I’ve got a real soft spot for Pokemon. Oh, I don’t keep up with it now. Where are they…Johto? Probably far beyond that. But I remember being addicted to the first few seasons. I even remember being bitterly disappointed at the lameness of Pokemon – The Movie. Our eldest daughter (now fourteen) collected trading cards (the excitement of her first Charizard!)and stickers, all the Gameboy games, had the soundtrack and everything.
Time was, I even knew part of the Poke-Rap. I reckon I watched every episode of the first two seasons with my eldest girl. That’s over 100 episodes!
So today, when our little one (aged 5) asked to hear the Jigglypuff song and wanted to hug a cuddly Pikachu she found in her mountain of inherited soft toys. I felt a stab of nostalgia for:
- Squirtle and Jigglypuff
- Any episode featuring the childhood memories of James of Team Rocket – especially the one where he is going to be married off and ends up cross-dressing – again
- The brilliantly kitschy songs in the first two seasons
I remember one of our accountants back then sitting in a pub with me and chuntering over the phenomenon. “It’ll all blow over, won’t it,” he said. “Like Beanie Babies?” “I don’t know,” I told him. “It’s got a richly detailed world and story. It could have longevity.”
Well, it may not be the worldwide phenomenon it was years ago, but as far as I’m aware, it’s still going pretty strong. And from the way our five-year old went to bed singing the Jigglypuff song to herself tonight, I think we may be in for a major revisitation of Pokemon round our way.
