Hello, I’ll jump in as well! The Bay Area is beautiful, I was in Berkeley recently 
- When did you start collecting & why did you start collecting? What sort of Pokemon merch do you collect (TCG, figures, games, plushies, etc.)? Why those types of items in particular?
I started collecting as a kid with some long gaps in between. When I was a kid, I used to play the Pokemon TCG with my dad, and he’d buy me cards for deck building. Then in high school I ‘re-discovered’ my cards and organized them into binders. Years later, as an adult, I found my cards again and started collecting more. These days I collect cards, plushies, and keychains – I mostly collect stuff related to the Slowpoke Slowbro and Slowking. You can see more of my collection here!
- Are there any other fandoms you’re also a member of where you collect?
Hmm, not really, pretty much just Pokemon. I have some random items here and there from other franchises (Kirby, Ghibli, Lord of the Rings) but I’m not really a ‘collector’.
- What’s your connection to the broader overall Pokemon fandom?
I follow Pokemon news closely, stay in touch with the modern Pokemon scene, and engage with collectors online through places like E4 and Discord. I also post a lot on Instagram where I connect with other collectors as well (@slowqueencollects).
- What motivates you to collect? What, if any, goals do you have for collecting? How does collecting make you feel?
I love Slowpoke, and I love learning more about Pokemon history through collecting! Collecting is a way of appreciating the artistry and creativity that’s gone into the wide and wonderful world of Pokemon. I learn so much through collecting and I’m constantly surprised and overjoyed about the things I learn. Sometimes, when I find something really special, I get so happy I literally start jumping up and down and I’m smiling for days. My collection brings me so much joy it’s hard to overstate. It’s also made me so many friends, and it’s really fun sharing the journey with community.
- Do you organize your collection in a certain way? How & why?
I have two big binders for Slowpoke stuff, one is for TCG cards and one is for non-TCG stuff. I also have a big binder of mostly vintage childhood cards. I have two small binders for artist collections of specific Pokemon artists. And I have one small binder of my favorite modern full-art cards. Other than that, I have a big shelf on my desk where I display all my Slowpoke plushies and keychains and stuff, and the few graded cards I have that don’t fit in a binder. All of my bulk is in boxes pretty much, and I have a binder of cards for trade.
- What’s the most valuable item in your collection and how do you define ‘value?’
Hmm, I’m going to interpret your question as monetary value. As of right now it’s probably my Topps First Appearance Slowking card, ungraded it’s valued around $325. It’s a kind of niche vintage non-TCG card that was created to promote the Pokemon 2000 movie. I just think it’s really cool and a very unique holographic pattern, I tracked one down for trade on Reddit and wound up trading some of my other cards for it!
- Does nostalgia play any role in your involvement in the fandom or as a collector?
Definitely! I’ve loved Pokemon my whole life.
- Any thoughts on how big the resale market has gotten for Pokemon collecting, the focus on monetary value, the commercialization of it all?
Haha, it’s crazy. Just check out the Pokemon subreddit, every single post is complaining about scalpers pretty much.
- Any particular stories or memories tied to collecting or the fandom that especially stand out for you?
So many but I’m getting a little tired of typing, perhaps I’ll come back and edit this later. Pretty much every day I’m building new memories with friends online!
- Are there any characters or pokemon you particularly enjoy or relate to? Why?
Slowpoke, I just love him, he’s cute and pink and blob and he contains multitudes
- Ever noticed any controversies or tensions in the community?
Yes
- If you had to explain to a non-fan what makes Pokémon special, what would you say?
Cute little guys
- Is there anything about the fandom or your experience that you feel is misunderstood or overlooked by outsiders?
I mean the biggest thing is that collecting Pokemon cards is viewed as kind of cringe by a lot of people. But I think my nerdy hobby is cool!