Pocket Monsters Special
Pokémon Adventures

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I gave this manga a 9 in enjoyment, but it is true only if you played pokemon games. This manga follows games plot really close, but gives you a new view of it. Pokemon users in this manga do not attack with pokemon stupidly, they try to use them as traps. That is what makes this manga far better than pokemon anime.

Other than that, this manga is quite normal. No outstanding graphics or story. Everything is simple and good. No more, but also no less.

Many of us grew watching and playing Pokemon. As we grew up, some of us grew out of things and left childish things behind us as we went into the real world, but some of us just didn't quite let go of some things...and one of those things is Pokemon

This manga doesn't follow the events of the anime, but the games. This manga is actually greatly over-shadowed by the anime, so not many people notice it, but in my opinion it's quite bettar. The anime is a kid's show, while the manga is directed towards a younger audience, it tells a story.

As this manga follows ... the story told in the manga, along with the charecters, it adds on to it and gives it much more thrill and leaves you saying, "Wow, I wish that was in the game" Also the charecters are awesome. They're apperance may be based of the charecters from the games, their personalities are great.

If you're a fan of Pokemon, I STRONGLY suggest this. Each arc takes you all a new adventure with all new people in a new world. Happy reading!

This will be my very first review, and I decided to go over a manga that I used to read when I was a child. I will be going over the arcs that start from the very beginning until the end of Fire Red and Leaf Green.

Pokemon Special is a shounen manga that is based off the video game series, Pokemon. The Pokemon world is filled with a vast array of creatures known as Pokemon, each having different attributes and potentials. People can catch Pokemon and train them to become more evolved creatures. Those who catch, raise, and battle with Pokemon are acknowledged as trainers ... as they can fight other trainers to test their skills. Every trainer has different goals, such as training to become the very best within battling or beauty contests. There are many different elements that make Pokemon interesting such as the strategy and the friendship that trainers and Pokemon share. With such a great amount of content to work with, does Pokemon Special manage to be a good contribution to the Pokemon series?

[Story] Score: 8/Very Good

The story is based off of the video games and is fairly linear at first. It begins with the story of Red, a young boy who lives in Pallet Town, who is based off of the main character from the Pokemon games Red and Blue, who adventures through Kanto. He is given a Pokedex, an encyclopedia that contains information of various Pokemon that were discovered and researched by the prestigious Professor Oak. Red meets various people along the way, such as his rival Green and the mysterious girl Blue, and travels with his Pokemon to experience the vast and unknown realm and train to become a strong the very best. Along the way, Red faces many dangers along with his companions, such as Team Rocket. It is an evil organization that seeks out power and desires control over the world. Red and his friends seek to stop them from achieving their ideals of world domination.

Eventually, the series continues with introducing new characters from the newer generations and creating new stories based off of the games they came from. The Gold/Silver/Crystal arc follows the adventures of Gold, Silver, and Crystal and the Ruby/Sapphire arc follows the adventures of Ruby and Sapphire.

The story was enjoyable to read. It begins with a very simple tale about a young boy who dreams of becoming the very best trainer. Over time, the series becomes more interesting by introducing new characters and Pokemon that contribute to the plot. The best part about the video games was that you, as a player, felt immersed in the Pokemon world. You travel across the land, storm through the seas, capture Pokemon, and fight tough battles. Red goes through many different experiences from his interactions with Pokemon and other people. Also, the story borrows elements from the games such as the aspect of strategy with the items, moves, and abilities the Pokemon have. This also makes the story more enjoyable to read since the newer generations introduce new mechanics to the series.

The interesting aspect about the series is that, unlike the video games, the characters from different generations all meet together as they encounter one another during certain situations within the plot or they face each other from the connections that they have.

One thing I disliked about the story was the lack of consistency. For the most part, the story has flow and has solid transitioning from one scene to another. However, there were a few moments within the plot that I believe felt that the pacing was a bit off, especially during the action scenes.

Overall, the story was good. It does not have the most complex plot, but the simplicity of the story makes it easy to follow.

[Art] Score: 9/Great

The visuals was one of the strengths of the manga. The character designs were very well representative of their video game character counterparts and the depictions of the Pokemon look exactly like the Pokemon from the games. If you've played the Pokemon games, you will probably recognize the characters with ease. Also, the emotions that the characters and Pokemon evoke are present from their expressions and show their feelings during certain situations. It also presents different locations for the characters to travel that are visually stunning, all the way from caves, to mountains, to seas, to lands.

The art is best presented when it comes to the action. Within the trainer battles, the use of Pokemon moves is extremely detailed. It really feels like an epic confrontation is taking place when two trainers are battling each other. Not only that, but the element of strategy, from utilizing the trainers' surroundings and accounting for the advantages or disadvantages of certain moves, makes the battling more complex.

In summary, the drawings were well done with great detail. It appeals to both the Pokemon fans as well as those who enjoy the adventure and action genre.

[Character] 10/Outstanding

The best thing for me about Pokemon Special was the characters. In the games, the protagonists did not have personalities as the player was the one who was supposed to be immersed in the game. The characters had blank personas and the player was the one who was supposed to fill it in. Within the manga, the authors created unique personalities that compensate for the lack of characterization and fit amazingly well.

Red: Red begins his journey as somewhat cocky and a bit naive. He is competitive as he is very motivated to battle others and test his skills. He journeys through the Kanto region and through his naive nature, he trembles upon different Pokemon and different people. Eventually, he becomes a strong leader and powerful trainer as he learns from his failures and triumphs. Red will help out his friends no matter what and will support them when they are needed. His main starter is Bulbasaur and reflects Red's character development: a young seed that gradually grows over time. Red also is very attached with his Pikachu and is very friendly with his other Pokemon.

Green: Red's rival. He is composed and collected and has proven to be a very serious and powerful trainer. At first, he recognizes Red as an amateur trainer who has no potential. However, he gradually respects Red as Red develops throughout the series as he improves his potential and strengthens his skills. Their rivalry is shown through their competitive interactions, but they both regard each other as strong trainers. Green goes through rigorous training with his Pokemon but respects them as his companions. His main starter is Charmander and reflects Green's character as a whole: confident, serious, and bold.

Blue: A mysterious young girl with cunning and wit. During the beginning of the series, she tricks and deceives others for personal gain. She prefers cute and attractive Pokemon over strong ones. Although she appears as selfish on the outside, she faces inner conflicts through certain fears. She journeys through Kanto to identify herself and learn about her past life. She goes through many changes throughout the series and shows her true colors as she discovers more about herself. Blue is close with Silver and both hold a close relationship as they are both acquainted since childhood. She stole the final starter from Professor Oak, which was Squirtle. Squirtle reflects her character: defensive and self-reliant.

Yellow: Yellow is a character who truly cares about the well being of Pokemon. She is somewhat naive as she doesn't desire for her opponent's Pokemon to hurt nor her own. However, she is a kind and loving character who cares for her Pokemon. She does not have a starter like the other protagonists, but she builds a unique style when fighting against others.

Gold: Gold is a young but immature trainer. He's quite a brash character and is quite careless at times. In comparison, Gold is somewhat similar to Red as their share similar characteristics as they are both naive and seek adventure. However, he is quick and spontaneous and will do anything for the sake of protecting his friends. His starter is Cyndaquil and reflects his character: powerful and slightly brash.

Silver: Silver is similar to Blue as he does not know much about his past. However, unlike Blue, he is more of a determined and confident young trainer. His motivation is to take down Team Rocket and desires to learn more about his past. Silver develops as he faces an organization he despises most and may potentially face hardships with the more he discovers about himself. He stole a starter from Professor Elm, similar to Blue, and took away Totodile. Totodile is extremely loyal to Silver.

Crystal: Crystal is a very caring and kind character. She cares for the Pokemon she captures and researches them thoroughly. Crystal also is the most intelligent as she helped Oak complete the information on the Pokedex. She isn't the strongest of trainers compared to the other protagonists, but her intelligence and wit has made her a formidable opponent. Her starter is Chikorita and truly reflects her character: Fragile, but caring.

Ruby: Ruby is one who favors beauty contests over Pokemon battles. He cares about aesthetic qualities over brute strength, but is an extremely powerful trainer. Ruby's character development, personally, was the most interesting. He tries to balance out talent over interest as he faces the disapproval of his father. In the beginning, Ruby runs away from his problems and doesn't face them head on. However, he truly grows as a trainer and a coordinator. His starter Pokemon is Mudkip, a Pokemon that has both cuteness and strength.

Sapphire: Sapphire is a tomboy who favors to battle. She isn't afraid of getting herself dirty from a fight and has quite a keen instinct as she spent most of her time away from city and more engrossed within nature. Like Ruby, Sapphire goes through a lot of development as she develops her personality from an aggressive tomboy into a powerful and womanly trainer. The juxtaposition between both of them is clear with a girl with a boyish personality who loves to fight and a boy with a girlish personality who hates to fight. Her relationship with Ruby is very interesting as they both make promises to become stronger and they both develop because of each other. Her starter is Torchic, a cute Pokemon that also has an aggressive side to it.

Personally, I loved the characters and their development from young trainers into mature and strong individuals.

[Enjoyment] 9/Great

Reading page after page, night after night, I never stopped reading this manga. Those times that I've read have been truly worth it and I don't plan on taking that time back.

[Overall]: 10/Outstanding

It's been a truly enjoyable experience. The series doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon and I'm glad that that is the case. I was immersed with the series as I am a fan of Pokemon and the adaptation does it justice. The visuals, the characters, and the story all make a chemistry of a great series.

I had missed waking up 7am every morning to watch Pokemon on CheeseTV something of a decade ago. And only a few days ago did I learn there were a few mangas that gave alternative stories to the universe of Pokemon. And in the three days I had started reading, I'm here now having read 90chapters. Needless to say, I just couldn't stop reading. The last thing I couldn't stop reading was the first harry potter book - aha.

This manga is based on the Pokemon Game series [if you'd look to the character list above]. That's why there's a "Red" ready for you to name ... your character, as with the forgetful Prof.Oak to optionally have you name his grandson 'Blue'. It also goes on to explain the origins of Surfing Pikachu, which if you've ever really thought about it... doesn't make too much sense.
The animation is separate from the manga, but it isn't all that different. You'll see some familiar faces, but only in the context of the games.

If you remember the lovable childish charm of the Pokemon that created a global late 90's fad, the emotional trials of values that seem to be forgotten in the grown-up world, and the epic battles depicted in the Pokemon movies, this manga will have you re-live it all.

_As with any good story with an alternate universe and battle sequences, this Manga manages to tie everything together impressively with surprising complexity - though I suppose it could also be criticized as "improvisation" like Code Geass was. The art style is cute and fitting to the nature of the manga, as with the characters are rather simple yet not annoyingly so.

Although this may all seem overly positive, but really... I can't help but think this manga is incredibly under-rated. It's no witty romantic supernatural action ecchi comedy, I'll admit - but it's what I like about it.

I can't really find a bone to pick with it. It is a kid fantasy story, and perhaps not as engaging as what IS aimed towards an 18year old [ecchi, comedy, action, psychological, drama, slice of life]. So I guess the only bone I have to pick with it is that ..I'm getting too old to enjoy this stuff anymore. Aha

Being a lifelong Pokemon fan, this manga was just about perfect for me. Out of all the Pokemon manga adaptations, this is the only one that really brings the world to life.

It follows the storyline of the games very, very loosely, but that's what I love about it. It keeps the world and society intact, but creates entirely new dangers and and a much more interesting and engaging plot, not to mention a whole cast of unique characters. It also has nothing to do with the anime, which is intended more for kids. This manga can be enjoyed by everyone.

This manga is also incredibly long, ... currently extending into the Sinnoh region. Each arc has its own characters and plot, but all main characters make reappearances, such as the Gym leaders and Pokedex holders. It's hard not to get sucked into this incredible world! Even as the arcs continue, the manga is no less fantastic; it doesn't lose the spell it weaves at the beginning with the original 150 pokemon. The characters and plots in the more recent arcs remain just as strong, unique, and complex as they were at the beginning.

Though it's not really romantic, there are still an abundance of possible "shippings" for the characters in this manga. Makes it all the more fun for a typically shoujo girl like me.

The art changes midway through, but both artists are really fantastic. The art in the first part is more chibi-like than the current art.

Any and every Pokemon fan should read this manga. Don't get put off if the story isn't what you expected, or you miss the characters from the previous arc - I promise, it's worth it.

Ok so I'm a big pokemon fangirl since i was little.I still loosely watch the anime and enjoy playing the games , but last year i came across this manga.I knew it was based Pokemon so i decited to give it a try.And as I read i found out that this was FAR MORE good and epic than the anime.Why?

Story and characters-10/10
Let's start with the story and compare with the anime.The anime is a kids show that has been airing new seasons since more than a decade and due which not much people know there is a manga.The manga has it's alternative story that has ... nothing to do with the anime.
First of all,the anime's seasons all focus on the fairly same plot/story and same main two protagonists (Ash and Pikachu) and how they go trough the reigions,collect gym badges,the goood guys always easily win and so on making every new season predictable and dull.The manga is loosely based on the games and has Arcs(named after the games) focusing on different stories and it's unique characters.And the story isn't only collecting gym badges and having battles.It has a wide character development and puts every part together making an AWESOME manga that everyone (not just kids) can enjoy.In my perspective the managa has something that the anime doen't and it's heart!When you read you just feel the emotions of the characters,there is much more feeling put in the manga - from a girl ,fighting with all her power,to save the person she loves to a boy that is having the biggest and determinant battle in his life and confessing his feelings to the girl he loves and so on.When you read you just repeat "What's gonna happen next?!"and things like that from excitement.The battles are also unique and when not animated aren't annoying at all!
Secondly,having more main characters that are all cool and unique in their own way is also something that the anime doesn't have.Some of them have anime counterparts and some don't.All of their personalities are different and great tought of.
Thirdly,don't get confused when you read 'based on the games' and you imagine the game's character running around and following the games's, that you've played, story.They are just set in the game's world following the locations and routes that are in the games.The stories are all unique and you can start from which arc you want to without having read the previous.

Art 10/10-
The art is super!It's epic! All the characters,views and places are drawn very well.The characters from the first arcs are also often chibied and very kawaii.There are tons of great facial expressions and things like that!

Enjoyment 10/10 -
It's very enjoyable by all ages , yes it is a little kis's but overall anyone who HAS and IS loving pokemon will like it.Still it depends on your taste for genres!

Overall 10/10
Thx for reading my review ;D ! Hope u like it ! I'm giving a 10/10 because this manga really is somthing unique and fresh that made me love pokemon so much again!

When playing the games, have you ever though to yourself, "Man, if only I could use my flying legendary bird to hop over this inconveniently placed tree without requiring cut? Or hey, why don't the bad guys ever try attacking the trainer instead of just battling?"

Well this manga has that and much more.

Now, is it a masterpiece of storytelling and perfect in every way? Well, no. (Though I'll still say it is) At it's core it is a story aimed mainly at younger audiences. However, that doesn't really take away anything from the story. Especially considering some of the darker aspects of Pokémon and ... people it decides to showcase at times. The cast of characters are a fun bunch as well, expanded on much more than has been done before in the games, especially since there, aside from the rivals, they mostly serve as self-inserts in an RPG while here they're individual well developed characters that learn and grow as they progress on their journeys. Even the supporting characters, like the gym leaders for example, get much more development here than what could be fair to say they've really ever gotten anywhere else

Pre-existing Pokémon fans however, whether you've played the games or watched the anime before, would probably enjoy Pokémon Adventures (Pocket Monsters Special) even more. Not only does it make use of some of the facts mentioned in the pokedex entries as more than just random trivia by implementing them into some of the aspects of the Pokémon themselves, but they also use those unique qualities of the Pokémon as part of the battle strategies. Honestly, at times I found myself making comparisons to somewhat simplified stand battles from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure since the trainers don't always just shout commands to fight the Pokémon, but sometimes have to do things themselves to win a battle.

In conclusion, if you're not a fan of Pokémon, maybe give it a shot and you might like it despite some of its flaws. For a Pokémon fan, I greatly recommend reading these fun stories.

I still remember to this day going to the library on weekends just to read more and more of this story, it was interesting to me as a kid and I can never deny it was apart of who I was back then, when I was going through a Pokémon phase these books are what kept me entertained during that time.

This manga is a blast especially the parts with red and yellow. This review is heavily influenced by nostalgia but even now I still find enjoyment in these books so much. The adventure and seeing the characters grow makes it all the more exciting.

Pokemon Adventures is a manga i really like and i hold it dear to me.. haven't read this manga too much though (For those that hates Pokémon because of the anime i can tell you that this is WAY better than the anime).


Story: The story is pretty simple and straightforward without plot holes and the outcome of stuff are not clear. Beware that there are many side story chapters but each arc this far had a lot of content so it makes up for it. Some arcs does get too long and drags out the story but it's still good. Some chapters are unnecesary but ... still good.

Art: Briliant art for 1997 and the design is different from usual and Red looks like a badass.

Character: Red is an awesome protagonist he's not dull like many other people. The antagonist did a good job .. They were pretty strong and forces Red to change his way of thinking. I think that it's pretty good that Red does not one-shot everyone he meets. Red will always be one of my favourite characters. Some characters lack development though.

Enjoyment: If you like the idea of the pokémon system then i believe that you will love this manga and there's no way that i'll ever forget this manga. It gets a bit boring at times but it is very rare because of the slow pacing and heavy dialogues.

Overall: This manga is a ride and you'll probably love it. Although it gets holden back due to the slow and unexpected pacing.

Pokémon Special, where have you been all my life?

We all know that the Pokémon franchise is one of the greatest things to happen to Earth. Everything about it is so amazing and lovable. The games are some of the greatest, the Pokémon themselves are adorable, and the fan-base and merchandise is some of the best there is. There is only one thing that cripples the franchise: the anime.

Many, but not all, people have problems with the anime. For one, it is not serious enough and is too childish. They could've made a super crazy anime where the characters are totally serious and the fights are ... incredible. But they didn't. They made something on par with Dora the Explorer in terms of childishness.

However, Pokémon Special solves all of these problems. The whole thing is based off of the games and it explains so much that was left unanswered. The Pokémon battles are more intense and the main character, Red, is not a childish twerp like Ash Ketchum. Anyone who loves Pokémon will have the greatest time of their life reading this.

STORY:

The story is broken up into sagas, just like the anime. All of the sagas are based off of the games almost exactly. It bends your perception of Pokemon and sometimes does some things unrealistic, but that only makes it better. It also explains the history of the Pokemon world and describes everything behind the games and what happened before them.

One of my personal favorite things about this manga is how all Pokemon are practically equal. For example, an enemy Gengar would appear and the main characters would be cautious, seeing how Gengar is a strong Pokemon, but then they would run into a gastly and be just as cautious. The way the manga treats Pokemon is incredible and the battles are so much better too.

ART:

The art isn't anything special. All characters are chibi, but that is probably because the whole manga is based off of the games. Nothing good, but nothing bad.

CHARACTER:

The characters really make this manga amazing. Every time there is a new saga, new characters appear appropriate to the corresponding game. For example: During the Red/Blue saga, the main character is Red. He is also the avatar in the Pokemon Red/Blue video games. But once that saga ends, the main character becomes Gold, who is also the male avatar in the Gold/Silver video games. It also has 649+ Pokemon for characters, which is always amazing.

ENJOYMENT:

If you are not a Pokemon fan prior to reading the manga, you probably won't like it. That being said, if you are a fan, this will be the greatest read ever, as nostalgia and happiness will pour out of the pages. If you played the games and dislike the anime this will be the perfect thing for you. Afterwards, I guarantee you will be wondering why the anime isn't based off the manga.

Pokemon Special is a manga adaptation of the Pokemon games, and not the anime. It has several arcs, with different protagonists with each arc, with the main protagonists are based on the game characters, and NOT the anime characters.

::STORY:: ... Pokemon Adventures have several arcs so I'll list down the important events starting with the RBG arc.There are many spoilers so skip the story.
Red meets Blue
Professor Oak gives to Red and Blue the Pokédex.
Bill helps Red with his Pokémon Storage System. YELLOW ARC Yellow sets off on a journey to find Red.
Yellow meets Blue.
Yellow, Blaine, Sabrina, Green, Lt. Surge, Bill, Koga and Blue defeat the Elite 4
GSC ARC Gold meets Silver and they received their starter Pokemon Gold battles Masked Man at the Ilex Forest An earthquake destroys Ecruteak City and the legendary beasts are set free Masked Man defeats Gold and Silver Prof. Oak sends Crystal to gather data on the Pokemon Suicune challenges various Gym Leaders throughout the two regions Crystal first meets Eusine and later meets Gold and Silver The Pokémon Association arranges a tournament for the Gym Leaders of the Kanto and Johto regions. Masked Man interferes Gold, Silver, Crystal, Red, Blue, Green and Yellow defeat Masked Man and his henchmen RS ARC Ruby moves to Hoenn region and runs away from home.
Ruby meets Sapphire and they receive their starter Pokémon. After this they arrange a bet Norman grants Ruby's wish and lets him compete at Contests.
Team Aqua stops the volcanic activity at Mt. Chimney Team Magma blows the Rusturf Tunnel up.
Villainous Teams decide to cooperate and travel to Seafloor Cavern together.
Kyogre and Groudon are awakened and start destroying the region.
Norman and Wally awaken Rayquaza.
Ruby and Sapphire stop Maxie and Archie.
Ruby and Sapphire achieve their goals.
Giovanni finds the Red and Blue orbs that have been transformed into gems.
FRLG ARC Red and Blue return to Pallet Town, and are attacked by a mysterious shadow.
Green is about to meet her parents but suddenly a black hole sucks them in. Green faints and falls of the boat.
Red and Blue travel with Green to the Sevii Islands, and Ultima coaches them.
The Three Beasts cause havoc all over Sevii Islands.
Giovanni captures Deoxys.
Silver meets Yellow again and reveals that he is searching for his origins.
Red and Mewtwo start battling Giovanni and Deoxys on Team Rocket's airship.
Giovanni is revealed to be Silver's father.
It is revealed that the gems Giovanni received at the of the previous chapter have been used to simulate Hoenn's climate in Kanto.
It is revealed that there are, in fact, two entities of Deoxys.
Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Silver are turned into stone. EMERALD ARC Emerald arrives at the Battle Frontier and crashes the opening ceremony, after which the the Frontier Brains challenge him to defeat all seven facilities in seven days.
Latias and Latios are revealed to be helping Emerald.
Emerald reveals that his task is to capture Jirachi.
Guile Hideout appears with Jirachi in Artisan Cave. Jirachi runs away and Guile escapes.
Ruby and Sapphire arrive at the Battle Frontier and meet Emerald.
Guile Hideout captures Jirachi.
It is revealed that the Pokédex Holders who had been petrified at the end of the previous chapter have been brought to the Battle Frontier.
Guile Hideout's identity is revealed, and Jirachi grants his wish. A Kyogre-shaped creature appears by the Battle Frontier.
Gold and Crystal appear.
Emerald's past is revealed.
The petrified Pokédex Holders are freed by Jirachi.
The monster Kyogre is destroyed by the ten Pokédex Holders.
The mystery behind Archie's armor and sword is revealed, after which he disappears.
Emerald achieves his goals.
Jirachi returns to sleep.
Professor Oak and Crystal call Professor Rowan. HGSS ARC Gold participates in Pokéathlon competitions. A Dragonite abruptly appears, after which Gold travels to Ecruteak City.
Silver finds out about Plates and Arceus.
Silver meets Crystal again at the Safari Zone.
Silver discovers the Plates' purpose.
Crystal chases Arceus, and the trio regroups at the Sinjoh Ruins.
Archer forces Arceus to create the members of the Creation trio.
Giovanni, Lance and Pryce appear.
Team Rocket is stopped, and the Spiky-eared Pichu brings Giovanni medicine to heal him.
In the Sinnoh region, Johanna notices that her son has gone of to partcipate in a comedy competition.
ORAS ARC still airing DP ARC Diamond and Pearl meet Platinum through a coincidence and the three receive their starter Pokémon.
The trio stumble upon Cyrus at Mt. Coronet.
Paka and Uji are transported into another universe by Saturn.
Cyrus invades the ruins in Celestic Town.
Platinum finds out that Diamond and Pearl are not her real bodyguards.
Platinum forgives her travelling companions, and the trio decide to split, with each member going to a different lake in the Sinnoh region.
Team Galactic detonates the Galactic Bomb over Lake Valor. They capture the Lake guardians.
Cyrus crafts two Red Chains.
Diamond, Pearl and Platinum reunite and set the Lake guardians free.
Diamond, Pearl and Platinum defeat Team Galactic and calm Dialga and Palkia.
A shadow emerges and drags Cyrus, Dialga and Palkia inside a portal that appeared over the Spear Pillar. PLATINUM ARC Platinum arrives at the Battle Zone and meets Looker.
Platinum starts to challenge the Battle Frontier to gather information on the Distortion World.
Diamond and Pearl set out on a journey with Dr. Footstep and the Sinnoh Pokémon Association Chairman.
Charon captures Heatran.
Palmer is revealed to be Pearl's father.
Diamond and Pearl part ways with their companions. They meet Rotom again, and it joins their group.
Giratina appears in Eterna City.
Diamond is hit by Giratina's Shadow Force while saving Pearl. His body disappears.
Platinum enters the Distortion World together with Palmer, Riley, Mira, and Cheryl.
Diamond finds himself in Distortion World and meets Cyrus.
Dialga and Palkia are freed.
Paka, Uji, Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum reunite.
Giratina appears and is defeated at Sunyshore City. Charon is arrested by Looker.
Cyrus disbands Team Galactic.
Looker is called to the Unova region.
Looker gives Diamond Manaphy's Egg BW ARC Black,Cheren, and Bianca receives their starter Pokemon Prof.Juniper notices that Black's pokedex is the only one that is working Black met White then forces him to join the agency to pay off his debt because of the Galvantula incident Black proceeds to challenge the gym leaders Black and White met N After defeating Clay, Black learns about the light and dark stone Black defeats Skyla then the gym leaders (including him) went to Nacrene City to protect the museum The gym leaders were kidnapped Reshiram chose Black Black and White learnes that N defeated Alder Black proceeds to challenge the 2 remaining gym leaders Black went to the Pokemon league Black faced N N was defeated and White finds Gigi Ghetsis challenged Black then Ghetsis was defeated Reshiram is turning back to a light stone Black was pushed by Colress's Beheeyem Black becomes one with the white stone BW 2 ARC, AND XY ARC ARE STILL AIRING ::ART:: They done well with the art. The art is superb and it is pretty to look at. ::CHARACTERS:: They also done well with the characters too, each having different personalitites and they all get a character development. Each of the dex holders gets a title. The supporting characters have important roles too. ::ENJOYMENT:: Oh no, there's an upcoming exam tomorrow I better finish this chapter and study *proceeds to next chapter Studying can wait. If you get tired of the story, there's the character. If you get tired of the characters, there's the story. ::OVERALL:: 10/10

Pokemon Special/Adventures is THE hands-down best adaptation of the games. Full stop. I rate this manga an 8/10 in general, despite it being one of my personal favorite manga series; but based purely as an adaptation of Pokemon it's an easy 10/10.

This is because, while it has an overarching continuity (much like the games do), every generation of games is told in a standalone arc that features characters, pokemon, gameplay elements, and plot points from that generation. It does not suffer from Ash Ketchum Itis, in which Red and Pikachu show up in Sinnoh for some reason and write half of the protagonists from ... Diamond/Pearl/Platinum out of the plot.

Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow save Kanto. Silver, Gold, and Crystal save Johto. Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald save Hoenn. Et cetera. Each individual generation of Pokemon games has an individual arc in this manga dedicated to doing its story, its characters, its Pokemon, and its concepts, justice.

And - incredibly - despite having TWENTY-ONE protagonists, it never feels stale or recycled because every new generation is told in a fresh light that amplifies the uniqueness of that generation. The Black/White arc features detective series tropes; Ruby as a protagonist is a selfish brat who cares more about contests than battles; Gold's strength is as a breeder of Pokemon; Moon is a pharmacist. I repeatedly found myself finishing a generation's story and thinking "I'll never like the next one as much as this one, I don't want to move on," only to be proven wrong and fall in love all over again. It's a single series with multiple distinct identities contained within, and it never feels like it loses its vision.

(It's also worth mentioning that many characters have ridiculously convoluted mechanisms for catching Pokemon, including but not limited to: bow and arrow, kicking, pool sticks.......)

This manga made me fall in love with Pokemon I didn't particularly care for before. Feebas specifically has skyrocketed to the very top of my list of favorite Pokemon thanks to the R/S chapter, and Munna as a result of B/W. There are so many relationships between trainer and Pokemon that are developed in so many interesting ways that some of them are bound to stick with the reader. It will change how you feel about at least one Pokemon, this I absolutely guarantee.

The biggest weakness of this series, in my opinion, is that the arcs corresponding to sequels and remakes tend to be very weak. The Fire Red/Leaf Green arc stood out to me as being the first one I felt honestly disappointed by, and the Heart Gold/Soul Silver seemed similarly uninspired. (By the time the Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire arc debuted, I knew what to expect and was able to enjoy it for what it is - and because the R/S arc is my favorite, I was happy to just have more content in Adventures!Hoenn. That said, it still was far from the best chapter). I also found myself struggling to get into Emerald because it seemed significantly less grounded in the games than previous and subsequent arcs. The shaky stories are virtually all shorter and less prominent than the main entries, however, so overall the series remains solid.

My other criticism is that, as the series progresses, there are more and more instances in which female characters are drawn in an uncomfortably sexualized manner, especially considering the childlike and cute art style and youthful characters. There is nothing explicit, just the occasional unnecessary booty shot or rendered cleavage on a 10-year-old that I would enjoy the manga more without.

Overall and despite its flaws, this remains my favorite manga series. 8/10 story (10/10 for the main stories, dragged down by the generally blander remake and sequel stories); 6/10 art (cute and fun, nothing special, but bogged down by weirdly objectifying certain characters); 9/10 characters (what makes this series what it is); 10/10 enjoyment - especially for Pokemon fans; 8/10. If you enjoy Pokemon games, you WILL enjoy this manga.

I've read the entire series up to SM, and I must say as the games got stale, more and more rushed, and overall worse, the manga retained its shine.
The stories go much more in-depth than the games do, and at times, can be rather tear-jerking (looking at you GSC and RS arcs). Originality was definitely a factor in making this so enjoyable to read; you can really tell that the writer was given a lot of creative liberties here. The artstyle is unique and fun, being simplistic while also being very expressive. Granted, if you haven't played a game or two in the series ... you might not like it, but if you have, I SERIOUSLY advise you read this.

The Pokemon franchise has obviously been controversial lately as childhood dreams clash with bitter reality. But this manga hold's true to my initial daydreams of what pokemon is like.

The first few chapters take recognizable characters and makes them ICONS. The story is dark but digestibly so- and believable. It's just my precious little guilty pleasure that I'll never let go of even as I grow up.

Gender roles are nonexistent here (impressively so back in the 1990s) and you can tell the authors love pokemon just the same as we do. I'm only finishing the DP/P arc but the characters are still a joy even ... if the heavy charm of early pokespe wore off. I love this manga! Please give it a read.

This Pokemon manga is the real deal! Unlike the anime or even the video game, this manga tells stories that'll make you want more.

Storyline:

The storyline is basically the same as the game's, but more detailed with better characters. You know how it goes. Red starts out in Pallet town and aims to become a champion. Blue, Professor Oak's grandson from Pallet town, also wants to become a champion. Professor Oak let's them choose one of the three starter Pokémon in his lab Which consists ... of; Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. He also gives both of them a Pokédex so they can catch and record all of the Pokémon's data in it. Sounds similar to the Game right? Did you know Red's first Pokemon aren't any of the starters, but instead a Poliwag? This isn't the only twist, but there are plenty of others, even changing up character personalities. This is what makes the Pokemon adventures saga so interesting. It's not as predictable as the anime, nor as vague as the game's.

Art:

The art is good in the beginning, but some may think that the Pokemon looks weird. This is because Pokemon Adventures was released soon after the game and since then, Pokémon designs have changed. Don't let that discourage you, because the art definitely gets better. The art can be very detailed, or can be in chibi form. Either way, it's good.

Characters: This is what amazed me. How well the artist could pull lifeless player characters from the game and make them funny and more interesting.

Red: Red is an eleven year old boy who is cocky and sentimental. However, he does improve. He is very funny, and unlike Ash from the anime, can be serious. He also seems to have a thing for certain girls.

Blue: Blue is Red's rival. At first, he is arrogant, but like Red. He is more serious then Red for the most part. He is Gary's better counterpart.

Professor Oak: The Professor who gives Red and Blue Pokédex machines. He is pretty much the same as his counterpart from the anime.

There are plenty more of interesting characters on Pokemon Adventures, such as Trainer Green. The characters also have good character development, a concept never heard of in Pokemon. Characters you would never expect can become the "bad guys" on this Manga, even having darker personalities than their counterparts.

Enjoyment:

This manga had me hooked with no annoying drama, characters, or concepts in the way. I enjoyed this so much, I wish there was more.

Conclusion:

For pokémon, this is a masterpiece. Something different happened in each chapter. It has awesome characters, awesome storylines, and of course the awesome Pokémon that this series couldn't do without. Knowing that there are some inappropriate jokes, blood (rarely), and really dark things such as Lavender Town, I highly recommend to any Pokemon fan whether they played the game or not. In fact, I also recommend this to anyone who hasn't read this. If this was the anime, Pokemon would be even more popular.

Ok, literally, i don't know how to start this, i really love pokémon games, and i hate pokémon anime (XY included), but the manga show me a really great world, something different with Pokémon.

Warning: I don't talk english, probably this review it's going to be hard to read (Google translate + My english = A really bad english)

Story: The story of the manga it's the best story in the Pokémon's world, i don't know how to explain it, but it's so different of the anime, it strives to create a good story based on the videogame's events.

Art: At the beginning, the art it's not the ... best, but it change, in the good way of the word, the pokémon drawings are better, and the characters take the original games style.

Characters: Ok, the characters are normally good and memorables, but, for example, Red, at the beginning, is literally "I'm the best and i'm going to save the world!" and oh my god EMERALD WHY?, i really hate Emerald, in my opinion, it's one of the worst characters in the manga.

Enjoyment: I really enjoy when i'm reading this manga, i don't have more to say.

Conclusion: This is a really good manga, the best in Pokémon's world (in my opinion), with a good story, art and, normally, really cool characters, I recommend this manga, especially if you're a Pokémon fan.

Everyone knows about Pokemon. The games and the anime are famous all around the world. The main manga, however, has been living in the shadows for a while. Does it deserve to be more known? Definitely.

STORY
The manga follows the events of the games, not the anime series. With each game release, the manga starts a new arc. The strongest point of this manga, however, is its continuity : even though each arc tells a very different story (just like the games), they actually make a point to link EVERYTHING altogether.
As a result, the protagonists are all related to each other some way or another.

Since it's ... a single continuity, the games that tell the same story (like Yellow tells the same story as RBG, or Emerald tells the same story as RS) actually make for different arcs in the manga. The FireRed/LeafGreen arc is a sequel to the original RBG arc, the Emerald arc is a sequel to the RS arc, the HeartGold/SoulSilver arc is a sequel to Gold/Silver/Crystal arc, and so on.

Overall, the story is the best Pokemon has to offer (except for the Sun/Moon games and the DP anime). Not only everything is tied up altogether, it's also far more epic than the games or the anime. Some arcs even have a 14-chapters long final battle. Other arcs even have... a bitter end. Yep. Some of these stories end up badly!

The only flaw, that really brings it down in my opinion, is the pace. Overall it goes way too fast on the important points of the plots... and yet, overall each arc feels too long for what it tells.

Another problem is the loss of this strong continuity the manga established. While the first three generations are tied up strongly, starting from 4G, each arc tells a story very independant from the rest. For example, the HGSS arc barely has any link to the story in Sinnoh.



Also, the quality of the story varies greatly between each part.
While the first three generations are very interesting to follow, the fourth generation is a huge mess.
It tried to use ALL the Legendaries of 4G, but there are so many that they couldn't tie everything up correctly and they messed up a lot of these Pokemons.
Besides, the final battles are a huge let down, especially considering they concern the Pokemon Gods. Like, Groudon and Kyogre felt way more powerful than Dialga and Palkia or even Arceus... As a matter of fact, Arceus is far better handled in the anime movie than in HGSS.
And the arcs of this 4G aren't tied up correctly. HGSS is meant as a prequel to DPP, but the links between those two parts are so thin that HGSS felt utterly pointless.
Finally, while the first 3 gen are serious and epic, the 4G has much less serious vibes. It's a shame, considering it's THAT generation.

For the rest:
- the 5G is very interesting but the production is a huge mess (it's been 7 years since it started and it's not even finished!). I feel like they rushed the final part. At least it's better written than the 5G games (or the anime, of course).

- 6G was surprisingly dark and had strong character development. Sadly it dropped that development halfway and became a huge pack of action without much story. Lysandre's ambitions in this version of the story was disappointing. But the final arc, ROSA, was great. Only the end was way too abrupt, but it was a very nice ride.

- 7G is pretty average. In this version of the story, they mixed up all the different arcs into a single one: Team Skull, Aether Foundation, Nekrozma, they wrote all of it into a single arc (which is still ongoing). It feels wrong to me, each of these stories should have had an entire arc. Also, I feel like they screwed up the characters. While the 3G has memorable characters with nice relationships, in this part, it all feelt flat.


Long story short, the result varies a lot between generations. Just like the anime or the games. My favourite part in the manga is definitely 3G, I wasn't disappointed by a single arc and the way it's tied up to the previous arc is great.


ART
I don't read manga for the drawings, so I don't really care, but... it's not very good. The characters are very small in the beginning, and while they rectify it later, it is very annoying during the first arcs.
But the worst is the battles. A lot of the fights are pretty bad. Many of them end up in one hit, and that includes important ones. There's almost no full battle, even in the Leagues. They clearly avoided those in purpose, and while I understand, I still wasn't satisfied with most of the fights, which I find too short.



CHARACTER
That's probably the best and the worst of this series.

The good thing is the characters are BADASS. The villains are real evil, they're dangerous and don't hesitate to harm their enemies. The main protagonists are awesome. Some are OP, but that makes them badass.
And more importantly, most characters have actual story (which the anime and games lack a lot).

However, if most characters have background, most of them still don't have much development, which is a waste. The worst has to be the relationships between the characters: it is there, there is something, but they don't go too deep into that.
My favourite characters are Black and White. They're the protagonists with the most interesting relationship, yet it never went anywhere with that.



ENJOYMENT
It's a very long manga and I just discovered it. I didn't read everything because I don't have the patience. However, what I read, I loved. The final battle arcs are great, the characters are great, the way the various stories are tied up is great.

However, the fights aren't really good and the pace is very irregular. Basically, the anime is more stable, but the manga tells a way better story, with a lot of twists and turns. Except for 4G, which is a disaster.

If you like Pokemon, it's definitely worth reading. However, be warned there are some very incomplete versions on the net : better read it in legal ways! Also, even though it is divided like the games, it has to be read from the very beginning to understand everything.

------------------------------QUICK REVIEW----------------------------------------

This is my first review IN MAL, because i don't use MAL that much but anyways. I really like this manga not just because it's really damn good, it's also the best adaptation of the Pokémon universe, on to the review!

Story: The story is written by Hidenori Kusaka and may i say he did a great job with the story, i really love the story because it captures the Pokémon universe perfectly. The story makes the Pokémon universe feel a lot darker and kinda "realistic" and it has a lot of action and intense moments, instead of just capturing pokemon and beating the ... gyms it adds a lot of other intresting elements to the story But the story isn't my favorite part of the manga!

Characters: Oh yes the characters! The characters are the best part of the series, especially in the 180 chapters (red, blue, green, yello, silver and gold arcs) The characters are well developed and they are more than pieces of cardboard. The enemies actually feel like a real threat. And the designs for the characters look really amazing!

Art: About things that look amazing the art is beautiful! I just love the style of it, the pokemon's look great and so do the characters. The action sequences are drawn really well and detailed and you always can clearly see what is going on.

Very Good story, great art and characters, and the amount of enjoyment i had with this manga was outstanding.
Story 8/10
Art 9/10
Characters 9/10
Enjoyment 10/10
This is one of my all time favorite manga's right besides One Piece and FullMetal Alchemist, i seriously can't recommend this enough. This is the best presentation of the Pokémon Universe and it's characters and it's propably the only adaptation of the Pokémon video games that honestly tries to make itself great and not just a quick cashgrab. But this is just my opinion so yeah...
Overall: 9/10 and the recommendation "Buy the sh*t out of it"

Like many people, I grew up with the Pokemon anime. And even to this day, I can still enjoy it well enough, but it's obviously aimed at a much younger audience, and at times it not only limits my enjoyment, but I feel it limits the stories it can tell. Well, the answer to this plight was the Pokemon Adventure manga series. If the anime is aimed towards 6 year olds, the manga is aimed more towards a young teen audience, and it really helps.

Now, I'm not going to say this is a story for everyone. If you have no nostalgia towards Pokemon, no ... real connection to the franchise, at best this is a decent manga aimed towards a younger audience than most manga readers are used to. While it's aimed at an older audience than the anime, it's still not particularly aimed towards late teens. However, if you do have a connection with the franchise, this is definitely worth checking out, as it arguably one of the best ways to experience Pokemon.

So the Pokemon Adventures manga is a retelling of the games, so most of the time it follows the major moments within the games. Most of the time, but not always. It uses the games as a template for the story, but weaves it's own events in, establishing a greater variety of characters and encounters. Speaking of characters, that's one of the most unique parts of this manga. Each arc is based on one of the series of games, so you have the Red/Blue arc, the Yellow arc, etc. And each arc focuses on a different set of characters. This minor detail avoids one of the major pitfalls of series that go on for a long stretch of time, namely massive power creep and characters inexplicably needing to learn the same things over and over (hi Ash). And not only that, but each arc's characters are rather unique. While early on the characters greatly resemble the original archetypes from the TV series, the later arcs have characters with much more diverse personalities, even including aspiring comedians and pokemon directors as main cast.

The other main strength of the series is how it portrays battles. Battles in this series are dangerous for the trainer. Taking on a crime boss like Giovanni is not just a matter of pokemon battling each other, but the trainers themselves being in the thick of combat, where targeting the trainer is fair game. Trainers can act as bait in a darkened room to lure the attack away from his pokemon in order to provide an opening. The battles are much more intense than just simply a trainer giving orders to a Pokemon.

Now this series isn't perfect. First up, some arcs are noticeably less interesting than others. Particularly the remake arcs (Firered/Leafgreen and Heartgold/Soulsilver) leave a bit to be desired. Also, as I stated, while it's not aimed towards the same audience as the anime, it's still aimed for a younger audience than most manga. And every so often, plot points can get a bit silly. But for anyone who wanted more from the anime or just more Pokemon, CHECK THIS SERIES OUT! You will not regret it.

Pokemon Adventures is a must-read if you grew up on the Pokemon games and anime, since like those mediums, it caters to the thrill of exploration and wonder, something we usually lack as adults. From the first page, you are met with familiar faces, such as Red and Professor Oak, but also new ones, such as Green and Silver, who have more personality than you'd expect. The story itself is divided into arcs, so if you just want to skip the Red / Blue or Gold / Silver arc, you can always do so. The art is definitely good, and the panel layout does not ... disappoint. The only thing that detracts from the manga is the fact that characters often find themselves in convenient situations, which makes some of the events hard-to-believe, but this is a shounen after all.