Plus, certain dialogue choices were cringey in my opinion (especially for Bill). Some things don’t quite add up, and there are parts that felt a little too rushed. Now, is the writing and story flawless? No. They put a lot of thought into the story, and it paid off in the end. The author included seeds throughout the story that help connect everything together. But what about people who aren’t as familiar with Pokémon as I am? Will they enjoy the manga? I think so because, for starters, the writing is very strong. I feel like I could make comparisons, babble about Pokémon facts, and really show what a nerd I am all day long. It really put things in perspective for me. I finally got a glimpse of the savage side of some Pokémon while reading this manga. But we never get any real evidence of Pokémon’s ferocity in the games. For example, Pinsir likes to cut its prey in half with its claws. In the games, there are Pokédex entries that explain the savagery of some Pokémon. There are moments where Red, other characters, or the Pokémon themselves could have possibly lost their lives. It’s still kid-friendly, but there is actually some blood shown! Additionally, a bunch of scenes showed the potential danger of Pokémon battles or Pokémon in general. The manga has humor, but it’s more serious in my opinion. It can be hard to take things seriously at times. The animated adaption tends to sugarcoat everything and adds a lot of silliness to battles or other important situations. On top of the unique plot elements, the story and battles were a lot more intense compared to the game or anime. I will say, however, that it has something to do with the evil organization Team Rocket. As for what the twists were, I don’t want to give it away. Some fans may complain that these different elements don’t match the Pokémon canon, but I enjoyed reading the story – which I’ve experienced a hundred times – interrupted in a completely new way (at least for me).
#POKEMON ADVENTURES VOLUME 1 ZIP SERIES#
The manga took essential elements from the other two series and turned them on their head. He included many twists and turns, things that aren’t in the game or anime. However, what really intrigued me the most were the new aspects the author, Hidenori Kusaka, added to the plot. I personally loved seeing different Pokémon in action and in various scenarios because, well, I am a dork. Some parts of the game are explored in a little more depth, such as the Pokémon Fan Club. But it also provides so much more.Īt first, the story has a slice of life vibe to it, where we get to experience Red’s everyday adventures with his team of Pokémon as they travel across Kanto.
The manga follows the same general outline of the games and anime – Red wants to become a better Pokémon trainer, catch as many Pokémon as possible, and battle gym leaders so he can challenge the Pokémon League. I haven’t watched the newer ones, so I am not sure how they compare.) (And while we are on the subject, I want to point that, for the purpose of this review, whenever I mention the Pokémon anime, I am referring to the first few seasons. If you aren’t aware, Red inspired the creation of the well-known Ash Ketchum, the protagonist in the Pokémon anime. This manga, originally released in 1997, is based on the first set of Pokémon games and its main character Red. To be honest, it completely blew me away and made my inner Pokénerd very happy. It’s like a giant nostalgia bomb.ĭespite my obsession with the Pokémon games, I had never read the manga. As someone who played the original Red, Blue, and Yellow games in the 90’s and just finished the recent Kanto remake, Let’s Go Pikachu!, I am 100% inclined to love anything involving the first generation of Pokémon. I’d be lying if I said I’m not completely biased when it comes reviewing this manga. As if there wasn’t already a plethora of Pokémon-related things to hoard, VIZ will release something else for fans to add to their ever-growing collections: Volume 1 of the Pokémon Adventures Collector’s Edition manga, which compiles the first three volumes in the series.