Happy Pokémon Day Everyone!!

I know it's been a long while since I've done one of these kinds of journals (specifically about two and a half years, wow!), but I thought it'd be fun to give my thoughts on the new info released in today's Pokémon Day Direct!! You know, for all five of you who actually read these! 😋

Now, let me just start us off by gently and respectfully saying, THANK GOD WE'RE NOT GETTING GEN 10 YET!!! I mean no offense, but I think I've a genuine fear of Pokémon generations ending too soon. I know they've always only lasted a couple years and I always love getting more new Pokemon, I just can't handle letting the old ones go when it now feels like they only came out yesterday! 😭 So, I thank our blessings it's just Legends for now... ...probably gonna come next year...

Anyways! Legends Z-A!! We FINALLY have some new info! And while I know we all hoped they would give us just a little more than what was shown today, I'm honestly happy and hyped for what's coming!! Now, here my thought in order:

- I'm surprised we're getting a post X/Y storyline for this game. I guess after Legends Acreus, we all assumed the Legends games would all be about the past. But I like it! God knows Kalos needed more depth to its story

- TOTODILE AND TEPIG!!! My Johto 2nd pick and my Unova 2nd pick! How am I supposed to choose!? Do you think they'll get new regional evolutions or new Mega Evolutions!!? ...Oh hey, Chikorita. Didn't see you there

- So we're shifting to real time combat? ...Cool! Honestly, that's actually really interesting for Pokemon! My only worry is that I'm terribly inexperienced with that kind of system. May be a learning curve there

- AZ and Floette are back, YAY!

- Urbain and Taunie: (ha, I see what they did with those names) Not terribly much to say here, they both seem like fine friend/rival characters. I'll reserve futher judgement til we know more about them. I do like the gradient strawberry blonde hair though. That's a nice unique touch

- Jett and Vinne: Quasartico Inc., huh? They seem pretty cool, likewise not much else to say until we learn more. I just hope they're not our villians here, Kalos needs a break from evil corporate CEOs. I will say, I was confused at first by Vinnie's hairstyle. Are those Pokemon puffs his hair bun? A themed decorative pom-pom hair-tie? Either way, he weirdly resembles a Gym Leader OC I came up with months back. Funny that

- It looks like they're pulling back on the realistic rendering on character models like with Scarlet and Violet to more cartoonish style of Sword and Shield...
GOOD!! Not knocking S&V's character designs but, I was always a little offput by how they were rendered in-game. It just strayed a little too much away from Pokémon's usual style.

- A tad sad we got no new regional forms or mega evolutions, for now. But I was still really happy we got anything at all. (You see how they reel us in like that) Still a bit of a shame we got no new Pokemon to make OC's out of at the moment 😢

All together, a pretty solid Pokemon Direct!! I know I skipped over the news bits for the other games, I just don't have that much interest in the TCG or mobile games anymore (Pokemon GO is dead to me -_- ). Although, I was actually pretty happy to see Pokemon Champions. I probably won't get it but I can see people having fun with it. The logo with the different font 'P' in the middle of Champion is a little weird tho- OH MY GOD! I JUST REALISED IT'S A MACHOKE BELT!!!