Beyond the Ball

It's time to learn all about Lucario and the incredible power of Aura! Finally a Pokemon that DBZ fans can get behind! Buckle up because we've got a lot of entries and a lot of theories about the humanity of Pokemon to interrogate. Follow along with the entries below:

Diamond: It has the ability to sense the auras of all things. It understands human speech.

Pearl: By catching the aura emanating from others, it can read their thoughts and movements.

Platinum: A well-trained one can sense auras to identify and take in the feelings of creatures over half a mile away.

HeartGold & SoulSilver: It’s said that no foe can remain invisible to LUCARIO, since it can detect auras. Even foes it could not otherwise see.

Black & White 2: By reading the auras of all things, it can tell how others are feeling from over half a mile away.

Sun: Not only does it perceive auras, but it has also gained the power to control them. It employs them in battle.

Moon: They can detect the species of a living being— and its emotions—from over half a mile away. They control auras and hunt their prey in packs.

Ultra Sun: It concentrates its mental energy and fires off mysterious waves called auras, which can crush boulders of large size to dust.

Ultra Moon: Lucario reads its opponent’s feelings with its aura waves. It finds out things it would rather not know, so it gets stressed out easily.

Sword: It controls waves known as auras, which are powerful enough to pulverize huge rocks. It uses these waves to take down its prey.

Shield: It can tell what people are thinking. Only Trainers who have justice in their hearts can earn this Pokémon’s trust.

Legends: Arceus: A most gallant-looking creature. It emits energy waves and controls them with precision, using them to sense even faraway beings. I have given the name “aura” to this power.

BTB: Lucario can vibe with literally everything, including your unwanted emotional baggage. So maybe give it some space unless you really love justice.

Mega Lucario

Sun: Black streaks all over its body show where its auras and the energy of Mega Evolution intermingled and raced through it.

Moon: It readies itself to face its enemies by focusing its mental energies. Its fighting style can be summed up in a single word: heartless.

Ultra Sun: Its aura has expanded due to Mega Evolution. Governed only by its combative instincts, it strikes enemies without mercy.

Ultra Moon: Bathed in explosive energy, its combative instincts have awakened. For its enemies, it has no mercy whatsoever.

Lucario pants?

Pokken Tournament Lucario

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose

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We're starting down the road to 200 with a fan-favorite this episode, Riolu! Lying just beyond that tought-but-cute exterior lies perhaps the mostly finely-tuned vibes radar in the Pokemon world. The Pokedex here also introduces us to an exciting new metric, Large Landmasses Crossed Per Night! Follow along with the entries below:

Diamond: The aura that emanates from its body intensifies to alert others if it is afraid or sad.

Pearl: Its body is lithe yet powerful. It can crest three mountains and cross two canyons in one night.

Platinum: It has the peculiar power of being able to see emotions such as joy and rage in the form of waves.

HeartGold & SoulSilver: They communicate with one another using their auras. They are able to run all through the night.

Black & White 2: It uses the shapes of auras, which change according to emotion, to communicate with others.

Sun: It can discern the physical and emotional states of people, Pokémon, and other natural things from the shape of their aura waves.

Moon: It’s tough enough to run right through the night, and it’s also a hard worker, but it’s still just a youngster.

Ultra Sun: It knows how people and Pokémon feel by looking at their auras. It doesn’t approach dangerous opponents.

Ultra Moon: It uses waves called auras to communicate with others of its kind. It doesn’t make any noise during this time, so its enemies can’t detect it.

Sword: It’s exceedingly energetic, with enough stamina to keep running all through the night. Taking it for walks can be a challenging experience.

Shield: It can use waves called auras to gauge how others are feeling. These same waves can also tell this Pokémon about the state of the environment.

Legends: Arceus: Though infantile in appearance, it has the mysterious ability to read the minds of humans. The pure of heart are met with Riolu’s approval, while those of ill nature earn only its loathing.

BTB: This little Chibi Anubis is always on the grind and it KNOWS how you feel.

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose

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One hundred Meltan enter. One Melmetal leaves! It's time to get the facts on this burly, mythic tussle buddy. What sorts of godly acts is it capable of? What kind of damage can it do after Gigantamaxing? What constitutes a deity in the Pokemon world?? Come learn with us and cram your brain with Pokemon knowledge! Follow along with the entries below:

Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee: Revered long ago for its capacity to create iron from nothing, for some reason it has come back to life after 3,000 years.

Sword: At the end of its life-span, Melmetal will rust and fall apart. The small shards left behind will eventually be reborn as Meltan.

Shield: Centrifugal force is behind the punches of Melmetal’s heavy hex-nut arms. Melmetal is said to deliver the strongest punches of all Pokémon.

BTB: This beefy god of Metal has returned to us after 3000 years to show off its incredible punching ability.

Gigantamax Melmetal

Sword: In a distant land, there are legends about a cyclopean giant. In fact, the giant was a Melmetal that was flooded with Gigantamax energy.

Shield: It can send electric beams streaking out from the hole in its belly. The beams’ tremendous energy can vaporize an opponent in one shot.

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose

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Get ready for a mythical episode of Beyond the Ball as we discover the one and only Meltan! Cute scientific anomaly or cruel Darwinist? Learn the facts and decide for yourself! Follow along with the entries below:

Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee: It melts particles of iron and other metals found in the subsoil, so it can absorb them into its body of molten steel.

Sword: It dissolves and eats metal. Circulating liquid metal within its body is how it generates energy.

Shield: They live as a group, but when the time comes, one strong Meltan will absorb all the others and evolve.

BTB: This little ball of liquid metal loves to consume its weak companions.

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose

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 Halloween is finally over as we uncover the perhaps justifiable malice of Phantump's evolved form, Trevenant this episode! If you ever needed more reasons to not harm forests then this big rotten tree Pokemon has you amply covered! Follow along with the entries below:

X: It can control trees at will. It will trap people who harm the forest, so they can never leave.

Y: Using its roots as a nervous system, it controls the trees in the forest. It’s kind to the Pokémon that reside in its body.

Sun: This Pokémon is said to devour anyone daring to ravage the forest. To the creatures dwelling in the forest, it offers great kindness.

Moon: Through its roots, it exerts control over other trees. A deadly curse falls upon anyone cutting down trees in forests where Trevenant dwell.

Ultra Sun: It’s feared as a ghost of the forest. Lumberjacks bring along Fire types, which Trevenant hates, when they enter the forest.

Ultra Moon: This Pokémon controls trees via roots stretching from its feet, and it will attack anyone that dares to ravage the forest.

Sword: People fear it due to a belief that it devours any who try to cut down trees in its forest, but to the Pokémon it shares its woods with, it’s kind.

Shield: Small roots that extend from the tips of this Pokémon’s feet can tie into the trees of the forest and give Trevenant control over them.

Photodex: It’s said that if anyone tries to harm the forest, Trevenant will trap them inside a thick fog. But it’s kind to forest-dwelling Pokémon and others that it trusts.

BTB: It's a big scary ghost tree dad that protects the forest from ravagers with its arbokinesis. It loves and protects its community.

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose

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Listen. Who says Halloween ends on November 1st? Okay, most people probably. And they certainly would say it's over after one whole week. But Chaos has dictated that we talk about a Ghost type Pokemon so buckle up for two weeks of Beyond the Ball: Halloween Edition starting with Phantump! In this episode you'll learn all the telltale signs that you're being led to your untimely demise in a forest, Casper the Friendly Ghost's cause of death, and the precise number of times that you should watch Robert Eggers' 2015 film The Witch. Follow along with the entries below: 

X: These Pokémon are created when spirits possess rotten tree stumps. They prefer to live in abandoned forests. 

Y: According to old tales, these Pokémon are stumps possessed by the spirits of children who died while lost in the forest. 

Sun: These Pokémon are stumps possessed by the spirits of children who died in the forest. Their cries sound like eerie screams. 

Moon: According to legend, medicine to cure any illness can be made by plucking the green leaves on its head, brewing them, and boiling down the liquid. 

Ultra Sun: By imitating the voice of a child, it causes people to get hopelessly lost deep in the forest. It’s trying to make friends with them. 

Ultra Moon: An unknown spirit came to lodge in a tree stump, creating this Pokémon. A cure-all can be made from an infusion of its green leaves. 

Sword: After a lost child perished in the forest, their spirit possessed a tree stump, causing the spirit’s rebirth as this Pokémon. 

Shield: With a voice like a human child’s, it cries out to lure adults deep into the forest, getting them lost among the trees. 

BTB: This kid ghost will do its best to get you lost in the forest but it does have ultra medicine on its head so maybe worth it? 

The card art that Will mentions liking by AKIRA EGAWA 

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips 

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose 

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Cottonee has evolved into Whimsicott and is ready to play some pranks wherever the wind may take it. Make sure you close your windows tight on windy nights and arm yourself with knowledge from Beyond the Ball to protect yourself from a cottony fate! Follow along with the entries below:

Black: Like the wind, it can slip through any gap, no matter how small. It leaves balls of white fluff behind.

White: Riding whirlwinds, they appear. These Pokémon sneak through gaps into houses and cause all sorts of mischief.

Black & White 2: They appear along with whirlwinds. They pull pranks, such as moving furniture and leaving balls of cotton in homes.

Sun: It rides on the wind and slips into people’s homes. After it has turned a room into a cotton-filled mess, it giggles to itself and takes off.

Moon: This Pokémon appears, riding upon the wind. But if the wind gusts up, it’ll blow the cotton on this Pokémon’s head clean off.

Ultra Sun: This nuisance sneaks into people’s homes, where it hides important things and scatters cotton all over the place.

Ultra Moon: Whimsicott doesn’t live in a fixed location. It floats around on whirling winds, appearing all over the place to perform its mischief.

Sword: It scatters cotton all over the place as a prank. If it gets wet, it’ll become too heavy to move and have no choice but to answer for its mischief.

Shield: As long as this Pokémon bathes in sunlight, its cotton keeps growing. If too much cotton fluff builds up, Whimsicott tears it off and scatters it.

BTB: This little jerk will break into your house and mess up all your stuff with cotton. This pleases it, but you can make it feel bad by confronting it.

Whimsicott card art by kodama

Whimsicott without its cotton

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose

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In this episode we're covering Sam Rami's hit 2002 film Spider-Man! I mean Cottonee! The Cotton Puff Pokemon! Don't worry we're totally not tired and distracted at all. Follow along with the entries below:

Black: When attacked, it escapes by shooting cotton from its body. The cotton serves as a decoy to distract the attacker.

White: They go wherever the wind takes them. On rainy days, their bodies are heavier, so they take shelter beneath big trees.

Black & White 2: Perhaps because they feel more at ease in a group, they stick to others they find. They end up looking like a cloud.

Sun: When it finds others of its kind, they all stick together. When enough of them have collected, the mass resembles a cumulonimbus cloud.

Moon: Pillows and beds stuffed with cotton exhaled by Cottonee are soft and puffy, light and airy— altogether top quality.

Ultra Sun: To protect itself, it shoots cotton from its body. When it gets wet in the rain, its cotton grows moist and heavy, and it can’t move as well.

Ultra Moon: When attacked, it expels cotton from its body to create a diversion. The cotton it loses grows back in quickly.

Sword: It shoots cotton from its body to protect itself. If it gets caught up in hurricane-strength winds, it can get sent to the other side of the Earth.

Shield: Weaving together the cotton of both Cottonee and Eldegoss produces exquisite cloth that’s highly prized by many luxury brands.

BTB: A world-traveling little puffball that generates cotton in perhaps a variety of fashions. That cotton is the real good stuff.

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose

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Beyond the Ball is 4 years old and still going strong as we talk about Mienfoo's much more impressive evolved form, Mienshao! Follow along with the entries below:

Black: It wields the fur on its arms like a whip. Its arm attacks come with such rapidity that they cannot even be seen.

White: They use the long fur on their arms as a whip to strike their opponents.

Black & White 2: Using the long fur on its arms like whips, it launches into combo attacks that, once started, no one can stop.

Ultra Sun: It overwhelms its opponents with continuous attacks and then slowly stores up power before delivering the finishing blow.

Ultra Moon: When Mienshao lets out a bizarre wail, you’re in danger. A flurry of kicks and chops too fast to see is about to be unleashed!

Sword: When Mienshao comes across a truly challenging opponent, it will lighten itself by biting off the fur on its arms.

Shield: Delivered at blinding speeds, kicks from this Pokémon can shatter massive boulders into tiny pieces.

BTB: Its unique but inefficient whip-like combat style is still fast enough to obliterate your weak body.

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose

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In this episode, we talk about Pokemon's very own Kung Fu Weasel, Mienfoo! But first we cover some current events including the latest trailer for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (just game mechanics, no new Pokemon spoilers).

Black: In fights, they dominate with onslaughts of flowing, continuous attacks. With their sharp claws, they cut enemies.

White: They have mastered elegant combos. As they concentrate, their battle moves become swifter and more precise.

Black & White 2: It takes pride in the speed at which it can use moves. What it loses in power, it makes up for in quantity.

Ultra Sun: They can often be seen in packs in the morning, slowly moving their bodies through a series of poses.

Ultra Moon: They seclude themselves in the mountains and devote themselves to training. The form of their kicks and chops differs from pack to pack.

Sword: In one minute, a well-trained Mienfoo can chop with its arms more than 100 times.

Shield: Though small, Mienfoo’s temperament is fierce. Any creature that approaches Mienfoo carelessly will be greeted with a flurry of graceful attacks.

BTB: This Tai Chi Kung Fu Master Weasel is very devoted to its art and will kick and chop you in a variety of elegant flowing never-ending combos.

Cover design by Kwesi Phillips

Music by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose