So I've never read any manga and I would like help.

[Bossk]

I'm interested in trying out some of the manga for Pokemon and I was wondering which series and where would be a good place to start. I heard some great things concerning a Silver/Giovanni thing, and I've also heard that it's what Pokemon was really meant to be rather than what the anime shows.

So I figured this would be the place to ask where to start. I heard that there's multiple series, which is why I don't know what to do.

[gamer_legend]

Well the good news is that with the Pokemon Manga Series you've got an absolute multitude of options. You've got Adventures (Which many consider to be the true series as it covers the entire plot of the games and the characters) and Special which as the name suggests contains an absolute multitude of special volumes in which the main character is usually alot more like the player in the games (Trying to become the champion and overcoming obstacles).

I'd suggest starting with adventures as it covers alot of backstory in the entire series involving things like Red, Silver, Giovanni and countless other pokemon and trainers and every story follows up into the next series of games and is published by (I think) Viz Media. They can be hard to come by but generally you can start from any point. Though these guys have alot more experience with that stuff than I do.

[Natsuri]

I recommend Pokemon Adventures too, definitely. Most of the time the plot is great, and drives you crazy waiting for the next chapter. It's one of the rare manga I enjoy reading again and again.

[Bossk]

Oh, okay. I'll go after Adventures, thank you very much.

[Grim Heaper]

Just a quick clarification, Pokemon Special (or PokeSpe as most call it) is basically an alternate name for Pokemon Adventures, which most people don't realize. But yeah, go with that. As with all the games, there are different places to start off from. The best points to start are from the beginning which the plot is mostly based on the RBG games, the start of the DP arc, which is volume 30, or the Black and White novels.

One thing to note is that is you plan to start from the beginning and plan on getting the books through Viz, Viz did not publish any of the books from the 3rd Gen games, RSE and FRLG, unlike Chuang Yi which has.

[Orbis]

PokeSpe is great to go after, considering it is the best non-game Pokemon media. There are some other manga which I find to be enjoyable, but have only read a few chapters of:
Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl Adventure! (don't get this confused with Pokemon Adventures: Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, which is technically Pokemon Adventures volumes 30-39)
Pokemon Gold and Silver: The Golden Boys (again, not to be confused with the PokeSpe Gold, Silver and Crystal arc which is vol. 8-14)

Also, Pokemon: Black and White is Pokemon Adventures also. I suggest you read that alongside the normal series.

[Shade2000]

Start with pokemon adventures RBG then just read 'em all.

[PokeAwesome94]

My top list of the Pokémon mangas I've read are:

1. Pokémon Adventures (Ongoing, 50 45 volumes in English - the Pokémon Black and White are shortened, only 3-4 chapters per volume), 41 in Japanese. RS, FR & LG and Emerald arcs are Singapore exclusive)
2. Phantom Thief Pokémon 7 (1 volume, Singapore exclusive)
3. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! (8 volumes, completely different series than Pokémon Adventures)
4. Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys (3 volumes, Singapore exclusive)
5. Pokémon Battle Frontier (1 volume, Singapore exclusive)
6. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team (1 volume)

I have ordered the all four volumes of The Electric Tale of Pikachu and gotten three of them so far, so I haven't read it but it looks good. If you want to try The Electric Tale of Pikachu make sure you get the volume editions and not the magazine editions. The magazine editions miss the last chapter and I also think that some chapters aren't in correct order. You also have to get four magazines in order to get the contents of one volume, that makes it 16 magazines. I got the Viz editions that are censored, since they are more tasteful than the Singaporean Chuang Yi editions that only have the first volume censored. If you're wondering what's censored, let's just say that the artist likes to draw the females "well-equipped". Viz covered it up pretty good though from what I've seen.
The easiest way to tell the difference is that the volumes have "Viz Graphic Novel" written on it while the magazines have "Viz Comics" written on it. Bulbapedia also have a great article about it which makes it easier to compare the editions using cover pictures.


There's also a Singapore exclusive manga called Pokémon Pocket Monsters. It's popular in Japan and it's humor oriented. Looks ok, but I haven't read it.


Movie adaptions are also available, but I don't think it's worth getting a manga based on a movie. The same goes for the Singapore exclusive direct anime adation called Ash and Pikachu and the manga adaption of the first two Pikachu shorts named All That Pikachu! Animanga.
There's a Viz exclusive graphic novel called Pikachu Meets the Press, but it's a comic and not a manga, it's poorly drawn, "Americanized" and not very good, I've read it.
There's an animation comic called Pokemon TV Animation Comic: I Choose You!, but it doesn't look too impressive.
There's a shojo Pokémon manga (= manga aimed for girls) named Magical Pokémon Journey, which is known in Japan and it's fanbase as PiPiPi. The First seven volumes were released by Viz and Chuang Yi and the last three were only released by Chuang Yi in Singapore.


That is all Pokémon manga that has been released in English.



The Viz mangas can be bought at bookstores and websites in North America, Europe and South Africa.
Here's some websites that sell it: store.viz.com, Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Booksamillion.com, Walmart.com, Target.com, Buy.com & Overstock.com

Just make sure you buy the 2nd edition of Pokémon Adventures and not the 1st edition, if you're planning on buying it. The 1st editions are split up in many issues, while the 2nd editions are collected in 200 page volumes, like the Japanese original volumes. The 1st editions are flipped to a left to right reading format, while the 2nd editions are preserved in the original right to left format. (Don't worry you get used to reading the panels from right to left after your first volume). The 1st edition is however out of print, so they're only sold used.
Here's pictures of the Viz 2nd edition covers of vol. 1-14: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...ntures_volumes
Here's a complete list of all Viz 2nd edition Pokémon Adventures + Pokémon Diamond and Pearl/Platinum + Pokémon Black and White: http://www.amazon.com/Pok%C3%A9mon-A...R9QHMJMB47HMZ/




I recommend that you get the box sets. They are cheaper and come with a nice poster and box. Especially for Pokémon Black and White, since they only have 3-4 chapters per volume.

If you buy the Red & Blue and Gold & Silver Box Sets you'll save $26 compared to buying the individual volumes. If you buy the Black and White Box Set you'll save $17 compared to buying the individual volumes.


If you buy the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! Box Set (not same series as Pokémon Adventures, completely different) you'll save $18 compared to buying the individual volumes.



Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Adventures Red & Blue Box Set (Vol. 1-7):

Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com & Booksamillion.com

Pokemon Adventures Gold & Silver Box Set (Vol. 8-14)

Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com & Booksamillion.com

Pokémon Black and White Box Set (Vol. 1-8)

Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com & Booksamillion.com

Other Pokémon mangas

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! Box Set (Vol. 1-8, complete, not same series as Pokémon Adventures, completely different):

Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com & Booksamillion.com

If you want a non-Viz Pokémon manga or an out of print Pokémon manga, just tell me which one and I'll try find it for you.





Btw, there's about 60 different Pokémon mangas in total, but most of them are untranslated

The two biggest series are Pokémon Adventures and Pokémon Pocket Monsters:
Pokémon Adventures currently has 50 volumes, of which 45 are translated into English.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters and it's sequels have currently 29 volumes combined of which 20 have been translated into English in Singapore.



Here's some great articles about Pokémon manga. I've learned very much from them.

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pokémon_manga
http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/manga.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokémon_(manga)

[PokeAwesome94]

I do not know about that manga, Please..! I need some help to know about manga. Could nay body told me??

1. If we're going to help you we need to know which one of the ~60 Pokémon mangas you're talking about. Is it Pokémon Adventures and what do you want to know?
2. The three links in my previous post covers almost all Pokémon mangas. Use Ctrl + F to search and find the specific manga quicker.

[Dreamingflower]

@PokeAwesome94: Since when has Pokemon special 50 vol if vol 41 was released almost two months ago?

[PokeAwesome94]

@PokeAwesome94: Since when has Pokemon special 50 vol if vol 41 was released almost two months ago?

Oops, I thought volume 42 and the Pokémon Black and White volumes had been released in Japan.

Correction: 41 volumes, not 50.

[Chapatrap]

I'm currently reading through Pokemon Adventures. It is actually very good. I would suggest starting with that.