iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

My takes: - Putting the season opener and finale in the Middle East, and giving them sprints, demonstrates incredible optimism that current conflict will be resolved by then. - Everyone clowning on the Monaco sprint is right to do so, but at least we get a second Monaco qualifying session.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I won't presume to know the mathematical landscape of the Tingleverse, but my headcanon is that @chucktingle.bsky.social is responsible for one of its most foundational results: a mathematical proof that love is real.

Screenshot of a fake mathematical paper. It first defines buds as a set of complex numbers in polar form whose angles add up to an integer multiple of 2pi, with that integer being referred to as a pounding coefficient for the funny. It then states "Chuck Tingle's Theorem", which says if you have four precisely named buds (L, O, V, and E), then multiplying them produces a real number. In other words, LOVE is real. The proof is left as an exercise for the reader.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

New Judge Box! Pitch Black has its early release today, so let's celebrate by cracking open a room-temperature one. youtu.be/o1meCfe0t4U

youtu.be

THE JUDGE BOX - Pitch Black - Pokémon TCG Booster Box Opening

YouTube video by The Pikachu Master

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

New video! Today is early release day for Chaos Rising, but I get a box even earlier than that for running prereleases. Despite not changing my setup in any discernible way, this Judge Box has a lot more pack ASMR than previous Judge Boxes. youtu.be/ii3xCvgk4yc

youtu.be

THE JUDGE BOX - Chaos Rising - Pokémon TCG Booster Box Opening

YouTube video by The Pikachu Master

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

New video! It's Perfect Order early release day, but my judgely privilege allowed me to open a box last night... youtu.be/uFUncvU_-eo

youtu.be

THE JUDGE BOX - Perfect Order - Pokémon TCG Booster Box Opening

YouTube video by The Pikachu Master

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Reposted by The Pikachu Master

Quags in Love @quags-in-love.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Do talk to me, my son, my son’s tiny doll of myself, my other son, and my other son’s tiny doll of myself

A fluffy Quagsire plush with two smaller plushies, each of Wooper with a smaller Quagsire doll.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Slay the Spire 2 is out and I'm getting the Silksong experience because I, a fool, want to play it on release day.

A screenshot of a Steam error I got while attempting to update my payment method.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Ugh, Discord is looking at doing that whole age verification thing? The same company that still hasn't finished cleaning up after a major data breach? You would think that Discord is run by people of the "don't share personally identifying information on the Internet" age group, but I guess not...

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

The scoreboard does not properly tell the story of that Super Bowl. It was an absolutely beautiful defensive and special teams masterclass. One team just folded first, and it cost them the game.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

I had an idea come to be. This may be a mistake, but there's only one way to find out.

A screenshot of a Windows folder names "FGO Extraless"

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

New video! I managed to avoid most of the spoilers before Ascended Heroes came out, so on release day (today!) I got to go into Live and look at the setlist mostly unspoiled. My honest reaction: youtu.be/Gyrtc0Vcook

youtu.be

ASC Setlist Reaction

YouTube video by The Pikachu Master

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Having not tried it yet, my thoughts are incomplete, but on principle I like the addition of the Learning Lab to PTCG Live. Optional tutorials are a great thing to have. I wonder if there's one specifically targeting Pocket players that showcases the differences between Pocket and the real TCG.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Finally, some recognition that Mega Lucario is good. Any Salvatore in that list?

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

Fascinated by the fact that we're getting J regulation cards in Ascended Heroes, but rotation is when Perfect Order becomes legal. I know they try to have the three most recent regulation marks be what Standard is, so I wonder why it's different this year. Something to do with the Japan release?

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

Almost a year ago, I switched my old college laptop to Linux Mint and other than a rogue USB port that would wake it from sleep like instantly, an issue that I was able to solve after one (1) visit to the Arch Wiki, I've had no real issues. Linux is exactly as hard as you want it to be.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

New video! On this, the sixth night of Hanukkah, we explore the power and versatility of gift-giving in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The fact that a certain other holiday is fast approaching is irrelevant. youtu.be/9IyMG4teFqs

youtu.be

Quick Gift Delibird Is Good Actually - Pokémon TCG Gameplay

YouTube video by The Pikachu Master

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Reposted by The Pikachu Master

Haradoshin! 🐛 @haradoshin.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

Bring this energy with you int 2026 (yes this is a threat)

Tumblr post that says “the world isn’t kind” OK???much more importantly are you?

“the world isn’t kind” skill issue. I am

“the world isn’t kind” not yet it isn’t.

This is a threat.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

New short! I'm currently brewing for the next main video, and this happened in testing. youtube.com/shorts/i37p2...

youtube.com

live said no rotom #pokemon #pokemontcg #shorts

YouTube video by The Pikachu Master

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

New Short! I had to scrap a lot of perfectly good footage because it didn't suit the Pikachu video's needs, but the Jet Energy Jumpscare deserves to see the light. youtube.com/shorts/hOrVX...

youtube.com

jet energy jumpscare #pokemon #pokemontcg #shorts

YouTube video by The Pikachu Master

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

I didn't like waking up so early in the morning, but of all the days to do it, it is on the morning of a 3-way title decider in Abu Dhabi. Spoilers, obviously.

To clarify, I am a fan of both McLaren drivers separately, but not McLaren the team. I'm still bitter about how dirty they did Ricciardo and the sheer prominence of the Gemini sponsorship grinds my gears in a way similar to the crypto sponsor meta of recent years but more. It's a difficult thing to pray for the team's downfall without the drivers being collateral, but I like to think I find a way.

Lando Norris is a worthy champion and I do love it for him. It'll be weird to see a Car 33 on the grid again.

All I wanted from this season was, if Verstappen was not to be the champion, for him to make whichever McLaren driver earn it, and dare I say he has. For the last few rounds, the gap still looked insurmountable...unless McLaren managed to fumble the season to a generational degree. With the double DSQ in Vegas, among some dubious strategy calls, I thought they had it in them to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Seriously, pitting Norris into the DRS train looked at first to be a title-losing blunder and I dare all of you to tell me otherwise. And perhaps in the timeline where Tsunoda was able to pull off a 2021 Perez-level defense, it might've been. Or perhaps in the timeline where Leclerc was able to snatch that last place on the podium, either in the opening stint or in the last, it might've been.

Absolute banger of a season.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

According to the Internet, versions of Vegas Pro as recent as a couple years ago simply do not render vertical video correctly. I'll verify this tomorrow. If true, it's a good thing I've got at least one other editor on hand.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

8% unclassified is a lot. People are clearly taking the Phantasmal Flames cards and cooking.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

Happy Phantasmal Flames legality day to all who celebrate! I obviously have a favorite Pokémon, so I'm glad I was able to do some stuff with Surging Sparks' Tera Pikachu ex. Stuff that is not Joltik Box because my favored rat deserves to be the face card of the deck. youtu.be/EdHrz--gULA

youtu.be

Pikachu ex Is Good Without Joltik Box Actually - Pokémon TCG Gameplay

YouTube video by The Pikachu Master

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Oh, wow, after like a week of nonsense, F1TV has stopped outright blocking Firefox. That is dangerous to my productivity, since the Firefox blockage stopped me from watching Vegas and it's Qatar weekend. I'll try to be good. I want this video out today.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Turns out editing is hard. I want to have a new video out on Friday, when Phantasmal Flames becomes legal. I will obviously be unable to work on it for most of tomorrow. I might have a long night after work.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

It's incredible how many times we see utterly devastating Prizes on stage at major tournaments. Realistically, it's probably been happening forever, but I only noticed this at Worlds this year.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Recording gameplay for a video, taking notes, and randomly Notepad will switch to a different font for just the one line?

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Shiny objects from two UPCs! I think there's a clear winner here...

Double rares of Amoonguss, Mega Venusaur, Grimmsnarl, and Mega Diancie. Full arts of Firebreather and Alolan Exeggutor. Art rare of Clawitzer.

Double rares of Scovillain, Reshiram, Cyclical, Dondozo, Electivire, Oricorio, and Mega Lopunny. Art rares of Nymble, Clamperl, and Mega Latias.

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Hi! I'm ThePikachuMaster, and I'm among other things a Pokémon TCG Judge. I have a YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/@PikachuMast...) in which I hope to spread playing-cards-that-spark-joy propaganda by showing that cards that spark joy can also be really good actually.

youtube.com

The Pikachu Master

Hi! I'm a Pokémon TCG player who thinks the game is much more open to creativity and experimentation than the tournament results would have us believe. There are so many cards in the format right no...

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The Pikachu Master @pikachumaster25.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

okay fine i'll stop lurking now uhhhhhhh

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