Pokémon Adventures (Red and Blue), Vol. 1 by Hidenori Kusaka
The best-selling Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire video games inspired some awesome adventures! This action-packed manga features all of your favourite Pokémon video game characters jumping out the screen and onto the pages! Red wants to be their friend as well as their trainer of Pokémon. Poliwhirl and Bulbasaur appear amicable. But winning over an independent Pikachu won’t be so simple! Red, be on the lookout for Team Rocket. All they want to do is harm you!
Pokémon Adventures (Red and Blue), Vol. 1 by Hidenori Kusaka
Amazon.com
In essence, Pokemon Adventures Volume 1 is a reprint of a manga with a similar name from a few years ago. Since I was interested in its release and cover and could tell it was “new,” I am unaware of many of the specifics from that one.
Pokemon Adventures essentially continues and builds upon the plot of the video games, most notably Pokemon Yellow. Neither Ash Ketchum’s adventures nor his name is even mentioned in the manga. Gary, who is Professor Oak’s grandson and who appears as Blue in this instance, is still present, but once more they make no mention of Gary from the program. Although Team Rocket is present, it also lacks Jesse, James, and Meowth. In the end, this manga borrows some elements from the anime while setting its story in a virtual gaming environment.
The main character Red is followed by Volume as he attempts to carry out Professor Oak’s advice in order to master Pokemon. Professor Oak gave Red and Blue a Pokedex and instructed them to traverse the globe collecting information on every type of Pokemon imaginable because Professor Oak is too old to do it. Red was also informed by him that he needed to fill up this device in order to become a Pokemon master. Red embarks on the adventure with a Poliwhirl, but she winds up catching an increasing number of Pokémon.
The narrative picks up the speed and increases the gravity of Pokemon. With their desire to kill anyone who gets in their way, their use of pokemon experimentation or their ability to con locals, Team Rocket appears to be eviler than they have in any recent episode. Team Rocket and Red and Blue frequently cross paths because of their ongoing conflicts with them and their pursuit of the enigmatic Pokemon.
Overall, this is a terrific, fast-paced novel set in the world of Pokemon that is guaranteed to satisfy any fan of the franchise.
