Pokémon Adventures (Red and Blue), Vol. 1 (1)

Wow, I was surprised at how well this story is told after having seen the atrociously poor storytelling of the official Pokémon anime. Ash is a poor character in comparison to Red.

Pokemon Adventures Volume 1 is essentially a release of a similar named manga from a few years ago. I do not know many of the details from that one for I was intrigued by this release and cover and saw that it was "new". Essentially Pokemon Adventures follows the storyline of the video games, probably Pokemon Yellow version the most and expands upon it. The manga does not follow the exploits of Ash Ketchum nor even mention his name at all. Professor Oaks grandson, Gary, ie, Blue in this one, is still here but once again they dont reference Gary from the show either. Team Rocket is present however it also does not have Jesse, James, or Meowth. So ultimately, this manga takes place in the video game world and takes some elements from the anime, but does not directly reference them. Volume follows Red, the main character, as he goes to do what Professor Oak told him to do in order to become a pokemon master. Because Professor Oak is too old, he gave Red and Blue a Pokedex and entrusted them with travelling around the world to gain data on every Pokemon imaginable. He also told Red that in order for him to become a pokemon master he must fill up this device. Red starts the journey with a Poliwhirl, but ends up catching more and more pokemon. The story is quite faced paced and up the ante on the seriousness of Pokemon. Team Rocket seems more evil than they were in any recent showing with their use of wanting to kill anyone who stands in their way and carrying out experiments on pokemon or tricking townspeople. Red and Blue often run into Team Rocket at the same time as they keep having run-ins with them and their search for the mysterious pokemon. All in all this is a fantastic fast paced story that is based in the Pokemon universe and is sure to please any Pokemon fan adequately. Art is done very well clear and easy to read words and panels. The modern English sounding translation is crystal clear. And finally, the manga is read in the traditional format. Bonuses in the back of the manga include a summary of Red's adventures, a Pokedex of key Pokemon he used, and a preview for Volume 2.

Bought this for my 8 yr. old grandson who was in hospital . He LOVES Poke'mon & was thrilled to receive the books!

I am a 29 year old female who grew up with the OG Pokémon craze in the 90s and I am reading the manga for the very first time in my life! Even though it is obviously geared towards younger audiences, I found it to be a quick, fun read as an adult. If you love Pokémon, no matter your age, you’ll enjoy this read. If you’re an older fan like me, you’ll love the nostalgia.

Bought this as an Xmas gift for a friend. Fans of the early video games and first season of the anime will enjoy this manga. It's printed in right-to-left format (though with English text).