Vol. 1, Issue 1 - Introductions
An introduction to the person behind the Johto Times
For this first issue of the Johto Times, I felt it would be appropriate to introduce myself and give readers an idea of the person behind this project. Here are ten (or more) Pokémon-related facts about me:
My name is Darren, I live in the United Kingdom and I first learned of Pokémon in 1999 when I overheard my classmates talk about the anime and the trading card game. Like most kids, I was immediately hooked by the strange and wonderful creatures known as Pokémon.
My first Pokémon game was Blue which I finally received in 2001 with a Game Boy Color that my mum bought me. I was beyond excited and happy with the game and played it constantly. My starter was a Charmander!
My favourite mainline Pokémon game is Crystal, purely because of how it made me feel when it originally launched, and for the many great memories playing it with my friends.
My favourite Pokémon is Rowlet. The scene during Pokémon Sun and Moon where you lift your chosen starter into the air was quite adorable, and his personality in the anime solidified his place as number one.
I have a collection of Pokémon items that include video games, trading cards, plush toys and many obscure items from the late 90’s and early 2000’s. I even own every English Pokémon Mini game!
In 2017 I released a story-driven Pokémon album that I produced and directed, which raised money for Child’s Play Charity. It was created in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Pokémon Red and Green in Japan.
When I was 16 years old, I created an online Pokémon website, chatroom and forum, which gave me a taste for community management and provided essential skills that were valuable into adulthood. It helped me form friendships during a difficult time in my life, after years of significant bullying during my school years.
I cried while playing Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. It’s a masterpiece!
I’m a big fan of Pokémon GO, a game that has had a positive impact on my physical and mental wellbeing, and helped me find friends locally that I never would have made otherwise.
In the next few years, It’s my ambition to complete several Pokémon trading card game sets I started in childhood. Between 2019 and 2022 I was able to complete the Base, Jungle, Fossil and Team Rocket collections.
As you can see, Pokémon has been a positive influence in my life that continues to be a fun escape from the daily grind. I hope this information gives you a greater understanding of my passion for Pokémon, and how it has impacted my life for almost a quarter of a century! Over time, I look forward to meeting other readers of the Johto Times and learning more about what Pokémon means to them too!
My very first one was Pokemon Sapphire with Mudkip! Then, I played Fire Red, where I also choose water type starter. That was the first time, when wartortle (due to different color back then) inspired me a lot for my future nickname :D
However, my best Pokemon Games are Emerald (due to a lot of double battles) and HearthGold (I love when Pokemon is following the trainer!).
Your favourive Pokemon is Rowlet. I used Wartortle for my nick, but it's not the most favourite one. But still, it's hard to me to pick one, but I love Crawdaunt, Shellder, Drowzee, Rhyhorn, Ivysaur, and Alonan Forms of Marowak and Sandshrew line.
Great post, I like your Top 10 facts about you, but related to Pokemon!
Maybe I can consider similar post like yours! The only thing which I have similar is "My 51 facts about me related to school" posted several years ago :D
Hi! I found here over, of all places, Mastodon! I'm very intrigued and curious about this project and its future! And, as a somewhat "youngblood" Pokémon fan, I'm also very curious about the experiences and opinions of someone who's been with the franchise for so long.
What I mean by "youngblood" is that my first Pokémon game was Pokémon SoulSilver, which I bought well into the lifecycle of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. My memory is a little hazy, but I believe that at that time, there were TV commercials for Pokémon X and Y already running, so you can say my first contact with the franchise really came to be at the tailend of Generation 5.
Now, my first game may have been Pokémon SoulSilver, but I really only fell in love with the franchise thanks to aforementioned Pokémon X/Y and my general bias towards the Kalos region, since I live very close to France and love the architecture and landscapes they went for in that region.
My favourite Pokémon, as could be guessed thanks to my internet persona and profile images on every platform, Silvally (and it's pre-evolution). It was love at first sight; it popped up on a reveal prior to the release of Pokémon Sun/Moon, and I always adored its design, and the lore behind it and its appearances in the anime solidified it as my favourite. To date, Type: Null is the only Pokémon I've ever shiny hunted at full odds in Pokémon Moon, finally getting it after 9903 Soft Resets.
Speaking of Pokémon Sun/Moon, those games also drove home that I would be a big Pokémon Fan, as it would make me spend hundreds of hours and really get lost in Alola's atmosphere, and give me the edge I needed at the time to give prior generations a go as well, and I have not regretted any part of it since.
Admittedly, I may be a bit too positive, since my love for the series has grown so strong, that I genuinely love every Pokémon game I touch, despite the various problems it may have.