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I honestly can not remember the exact moment but i can get close. It was indeed during the pokemania. I remember talking with other children about the fun characters seen on TV. I remember specifically going to some birthday party around age 7 or 8 something (am 27 now) and playing in a bounce house with other kids. Someone brings up wanting to pretend we are pokemon. I mention that i want to be the fire one (charmander) but i do not know the names, and told them they can just call me "Fireball." Some time after, that i see Lunchables in the grocery mart. Never was huge into Lunchables, but these ones had Pokemon ads on them, and the back cardboard panel featured info panels of the pokemon with dotted lines for you to cut out and collect. I never asked for things as a kid but i begged my mom to pleeeeeease buy me the Lunchable and she did (my mom never spoiled me and was anti video games.) I was in absolute heaven looking over my cut out cardboard pokemon and pronouncing and memorizing the names, and i wasn't even into the games or show yet. Shortly after, i started watching the show but the real deal pokemon moment came not too long later. My rich aunt and uncle surprised me one birthday or xmas with a gameboy color and yellow version. And thats where the story ends. I fell the fuck in love with adventuring the lands and catching my friends that would fight by side. I remember being scared to go deeper into seafoam islands because they were very confusing as a child and i did not want to get lost. I remember excitedly telling my grandmother that i just beat lt. surge because it took me a couple tries. Crying a bit now bros. Time is crueler than pain and the magic that i saw in the world back then never existed at all. In the wise words of the band Mineral:
>When I was a boy I saw things that no one else could see
>So why am I so blind at twenty-two
>To the hope that is all around me
