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In just over one minute, video takes us on an emotional journey through 20 years of Pokémon passion.

Much to the chagrin of some fans of the indie scene, Nintendo takes a pretty hardline stance against fans making games that use the company’s intellectual properties and assets. On the other hand, the Kyoto-based video game publisher tends to me much more magnanimous regarding non-interactive videos, as we’ve seen some seriously impressive animation and short films based on Nintendo-affiliated franchises such as The Legend of Zelda and Metroid which the company has let stand.

As a matter of fact, just last week we looked at an action-packed video featuring Pikachu and his Pocket Monster pals. Now, though, comes a much more touching tribute to Pokémon, created by YouTuber John Wilkstrom, that takes us through the emotions of two decades of love for the series in just over a single minute.

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Starting with Pokémon Red for the Game Boy, many fans’ gateway into the wide world of Pokémon, we see a young boy go on to build and curate a collection of Pokémon cards, plus stay up past his bedtime as he hides under the sheets and evolves his prize Charmander.

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But literally in the blink of his eyes, the boy grows into a man, and instead of earning Gym Badges, his life becomes about earning a living, as we watch him clock in at the office and get to work.

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It doesn’t look like a bad life, just one that’s more about stability than adventure. But then, while the man is out for a stroll at night, he walks past a storefront, where something catches his attention.

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There in the window is a display for Pokémon Sun and Moon, the latest set of paired titles in the Pokémon video game franchise. The man stops and looks, and suddenly his mature yet somber expression melts away, and in its place rises the sort of wholehearted smile that becomes all too rare as we get older.

“You evolved. So did we.” reads the text that appears onscreen, reminding fans that as their own lives have gotten more complex over the last 20 years, so too have the play mechanics of the Pokémon series. At their core, though, the upcoming Pokémon Sun and Moon promise to retain the purity and sense of fun that made kids fall in love with them, and which adults could use an occasional reminder about.

Source: Jin
Images: YouTube/John Wikstroms