What is Pokémon? Battles Over Pokémon Battles Pokémon and Prejudice Pokémon in the Classroom The Idiot's Guide to Pokémon Pokémon: the Best (Animal) Show You're NotWatching Human-Pokémon Bond Protecting Pokémon There are no Bad Pokémon In Defense of Pokémon For the Love of Pokémon Pokémon Ripped From the Headlines Pokémon, Outside the Box Pokémon, Then and Now Home Battling for Peace Past, Present, and Future Visitor Support: E-mails Guestbook AAP Help Affiliate/Link Back Site Q & A About Kimberly E-mail me Old Affs/Links/Rings Past Layouts Splash Past Splashes Seaside Pokémon Shaymin by Snip My Fan Art Animé Peace Pokémon Ranger Gray text = Original content (this page; 2004) (+ related ep. updates, notes) Blue text = Additional content (2004-10) Pokémon, Then and Now...(Let a fan tell this one, Emma¹) All right, maybe you no longer see Pikachu's cute face and electric yellow body every time you walk into a toy store. Nowadays, spotting a Pokémon item, outside of a video game store is so rare that when I see one, new or old, my eyes light up like James' when he sees Weepinbell. ("I Feel Skitty!") The 'Pokémon fad' that many adults wished to have gone away by now has...but only the fad. Since Ash, Misty, and Brock first headed into the Johto region in late 2000, many Pokémon items left store shelves just as our heroes left Kanto. But after surviving more than two years of prejudice and criticism from parents, teachers, movie & TV critics, U.S. censors, preachers, and just about everyone else who couldn't get past the ambiguous early U.S. tag line "Gotta Catch 'em All" (including VH-1's "I 'Love' the 90s" C-list celebs, who still think it's 1997/99 in segments that ironically aired hours before the premiere of the the newest Pokémon movie "Destiny Deoxys" [1/21/05]), Pokémon is still going strong for the only people whose opinions really matter - the fans. Except for a few cranks taking a break between bashing the latest fads, fans no longer have to deal with such outside problems every time the TV Guide comes in the mail or a toy segment comes on a talk show (wait...VH-1 just figured out that Pokémon is short for "Pocket Monsters"...in 2005!). Pokémon has not only proved its worth to us but to the most unforgiving of judges - time. In the era of Ruby and Sapphire (and also having come full circle in Fire Red/Leaf Green), Pokémon has 'advanced' to a whole new level (I suppose that's a pun, too!) and as Ash and Pikachu start over in the Hoenn region, Pokémon continues to take us a long for the journey as well. Passing the tenth anniversary mark (2006-07), the world of Pokémon has gotten even better, but more importantly, so has the world around it. When watching an episode from first season or seeing an old Pokémon item in a collectible store, the memories are bittersweet and a reminder of what we had to go through in order to have come this far. Fortunately, each new era for Ash and friends is also a new era for those of us who stood by Pokémon through rough times and changes, finding joy in both the past and the present...and always looking toward the future. With the controversy behind us, our loyalty has been rewarded in the era of Diamond and Pearl (2007-present) with new games, new Pokémon, a new series including an epic film trilogy...the journey goes on as we, along with a new generation of fans, continue to follow Ash while making our own way through Sinnoh, as well as the long-awaited return to Johto (HeartGold/SoulSilver; 2010) and the anticipation of the next generation of Black and White (2011). It's an exciting time to be a Pokémon fan...as it should have always been. "Pokémon are by our side, always. I hope you will understand the meaning of those words." -Professor Rowan (Pokémon Platinum) ¹VH-1's "I Love the 90's Part Deux" feature "Then and Now", hosted by former Baby Spice inaccurately listed Pokémon as merely a part of the past ('Then', 1999) as opposed to 'Now' (2005) Text and artwork copyright © 2000-2010 by Kimberly (RageOfInnocence) Pokémon © Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo/Creatures, Inc./Game Freak, The Pokémon Company International The beautiful screenshots of Ash and Pikachu are from the premiere episode "Pokémon! I Choose You!" and the Diamond & Pearl ending "Kaze no Message" kimsites.net Dream Valley | Oak Branch Woods | We All Live in a Pokémon World | Rainforest | Kimberly's Attic The Cave of Dragonflies Eonlight Valley AobaruNet The Pokémon Tower Sneasel Plushie! The Pokémon Center Pokémon Quest Pikachu Region Ama's Stuff Eevee Valley Nick & Kevin's Pokémon Site Pokémon Rebirth Floatzel.Net Shocktail Pikachu's Hideaway Pokémon Pwns Eon Riders Team Rango Pokémon Battle Dome Nidorina's Aqua Bunny Pokéreview Pokémon Valley Pokémon XxPokemonGiveawaysxX Pokémon Nights Gible's Valley Pokémon Mania Dream Cave PokémonNew Studio-Revolution.net Pikachu's Party PokéPal Guarded Dreams Goldenrod City Don't see your link? Check here.