Skies Over Alola

My final two large prints for EPCON, and two pieces I've been planning for quite a long time now!!

It's been quite a long time now since the release of Sun & Moon and somehow I'm still playing them, most Pokemon games never make it this far in the postgame play period, in fact, the only ones I can think of really that lasted long at all are Pearl and Platinum. At this point I think it's safe to say the honeymoon period's well past over when it comes to Sun & Moon and yet I find myself feeling they're some of my new favorite games in the series. Though not my favorite, I think they might come after Platinum and Emerald, now.

Pokemon has changed a lot since those times though, initially I was very wary over the more theatrical story-focused approach that Sun & Moon took compared to previous iterations and worried that over time my feelings and good graces toward the game would start to waver as I realized that, but if anything it's been the opposite. And it's because Sun & Moon told such good stories. I still cannot believe honestly, how many characters I fell in love with in this game, they're way into the double digits and even minor characters leave such huge impressions on you and are brimming with personality, Alola feels so lived in, and the main story tackled some dark themes I'd never expected in a Pokemon game let-alone this one. And that's really what makes the story so refreshing really is just how surprising it all was.

Sun & Moon could have been nothing but a very safe attempt at a 20th anniversary pair of games, and I frankly was worried it would be. Instead we got some wack story about ancient aliens that leads to an exploration of familial desruction and child abuse and themes of neglect and cultural advancement and so much more, the games are just packed with so much to love that I'd never expected in these titles. And if this is what our 20th anniversary games are like I can't imagine what the future has in store for us with this new approach!!!! I'm so excited for the future of Pokemon more than ever before and that says a lot considering Pokemon is LITERALLY my entire life!!!!!!

No element of the story hit me as well as Lillie and Nebby did, though. I got so attached to both of them and seeing them grow alongside and with the help of one another was so sweet. Lillie is such an amazing character, and dealt with such a human story in a game series about monsters and two titles specifically dealing with an alien invasion of all things, it was just so unexpected and beautiful. I'm not ashamed to admit how much the Lillie elements of this game made me cry and cry a lot.
I still really miss Lillie, but I know we'll see her again one day and

I can't wait!!

Here's links to them separately for those who want them!!
 

Watch the

SPEEDPAINTS

here!!!

Sun: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFl0m1…

Moon: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEugs5…

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