It has been close to a month since The MAGIC RAIN, with the support of Team Pika, successfully organised The Official Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Launch Event on the 18th and 19th November 2017. The event that was held right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur in Lot 10, has received the participation of about 5000 Pokémon fans from across all generations over the span of the two days the event has taken place. From young children participating in the Little League Colouring Contest, to young adults trading Pokémon they’ve caught on their handheld Nintendo 3DS consoles, to those of the golden ages participating in lucky draws; The Official Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Launch Event has not only delivered a celebration of the newly released games, but has also brought the Malaysian community one step forward towards gaining international recognition.
Since then, things have only gotten better as we see back to back Pokémon related events within the span of about 2 months. Just 3 weeks after the video game launch event, fans was once again treated with the official fan screening of ‘Pokémon The Movie: I Choose You!’ by Primeworks Studios and Monsta. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Pokémon, fans of the franchise were treated with a nostalgia bomb that illustrates the beginnings and continued growth between Ash Ketchum, Pikachu and the friends they have gained along the way.
The movie also ties in and integrates Pokémon from all 7 generations hence creating a world that is more relatable and easily understood by younger audiences and people that is new to the vast amount of Pokémon currently available since the launch of Pokémon Sun & Moon video games. On the movie, The Pokémon Company corporate officer Susumu Fukunaga – who is also present during the event, mentioned “This is the 20th Pokémon Movie and it is special because it brings back the story of the 1st generation with a newer essence to the appeal towards all audiences ranging from the older groups who watched the original series 20 years ago to children now. We hope that everyone, families, friends and even couples will be able to enjoy the movie,”.
I felt that despite the internet outburst brought upon by an English speaking Pikachu, ‘Pokémon The Movie: I Choose You!’ is worth a watch especially for fans because more than just nostalgia value, it also delivers heartwarming and tearjerking scenes that has brought many in the theatre hall to tears.
Fast forward 2 more weeks, and we find ourselves on to the annual Comic Fiesta (CF) Pokémon VG Malaysian Open x Midseason Showdown Winter that happened just over the past weekend during Comic Fiesta 2017. The CF Malaysian Open managed to obtain a turn out of 105 players from various countries; namely, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan and United Arab Emirates, all in the battle to win enticing prizes and gain Championship Points that qualifies players for the world championship in 2018.
Source: Link
To be fair, sanctioned Pokémon events, specifically for its video game and trading card game counterparts have always been steady within the community gathering its fair share of players. However, seeing newer events breathes a fresh breath towards ensuring the continuity and sustainability of the Pokémon community by bringing in new fans.
On a more personal note, the months of November and December has been truly a blast from the past as I was brought back to my childhood. As a child, dedicatedly I would wait in front of the television tuned into NTV7 every Saturday, 7:00 p.m. drenched in anticipation and impatience for the Pokémon anime series to start. I remember playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game and taking turns borrowing my cousins Game Boy to play the Pokémon video games during Chinese New Year gatherings for I didn’t have one of my own. Relating this to the Pokémon community in Malaysia currently, being able to have more official events that promotes and satisfies a thriving community is a clear demonstration that there is a market and demand for more of the Pokémon frachise in Malaysia.
From the very start of the Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Launch Event, one of The MAGIC RAIN team’s goal is to place and gain recognition of the Malaysian Pokémon community and fans on an international scale. This goal has thus been achieved as Malaysia is now one of the thirty countries listed on the official Pokémon website. Though we may never find out if the success of the launch event is a contributing factor, it is still a big win for the Malaysian community. Perhaps it won’t be too long before Malaysia sees its very own Pokémon Centre in the future.
As such, on behalf of The MAGIC RAIN and its members I’d like to take this as an opportunity to thank all parties involved for your support in bringing the Malaysian Pokémon community one step further by supporting the growth of a community. I hope and believe that the Pokémon franchise in Malaysia would continue to grow and flourish.
To friends and supporters that we’ve gained along the way, fear not as this is not the end. Keep a lookout on out Facebook page for teasers and hints our latest plans and schemes as we take over the world.
“Pika… Pi, Pikachu!” – Pikachu
