Route 2 and Viridian Forest

Bulbapedia Article for Route 2

Bulbapedia Article for Viridian Forest

Viridian Forest Theme

At this point, we only have access to the western half of Route 2.  Outside of a few patches of grass (with redundant Pokémon), there is nothing of interest on the actual route itself.  But once you pass through the building, we encounter the first "dungeon" of the game: Viridian Forest.

Viridian Forest is big, long, filled with poisonous Pokémon and trainers who automatically battle you.  If you aren't prepared, you could fall here.  Make sure to pick up items you find laying on the ground and be sure to add to your collection.  This is probably the closest part of the game to Tajiri's initial idea of Pokémon, searching in the woods for bugs.

 Caterpie - Lv. 3-6 - Red/Green/Blue/Yellow 

While you can first catch them on Route 2 in Green/Blue, you'll be seeing these guys everywhere in Viridian Forest.  You can also find their evolved form, Metapod, but it will only know Harden, making it difficult to battle with.  It's better to evolve it from a Caterpie so it can continue to fight with Tackle.  If you want a Butterfree, go right ahead and catch a Caterpie.  Butterfree will be useful once it learns Confusion, as it can take care of Pewter Gym and Mt. Moon.  But save for a battle against Erika later, Butterfree won't be cutting it as a long-term teammate.  He's a must catch in Yellow though, as he learns all of his moves earlier and helps with the trickier sections.

 Weedle - Lv. 3-5 - Red/Green/Blue 

Weedle is most common in Red, appearing on Route 2 in addition to the Forest, and it doesn't appear at all in Yellow (another reason why you should pick up a Caterpie there).  Like with Metapod, Kakunas also appear in the Forest.  Despite having the great Twineedle attack upon evolution, Beedrill can't really handle anything aside from Erika (maybe it can get a quick hit in on Sabrina, but it won't last long due to its part-Poison typing).  Again, you can catch both bugs, or choose your favorite, but Caterpie probably would be the stronger decision of the two.

 Pikachu - Lv. 3-5 - Red/Green/Blue 

While rare, Pikachu can be found in the Viridian Forest for non-Yellow players.  While he doesn't learn as many level-up moves as his Yellow counterpart, he can do quite well with the library of TMs.  Plus, this Pikachu can evolve into Raichu, making him much stronger in the long run!  Ultimately, you'll probably keep Raichu on your team all the way to the end (helping you through Seafoam Islands and against Lorelei), which can't be said for the starter Pikachu.  It provides some great balance to your team early on, so it's worth sticking around in the Forest in order to find one.

In addition to some new Pokémon, we also get to meet our first average trainers!  They come in multiple varieties and each class has an identical sprite, making them similar to Nurse Joys, Officer Jennys, or Pokémon themselves!  As a result, you'll have similar tactics for battling each type.

Boy Encounter Theme

Girl Encounter Theme

Trainer Battle Theme

Trainer Victory Theme

 Bug Catcher 

This is our first encounter with a common trainer.  Bug Catchers basically carry stronger versions of the wild bugs found in the Forest.  In Red/Green/Blue, you'll find their collective teams consist of one Caterpie, one Kakuna, and four Weedles, with the final Lv. 9 Weedle being the strongest opponent in the Forest.  Yellow Bug Catchers have a different arsenal, to reflect the lack of Weedles.  They instead have three Metapods and five Caterpies, with a Lv. 10 Caterpie now being the final challenge.  Although there is an additional Catcher added (possibly as a reference to the Samurai character from the anime) the challenge is lowered as Caterpies and Metapods go down a lot easier than Weedles (save for the additional Catcher's Metapod that actually knows Tackle).

 Lass 

Yellow players get another additional trainer in the Forest.  Lasses usually appear slightly later in the game and carry common Pokémon.  This Lass has both a male and female Nidoran and for a while, I struggled to understand this addition.  Unlike most of the changes in Yellow, this is not a reference to the anime.  But I realized that since Nidorans are crucial for Yellow players to defeat Brock, it serves as a hint to new players who may have missed out on the early Nidoran to retrace their steps and catch one.

Once you're through the Forest, your next stop is Pewter City.  We'll return to the hidden goodies on Route 2 once we have traveled across the map and received the necessary items.

Other Thoughts

- Replacing the Weedles, Kakunas, and Pikachu, Yellow players get more Pidgeys and a Lv. 9 Pidgeotto available for capture.  This is to mimic the anime, where Ash caught his Pidgeotto in Viridian Forest (although there were also Weedle and Kakuna there too).  As I said before with Pidgey, you're better off sticking with Spearow, although Pidgeotto is a stronger option than both, stat-wise.  It will still take a while to be useful, but at least you don't have to wait for the first evolution.

- Although it doesn't effect this stage of the game, much later we'll see evidence in other canons of Viridian Forest stretching all the way over to Celadon territory.  If you look at the map, you'll see that it's nothing but uninhabited forest between the two.  I would have liked for a pathway to open up connecting the two later in the game, possibly revealing a new part of the forest that had stronger Pokémon (as seen in the various manga and anime).  In Hey You, Pikachu, this area is revealed to be home to quite a few different types, including a Togepi!  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Pocket Monsters: PM007 and PM008

PM007 - Get Rid of the Ghost Pokémon!!

PM007 - Exorcise the Ghostly Pokémon!!

Synopsis: Traveling through Lavender Town, Red's group gets caught in a thunderstorm.  They seek shelter in a giant, spooky mansion that is filled with gravestones.  Clefairy discovers a coffin and a Gastly appears from it.  It tries to get the trio to leave, but Clefairy attempts to fight it.  However, none of Clefairy's attacks are able to affect the transparent ghost. Clefairy ultimately succeeds in exorcising the spirit and his approached by an older couple who own the mansion.  They explain that their son Blue has been haunted by Ghost Pokémon and would like Red to complete the job of expelling the phantoms.  They meet the melancholy Blue who attacks with his Haunter.  The Haunter eventually evolves into an invisible Gengar, but Clefairy is able to use Blue's Silph Scope to see the ghost and lull it to sleep.  After vacuuming up the spirit, Blue is revived, but still angry at Red for damaging his room.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Blue

Since Red and Green were based on the heros of Red and Green, a new character was needed to represent the new Blue version.  While Pokémon Adventures used the official female trainer, Anakubo created a completely new character who is obsessed with the color (and emotion) blue.  He is inserted into the Pokémon Tower segment from the games, possessed by the various Ghost types.  He'll reappear a couple of times as another rival for Red, actually owning his own Pokémon.

The Ghosts: Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar

Gastly first appears and attacks of his own free will, while Haunter/Gengar appears to be under Blue's control (even though he is under their control).  Like Charmander's evolution into Charizard, Haunter is commanded into becoming Gengar, making evolution more like another attack.  The ghosts behave mostly the way they do in all canons, being mischevious spirits that can disappear at will.  Clefairy actually has to use an elaborate statue of Buddha to exorcise Gastly, and it works, suggesting that these Pokémon aren't only effected by other Pokémon moves.

Blue's Parents

Unlike in the games, Pokémon Tower is actually a residence for Blue's family.  There are still many gravestones and crosses, which may be explained in the dialogue but I'm just guessing.  I wonder if Blue's father is also supposed to represent Mr. Fuji.  If Mr. Fuji doesn't appear in this manga, I'll assume that they are one and the same.

Setting

Lavender Town and Pokémon Tower

As stated earlier, the Tower is more of a mansion, but the creepy atmosphere from the games is carried over into this story.  We don't see the rest of the town's inhabitants, though, so it's unclear if everyone is aware of the ghosts, or if this is just an isolated incident.

Overall Review: A-

Aside from creating a new character, the actions of this story are very streamlined with their influence from the games.  The ghosts behave based on their Pokédex entries, and the Silph Scope even comes into play as a helpful plot point.  The story also gets started a lot quicker with less Clefairy/Pikachu antics (save for lightning bolts being attracted to Pikachu's tail).  The story makes sense and the "horror" aspect is not lost, although the scariest moments are the grotesque faces that Clefairy and Pikachu make throughout their encounters with the ghosts.  With little filler and a solid tale, I have very little issue with this issue.

PM008 - Catch That Pokémon Thief!!

PM008 - Catch That Pokémon Thief!!

(Note: From this point forward, I shall be reviewing the issues somewhat blindly.  I haven't found any thorough translations for the rest of the series, so my analysis will be based on the stories I believe the images are portraying.  Wish me luck.)

Synopsis: After traveling for days, Red discovers an oasis in the form of the Celadon Department Store.  Brimming with activity and goodies, Red prepares to go on a shopping spree.  Unfortunately, a Machoke crashes into the story with a small army of Pokémon and attempts to rob it.  Clefairy steps up to defend the store and uses the items available to him to help foil the robbery.  First, he gets rid of the Bug Pokémon by spraying them with a repel. Then he attempts to tie them up, accidentally grabbing Ekans as a rope.  Ekans attacks and Clefairy is able to use an antidote to stave off the Poison attacks.  Finally, the Machoke challenges Clefairy by evolving into Machamp.  Clefairy manages to hide in on a shelf of Poké Dolls and attack him as a surprise.  Ultimately, he tries to use a bicycle to tire out the Machamp.  Red then tries to catch the Pokémon, and finally succeeds by using an Ultra Ball.  The store is saved, but Clefairy's bike ride has carried him to a far away desert.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Machoke/Machamp

Red finally catches another Pokémon!  Unlike Clefairy and Pikachu, Machamp won't be appearing in every chapter, but at least it is a new permanent member of the team.  From Pewter to Celadon, Red hadn't been doing a good job of team building.  Now he has a powerhouse of a Machamp who is not afraid to use its strength to finish the job.  I know all Pokémon talk in this manga, but Machoke/Machamp is very human in this issue, appearance- and personality-wise.  It makes it kind of weird that Red captures him, because it feels like he just caught a strange looking person.

Machoke's Gang: Caterpie, Kakuna, Butterfree, and Ekans

Why does Machoke hang out with bugs and a snake?  It's not really clear, but it allows for the clever moments in which Clefairy can use the stores many items against them.  It kind of feels like this should have been the gang that harassed our heroes back in the Viridian Forest.  Also, why a Kakuna and not a Metapod (or why not Weedle and Beedrill, which are usually portrayed as the menacing bugs of Viridian Forest)?  So many questions.

Celadon Citizens and Their Pokémon: Sandshrew, Sandslash and Chinmi

Alright, Sandshrew is pretty evident and Sandslash, while horribly off model can still be described as a Sandslash (with bird-like features).  But I want to take this opportunity to focus on the black and white creature in the center of the frame.  It's appeared in every issue so far in little cameo roles.  Apparently it is a Pokémon-ized caricature of creator Kosaku Anakubo's cat Chinmi (meaning "rare taste" or "delicacy"), who has unusual markings on its face, making it look like it has a big smile.  It would be tedious to chronicle every tiny appearance, but he appears multiple times in this issue, so I thought it was time to acknowledge this mystery figure.

Setting

Celadon City Department Store

For a series that likes jumping from set point to set point, we are finally going to slow down a bit in Celadon City.  I can tell because we haven't met Erika yet.  So, at the moment, we only get to focus on the Department Store.  It seems as if it's located far away from the rest of the city, but it is a very popular location.  We still have this tropical setting, but I think I just didn't realize how omnipresent palm trees are in Japan.

Bethlehem

It's just for a gag, but Clefairy rides his bike all the way to the Middle East to meet up with the Magi.  Apparently, Chinmi is among those traveling to meet the savior.

Overall Review: A

This manga is going to continue at least until the present day, so Anakubo had to start slowing down the pace of the story at some point.  Filling time with a fun plot and a Pokémon capture isn't a bad way to go.  I like how well-orchestrated Clefairy's fight against the robbers is.  It reminds me of the tricks used in Pokémon Adventures battles where it's more than just sheer force and type-advantage that wins battles.  Machamp is a great new character, who I wish would return more often (as he could definitely win many battles for Red).  My favorite bit of humor is Clefairy's Poké Doll disguise.  The weird thing about items is that they weren't really officially designed until the TCG (and they rarely appear in the anime), so for a while, I never knew that all Poké Dolls were supposed to be Clefairy shaped.  But this manga embraced that knowledge and got a pretty good action sequence out of it.

Who's That Pokémon? #010 Caterpie

#10 Caterpie

Bulbapedia Article

Caterpie (in both English and Japanese) is basically a shortened version of caterpillar because it is essentially a caterpillar.  More specifically, it is based on the appearance of an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and its Pokédex entries further this connection with the description of Caterpie's antennae.

From the Pokédex: It is covered with a green skin. When it grows, it sheds the skin, covers itself with silk, and becomes a cocoon. Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls. If you touch the feeler on top of its head, it will release a horrible stink to protect itself. It has large, eye-like patterns on its head as protection. They are used to frighten off enemies.

This is basically all of the skills of the actual caterpillar.  Although, at least in the anime, it seems as if the large black area on the head is Caterpie's full pupil, whereas actual caterpillars only have markings to make it look like big eyes (to ward off birds).

Generation I Moveset and Strategy

Caterpie can Tackle and it can String Shot.  That's all it can do.  That's all it will ever do for this generation.

Tackle - Normal String Shot - Normal

Tackle will mildly damage your opponent.  String Shot will slow it down.  Don't use Caterpie.

Generation I Sprites

  

The Red/Green and Red/Blue sprites are nearly identical, with Caterpie's angle turning ever so slightly. The Yellow sprite is a bit too bulky and bulgy for me, so I'll tip my hat to the Red/Blue sprite which looks the most correct.

Generation I Locations

In every version, Caterpie can be found in Viridian Forest, but they are entirely centralized there in the  Yellow version.  Caterpie are more common in Green/Blue where they appear more often in the Viridian Forest than in Red and also make appearances on Route 2, Route 24, and Route 25 (they also appear on this last route in Red as well).  Yellow had the right idea in keeping them isolated to the forest, because, if you're not going to catch it there, there is no point in catching it anywhere else.

Notable Generation I Caterpie

1. Ash/Red/Shu's Caterpie (Anime and nearly every manga)

While Rattata represented the "average young trainer starting their journey," Caterpie is reserved for the "protagonist young trainer starting their journey" as it is nearly often their first capture after the starter.  Ash's gets the most screentime while Shu's gets the most panel time (Red's capture occurs off screen, although we see him searching for it briefly).  At any rate, they are all basically there to show us that the journey has begun.

2. Kitty (Pokémon Adventures)

Sticking with the young trainer theme, Yellow catches this Pokémon all by herself, and keeps it on her team as a Caterpie for as long as she can.  Only when she is in grave danger does it force itself to evolve and protect her.  It has a similar personality to Ash's Caterpie and could be considered a spiritual counterpart.

3. Bug Catcher's Caterpie (Red/Green/Blue/Yellow and Pokémon Stadium)

While most trainers quickly catch a Caterpie and evolve it, the Bug Catchers have taken Caterpie ownership to a new level.  To mimic Satoshi Tajiri's love for collecting bugs, the young Bug Catchers are content with catching multiple of these weak creatures.  Interestingly, Caterpie is one of the few Pokémon that isn't owned by any Generation I Gym Leader or Elite Four member in any of the canon.  Perhaps it is because Bug Catchers have the monopoly on them.  It won't be until Generation II where a Bug Catcher will be elevated to Gym Leader status.

Final Thoughts

What else is there to say about Caterpie?  Sure, I always catch one out of habit.  It just seems like the thing to do.  It's always fun to have that eventual Butterfree around.

Caterpie's Verdict - Don't Gotta Catch 'Em (Unless You're an Obsessive Collector)

EP003 - Ash Catches a Pokémon

EP003 - Ash Catches a Pokémon

I Caught a Pokémon!

Original Airdates: April 15, 1997 (JP), September 10, 1998 (EN)

Written by: Atsuhiro Tomioka

Synopsis:

Satoshi succeeds in capturing Caterpie, much to Kasumi’s dismay.  Despite her protests at Satoshi keeping the bug out of its ball, she continues to follow him through the Viridian Forest.  That night, Caterpie tells Pikachu of his dreams of becoming a Butterfree.  The next day, Satoshi foolishly tries to fight a Pidgeotto with Caterpie, who is at a type disadvantage.

With Pikachu’s help, Pidgoetto is captured.  Suddenly, Team Rocket appears to steal Pikachu.  Their Ekans and Koffing manage to take out Pidgeotto, and Pikachu is blinded by Koffing’s Sludge, so Caterpie is the last resort.  It subdues the villains with String Shot and promptly evolves into a Metapod.  Satoshi happily continues trekking through the forest, hoping to catch more Pokémon.

Who’s That Pokémon?

It's Caterpie, because Ash catches a Caterpie and it goes through a whole character arc.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Ash's Caterpie/Metapod

Caterpie technically appeared in the previous episode, but this is basically the real introduction of the character, whose story is told in three parts.  Part 1 focuses on Caterpie, who quickly bonds with Ash and manages to explain to the audience (without subtitles) that he dreams of evolving into a Butterfree and being strong and loved.  It's a simple dream, but we definitely feel all of the emotions he runs through as he meets with failure and triumph in both his battles and relationsip with the bug-hating Misty.  His victory results in a speedy evolution, which will play out in the next episode.

Ash's Pidgeotto

Pidgeotto kind of gets the short end of the stick in this episode, basically existing to give Caterpie a foe to play off of and to supply Ash with a bird (which he will always have on his team).  As such, very little of Pidgeotto’s personality is created.  He is more a creature of necessity rather than drama, even in future episodes (until the end of the Indigo League).  It's interesting to note which Pokémon get the "animal" treatment and which get the "human" treatment.

A Random Beedrill at the End

Follow that Beedrill to the next episode!

Setting

Viridian Forest

We saw it briefly during the preview at the end of the previous episode, but we get a fuller view of the Viridian Forest here.  It is large enough to serve as the setting for two consecutive episodes (a feat that is rarely seen during the Indigo League season), but it is just a standard, unremarkable forest.  It seems to have a fairly linear path, unlike the forest of the games which is curvy and has multiple forks in the road.  Still, it doesn't need to be anything fancy.  Virtually half of the series is our heroes travelling through the woods, which helps it feel like an actual journey.

Japanese vs. American Versions:

- Satoshi reads the title in the first person, while Misty reads the title in English

- Satoshi compares his newly captured Caterpie to being in Heaven and while Kasumi says she’s in Hell.  Misty however just calls Ash a worm for liking a worm.

- Kasumi slaps Satoshi after his poorly executed fight with Pidgeotto that put Caterpie in great danger.

- Ash tells Caterpie use Counter (an attack Caterpie doesn’t know), which is a mistranslation of Satoshi saying, “Fight back!”

- The Japanese Pokédex says all Caterpie evolve quickly, while the American one implies that Ash’s Caterpie is unique in its fast transformation

ANOTHER BLAM!

Overall Review: A-

The tone of this episode is definitely more comedic than the first two.  Jokes and dialogue moves a lot quicker, and there is a lot of slapstick and visual humor as well.  Team Rocket is closer to the personas we are familiar with, due to the influx of comedy.  Pikachu is also “cuter” in this episode, acting very babyish.  Once again, this episode focuses on explaining an aspect of the games, namely catching Pokémon.  Unlike the previous episode, the necessary information is weaved in with the story of the episode so it doesn’t feel as slow.

This episode focuses on two relationships, that of Satoshi and Kasumi and that of Satoshi and Caterpie.  Kasumi’s purpose for travel is a little bit mysterious at this point.  Satoshi calls her out on following him and she dismisses him.  At times it seems as if the writer didn't know what to do with Kasumi's presence.  Like, why doesn’t she help in the battle against Team Rocket?  Had Satoshi not crossed paths with her, where would she be going?  We later learn she, like Satoshi, wants to be a great Trainer.  But she doesn’t participate in battles or have a plan mapped out for herself.  Was Viridian Forest going to be part of her quest?  She seems to hate it in there.

The character arc of Caterpie, who does not get much focus after evolving, is a nicer set piece.  I would like to have seen this bond between Satoshi and Caterpie/Metapod/Butterfree develop more over the season, as his initial celebration of catching Caterpie is very endearing.  I also like that the scene in which Caterpie and Pikachu have a conversation was left in, despite no understandable dialogue occurring.  It was just like a little silent, emotional piece that did not feel forced or tacky (like some later Pokémon-only conversations do).

Finally, Team Rocket’s appearance is a little strange in that they do not seem to have a big plan (as they normally do).  Perhaps it is because this is only their second meeting and they have yet to realize how stubborn Satoshi and his crew can be.  But since their true characteristics appear in this episode, I allow them their screentime.  I especially like Meowth a lot better than his introduction, which was very grating.

All of these elements add up to a more consistent tone and a good idea of what the rest of the series will be like.