Back to Pallet Town: Pokémon Adventures' Unexpected Gore and Heartfelt Charm

Pokémon Adventures, Vol. 01, by Hidenori Kusaka and illustrated by Mato, dives headfirst into the nostalgia of the Pokémon world. Growing up in the '90s and early '00s, a slight obsession with Pokémon was practically a rite of passage, and even now, that love for the pocket monster universe only seems to intensify. So, continuing my quest through the library's manga collection, I eagerly grabbed Pokémon Adventures when I saw it.

This volume follows the iconic Red from Pallet Town. If you've played any of the original Pokémon games (Red, Blue, Yellow, or even FireRed and LeafGreen), then you already know Red – the protagonist of the original game series, the Game Boy counterpart to Ash, the universally beloved star of the anime. Pokémon Adventures retells the familiar story, so narratively, there aren’t many surprises. The Pokémon universe is so well-established and beloved by fans, but stylistically, this manga offers plenty of unexpected twists.

My first impression, seeing the art, was one of excitement. "This looks a lot like JoJo!" I thought, noting the intense shading and distinctive facial structures. However, this turned out to be just the cover design. As I delved into the story itself, I was greeted by the familiar, nostalgic charm of the round Pokémon (the world definitely needs chubby Pikachu) and equally familiar character designs.

I personally enjoyed the manga because it's been years since I've played the original games. Lately, I've been exploring Paldea and Galar instead. Seeing these familiar faces and places again was so comforting... until the battles started. In a stark contrast to the cosy nature of the games, the battle sequences in the manga are viscerally different. When a beloved 'mon uses Cut, the opposing Pokémon actually gets cut. Sometimes in half. RIP Arbok. It doesn't take much imagination to picture the effects of attacks like Burn, Slash, or Iron Fist, but the visuals in the manga are much darker than anything seen in the games or anime.

I was not expecting Pokémon gore, but I was not disappointed – the first instance had me double-check the cover page; I genuinely thought I'd accidentally picked up Tombs by Junji Ito.

The characters, Pokémon, and story were all familiar, so reading it wasn't a huge revelation, but it felt like going home. Familiar, comforting, and surprisingly interesting to revisit after so long. I really enjoyed this first instalment and will definitely be grabbing the next ones. The narrative is fast-paced, which perfectly matches the pace of the games. I had a wonderful time. Is that because I'm a big Pokémon fan? Absolutely, but I don’t know many people my age who aren’t. And even those who aren't fans still know at least one Pokémon. Have you read any of the Pokémon manga? Who is your favourite Pokémon? Or, for the bigger fans, what’s your favourite region?