Jon, Entomologist, birder, pokemon-obsessed, music lover. Vegetarian since 1984, Gay since 1966. Male rape survivor. Progressive socialist. Army. J-Hope bias.
Here are 18 cards I rate the best of 2023. Probably missing something obvious, but everything here has greatly impressed me. Arita's Abra is probably my favourite.
Still thinking about this piece, by Kazuki Minami, and how incredibly clever it is. It's also phenomenal painting and concept, but the hidden Pokémon is the cherry.
It is my belief that this is the easiest shiny hunting spot in the whole game. Don't need to move and 50+ Finizen spawn per minute. Step right and they all clear.
#PokemonScarletViolet
#NintendoSwitch
@KpopDAD1
@BTS_twt
I'm a man in my 50s who adores BTS (bias for J-Hope). I have never worried if I don't fit the expectations of anyone. I love BTS, and if anyone has a problem with that, it's not my problem, it's theirs.
@AuschwitzMuseum
I've supported and read AM daily for years. Now you're removing all comments that don't 100% support a political stance? Wow. WOW. So very disappointed.
@donwinslow
there's something very wrong with his face.
And his brain, his personality, his body, but mainly... his face. And it's not just the botox. It's.... off.
A closer look at some of my Pokemon Zukan's - a 1:40 scale figure collection. Japan exclusive limited editions released in small sets between 2003 and 2014. The Wailord, Lugia and Ho-oh were lottery only prizes.
Still the weirdest Pokémon item I own, I think.
This chocolate bar was purchased at the Pokémon Center NYC, released to commemorate their opening in 2001.
It may be the last one out there, still mint condition after 22 years.
@Pokemon
#Pokemon
@ejeancarroll
Oh, I am SO pleased to hear this! Not only because we sorely need good news, but also because you might get the justice you deserve. Sending love.
@krassenstein
I don't know anyone here in the UK who thought of Trump as anything but a stupid, bloviating, lying, sociopathic grifter.
Anything after that seems "great". Personally I'd rather be welcoming President Sanders, but your oligarchic cabal would never allow that.
Short Thread: 1: Was just reminded that buying Pokémon cards (I'm talking about opening sealed product) has a strong dark side. I would like to see one of the big content creators do a serious video addressing this. The mental health implications and how to deal with it.
Overall, the standard of entries for this was incredibly high, but Kazuki Minami deserves to win. For these two alone. Blown away. So looking forward to them being commissioned.
@shotwithsoju
it really was an offensive comment/read. Perhaps it should have been edited out, but actually, no. Expose ignorance and racism to it can be talked about.
I love
@rickygervais
and yet I also find him frustrating and irritating. He's hysterically funny, so smart, with a heart of gold, but at the same time something about him... I don't know. I think he intimidates me, perhaps.
Thinking back to 2003, when my father was furious that I'd wasted my money on cardboard, when he found out I'd spent $100 to buy this box. He's dead now, and I still have a complete set.
@TheDUIGuyPlus
@MonicaLewinsky
Why should we read the "take" of someone who admits, in the first sentence, that they didn't even watch the trial?
That. Was. The. POINT.
VF and other MSM need to stop asking the opinion of people who haven't even seen the evidence, plain as day.
Skyridge is a very good set. I wish I'd bought more of it. At least I have these, all still in mint condition. If I had a time machine, I'd go back and buy another 30 boxes of it.
I'd rather see any cut of Batgirl, no matter how bad, than one second of Amber in
#Aquaman2
. If she's even an extra in the background, I won't be watching.
It's my birthday. Non-sequitur, perhaps, but here are eight Arita cards, each one chosen from one of the eight generations of cards, that I consider my "favourites". Though I could have chosen many others too.
My dear friend Dan
@aDrive_tK
sent me this incredibly kind present, which arrived today. It made me cry. He's such a kind man, and my favourite streamer for the past 7 years. Thank you so much, Dan.
@sueperkins
I'm just feeling crushed right now. It all feels too late. We have no power in the face of such imbedded corruption. There isn't even a strong Opposition. The dark forces in the media have made sure that Labour is a watered-down shadow of what it should be.
Witnessed a Master Class in streaming yesterday, from
@aDrive_tK
. Managing to make the bizarre minimalism into an excellent community space and entertainment. The secret to being a good streamer? Be a genuine, nice, kind person.
Went up to my attic for the first time in c20 years. Found a lot of boxes (here are just some of what I found.). I've always been one for keeping things.
Summer 2003 and WotC had lost the license to Pokémon cards. EX Ruby & Sapphire brought us a new tier of rarity, the EX cards. These were the first eight. I didn't like them then, Still don't much. Awful CGI arts usually and overly blingy borders. I still had to get them.
Finally! Took me a long time, but I got the last pieces of 2021. (well, except for the JPN print of Shadow-rider, which is too expensive). I've been so anxious over these, but they are mine and in hard cases. If you don't know, I kind of like Arita.
@gtconway3d
please, George, be nice to Donald today. He's going to have a really rough time of it, and he's... delicate. You know he can't cope with criticism or reality. If you're going to be mean, say it in long words he won't understand.
The 21st ENG set was EX FireRed & LeafGreen, released in 2004. It's popular but there are few cards in it that I love. Arita did two EX (Clefable and Gengar). Still, it looks nice in a binder. Charmander (holo) is the Secret Rare Boxtopper.
This is where it all started for me.
The first pack I ever bought, in 1999 had this Mewtwo card in it. A week later, I bought some more and got this Zard.
24 years of obsession began here.
I've kept them in pretty good shape over the years, I think.
Mitsuhiro Arita has illustrated over 600 Pokémon cards, over 25 years. And yet, of the original 151 Pokémon from the 1st Generation, there are still 35 he has not illustrated on an official card. Which is a surprising number.
@terrychristian
These are dark, dark days. We need some light and joy in this world, especially at Christmas. Piers going to jail would be that light and joy. "Dear Santa...."
it's Saturday, I'm all alone, as I always am. I'm looking at my favourite things. It brings me some escape from my pain and loneliness. No one to share my passion with, so I'm sharing it here, with anyone who sees this.
Two promos from the early days of Pokémon. There were about 36,000 copies of one of these distributed. The other, 350 copies. One is Arita. One is Yoshida. Both are lovely.
@MichaelRosenYes
I feel so late to the party. Just followed you after reading about your "troubles" this week. Just wanted to show support. You seem a genuinely lovely person.