WORD OF THE DAY! 9/18/13!

roulette [roo-let]
noun
1. A game of chance played at a table marked off with numbers from 1 to 36, one or two zeros, and several other sections affording the players a variety of betting opportunities, and having in the center a revolving, dishlike device into which a small ball is spun to come to rest finally in one of the 37 or 38 compartments, indicating the winning number and its characteristics, as odd or even, red or black, and between 1 and 18 or 19 and 36.

Russian roulette [ruh-shun-roo-let]
noun
1. A game of high risk in which each player in turn, using a revolver containing one bullet, spins the cylinder of the revolver, points the muzzle at the head, and pulls the trigger.

EX.  Some say meeting new people on the internet, much less than trying to find dates, is a dangerous game of Russian roulette. Another game of chance can be found on the wholly enjoyable, Pokémon Showdown. 

NERCDULTURE SMACKDOWN! POKÉMON OF THE WEEK! AUG. 17-23/2013!

#538 THROH & #539 SAWK

This week we're looking at Hitmonchan & Hitmonlee 2.0 with the Fighting fellas from Generation 5's Black & White games. This is a real marker for the nostalgia seeking attempts to have similarities to the original 150 in the newest generation. The question that comes to mind whenever they're compared? Does it work?

LAST WEEK'S POKÉMON: #127 PINSIR & #214 HERACROSS

WEEKLY ROUND-UP! 5/27-5/31/13!

"THE ELITE FOUR OR SOMETHING" WEEK!

4. WTF WED! CRAZY AMY, KRAZY KOJIMA, AND KRAZIER KIM JONG-UN PLAY LEAGUE OF LEGENDS!

Looks like Zan fell for his Eastern trickery, again.

3. MUSICAL MON! BATTLEBLOCK THEATER INADVERTENTLY PRESENTS THE GRUMP OPERA OF ZIDANE & VIVI!

And we all learned some stuff about ourselves, last Monday.

2. WORD OF THE DAY! 5/29/13! SHAZAM!

My favorite character in the Infinite Crisis MOBA beta test... was SHAZAM!

1. WORD OF THE DAY! 5/27/13! Summoner.

I dunno what League champ to buy next...

WORD OF THE DAY! 3/28/13!

brawn [brawn]
noun
1. Strong, well-developed muscles.
2. Muscular strength.

EX.The Pokémon anime has its fair share of odd moment. Pictured above, the character Bianca, a friendly rival and occasional companion to Ash Ketchum in the anime, is touching the arm of the Pokémon Sawk...

...who apparently has been put on steroids by his trainer or has just used Bulk Up to, rather than look like his usually slim build, to instead resemble a horrible nightmare that somehow crosses the dreams of Picasso with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The weirdest part is the suggestive reaction of Bianca too touching the brawn of Sawk. 

On a related note, we need to do more research to figure out why at least one Nurse Joy has super strength. Do all Nurse Joy's have super strength? Then...then why don't they become super heroes instead of just running Pokécenters? Couldn't they just Chansey in charge or a matronly Blissey? These are the things that keep me awake at night...

Also, do Pokémon Dream of Electric Mareep?

NERDCULTURE SMACKDOWN! POKÉMON OF THE WEEK! MAR 23-MAR 29/13!

#519 PIDOVE, #520 TRANQUILL, #521 UNFEZANT

Time for me to take a look at some Pokémon from Generation 5 that, because of their dull normal/flying for like the fifth time or more pigeon design, I've mostly ignored. Oddly enough, I actually knew the names of these Pokémon (mostly cuz I just started playing Black 2 again) and I hope I can glean something compelling from these feathered fellows.

LAST WEEK'S POKÉMON OF THE WEEK: #434 STUNKY & #435 SKUNTANK

WORD OF THE DAY! 3/7/13!

beam [beem]
noun
1. A ray of light; a laser.

EX. Anybody else think the use of Hyperbeam is probably fairly dangerous, as well as many other moves, that the world of Pokémon should be a constant scene of misery?

NERDCULTURE SMACKDOWN! POKÉMON OF THE WEEK! MAR 2-MAR 8/13!

#618 STUNFISK

Technically, this wasn't completely random (I usually use a number generator) and was more determined by my stumbling across some cute fanart of this pugly Pokémon, Stunfisk. Wait, did I describe him as being pugly-- cuz Stunfisk is more like PUGNIFICIENT!

LAST WEEK'S POKÉMONS OF THE WEEK: #317 GULPIN & #318 SWALOT

WORD OF THE DAY! 3/1/13!

pistol shrimp [pis-tuhl-shrimp]
noun
1. A small shrimp distinguished by a large claw the use to stun/kill their prey with the sonic blast created by snapping the claw.

EX.  PISTOL SHRIMP

NERDCULTURE SMACKDOWN! POKEMONS OF THE WEEK! #3

POKEMONS OF THE WEEK! #3

CROBAT & SWOOBAT! <3

That's right, kiddiddlies! I didn't forget this time! As a reward for your loyalty, or shall we say friendship, we're talking about two bat Pokemon that evolve via, cornily enough, friendship. Yes, seriously, #169 Crobat and #528 Swoobat, both can only be obtained through friendship. And really, how can you not like that? What are you a monster? Yeesh, what a Goldbat.

LAST WEEK'S POKEMONS OF THE WEEK: POLITOED & SLOWKING

WORD OF THE DAY! 10/21/12.

vanilla [vuh-nil-uh]
noun

1. Any tropical, climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla, especially V. planifolia, bearing podlike fruit yielding an extract used in flavoring food, in perfumery, etc.

2. Also called "vanilla bean". The fruit or bean of this orchid.

3. The extract of this fruit.

adjective

4. Slang. Ordinary, generic, boring.

EX. I'll admit that a vanilla ice-cream ice-type version of the Diglett family was a lame idea, but they  were trying to recapture the "magic" of the 1st Generation of Pokemon.

WORD OF THE DAY! 10/5/12.

K.O. [kehy-oh]
noun
1. A knock-out in boxing.
verb
2. To knock someone unconscious or to knock someone out of a competition.

EX.  FIRST KO IN SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

WORD OF THE DAY! 9/16/12.

ghastly [gast-lee]
adjective
1. Shockingly frightful or dreadful; horrible.
2. Resembling a ghost, especially in being very pale.

EX. Well, that was a ghastly turn of events. Mostly I am disappointed to see a rare Pokemon recycled into a common Pokemon you can find in just about (as far as I remember) every region of the Pokemon World.

EDIT: Was informed I have already posted this comic, earlier today, and I would like to personally acknowledge that I appreciate the assistance-- thank you. In the future, I will work harder not to repeat the same error.

WORD OF THE DAY! 8/15/12.

ghastly [gast-lee]
adjective
1. Shockingly frightful or dreadful; horrible.
2. Resembling a ghost, especially in being really pale.
3. Terrible; very bad.

EX. Well, that was just ghastly.

WEEKLY ROUND-UP! 7/23-7/29/12! POKEMON DRESS-UP WEEK!

WEEKLY ROUND-UP PRESENTS

POKEMON DRESS-UP WEEK!

7. WORD OF THE DAY! 7/27/12. Mushmouth.

I am still coming down from the Legend of Zelda overload that was Skyward Sword Week and I just got caught up on Futurama. No side-effects, honestly.

6. WORD OF THE DAY! 7/28/12. Dress-up.

I really think that dress-up/perform mini-game in Pokemon Black & White was pretty insulting to the intelligence of every pokemon player ever and probably embarrassing to everyone involved.

5. WTF WED: THE INTERNET, IT'S MY LIFE!

Sometimes, I just have to admit that I am going to go blind from staring at a computer screen...could be worse.

4. MUSICAL MONDAY! BABY CAKES: ROLE PLAY TOURNAMENT (BE AGGRESSIVE)

Until I see a new season of Venture Bros., my favorite show on TV is China, IL. Check it out on Adultswim.

3. WORD OF THE DAY! 7/29/12. Grump.

How much Game Grumps am I watching? I am listening to them play Mega Man 7 as I type this out, because their voices simulate company...what? I refer you to #5 above.

Also, they inspired me to toss my old copy of Goof Troop into my SNES and, now that I've grown up (I was video game-challenged as a child, basically, "This is hard. I'm gonna go read a book about magical objects and a chosen one or something. Pfft." )

2. TABLETOP TALES! FIASCO! EP. 1 DIRTY POLITICS PT. 1

" I've been watching the, Tabletop, hosted by Wil Wheaton, since its inception a few months ago. Every episodes begins with me being curious about the games they will play and ends with me wanting to buy/play said games as soon as possible. The show's presentation mixed with my love affair with board games and role-playing make it the perfect hobby program for a nerd like me."

1. TABLETOP TALES! FIASCO! EP. 1 DIRTY POLITICS PT. 2

And that lead to our first game of Fiasco, which I'm talking about in Table Top Tales this week! I gave it the name "Dirty Politics" because of the themes of dirty business and a prospective mayor.

WORD OF THE DAY! 7/28/12.

dress-up [dres-uhp]
adjective
1. Being an occasion, situation, etc., for which someone must be formally dressed.
noun
2. Informal. A person's best clothing, accessories, or other added features.
3. A game in which the participants put on clothes or costumes to play out or role play a role.

EX. Playing dress-up with your Pokemon would be absurdly complicated in a world of Jigglypuffs, Muks, Diglets, and other formless/limbless/oblong Pokemon.

MIXED BAG! POKEMON FANART...BY ME?

As I've said before, and I'll say again, I love Pokémon. After finding out some of my friends were changing their profile pics to Pokémon for December, I couldn't choose a favorite and instead took it one step further and drew a Pokémon trainer version of myself with six Pokémon I could see myself running around with.

First, I drew myself as a trainer. I tried to draw in the style of the Pokémon anime but instead decided to nix that and draw it my way. I am regrowing my epic beard so I went with that. I would've drawn myself more rotund, but if I was a traveling Pokémon trainer I reckon I would be in better shape. Gotta lose some weight!

Now from left to right and top to bottom:

"Heracross!" is hands down one of the coolest designs and coolest sounding Pokémon. He is a physical sweeping battle beetle that fulfills the specialize niche of being both a Bug Type and Fighter Type. Did you know that Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of Pokémon, came up with the concept of Pokémon based on his childhood past time of insect collection (beetle fighting is huge in Japan).

To quote an earlier article, Togekiss makes up for the disappointing evolution and design of Togetic. Not only is Togetic one of the cutest designs, as well as one of the cleanest, she uses her wings to Wall against both Physical and Special moves and is one of the most flexible Flying Pokémon of all time. She is one of the best Pokémon you could have watching your back from a bird's eye view.

My starter of choice? Tepig! I have always ran fire starters, and Tepig, being a cartoon pig, was too hard for me not to choose. Emboar is really cool, with his samurai style/sumo gusto. He is a Recoiling Piggy Powerhouse! He seems like he would be really good natured and heroic-- or maybe just really hungry..

The first Pokémon I tried to draw today was Golduck. I have always been a fan of the cool Water Pokémon, especially since he evolves from the fan favorite Psyduck, and usually enjoy having him on board as my Special Sweeper with a great movepool; my Mallard of Malice! I especially like how the expression came out on his bill-- a devious smirk!

Electric Pokémon are one of my favorite types. As I mentioned in another article, Ampharos was one of my favorite designs but fell flat in combat. How do we make up for that? Replace a sheep with a lion! Luxray has a cool name, a Sphinx inspired design, and, with a roar, he charges into battle with confidence of a king!

Last, but not least, is one of my two favorite grass-type Pokémon, Roserade (the other is probably Torterra). The rose-petal Zorro of the Pokémon world, Roserade is another reason to love 4th Generation for evolving Pokémon that, otherwise, weren't worth the time. Sure, she is small, but my Roserade always comes in to save the day just in the nick of time.

Thanks for reading my blog. Make sure to subscribe, comment, and leave ideas for how to improve the blog/ see more of the kinds of things you like.

Here is a link to my article on the Five Generations of Pokémon.

NERD CULTURE SMACKDOWN! #1 POKEMON GENERATIONS.  

MIXED BAG. POKEMON CAROUSEL RIDES ARE WEIRD.