Speaking like a true pedestrian, do you recommend any brands of Pokémon-based products that source their goods ethically?

That depends on what you’re looking for, anonymous. “Pokémon-based products” is a term that spans quite a lot of categories, from food and other basic essentials to cosmetics. In some cases, it even covers things you would never think involve pokémon at all, including building materials and electronics.

So allow me to offer a few tips that can help you choose better in general:

For cosmetics and other hygiene products, look for a buneary face on the label. This is a logo that indicates the product is either guaranteed to contain ethically sourced pokémon materials or guaranteed to have never been tested on pokémon (or both). If you’d like a few suggestions for brands to look at in particular, both Flower Veil and Persim carry products that don’t use pokémon at all in their production, and Flower Veil has a commitment to using ecofriendly methods (that it actually upholds).

When it comes to clothing, avoid leather, including faux leather. While actual leather comes from either miltank or cows (and is thus highly controversial for obvious reasons), faux leather is terrible for the environment, so it’s not worth it. Instead, choose ecofriendly fabrics such as hemp or wool. Mareep wool, contrary to what Plasma may have you believe, is perfectly fine as a material. It’s gathered by trimming mareep, not by cutting off their skins, and the mareep are typically treated well throughout the process (as mareep wool must be gathered by hand while keeping the mareep calm and happy to avoid accidentally charging the wool with dangerous levels of electricity). Shearing a mareep is also necessary for its overall health (as it is with the mundane sort of sheep), so buying wool supports not only ethical farmers but also the actual care of a flock of mareep. The same could be said for whimsicott cotton, actually.

However, if you’re looking for a simpler solution than looking at the materials tag, anything that calls itself fair trade is usually a good bet. Offhand, Valerie Aino is perhaps the most well-known designer brand that commits itself to sourcing its materials ethically and using sustainable and humane (that is, to its human workers) practices.

For food, look for anything labeled with “free range,” “organic,” or “soft gathered.” The latter term refers to the practice of soft-gathering, or keeping a pokémon calm and gathering products or materials from it with its permission. This is particularly important for tropius fruit, but it’s also often used in reference to combee honey and moo moo milk too. Surprisingly, ShuppepsiCo is among the brands on this list, as is, of course, Moo Moo Farms.

For items for pokémon, you’ll want to look, yet again, for a logo. In this case, a togepi stamp usually indicates that the product meets the standards for ethical production. This is particularly important for pokémon shampoos (to indicate they weren’t tested on pokémon or use ethically sourced berries) and pokémon food (to indicate that any pokémon-based ingredients was collected humanely). Staryu & Charmander and Leppa Brand are both among the larger brands out there, but there is quite a list. Just about the only one I would never recommend is Brown Bouffalant, which has quite a few horror stories attached to where its materials come from.

As for the more … obscure categories under the “ethically sourced pokémon-based products” category, standard labels vary from country to country, but generally speaking, if it says “inspected by [insert your government body of product inspections here” followed by “cleared [date],” that means it met the standards of production.

I’m a trainer working at a Foster Center, (We help abandoned/unadopted Pokemon find people who will care for them) and its my job to tend to Pokemon we receive. Recently, a very timid Abra appeared at our Center, and I’ve been helping take care of it for a while. It’s very sweet, but anytime anything unpredictable happens- I drop something, a new Pokemon shows up, etc- it teleports to me. Even when I’m not at work. I was hoping you might have some advice, so I could help it get comfortable.

When it comes to new pokémon, as a separate tip, you may wish to introduce this abra to them in the same way you would with any skittish pokémon: slowly, in a comfortable environment, and individually or alongside pokémon she’s already comfortable with. You may also wish to introduce her to the other handlers in the same manner, for that matter, as that may help minimize her tendency to make such a jump to you, as opposed to anyone else in the immediate area.

Beyond that, you’ll need to work on her confidence. That is to say … train her. It may be challenging due to the fact that most abra start off knowing only Teleport, but if you’re creative with using just that, you may help her gain enough battle experience to accept moves taught to her via the TM/HM system, move tutoring system, or even by herself after evolution. The stronger you can get her, the more confident in herself and her abilities she may become, which in turn will help her feel less scared of her surroundings.

However, that’s not enough. If you only do that, you’ll simply arm a scared pokémon, rather than teach her how to be comfortable with everything around her as well as herself. If her surroundings aren’t comfortable enough for her, you’ll need to figure out what could be improved. Perhaps it’s not the right temperature, or maybe she doesn’t have enough bedding. Maybe she needs a few adjustments to her diet.

Once you figure out the right balance for her surroundings, train her to be comfortable. If it helps, try this method: have her touch your hand, either with her nose or her psychic abilities. Then, feed her a treat. Do this a few times until she understands that touching things leads to a treat…

…and then introduce the rest of the shelter in this method.

Now, when I say “the rest of the shelter,” I actually do mean that, so this may be a time-consuming thing that can’t be done in a single day. Start with your coworkers and inanimate objects (cleaning supplies, dishes, anything that could be dropped or that might make a startling noise). Have her touch or interact with each, and when she does so in a positive way, give her a treat. When she feels comfortable with that, move on to the other pokémon in the shelter. Do this even if she feels comfortable with them already. Eventually, she should begin to associate each person, object, and pokémon in her immediate surroundings with a positive experience, and that, in conjunction with the confidence fostered by the battling, should help her grow less scared of her surroundings and thus less likely to be startled by them. Once that happens, you should notice a sharp decrease in teleportations.

Best of luck!

Hiya! I’d like your opinion on something. Hypothetically speaking, what pokemon do you think would benefit the most from a new move that it cannot normally learn? In terms of battling/strategy. This is all hypothetically speaking of course, so no pokemon are harmed, it’s for a role-play I’m in. It’s not allowed to be a legendary move so unfortunately that rules out Spacial Rend Bidoof. (Which, quite frankly, would have been amazing.)

Magikarp.

{In all OOC seriousness (because I get the feeling you’re asking this out-of-character and not from the perspective of an in-universe person asking about roleplaying pokémon … which would admittedly be some pretty rad Inception stuff, but still), I’m admittedly bad at this kind of thing, partly because most of the movesets I build are very strictly game-based (that is, I don’t really keep wishlists) and partly because I’m terrible at remembering who learns what (hence point the first). So a lot of my knowledge on the subject of who knows what tends to be pretty limited unless it’s incredibly obvious or otherwise meme-worthy. Like, for example, why can’t Kyurem learn Ice Punch?

But memes aside, I think my favorite examples are when the anime messes up, because some of these examples just sort of make sense, both in general for the pokémon and strategically speaking. For example, my favorite? Scizor and Shadow Claw. You would think scizor of all things would learn Shadow Claw, and in terms of battling, it does have the stats to support that kind of move. Granted, yeah, it receives no strategic benefit from using that over, say, U-Turn, but still, you would think that the thing with claws and a hefty dose of Attack would learn Shadow Claw, especially if it learns things like Night Slash. Yet nope, it does not.

Same thing could be said with politoed and Jump Kick (which actually kinda would make sense as a counter for magnezone) and literally anything on that list with Tackle, but honestly, the scizor example makes the most sense imo.

Also, not to parrot Reddit, but gengar and Nasty Plot. Let’s be real.

Not sure if any of this helped, but good luck either way!}

What is your favourite Pokémon inspired food and/or beverage?

Admittedly, I’ve always been a bit partial to Zubat Cola. It’s terrible for you, but it’s quite delicious. Also, to be fair, it doesn’t give you as much of a dose of caffeine as, say, Shuppepsi.

As for food, that’s quite difficult, but there’s a traditional treat in Johto made of mochi and red bean that’s shaped like pokémon heads (usually ones like squirtle or bulbasaur, but solosis and ditto are quite popular nowadays too). Normally, I’m not one for sweets, but those are extremely addictive. I spend more on that every time I visit my family than I care to admit. (Don’t tell my mother, but sometimes, I bring my younger sister along just so I’d have an excuse to buy them.)

Doesn’t your mother read this blog? —LH

…. —Bill

Hello! I think dear dunsparce got herself a mate, but it’s a female Arbok. I know they both can’t breed due to gender and egg group, but dunsparce is still furious about that. How can I calm her down before she hurts herself in her rage?

Ah yes. This can be a rather awkward dilemma.

And the answer is … adopt an egg. Believe it or not, anger like this doesn’t stem from the physical inability to produce a fertilized egg but instead the lack of an opportunity to raise young as one’s own at all. Luckily, there are plenty of possible solutions for most pokémon, but in a dunsparce and arbok’s case, the easiest and least risky one would be, simply, egg adoption.

Best of luck!

(As an added note, I’m aware you’ve asked for tips on calming your dunsparce, but honestly, unless letting them raise young is unviable for reasons other than sex and egg groups, let them raise young. They sound like they would be wonderful parents.)

Is… Is it normal for a Hawlucha to be overzealous about eaing berries? I basically have to have two bags of berries at this point and mine acts like a kid (albeit a cute kid) in a candy shop when he sees one.

Many pokémon can be addicted to berries, actually. The taste is especially appealing to them, and many berries have certain properties that are beneficial to their health. It’s just that you’ll need to make sure you keep an eye on your hawlucha’s diet. As a carnivorous fighting-type, he needs protein berries alone can’t provide. Don’t let him overeat on berries, and make sure he gets meat every day.

Is it dangerous to be near a pokemon using Perish Song? Assuming you’re not the intended target, of course.

Only if you’re a pokémon (or partly one). For pokémon, yes, you will need to ensure the safety of everyone on the battlefield. If a wild pokémon uses it, have your poké ball on hand, as well as perhaps an empty one if the user would be put in danger by fainting in the open.

For humans, however, it’s just deeply annoying. Think nails on a chalkboard both during initial use and briefly when the move is supposed to take effect.

Why do all species of pokemon lay eggs?

There’s actually a simple answer, anonymous: it’s a lot more energy efficient in the long run. Giving live birth is not only a far more exhausting process, but also, it consumes a lot of energy to nourish and protect a developing fetus. Doubly so because battling itself consumes a lot of energy as well. It’s simply easier and safer for both the mother and the young to lay eggs and allow the fetus to develop outside of the womb.

Hello! I’m moving to Alola very soon with my Pokémon. It’ll be a long trip and I’m very anxious to board the plane alone. The airline allows one companion Pokémon to ride along with the passenger. I chose my Raichu, Thor, since he can ride on my lap. (The plane has size restrictions for Pokémon and those who are too large must travel inside their Pokéballs). Any tips or advice for air-traveling with Pokémon? How can I keep Thor safe and comfortable during the flight? How can I prepare better?

Generally speaking, when traveling with a pokémon, always, always keep it as calm as possible. A baby crying is one thing. A raichu consuming all of the oxygen in a closed cabin and frying the electrical system with a single Thunderbolt is something entirely different. The best way to do this is to keep your poké ball on hand and be ready to recall your pokémon at the first sign of panic. In addition to that, bring plenty of distractions in the form of your pokémon’s favorite snacks and toys. Most importantly, interact with your pokémon throughout the ride. Show it signs of affection, talk to it, and play with it—anything you can do in a limited amount of space. The more you can distract your pokémon and show it that you’re calm, the calmer it will be.

Also, when the seatbelt sign is off, don’t be afraid to get up and walk your pokémon up and down the aisle (whenever possible, anyway). The exercise will likewise keep them calm and steady. However, try to avoid letting your pokémon roam without you, and never let your pokémon out of your sight. If you need to use the lavatory and your pokémon can’t fit in the cubicle with you, put it in its ball.

On that note, while takeoff isn’t so bad, landing can be rather alarming to a pokémon, especially due to the jarring bump at the end. Some pokémon can be calmed if they’re able to look out the window and watch the plane landing, but others would very, very much prefer an aisle seat. Usually, it’s easy to predict which your pokémon will be just by how they react to both heights and stress in general. The calmer a pokémon is, the more likely they won’t be affected by the view.

And of course, leading up to the trip, be sure to explain to your raichu as clearly as possible what the trip will entail. You might wish to consider showing him clips of planes in flight or images of the inside of an airplane, just so he can familiarize himself with what it means to travel.

Good luck and safe travels, anonymous!

Why are Cryogonal, Minior and Dhelmise able tolearn attract despite being genderless species?

Surely I’m not the only one who finds sentient seaweed wrapped around a literal anchor attractive.

(I’m joking, of course. Please don’t prove my suspicions about the extent of the internet correct.)

On a serious note, the truth is that any pokémon can execute the move, as it’s easy enough to replicate, regardless of your species. That’s why quite a few pokémon can learn it, even if it wouldn’t make sense due to their lack of a conventional reproductive system. The truth of the matter is it’s fairly easy to mimic courtship techniques, regardless of what the internet and romantic comedies will have you believe.

Whether or not that move is successful is an entirely different story. That part is fairly in line with what the internet and romantic comedies will have you believe, but suffice to say, it’s easier to look aesthetically attractive to a living being than it is to actually seduce them.