Sunday, March 20, 2011

Pokemon Black and White Mall Tour!

XO I am still alive folks. There is just not a lot going on in the world of anime due to the tsunami in Japan. Which is understandable. Although I don't want their TVs to only be covering the disaster. It is important to know what is going on but seeing only those events on the TV can start to drive a person crazy or bring them into depression.

On a lighter note I have something sorta anime related to share. Something that I have actually looked forward to for a while. It is time for the POKEMON BLACK AND WHITE MALL TOUR!!!! Woohoo rejoice folks!!!

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We has arrived!!!!!

When I learned of the mall tour I was willing to go 2 hours to experience it. But when my area was chosen for the event I was nearly floored. Really MY area out of ALL THE MALLS in America? I ain't complaining folks! I just counted down the days until the trucks pulled into town and patiently waited. Finally the weekend has arrived and here is my post on the event. Beware as this post is very image heavy!! Enjoy pokemon fans!!!!


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This is the Video Game Experience area. After waiting in line you would go into a narrow hallway and watch a brief video talking about the new game. XD I am sure this was exciting for those who went on the tour before the game came out. Afterwords we were taken to an area where you could play a demo version of the new game. Since I am already on the fifth badge we didn't stick around that long. I did go around to see what the different seasons looked like that though. XD


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Konata joined us on this magical pokemon journey. Actually I think Miyuki was supposed to come but Konata hopped in the tin instead. Probably more interesting for Konata. XD


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Konata is excited she finally gets to play the game. Apparently I have been hogging the DS.


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On the second day the line was much longer to get in. Also we heard from people they only had one of the pins left. We didn't want to be greedy pigs since we got two sets of both pins yesterday so we didn't go back through the line today. Also I think we were pretty lucky as some people who went on the tours earlier in the month only got a choice of the two pins and we got both.


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This is the Pokemon Center. Instead of healing injured pokemon this place instead helped lighten the wallets of all who came to the mall. I thought the area was cute. Since this event had so many freebies I didn't think the small pop-up shop was that intrusive. With all the treasures people were walking away with parents could easily say no to their kids right?


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Testing out the new camera on the pokemon figurines. Can you tell the difference between the new camera verses the old camera pictures? XD Also I think the figurines were reasonably prices as well as the small plushies.


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This is the information booth. Many people who did not read their booklet were unaware that this was an important place. They would just get their stamp and go. But this is the place were you would get tickets to go to the free showing of Pokemon-Zoroark: Master of Illusions! It pays to read folks.


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At each station there was a cute little box with a picture of a pokemon on it. There was also various signs around the mall so if one got lost that would be very special.


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This is part of the Activity Zone. The TV was playing episodes from the new Pokemon series Best Wishes! This was the second episode I believe. Or maybe it was the first one. In any event Ash was meeting the "new guy" for the first time and things went super well. The new character ends up picking Snivy as his starter which for some reason angered Ash.


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This wasn't a stamp station but it was interesting nonetheless. The fifth one was at GameStop but we already have Celebi and the area was too crowded to take pictures. No these blow ups of the two legendary pokemon were randomly in the middle of the mall. Reshiram and Zekrom were pretty massive but the lightest touch would cause them to faint.


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The husband was being a ninja and was able to sneak pictures around people waiting in line to get their own pictures.


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On the second day of the event we had someone special show up at the mall. PikaBelle and part of her gang drove to come experience the mall tour. Now since I am a special person I know that she came dressed "normally" as Ash but was asked by staff to don a more elaborate costume for the kids.


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But I think she had fun getting her picture taken and stuff. Just glad we walked by at the right second. XD


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At every station there were pokemon tour booklets available to everyone. Also there was a friendly staff member or two giving out stamps of each specific pokemon. Aren't they cute? Once your booklet was all stamped out it would be time to make your way back to the Activity Zone!


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After getting all your booklet stamps you would then wait in line (long or short depending on your luck) to get your prize stamp. You were then allowed one spin on the wheel. On the first day there was a section to win the visors but soon after we arrived at the mall they started giving out visors for free and the spot on the wheel was replaced with SPIN AGAIN.


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We were planning on doing all the events today but I had work later in the evening and apparently Comcast needs as 15 hour window to come to our house. That and all the movie tickets except the 6pm one were gone within the first 30 minutes. So after spinning the prize wheel we decided to wait for all the characters to come out so we could take pictures. Will 15 minutes be enough time for all the pokemon?!


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We had a few minutes before the first character so instead of lining up we decided to eat. Here are the two pins that were given out after the Video Game Experience.


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Konata was very impressed with the quality of the booklet. Instead there is tons of information about the new game features and other pokemon related items.


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Here is our loot from the pokemon center. XD I was only going to buy Snivy but the husband was like NOOO we need Pikachu and his main pokemon Tepig. So onward we go to donating money to the pokemon gods. XD


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XO Is that my husband in the background? I shall hide him the booklet. Tepig is a funny looking pokemon but Konata would befriend anyone.


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XO Why does everyone call Snivy stuck up looking? That is such crazy talk. But yes you were chosen Snivy because your final form isn't ugly woohoo!!!!


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Pikachu has such fat little legs. Maybe Ash should stop carrying him around so he can get some exercise?


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This was my husband prize from the prize wheel. XD Needless to say I am not sure if he is the phone charm kind of guy. He most graciously gave it to me. AW I am spoiled.


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A wild Snivy has appeared?!?!?!


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Here is my prize from the wheel. XD It was exactly what I wanted. The girl almost handed me a plushie (which my husband was like TAKE IT) but hello. I wanted the stylus because you couldn't get it at the pokemon center. That makes it exclusive folks!!!


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After the noms it was time for the characters to come out so we could get our pictures taken. With only 15 minutes I didn't know if we were going to get all the characters or not. The line wasn't too long but you don't know with this things. Tepig was up first and even though it looks special in the game I think it was the cutest mascot. XD


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We were the very last people to get our picture taken with Tepig before Oshawott came out. RUN BACK IN LINE TIME!!! I wonder how the people got changed in such a tiny space. It was in the box that the tv was hanging from.


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With two minutes to spare we got our pictures taken with Oshwott and WHOOSH back in line for Snivy. We are on a roll here folks!


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This line went much faster as some people were leaving the area. I guess they weren't aware all the pokemon were going to come out? But Snivy looks better from the side. XD


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Snivy is representing folks!!!


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Almost time to go. But we had to snap a few more pictures. Snivy loves the camera.


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Behold the pokemon trucks! There were two of them but even then I am not sure how they manages to fit everything in them!


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Waving goodbye to the tour. Goodbye starter pokemon. You may look special but I am sure one day people will love you as much as the other generations.


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Behold the silly visors we were all wearing around the mall. People young and old were sporting these visors and not giving it a second thought. It was nice seeing the "older" generation of pokemon fans (aka us) and tiny kids all looking alike.


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These were the free cards handed out at the end of the pokemon movie. The husband says that usually a big card like this will have a smaller, playable version. Not sure how that would work as the only attack on this card is to SWITCH DECKS!!! X_X Very special.


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Oh crap? Is it time for a triple battle? I'm not ready!!!


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On the second day my husband won a stylus and I won a phone charm. But I asked the woman behind the counter if I could switch for the last stylus and she said yes. XD Probably because I didn't ask for a plushie. So we ended up getting everything possible at this event except the prize patch. XD We did good.


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Here is all our loot from the past two days. XD So much free stuff it is unbelievable! Really I could have walked away only spending ten dollars but two more plushies made it into the bag. But yes we got free cards, three styluses, 4 pins, a phone charm, and countless free visors. Overall this was a great experience and I had a really good time. And given the X__X in my life right now I needed a good time. The lines were short but there were tons of people around making it a fun atmosphere. Thank you pokemon people for making this tour awesome and full of freebies and cool events. XD


4 comments:

keylimepie17 said...

Hello there fellow Pokemon enthusiast!! I was just admiring this old page dedicated to the black and white mall tour. My boyfriend,a huge huge fan (playing since he was five, we are now both 19) attended the tour as well Indianapolis. I was just wondering if you might still have the plastic bags, black with Reshiram on one side and Zekrom on the other, a smaller yellow one with Pikachu, and a small green one with Snivy?? Please if you could get back to me as soon as you see this!

Christina said...

keylimepie17- Up until recently we did have the bags.I thought I had kept that bag but I looked in my bag "bag" and I can only see Hello Kitty ones. I shall keep hunting it down but I am thinking I might have thrown it out during a crazy cleaning day. But I believe these are the same bags that they use at the Pokemon Center stores. Not that we have many of those in the United States....

XD I hope you guys had fun at the mall tour. I am surprised a small town like ours even got one. I am sure your mall tour was much more crowded than ours. XD

keylimepie17 said...

Thank you I appreciate your searching!! I found someone who is has them though and is willing to sell them so all is well!! But thank you so much for replying!

Christina said...

keylimepie17- I am almost certain the pokemon bags got mixed up with other bags I got from Japan because I can't find my Tokyo Disney bags and what not. Now I am thinking I "organized" so well they are in a box instead of being where they should be. So I will eventually come across them one day. XD Just let me know if your seller falls through, I know I had at least 3 somewhere in my house at one point. Sorry for the late replies and I hope your sell works out, the bags are super cute. XD Almost like they want people to horde bags too.