In the eighteen years of my life, I have faced a handful of different challenges and hardships along my journey. I have aspirations of traveling to places all over the world and meeting new friends with all different personalities. My friends and family have always supported my passions and ideas and continue to encourage me to pursue my dreams. Almost everyone sees me as a football obsessed guy because they see my absolute love for the sport. Yet, as a kid compared to what I am now, people never expected that something like the video game and television series called Pokémon would influence my life as much as it does today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Starting in 1998, the world of Pokémon became an instant classic in North America. However, the franchise caught my attention when I was just four years old. The TV show featured the main protagonist Ash Ketchum and his faithful partner, Pikachu. Ash was seen as a role model for me, as I got up every Saturday morning at 9:00 to watch his next adventure unfold. My eyes were always glued to the TV and both my parents knew not to disturb me at all while I was watching it. Although the franchise is specifically aimed at younger generations, the series offers many positive virtues, such as chasing your dreams and striving to be the best, that are often overlooked by the average person looking from the outside in. In the TV show, Ash Ketchum sets out at the age of ten to pursue his dream of becoming a Pokémon master. To do this, he travels to the Kanto region and obtains eight badges that allow him access to the Indigo Plateau, home of the prestigious Pokémon League. He battles many trainers along the way, facing many victories and defeats. The bond he forms with his partner Pikachu is undeniably unbreakable as they face everything together. When Ash finally arrives at the league, he begins to make his own way as he grows stronger in confidence. He makes it to the final battle and suffers a heartbreaking loss in his final moments. Ash had come very close to his dream, but he had come just barely. At first he is completely devastated, but being the leader that he is, he manages to bring his team together and raise their morale. Soon he hears about another region with another League. His dream and competitive passion are growing greater than ever as he learns from his loss and continues to capture his dream once again. The cartoon shows the lifelong ideology that determination, persistence, and hard work will pay off, as Ash will win the championship in the next season. “Being the best” is an oft-heard phrase in the theme of each Pokémon season. The games continue even after you have captured all available Pokémon and defeated the League. Some people may consider it pointless, but the game inadvertently teaches many to continue striving to be the best they can be, essentially saying that your journey never ends. There will always be adversaries to fight, adversities to overcome and new places to explore. Those who are satisfied with the bare minimum of the game will miss this life lesson; those who have a passion for the things they care about will continue to push forward, go further, and exert the strength needed to reach the top. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a custom essay Being a strange source of inspiration and influence, Pokémon have taught me i,.