’t seem to be any word on a western launch. You can try keeping an eye on the Pokémon Center website, but it seems like this is a Japan-only promotion for the moment. If you’d rather not risk missing out on it, you can likely import it through third-party sellers. For the rest of us, we can simply bask in its glory.

Image: The Pokémon Company

Personally, I’m bummed this line isn’t highlighting Professor Turo, the best character in the game. Just give me a little Turo plush, Pokémon Company. Or just anything that acknowledges the existence of the hot professor. I’m offering you money, but the only merchandise that exists of him is in the trading cards. For shame.

The Pokémon Company will have a handful of new characters to add to Scarlet and Violet’s merchandise lines when the RPGs’ two-part DLC launches, starting next month with The Teal Mask on September 13. The second part, The Indigo Disk, is slated to come out sometime later in 2023.

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Kenneth Shepard

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August 25, 2023
Cop Arrested And Fired For Allegedly Stealing Pokémon Cards

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Screenshot: OLM / The Pokémon Company / Kotaku

An Alabama corrections officer was arrested and fired over the weekend for stealing Pokémon cards at a Walmart.

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According to an article from Alabama news site Advance Local, which had a bit of fun with the headline “Gotta catch ‘em all?” Calhoun County corrections officer Josh Hardy was arrested on August 12 at 7 p.m. for attempting a five-finger Poké-discount by opening up multiple Pokémon card packs and swiping individual cards into his pocket within full view of a Walmart loss prevention employee. When Hardy was confronted over his act of theft, he fled the Oxford, Alabama store on foot, the news site reported.

Sometime after Walmart staff reported the crime to the Oxford Police, Hardy was found at a local restaurant with the stolen Pokémon cards still in his pockets, at which point he was arrested and charged with theft. To make matters all the more awkward, Hardy had committed the Pokécrime and was subsequently arrested while in uniform. Irony found dead.

“It is with great embarrassment that we have to report this incident, and Hardy has been terminated from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office,” Calhoun County Sheriff Matthew Wade said in a statement to the public. “He has tarnished our agency and the image of all law enforcement. As sheriff, I promised to be transparent and hold my staff accountable to a standard higher than average citizens.”

Read More: Men Simply Walk Away With $300,000 Of Stolen Magic: The Gathering Cards

Former Alabama corrections officer Hardy’s cartoonish card theft closely follows another peculiar trading card game-related heist committed in broad daylight. Just last week at Gen Con, an annual tabletop gaming convention held at the Indiana Convention Center, a couple of thieves stole boxes full of Magic: The Gathering cards worth an estimated $300,000.

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Isaiah Colbert

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August 16, 2023
All The Announcements Packed In Pokémon’s Big Event

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The Pokémon Company held a new Pokémon Presents showcase to talk about upcoming projects in the series. If you missed the show, you can catch the VOD right here, but if you just want to know the highlights, read on.

Read more…

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Kenneth Shepard

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August 8, 2023
Leaked: All 15 McDonald’s Pokémon Cards That Will Immediately Sell Out In 2023
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While not (yet) officially announced, new leaks indicate that McDonald’s is once again teaming up with The Pokémon Company to offer fans a fresh collection of 15 Pokémon cards to snatch up and flip on eBay for hundreds of dollars, or enjoy quietly at home. But probably eBay.

The Week In Games: Pocket Monsters And Simulated Goats

Since 2001, The Pokémon Company has, nearly every year, created promotional Pokémon cards that people can buy at local participating McDonald’s locations. These cards, which were only available in Japan until the 2011 promotion, have often featured unique symbols and are highly desired by collectors. In 2021, the McDonald’s X Pokémon promotional cards sold out quickly as collectors snatched up boxes at a time from the restaurants and sold them for hundreds apiece on eBay. And it seems possible that these newly leaked 2023 Pokémon McDonald’s cards might also sell out fast, too.

As PokéBeach reported on July 26, a reader sent the site images of the 15 cards from the upcoming (not officially announced) promotion, which apparently came out prematurely in Germany. PokéBeach claims these are all the cards that will be available during the yearly Pokémon event at McDonald’s. That makes sense, as in the past the number of promo cards was often around 12 to 15.

Here’s the full list via PokéBeach:
1. Sprigatito
2. Fuecoco
3. Quaxly
4. Cetoddle
5. Cetitan
6. Pikachu
7. Pawmi
8. Kilowattrel
9. Flittle
10. Sandaconda
11. Klawf
12. Blissey
13. Tandemaus
14. Cyclizar
15. Kirlia
All of the Pokémon featured, with the exception of Pikachu, come from Scarlet & Violet. It seems just six of the 15 cards will be holo, those being Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, Cetitan, Pikachu, and Klawf.

When you’ll be able to buy these new Pokémon cards

As before, these cards will be available in four-card booster packs that will come with Happy Meals. The cards will also come with a “Match & Battle” toy that looks to be based on a similar toy that was part of last year’s McDonald’s X Pokémon promotional event.

As for when to expect these cards to show up in the United States, PokéBeach says that the cards will be available in Germany and Austria on July 27 and in the UK on August 23.

No date has leaked for the U.S., though based on past events and this year’s known dates, it’s believed that the cards will also come to the United States sometime in August.
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Zack Zwiezen

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July 26, 2023
Netflix’s Stop-Motion Pokémon Series Will Be Therapeutic For Fans, Says Actress

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During an Anime Expo press junket for Netflix’s upcoming anime, Pokémon Concierge, actress Rena Nōnen, also known as Non, revealed what it was like working on the stop-motion anime series and how its warm animation style will make any fan wish Pokémon resorts were real.

New Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Trailer Features Hot Profs, 4-Player Co-Op, And Lechonk, The Hero We Deserve

Pokémon Concierge follows a hardworking girl named Haru who works as a concierge at a resort where she shows hospitality to and fulfills the needs of weary Pokémon and their trainers. Pokémon Concierge also serves as the first collaboration between The Pokémon Company and the stop-motion studio Dwarf Animation.

“I’m sure we’ve all [felt like] we are bombarded, under pressure, or that we don’t want to get up and keep doing what we’ve been doing and just give up. But when you see Pokémon Concierge, it’s really therapeutic and it makes you want to try and be the best you can be,” Non said. “I wish viewers will see Pokémon Concierge [and feel like] they can keep going.”

Netflix

Learning how to voice act for a stop-motion anime series

One significant experience Non went through while recording voice lines for Haru was being filmed while she was pantomiming the struggles and frustration Haru endures in the series so that her facial expressions and mannerisms could be utilized to animate Haru and give weight to her puppet’s performance.

“Once I saw the finished scenes, they were very different from what you’d see in 2D, 3D, or CG animation. I was able to feel like ‘Oh, [stop motion] is also how you can enjoy Pokémon,” Non said. “When I saw [Haru] in action, I felt that it was totally believable and convincing.”

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Why Psyduck is the perfect companion for Pokémon Concierge

Shedding some light on her character, Non said that Haru, who often overworks herself and places a lot of pressure on herself to meet others’ expectations, learns that it’s okay to make mistakes and to not be so hard on herself over the course of the series. She’s aided in that journey of personal growth by her companionship with Psyduck, the Pokémon she meets at her new job working at the resort.

“When I was playing Pokémon games, Mewtwo was my favorite character. But when I started working on Pokémon Concierge, Psyduck in stop-motion animation… he’s just so adorable,” Non said. “Because he’s so cute he’s currently my favorite [Pokémon].”

Photo: Kotaku / Isaiah Colbert

Although Psyduck serves as Haru’s companion in the anime, Non assured fans that they’ll get to see other Pokémon as well throughout the series.

Pokémon Concierge is slated to premiere on Netflix this December.

Kotaku is covering everything at Anime Expo 2023, including big announcements at panels and exclusive one-on-one interviews with the industry’s biggest creators. Whether you’re a seasoned anime fan or a newbie, you can keep up with all things Anime Expo 2023 here.

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Isaiah Colbert

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July 2, 2023
Three Gorgeous, Unreleased Games We Just Played That Should Have Your Attention

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Image: Moonloop Games

Hauntii is an upcoming twin-stick adventure game from Moonloop Games in which you play an adorable little ghost capable of haunting objects and using them to traverse the game’s version of eternity. Eternity features beautiful, bespoke graphics (almost all of which the four-person team illustrated on an iPad using Procreate), that are folksy and whimsical—the perfect vibe for a cozy ghost game.

Hauntii’s protagonist is, of course, a cute little ghost with glowing green eyes. You can use the twin-stick combat to shoot “essence” at objects, either destroying ones that will give you in-game currency or haunting ones that can be used to move around the game space. At one point, I jumped into a set of statues that I needed to move to unlock a teleport. At another point, I jumped into a tree that shook off some currency for me, my glowing green eyes peering out from the giant plant.

Hauntii – Official Announcement Trailer | Day of the Devs 2023

Hauntii also has a beautiful score to go along with its breathtaking illustrations, and though I only had ten minutes with it, I found myself wanting more. It’s due out for PC and console in 2024.

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Alyssa Mercante

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June 10, 2023
These Limited Edition Eeveelution Pokémon Cards Are Beautiful

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Image: The Pokémon Company

I don’t collect Pokémon cards much myself. I have a select few cards I’ve kept over the years, mostly ones of my favorite monsters or sporting characters I like such as the Professor’s Research card featuring my husband Professor Turo. But I am always captivated by the art The Pokémon Company slaps on a piece of cardstock and throws into a pack with other pieces of cardstock for kids and also Logan Paul to spend untold amounts of money on. That captivation continues because The Pokémon Company is collaborating with Japanese artist Yu Nagaba on a new line of Eeveelution cards, and they’re really cool.

If you’re unfamiliar with Nagaba’s work, he’s known for his minimalistic style that kinda feels evocative of newspaper comics. He’s collaborated with Pokémon before on things like a 2021 Pikachu card and Ed Sheeran’s “Celestial” music video. This new collaboration is a box set featuring art of Eevee and all its evolutions. It will launch in Japan on May 24 and run 4800 yen (roughly $36 USD) . It includes a rubber playmat, sleeves for cards, and a deck box. Right now, the set is part of a lottery on the Japanese Pokémon Center site. On top of the box set, Nagaba’s art also appears on a portfolio and card display frame, which will run 1980 yen (about $15 USD) and 1490 yen (around $11 USD), respectively.

Once May 24 comes around, the Pokémon Center will include a promo card of the Eeveelutions for every 1000 yen spent on a TCG-related purchase. This announcement precedes another announcement that will take place on May 5, revealing more information about a collaboration between Nagaba, Pokémon, and the clothing brand BEAMS. Thanks to PokéBeach for the translations.

Now that I’m looking at all these Eeveelution pieces, I just want to see all my favorites in Nagaba’s style. This is prime minimalist tattoo fodder. Give me Raichu, Nagaba, I’ll get him inked into my arm forever.

Let’s take a look at all the cards and merch Nagaba drew up for the collection.

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Kenneth Shepard

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April 21, 2023
This Pokémon Has Billions Of Variations And It’s Breaking New Games

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Welcome to Exp. Share, Kotaku’s weekly Pokémon column in which we dive deep to explore notable characters, urban legends, communities, and just plain weird quirks from throughout the Pokémon franchise. This week, we’re looking at how Spinda, an unassuming critter from Generation III, went from a novelty to an apparent nuisance for The Pokémon Company to work with because of its multiple forms.

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27 years after Pokémon Red and Green, alternate forms and designs in Pokémon have become a mainstay in the series. From Shiny Pokémon to event ‘mons like the spiky-eared Pichu, most Pokémon can look a little bit different from their original versions. However, there is one Pokémon that has more forms than any other one else in the series, and that’s Spinda. Because of how its designed is determined, it can have somewhere around four billion different forms.

Spinda is a normal-type Pokémon introduced in Ruby and Sapphire for the Game Boy Advance. While the swirly-eyed little bear seems mostly unremarkable on the surface, it has a gimmick in its appearance that’s resulted in its own a cult following within the Pokémon community. The character has a spot pattern on its coat that, similar to shiny odds, is entirely determined by background math that can give it up to four billion possible variations. It’s a mainstay of its Pokédex entries across the games, with several saying that no two Spinda have the same spot patterns.

How does Spinda have so many forms?

Spinda’s appearance is determined by its individual personality value, or encryption constant in more recent entries, which is a 32-bit integer ranging from zero to 4,294,967,295. This number is assigned the first time you meet a Pokémon in a save file, and where it lands determines the placement of its spots, as well as other things like gender and nature. On top of this, each of these variations could be Shiny, doubling its variations. This is a neat idea that has helped Spinda stand out among its third-generation contemporaries and has made it a centerpiece in its own Pokémon community.

Because Spinda’s possible forms are so vast, communities such as the Spinda’s Cafe subreddit are dedicated to documenting every variation of its spot pattern. There’s even an in-browser app called Spinda Painter that lets you test different personality values and shiny possibilities to see the resulting spot patterns. While it’s a strictly cosmetic change, it’s the closest Pokémon has ever gotten to replicating how different real-world animal fur patterns can look from one another.

Image: The Pokémon Company / Kotaku

How has this affected Spinda in recent games?

But that variation is why Spinda has been an issue for Game Freak and The Pokémon Company in terms of transferring the character and all its variants to future games. Pokémon Home, the app players use to transfer and store Pokémon between games, can’t transfer Spinda to and from Pokémon Go or Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes because they’re inconsistent with how other games determine the character’s spot pattern. Pokémon Go only has nine predetermined patterns rather than the several billion found in most games, and the Diamond and Pearl remakes have a glitch associated with how it reads the numbers that determine Spinda’s forms. This means that the value these games assign to Spinda could result in a completely different spot pattern being assigned to the same Pokémon. As a result, Spinda is the only Pokémon obtainable in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl that can’t be transferred to and from these games.

While it’s unclear if these billions of possible designs are responsible, Spinda has notably not been obtainable in a new game since Game Freak retired the National Dex that allows players to transfer any and all old Pokémon to new games. Spinda was conspicuously absent from Sword and Shield and Scarlet and Violet. Given that The Pokémon Company is running into compatibility issues with Spinda on several fronts, it will be interesting to see if Spinda appears in a mainline Pokémon game ever again. But even if the dizzy bear doesn’t show up in a new Pokémon game any time soon, at least there are corners of the Pokémon fandom that are taking steps to ensure what makes it special isn’t forgotten.

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Kenneth Shepard

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April 17, 2023
Dark Pokémon Fan Comic Explores What The Game Boy Classics Don’t

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Red, Green, and Blue are the bestselling Pokémon games of all time, and as the games that first launched the franchise on Game Boy in Japan way back in 1996, they’re old enough that I was convinced I’d seen every form of homage and fan media dedicated to Pokémon’s humble beginnings. I was wrong. I recently discovered War/Crimes, a fan comic that features the Kanto gym leaders Lt. Surge and Team Rocket boss Giovanni, whose relationship in the comic feels too nuanced to be easily summed up as “on-off boyfriends.” Despite the provocative cover and the characters being “sexy violent [and] gay” throughout, it’s the comic’s exploration of Kanto’s military-industrial complex that will stay in the back of my brain forever.

Why Mario Strikers: Battle League Could Be Nintendo’s Next Multiplayer Hit

Lieutenant Surge has always been a strange presence in the Pokémon games. Prior to 2010’s Black and White, the Fame Checker (an item which offers up descriptions of important people) called Surge “The Lightning American.” He likes electric Pokémon, we were told, because they “saved” him during “the war.” He flew an electrical plane as a pilot, which means that he likely fought in World War II. Or whatever the equivalent is in the Pokémon universe.

The developers could have just left Surge in as a quirky reference to a war that ended Japan’s imperial capabilities. But the lore goes deeper. He had a cautious nature in the army, set up his own electric traps, and uses double locks everywhere. It’s not the behavior of a man who left the army with his psyche entirely intact. Comic artist and animation director Kelly Turnbull took this premise and went wild with it.

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Image: Kelly Turnbull

As War/Crimes tells it, Surge and Giovanni were comrades-in-arms during the war, and they’ve both got their baggage about how disposable their lives were. Surge is now relatively poor, and he’s struggling to define himself beyond his post-traumatic stress disorder. Giovanni joined the army to fund his Pokémon League challenge,but after watching his Nidoking get ripped apart in front of him, he grew angry towards the war machine. War/Crimes doesn’t spend any time wondering whether or not the war was justified, or whether or not their losses were noble sacrifices. It’s more interested in how economic violence can cause even more suffering in the world.

See, it wasn’t just Giovanni’s ambition that created Team Rocket here. It was the money-hungry Pokémon League, which is more concerned about profit than helping children rise above their station. The comic explains that the Cerulean Gym secured the designation of being water specialists from the League by relying on “underage” girls to sway officials, all while the more deserving Vermillion City, which actually has a coastline, went overlooked. And Surge does not become a gym leader because of his leadership abilities or military strength; it was a new life, loaned to him by the boss of Team Rocket. War/Crimes isn’t just showing us a queer reading of the Game Boy games, but one viewed through an anti-capitalist lens.

Before you ask: Yes, the two veterans are unambiguously gay, good news for those who think subtext is for cowards. They have sexual contact with one another, though they call each other “friends” throughout the comic. I liked that a lot. Their relationship in the comic feels comfortable, intimate, and familiar even when they don’t directly address it or what it is. The army officer and the leader of Team Rocket don’t need to adhere to pageantry. But it could be self-protective masculinity too. These two men have been eviscerated by the war machine, and they think that they have no more blood to give, nothing left to be ashamed of. But the scary thing about the modern world is that it always finds a way.

There’s one line that sticks in my brain several days after reading. “What happened to us?” Surge asks after a nightmare causes him to punch Giovanni in his sleep. But the mob boss doesn’t get angry, doesn’t push him away. “Other people,” he replied. Even if these men have wonderful chemistry with each other, even if they work towards being vulnerable, the world can be a terrible place that makes love and loving hard, even as it remains the only thing that can save them. This is not the same Pokémon world that I know, but it compels me to imagine the implications of Kanto having a military-industrial complex that funnels poor men like Giovanni into institutions that try to kill them.

It’s never too late to start reading comics about old gay men. The comic is worth sampling if you’re interested in alternate interpretations of Pokémon history. Turnbull plans to post one page for free every day. If you can’t wait for the entire thing, you can also purchase it on itch.io for a dollar.

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Sisi Jiang

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April 7, 2023
Let Us All Enjoy This 1999 Pokémon Card Commercial

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In 2023, Pokémon is part of the fabric of our lives. It exists all around us, has for decades, and even if you’re not a fan you will at least know the basic premise.

They’re Pokémon! You catch em all! They fight, they faint, they go in a little ball, there are some kids, some of them (the Pokémon, not the kids) look like dinosaurs, some of them look like animals. You would know that much just be being alive in the 21st century, as you would have been exposed to the series, repeatedly, everywhere from the movie theatre to the supermarket to the clothes section of a department store.

Which is why it’s sometimes extremely fun to look back to the times we didn’t all know about Pokémon, and there are few examples better to illustrate this period of human history than this commercial (uploaded by Dinosaur Dracula, who found it on an old VHS), made for the US market in 1999 for the Pokémon trading card game’s launch in the market (the first video games, meanwhile, had only just been released in the US in late 1998):

How the hell are we going to market this to American kids?, you can hear the suits asking across a 90s boardroom table, before someone raises a hand and tentatively says like sports, they know sports, and everyone else cheers and slaps each other on the back and says you just bought yourself a raise, Thompson.

It’s not the worst idea! To its credit the commercial has aged extremely well, helped by the fact Pokémon still has an incredibly active tournament scene, and at no point is it ever embarrassed or afraid to embrace what it is. OK, maybe the “You got game” part has not aged well, but everything else has.

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Note that this video isn’t new to the internet, but this particular version came to our attention because this is a much better quality upload than the first version you presently find in a YouTube search.

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Luke Plunkett

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March 14, 2023
Detective Pikachu Sequel Inches Closer To Being Real

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Neo-noir comedy Pokémon: Detective Pikachu came out in 2019, and it was surprisingly good. In the era of risk-averse studios rebooting and remaking everything under the sun, a sequel seemed inevitable. Sure enough, one was already in development when the first debuted. No one’s heard about it since. Until today.

Deadline reports that Portlandia co-creator Jonathan Krisel is currently in “negotiations” to direct. Progress! Chris Galletta, the writer behind 2013 indie dramedy The Kings of Summer, is reportedly attached for the screenplay. Ryan Reynolds, who voiced Pikachu in the first movie, hasn’t said anything publicly about it, but will have “some part to play in the upcoming sequel,” according to Deadline’s sources.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu was adapted from the 3DS game of the same name and told the story of a budding Pokémon trainer and a crime-solving Pikachu that try to unravel a vast pharmaceutical conspiracy. It takes place in a near-future world where computer animated Pokémon mingle alongside humans in ways both bizarre, mundane, and often funny. The film was lighthearted but not overly saccharine, and went on to post $433.2 million at the box office on a $150 million budget. So four years later, it’s not clear what the holdup is.

Legendary Entertainment, the film production company behind it, teased a sequel in early 2019 claiming 22 Jump Street writer Oren Uziel was signed on for the screenplay. Then in 2021, Justice Smith, who played Pikachu’s human side-kick, ominously told fans, “I think we have to just kind of bury our hopes.” Things seemed bleak. Last month, Polygon finally asked Legendary what was going on, and the firm claimed the project hadn’t been killed. Now at least we know they weren’t entirely full of it.

In addition to his work on Portlandia, an offbeat sketch comedy show about early 2010s hipsters, Krisel also co-created Baskets, a dramedy about a professional clown played by Zach Galifianakis. Both shows would no doubt have been improved by the inclusion of Pokémon.

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The Detective Pikachu 2 game is also still in the works. Who knows which one will end up seeing first.

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Ethan Gach

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March 3, 2023
Gorgeous Pokémon, Anime Sneakers Are Too Good For Nike

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While Nike likes to dabble in the out-and-out nerd market sometimes, from Doraemon to Hello Kitty, for the most part the company likes to keep its collabs subtle, and has not worked with Nintendo for a long time. Meaning it will likely never officially release shoes this nice.

The sneakers you’re seeing in this gallery are all the work of artist Andrew Chiou, who has been doing the rounds on shoe blogs this week for his recent Pokémon work, but that stuff is just scratching the surface. Using Dunks and Jordans as his canvas, Chiou has painted (or at least designed) a ton of custom sneakers lately based on everything from Dragon Ball to Sailor Moon, sometimes for customers, and sometimes as one-offs for celebrities and athletes.

These are a pair of “What The” Super Mario concepts (“What The” sneakers are Nike’s special lines where designs get wild):

Here are some Pokémon ones he released earlier this week, featuring Scyther, Bulbasaur, Shiny Gyarados and Dragonite:

This is a pair of Sailor Moon concepts, again on a pair of Dunks, which with their retro styling and clean panel design makes them ideal to sketch out themes like this:

This pair of Dragon Ball Dunks, based on Vegeta, aren’t a mock-up, these have actually been painted up on a real pair:

I am in love with the colourway on these Snorlax Jordan IVs:

And finally, just to break up the monotony of Dunks and Jordan IVs, here’s a Venusaur mocked up over a pair of very lovely CDG x Nike ACG Mowabbs (scroll through to see the all-cream colourway of the original shoes, an all-timer for the silhouette):

If you want to see more of Chiou’s stuff, you can find more shoe designs—both mockups and actual custom sneaker paintjobs—at his Instagram page.

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Luke Plunkett

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February 28, 2023
After Four Years, The Pokémon Sleep App Is Finally Real

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Image: Nintendo / Kotaku

During today’s Pokémon Presents, we finally got a look at the upcoming and highly anticipated Pokémon Sleep app. It was accompanied with an adorable live-action promo and some actual in-game footage.

In the app coming later in 2023, you can check out all the irresistibly cute ways these creatures nap and sleep, and maybe they can help your sleep schedule out a bit too. Described as a “game that makes you look forward to waking up in the morning” (good luck), the game has an isometric perspective, and features many of the familiar faces taking it easy and catching some Zs. Check out all the details here:

As befits a Pokémon game, the title features Professor Neroli, “who’s researching Pokémon sleep.” That sounds like serious, academic business for sure, but it seems rather straightforward in practice. Basically, all you need to do is leave your smartphone within reach of your bed, and the game will measure your sleep. In the video, we got a quick look at how that all works.

Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku

If you’ve ever used a sleep app before, this ought to look very familiar. You get a rough average of the overall time you were asleep (and not staring into the blinding light of your phone, doomscrolling on Reddit for six hours…you know who you are), and some fancy stat readouts for various bits of sleep data. From the trailer we can see this includes info like the actual time it took for you to fall asleep.

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Your sleep data gets crunched into one of three sleep types: “Dozing, Snoozing, or Slumbering.” Pokémon whose sleep type matches yours will appear in the game, which is an easy and adorable way to start to get a sense of how well you’re sleeping. And it’s not all boring clinical sleep terms; as we saw in the video today, one unlockable sleep type is “Goofy Sleep” and features a Slowpoke adorably sleeping on its back.

As someone who’s cycled on and off various sleep apps for the past few years and haven’t found one that sticks, this one seems easy enough to understand, and looks fun. Maybe a solid eight hours a night is in my future after all.

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Claire Jackson

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February 27, 2023
This Shiny Pokémon May Have A Competitive Advantage In Scarlet And Violet

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Screenshot: The Pokémon Company / Kotaku

Shiny Pokémon are typically just a rare aesthetic anomaly, but one new addition in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet may have some competitive edge if you’re using a shiny variation: Tatsugiri.

The combination dragon- and water-type Pokémon already made a splash in the competitive scene because of its compatibility with Dondozo in double battles. Tatsugiri is able to hop inside Dondozo’s mouth and give it a stat boost. There aren’t a lot of examples of specific Pokémon having contextual interactions with their battle partner, so just as a cool gimmick, Tatsugiri and Dondozo have become a pretty notable competitive team since they debuted in Scarlet and Violet in November. However, Wolfey, one of the top competitive players in the scene, points out that using a shiny Tatsugiri can maybe help you get one over on an opponent.

Tatsugiri has three forms: its curly form, droopy form, and stretchy form. Each form gives Dondozo a different stat boost, and which form you’re using is most readily identifiable by its color. When you have a Shiny Tatsugiri, that makes things a bit trickier, because not only are these different colors than their original, the Shiny droopy form is very close in color to the standard curly form. Wolfey suggests that the closeness in color is in and of itself a deceptive advantage, as the opponent might have a harder time distinguishing one form from the other.

The one glaring flaw in this strategy is that shiny Pokémon have stars that appear around them when they’re sent out to the field, which would signal to an opponent that they’re looking at a shiny variation. This can throw a wrench into the strategy, though these are less noticeable in 2v2 battles where the camera won’t focus on Tatsugiri as it’s sent out. The strategy relies on your opponent’s either ignorance or lack of attention, but it’s still an interesting idea.

@wolfeyvgc

Why using this shiny Pokemon is actually optimal

♬ original sound – Wolfe

Countering Tatsugiri and Dondozo is all about knowing what buff to expect, and to adjust your plan accordingly. If Dondozo gets an attack boost, having a strong physical defender would be ideal. If it gets a defense boost, having a stronger special attacker that can circumvent the increase entirely is the way to go. Dondozo can be a powerhouse with the right composition, but preparing for what Tatsugiri boosts is how you keep it from wiping out your team. A shiny Tatsugiri might not fool every player, but it’s an interesting wrinkle to the Pokémon’s competitive career, which has already been fun to watch unfold since Scarlet and Violet’s launch.

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Kenneth Shepard

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February 25, 2023
Kadabra Will Finally Return To Pokémon Card Game After 18-Year Ban

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Image: The Pokémon Company / Kotaku / Toby Walker

The Pokémon Company will print its first new Kadabra card in over 20 years. According to a report by PokéBeach, the Pokemon Card 151 set due out in June will feature the psychic spoon-bender alongside the series other original Pokémon, something that would have previously been blocked by illusionist Uri Geller’s lawsuit accusing Kadabra of being based on his own likeness.

PokéBeach (via IGN) said it was able to confirm Kadabra’s return after viewing a leaked sell sheet for the upcoming set. While on its face it seems obvious that number 64 would be included along with the 151 other original Pokémon, Kadabra has been excluded from the card game since the early 2000s. That’s when Geller, best known for performing conjuring tricks ostensibly revolving around physic abilities, such as bending spoons, first discovered Kadabra and tried to take Nintendo to court over the Pokémon’s similarities to his act.

While the most obvious example was Kadabra’s signature bent spoon, its name in Japanese, Yungerer, also bore clear similarities. Geller reportedly took special issue with the Team Rocket Kadabra card which featured “Evil Yungerer.”

Read More: Getting Into The Pokémon Trading Card Game Is Way Easier Than You Think

“I’m very angry about this,” he told the BBC back in 2000. “I wouldn’t have given permission for an aggressive, and in one case evil character to be based on me. This is not even anything to do with the old question of if I’m a magician or a real psychic. It’s straight theft of my persona.”

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Geller didn’t stay angry though. Following years of failed lawsuits, pleas from fans, and even his own granddaughters, he eventually relented. In 2020 he sent a letter to Nintendo giving permission for Kadabra to continue being used. Pokémon company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara wrote back at the time to thank him. Geller even started teasing Kadabra’s possible return to the card game last year.

“Look, I want to thank the Pokémon fans who reached out to me over the last [few] years,” he told PokéBeach in a voicemail yesterday. “Including the ones from PokéBeach, who kept contacting me nonstop. So basically, it was you and my granddaughters that got me to change my mind.”

The illusionist went on:

Now we can all see Kadabra reunited with the original Pokémon in the card game this summer. I love you all. And I admit, totally open and honest. I was a fool. It was a devastating mistake for me to sue Pokémon. [Kadabra] was basically a tribute to Uri Geller. But it’s back now. Forgive me. I love you all. Much love and energy.

You are forgiven Uri Geller.

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Ethan Gach

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January 27, 2023