Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu facts for kids
| Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu |
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Quick facts for kids 電撃!ピカチュウ(Dengeki! Pikachū) |
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| Manga | |
| Written by | Toshihiro Ono |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| English publisher | |
| Demographic | Children |
| Magazine | CoroCoro Comic |
| Original run | April 1997 – December 1999 |
| Volumes | 4 |
The Pokémon Graphic Novel, also known as Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu (電撃！ピカチュウ, Dengeki! Pikachū, "Electric Shock! Pikachu"), is a Japanese manga series. A manga is a type of Japanese comic book or graphic novel. This series was created by Toshihiro Ono. It was first published in a children's magazine called CoroCoro Comic.
The individual chapters of the manga were later collected into four larger books called tankōbon volumes. These books were released by a company called Shogakukan. The first volume came out on October 28, 1997, and the last one on January 28, 2000. The characters and stories in this manga are based on the Pokémon anime TV show. However, some parts of the story and how characters act are a little different from the TV show. The world in the manga also seems to have more advanced technology.
This manga was also released in English in North America by Viz Media. They published it in a "flipped" way, meaning you read it from left to right, like most English books. In 1998, they first released it as comic book issues, and then the collected volumes came out later. When Issue #1 was released, it became the best-selling manga and the best-selling comic book in the United States. The first collected volume, The Electric Tale of Pikachu!, was released on September 5, 1999. It sold over 1 million copies in the United States. This was the highest sales for a single comic book since 1993. The third volume, Electric Pikachu Boogaloo, was released on April 5, 2000.
In Singapore, the manga is published in English by Chuang Yi. It is also called Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu! for all four volumes. In Taiwan, the Traditional Chinese version of the manga is published by Da Ran Culture Enterprise and Chingwin Publishing.
Contents
About the Story
The story in Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu is often described as easy to follow. Jason S. Yadao, who wrote a guide about manga, said that the story was "predictable." He also mentioned that complicated stories were never the main point of the Pokémon series.
Main Characters
Here are some of the important characters you'll meet in Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu. We'll use their English names for simplicity.
- Ash Ketchum - He is the main character of the story. His Japanese name, Satoshi, comes from Satoshi Tajiri, who created the Pokémon games. Ash dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master. He goes on many adventures with his friends and Pokémon. To become a Pokémon Master, Ash takes part in different Pokémon League competitions, just like in the games.
- Misty - Misty is a trainer who specializes in Water-Type Pokémon. She is also the Gym Leader of Cerulean City. She is the youngest of four sisters. Misty joins Ash on his journey after he "borrows" her bike, and his Pikachu accidentally breaks it. Even though she often criticizes Ash, she starts to have special feelings for him, and it seems he feels the same way.
- Brock - Brock is a Pokémon breeder who focuses on Rock-Type Pokémon. He is also the Gym Leader of Flint City. Unlike in the TV show, Brock does not travel with Ash in this manga. They only meet when Ash battles him to earn his second Gym Badge.
- Pikachu - Pikachu is a small, yellow, mouse-like Pokémon. It has a lightning bolt tail and can create electrical jolts from its cheeks. In this manga, Ash finds Pikachu chewing on electrical wires in his house. Pikachu becomes Ash's very first Pokémon when he becomes a trainer.
- Gary Oak - Gary is Ash's rival. His Japanese name, Shigeru, is named after the famous video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. In this manga, Gary is different from his TV show version. He doesn't have a group of cheerleaders or travel by car. The main thing this Gary shares with the TV show Gary is his competitive attitude towards Ash. In the manga's ending, Gary travels with Ash.
- Team Rocket - This is a group that often causes trouble. Their main goal is to take over the Pokémon world.
- Jessica "Jessie" - Jessie is the female member of Team Rocket. In the manga's ending, she marries James, and they are expecting their first child.
- James - James is the male member of Team Rocket. In the manga's ending, he leaves Team Rocket, marries Jessie, and they are expecting their first child.
- Meowth - Meowth is the talking cat Pokémon of Team Rocket. It is one of the very few Pokémon that can speak a human language.
- Giovanni - Giovanni is the boss and leader of Team Rocket. He is not seen very often.
Manga Volumes and Comics
| No. | Title | Japanese release | English release | ||
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| 1 | The Electric Tale of Pikachu! | October 28, 1997 ISBN: 4-09-149341-6 |
September 5, 1999 (United States) ISBN: 978-1-56931-378-7 |
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| 2 | Pikachu Shocks Back | June 27, 1998 ISBN: 4-09-149342-4 |
December 6, 1999 (United States) ISBN: 978-1-56931-411-1 |
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| 3 | Electric Pikachu Boogaloo | April 26, 1999 ISBN: 4-09-149343-2 |
April 5, 2000 (United States) ISBN: 978-1-56931-436-4 |
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| 4 | Surf's Up, Pikachu | January 28, 2000 ISBN: 4-09-149344-0 |
August 10, 2000 (United States) ISBN: 978-1-56931-494-4 |
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The series was first released in the United States as American comic book issues. Part 1, Issue #1 came out in November 1998. The next three issues of Part 1 were released in December 1998, and January and February 1999. Part 2 #1 was released in March 1999, with the other three issues coming out in April, May, and June of that year. Part 3 #1 was released in July 1999, and the other three issues were released in August, September, and October 1999. Finally, Part 4 #1 was released in November 1999, and the remaining issues came out in December 1999, and January and February 2000.
In 1999, special sample comic books were also released. These were very rare and only available in a special Pokémon Video Suitcase set. They were called Pokémon Electric Tale of Pikachu Special Signature Edition. These special editions had the printed signature of Toshihiro Ono on the cover. They were available in Red Version and Blue Version.
About Toshihiro Ono
Toshihiro Ono is the creator of Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu. He was born on February 27, 1965, in Nagoya, Japan. When he was one year old, his family moved to Chiryū, Aichi. Ono shared that he started drawing when he was in elementary school and junior high school.
Before working on Pokémon, he drew pictures for advertisements, men's magazines, and even English dictionaries. He also worked as an assistant for another manga called Glass no Kamen, created by Suzue Miuchi. In August 1999, after his Pokémon manga was published, Ono attended the San Diego Comic-Con in the United States. Ono mentioned that he enjoys American comics. He likes them because their artwork and stories have "such a different flavor" compared to Japanese comics. His favorite artists are Walter Simonson and Mike Mignola.
Other Pokémon Manga Series
Besides The Electric Tale of Pikachu, there are many other Pokémon manga series. Here are a few of them:
- Magical Pokémon Journey (known in Japan as PiPiPi's Adventures)
- Pokémon Adventures (known in Japan as Pocket Monster Special)
- Ash & Pikachu (known in Japan as Satoshi to Pikachu)
- Pokémon Gold & Silver
You can find an interview with Toshihiro Ono from Animerica magazine online: Animerica Interview Toshihiro Ono (Archive) by VIZ Media.
See also
In Spanish: Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu para niños
