Pocket Monsters: PM009 and PM010

PM009 - Pikachu Was Kidnapped!!

PM009 - Pikachu Was Kidnapped!!

Synopsis: Red and his group make their way into the heart of Celadon City which is home to a large casino, the Game Corner.  While testing their luck at the slots, Pikachu begins winning big, drawing the attention of the casino boss, Giovanni.  As Red and his crew get richer and richer, Giovanni decides to intervene and put a stop to his luck.  He orders his henchman, Hitmonlee to kidnap Pikachu.  Clefairy, in an effort to rescue Pikachu, challenges Hitmonlee to a boxing match. They fight and fight and fight.  It's all very exciting.  Clefairy is greatly overwhelmed during the battle, but eventually tricks Hitmonlee into a defeat.  Pikachu is rescued, but the monetary winnings are returned to the casino (or at least it's never mentioned again).

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Giovanni (Number 1)

Okay, so Pocket Monsters is strange in that there are two Giovannis.  And it's not like the case with Mewtwo where the Viridian Forest Mewtwo is retconned and an official Mewtwo takes its place.  There are actually two Giovannis.  They are twin brothers.  I'm not sure if the author just made a mistake and forgot how he depicted Giovanni in his first appearance.  Or maybe he got confused and thought that the multiple encounters with Boss Giovanni were like multiple Bug Catchers or Lasses.  Or maybe he just wanted two Giovannis?  Any way, this first one is a big tough casino owner who is very different from the Giovanni of the games.  The second will be original flavor Giovanni.

Giovanni's Hitmonlee

Maybe the reason for two Giovannis is so one can have a Hitmonlee and the other a Hitmonchan.  I really like the design and character of Hitmonlee.  Even though Hitmonlees don't have mouths, this one does.  Also, this one boxes, which is Hitmonchan's shtick.  He also wears clothes and, like Red's Machamp, can pass for a regular human character.  He's just a thuggish henchman, but he becomes another recurring character allowing us to get to know him and enjoy him as a villain.  I think Anakubo just enjoyed drawing this character, because I found myself surprised at how often I saw him and Hitmonchan.

Setting

Celadon Game Corner

Celadon City appears to be based on Las Vegas in this chapter.  Red and the gang start out in a desert and must travel far to get to the remote, casino based town.  Unlike the games, it doesn't seem to be a Rocket run enterprise (yes, Giovanni is there, but it just seems like a standard casino, with monetary prizes instead of Pokémon captives).  The whole city's economy is centered on the Game Corner and it feels as if our characters are in the real world for a vacation.

Overall Review: A-

The stories are getting more focused.  There are still gags, but each are directly related to the situation at hand.  Only one Pokémon (other than Clefairy and Pikachu) makes an appearance, and the later half of the story focuses on the boxing match.  Since I like this incarnation of Hitmonlee, I don't mind the thin plot.  But, because of the lack of English, I'm not exactly sure why everything happens the way it does.  But, it's simple and exciting.

PM010 - Big Struggle with the Powerful Opponent Venusaur!!

PM010 - Big Struggle with the Powerful Opponent Fushigibana!!

Synopsis: Traveling down a river in a lush jungle, Red encounters Green who causes him to capsize his boat, trapping him among the trees.  Pikachu sets to work on building a temporary habitat and a ship to escape from the jungle (a spaceship).  Meanwhile, threatening Grass Pokémon observe our heroes from the shadows, blending into the surroundings.  Clefairy discovers a potted plant and brings it inside the cabin.  That night, it begins to sprout and grow. The gang awakes to find an angry Venusaur that grew from the plant.  The Venusaur is revealed to belong to the Celadon Gym Leader Erika.  She fights Red with her Pokémon and after a tense battle, Clefairy is the victor.  He then blasts off in the spaceship that Pikachu built because this story is weird and random.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Erika

I don't quite understand where this story is taking place.  Either Erika's gym is as large as a jungle, or she actually lives in a jungle.  She is a lot more anger-prone than her character from the games, who is a soft-spoken, laid back gardener who is at peace among the flowers.  She eventually becomes an ally to Red, but her battle style is still very fierce.

Erika's Bulbasaur/Venusaur

Here is one of those times where rapid evolution and devolution benefits the story.  When Venusaur closes its bulb, it is a Bulbasaur and when it opens it, its a Venusaur.  This is a clever usage of the two creatures and is unique to only this canon.  It spends most of attack mode in the Venusaur state.

Erika's Grass Pokémon: Oddish, Exeggutor, Tangela, Gloom, Bellsprout

I'm unclear as to whether these are actually owned by Erika, but she does watch over them in the jungle.  They are always upset with people invading their territory.  And Exeggutor is a dinky little Pokémon, despite being a fully-evolved tree.

Setting

Celadon Gym(?)

Clearly, this is a huge sprawling jungle.  It may even be the Pokémon Jungle from the TCG.  But Erika is fought here, which makes me feel as if this is her entire Gym.  I wouldn't put it past this manga to place an entire jungle into a building.

The House That Pikachu Built

Apparently, Pikachu is a skilled carpenter and welder.  Out of the trees, he builds a cabin and a rocket ship.  I don't know where this ability comes from or if this is supposed to reference anything.  It's just a bit of character development.

Overall Review: A-

Once again, we get another straightforward story.  My biggest issue with it is the existence of the rocket ship.  It seems utterly disconnected from everything else in the tale.  I do enjoy the Little Shop of Horrors-esque tale involving Venusaur and the humor is in service of the story once more.  The reason I'm rating these stories so highly is because I know they'll get weirder and disjointed soon, so I'm enjoying myself while the stories bear some semblance to the games.

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.

Pocket Monsters: PM005 and PM006

PM005 - Search for the Mirage Pokémon Mew!!

PM005 - Search for the Mirage Pokémon Myuu!!

Synopsis: While searching for the Mew that stole Clefairy's Moon Stone, Red eventually catches up with Green, who has tracked the Mew to an abandoned shack. Although it seems empty, a trapdoor reveals a high-tech lab hidden beneath the floor. A group of strange and fierce-looking Pokémon creatures surprise the heroes, but they are revealed to be fake by a humanoid-cat monster. He explains that he is the scientist Bill, who performed experiments on Pokémon with his wife. He had attempted to make Pokémon hybrids, but when that failed, he tried to combine monster DNA with his own, resulting in his appearance (as well as his wife who is now a Mew). By using the Moon Stone in the machine, Bill and his wife would be able to transform back to their rightful forms. Unfortunately, Green still wants to capture the Mew to complete his collection. Clefairy defends her by battling Green's Charmander, who suddenly evolves into Charizard. Now at a disadvantage, Bill tries to use one of his machines to shrink Charizard down to Clefairy's size. Both Pokémon end up shrunk, ending the battle. Mew and Bill are allowed to transform back and they are revealed to be a beautiful woman and a horribly ugly man.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Green's Charizard

Here is one of the biggest differences between the Pocket Monsters manga and all other versions of the franchise.  Pokémon can evolve and devolve to any of their stages, seemingly at random.  While forms of devolution exist in a few canons, it is usually only in special cases.  Here, Charmander just becomes Charizard, as if it is part of an attack.  And by the next chapter, he'll be a Charmander again.  Evolution works a lot similar to the way it does in the Digimon universe.  I don't really know how to feel about universal devolution.  I think it works for this manga, but only for this manga.

Mew/Bill's Wife

So it turns out that Mew wasn't really Mew at all.  Now, this may just be a translation issue, but I don't really understand why she turned into a complete Mew when Bill became a half-animal-half-human thing.  Is it just because Mew resembles a cat?  Was this supposed to reference the origin of Mewtwo (who is often treated as part-human and part-Pokémon)?  Do actual Mews exist in this universe?  We'll have to wait and see.

Bill

Of all versions of the "Bill turning into a Pokémon" subplot, this is by far the strangest.  It appears that he was trying to create something akin to the "PokéGod" concept, where in two strong Pokémon fused or bred to create something even stronger.  I recall rumors about these creatures to be all the rage early in Generation I.  It kind of makes sense, and thematically links to the big Mewtwo story from later.  But then I'm confused about the logistics of the cat (or is it a cat-like Pokémon) transforming the two scientists.  Why does Bill become a cape-wearing Pumaman?  Also, Bill is so horribly off model.  I get that it's a joke, but yeesh, didn't the Bill TCG card exist by this point?

The PokéGods

I know these aren't actual Pokémon in the story, but I think the idea behind them is still very cool.  With everyone enjoying the popular "Pokéfusions" I'm surprised we don't see more examples of these creatures in the main storylines.  And Slowbro doesn't count.

Bill's Failed Experiment:  Rattata + Slowpoke = Poliwrath Thing?

I do not understand this series of panels.

Setting

Route 25 and Bill's Cottage

Rather than being a prominently displayed cottage/lighthouse on a cliff by the sea, Bill's homestead is hidden in the woods by a river, and even further hidden underground.  Apparently, his experiments must be illegal or at least frowned upon by society.  Bill is usually highly regarded in the games.  Also, his laboratory is massive and filled with strange inventions, instead of just the simple Pokémon Transport System (which allows the PCs of Kanto to work).

Overall Review:  B+

This is another solid entry in the series, as it gives a unique spin on an event from the games.  I enjoy the concept of Mew being part of Bill's experiments, as well as the idea that he is trying to create stronger Pokémon.  What holds it back from a perfect score is that the turn of events are a little confusing (and coincidental; why is the Moon Stone the only thing that can save them?).  The story also takes a while to get going with Clefairy and Pikachu's antics before finding the shack.  I wish they had gotten their quicker so Bill would have more time to explain what exactly is going on.  At this point in the series, there is very little in the way of a throughline for a larger story, so it would have been nice to see this chapter have an impact on later events.

PM006 - Great Success in the Mountains or the Seas!?

PM006 - Great Success in the Mountains or the Seas!?

Synopsis: While enjoying a picnic on a hill, Clefairy accidentally drops a rice ball into a nearby cave.  Red decides to explore the cave, and Clefairy upsets a local Diglett by stepping on its head.  It challenges him to a fight, which results in a massive Whack-a-Mole scenario that causes an earthquake and tunnel collapse.  Red and the gang emerge in Vermilion City where they find a strong love for fishing and Water Pokémon.  However, an annoying American named Lt. Surge has docked his ship, the S.S. Anne, and begun capturing all of the town's Pokémon.  Red challenges him to a fight aboard the boat, and Surge throws out his Poké Ball (which turns out to be a Pokémon). Clefairy and Pikachu fight the electric Voltorb, but are set back when it evolves into an Electrode.  The Electrode proves to be much quicker and stronger, so Clefairy uses a piece of the ship to use as a bat.  He bats the Electrode into one of the ship's large guns, causing the ship to explode and sink.  All of the Water Pokémon are freed as Surge laments his loss.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Lt. Surge's American-ness always seems to get lost in translation.  Here, he is explicitly treated as an unwelcome visitor on Japanese territory, and his army get-up and warship further emphasize his invasive nature.  The Japanese/Kanto citizens are living peaceful lives of solace, when this American upsets the natural balance with is greedy behavior.  He doesn't come off as villainous, but rather unaware of the harm he is causing.  While people in the games tend to enjoy the presence of Lt. Surge, his Electric Pokémon stand against everything they believe in in this story.

Lt. Surge's Voltorb/Electrode

The anime and the games(!) always seem to get this wrong.  A Voltorb should be the size of a Poké Ball.  Otherwise, people wouldn't confuse the two!  Here, Voltorb remains palm-sized, which allows them to get the upper hand on an unsuspecting Clefairy.  But then my question is, why bother with the Electrode evolution at all.  Here, it stays the same size and in other canon, it is massive.  If it's large, it defeats the purpose of disguise, but if it's small, then it defeats the purpose of evolving.  Electrode is a mystery, but I prefer this smaller version anyway.  (Actually, I think Pokémon Adventures will get it correct.)

The Fishing Guru

The Fishing Guru acts as the leader of Vermilion City.  He presents Red with the Old Rod as they look over the crowd enjoying the harbor.  And when Lt. Surge arrives, he leads the townspeople in an uprising against him.  I wonder if his brothers will make an appearance.

The Vermilion Harbor Water Pokémon:

Kingler, Horsea, Seel, Tentacruel, Seaking, Blastoise, Shellder, Poliwhirl, Magikarp, and others

The only Pokémon here of great note is Kingler, whom Clefairy catches on is fishing pole.  It is immediately confiscated by Lt. Surge who claims to already own it, as he does with 500 other Pokémon.  It's interesting that the Cerulean City chapter featured only one Water Pokémon, despite Misty being a Water specialist.  However, the fishing harbor does seem like the better place to house all of these species.

Diglett

It's almost as if the Diglett story is a short feature before the main attraction of the Surge battle.  (And its surprising that Diglett didn't come into play later, being a handy Ground type and all).  Diglett just doesn't like getting stepped on, but he does enjoy participating with his pals in a Whack-a-Mole game.  To each is own.  (Also, Diglett has a mouth that is clearly not his nose, so for those of you confused on the matter, there is your answer.)

Setting

Diglett's Cave

Interestingly, Red enters the cave before coming to Vermilion City instead of after.  Did he backtrack to Route 2 after helping Bill?  Or was he just chilling on Route 11 when he decided to check the cave out.  Either way, he ends up at Vermilion at the end to heal his Pokémon at the spa-like Pokémon Center, due to the damage suffered from the cave in.

Vermilion City and the S.S. Anne

Taking the beach town atmosphere to the extreme, Vermilion features a boardwalk with an amusement park, proving that this is a popular destination.  But rather than have a Gym, like other cities, Lt. Surge must travel by boat.  Here, the S.S. Anne is his own vessel, and it's not a cruise ship (although cruise ships are present in the city).  Lt. Surge owns a legitimate war vessel, so to see that coming to the shores can be a bit unnerving.  (In fact, the images of the Japanese characters sinking an American ship is a little collar grabbing to witness.)

Overall Review: A

While this is another case of the main story taking forever to develop, the two plots are very well paced.  I enjoy the Diglett's Cave portion a lot, as it's actually grounded in something from the games (rather than Clefairy and Pikachu just fooling around for the heck of it).  I enjoy this portrayal of Lt. Surge as an unintentional villain and it gives him a much more interesting attitude than Brock and Misty, who were just merely strong trainers.  Everything makes sense, and I even enjoy the token Green cameo in the Pokémon Center, where Red learns that he hasn't caught enough Pokémon to meet Oak's standards (his 3 vs. Green's 50).  Each aspect of this story works exactly as it should.