Pokémon is a massive media franchise that originated from two games released in 1996, but has now expanded into several video games, trading card games, and its anime series. The original Japanese title of the game was 'Pocket Monsters', which gradually became the Pokémon title we know today. In the game, players progress through different zones while levelling up their pokémon and battling gym leaders to earn badges and become a pokémon master. Pokémon can also evolve into different forms through a variety of means.

Pokémon has been a huge part of my life since I was a little kid. I was introduced to it through the trading card game, which was very popular in my elementary school. While trading cards was banned at my school, we used to sneak into an area off of the main school boundaries to trade cards and show off our decks with one another. From the moment I had internet access, I began engaging with any pokémon content I could find. I continued collecting cards throughout much of my childhood, never actually playing any of the games until I was in my much older teens.

Here are my favourite pokémon by type and generation! You can make something similar here!

My favourite pokémon does change from time-to-time, but currently I'd say my favourite is Galarian Linoone (with Galarian Zigzagoon being a close second place) When it was first revealed, I was kind of split on whether or not I liked it. Zigzagoon has always been a pokémon I've held close to my heart, so seeing it altered was unnerving for a while! However the Galarian Zigzagoon line has grown on me a lot, and I'm happy to say they're now some of my favourite pokémon ever. Galarian Linoone is also a massive upgrade from the original, which I've always thought was kind of lacking.

Honourable mentions include Flaaffy, Mr. Mime, Mime Jr, Keldeo, Delibird, and Xatu. They're all pretty sick too!

Since I was mostly involved in the card game as a kid, the first pokémon game I ever played (and beat) was LeafGreen in 2022. It was really fun! I had tried to pick up Black first, but I struggle with games that pause for lore often. LeafGreen was pretty low on dialogue overall, which is my preference.

Mr. Mime basically carried the entire team, he's strong as hell in Gen 1.

Below is some Pokémon paraphernalia I own! I tend to nab whatever I see on shelves, since as a kid there was pretty much no Pokémon stuff in my small town aside from trading cards. Getting official Pokémon stuff was always a privilege reserved to trips to Toys R' Us!

Here are my favourite scrapped/beta pokémon! These are from the Gen II, III, and V development leaks.

In order: Cleffa, Wataneko (Jumpluff), Barirīna (Mime Jr.), Octillery, Bōbō (Noctowl), Hināzu (Doduo pre-evo), Urufuman, Wāurufu, Kōnya (Meowth pre-evo), Monja (Tangela pre-evo), Jaranra (Tangrowth)


In order: Zigzagoon, Evolotto, Hipo


In order: Pansear, Timburr, Meloetta