panconkivvvi-deactivated2018102:

YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE, I WAS TRAINED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

Take a sit:

Pocket Monsters SPECIAL (ポケットモンスターSPECIAL), aka Pokémon SPECIAL, translated as Pokémon Adventures in the English localization and called PokéSPE by the fans, is the most popular manga adaptation from the many in the Pokémon franchise. Written by Hidenori Kusaka and illustrated by MATO (chapters 01 to 116) and Satoshi Yamamoto (from chapter 117 onwards), is directly based on the games and follows the story of different kids charged with the quest of helping each region’s most respected scientists (the professors) fill the Pokédex, and they are called Pokédex Holders.

PokéSPE is my personal recommendation to anyone who likes the games but dislikes the anime. It has an ever-moving plot and characters, as it focuses on the protagonist and region of each generation. The approach to the world of Pokémon is more serious than in the anime, and in the words of the creator himself, Satoshi Taijiri,

“This is the comic that most resembles the world I was trying to convey.”

Pretty impressive, eh?

Ok, but there’s the games, so you already know what’s going to happen if you’ve played them, right? Wrong! Even if each part is based on the game’s plot, the manga only uses it as a reference for what major shit happens and what big monsters are to blame this time, but the development of the story is nothing like in the games, and that’s all thanks to the characters. Some are your average shonen hero, others would rather stay home and do something nice like make their Pokés pretty, and sometimes they just find themselves in the middle of a world domination plan and it’s like, hold on, I left my hometown last week what did just happen.

And not only the protagonists have different personalities, backgrounds and motivations, but the gym leaders and elite 4 too! And every other important character from the games. Most of them have an active role in the story —and it’s not always in the good’s side.

I bet you just want to read it all right now! But, you say, if it’s based on the games, does it mean it has a crazy amount of arcs? Why, yes, it has 13 arcs so far, each one based on the main games or remakes for every generation. Oh, you say, I see. So, how many episodes are there? Well, so far, over 500.

NO WAIT DON’T GO. It may look like an overwhelming number and okay, it kinda is, but it’s worth it! Specially (hehehe) if you like Pokémon. Besides, you don’t need to start from the begining.

I don’t? Can I jump to whatever arc I want and skip anything that came before?

Kinda, let me explain each arc first:

The Red/Green/Blue Chapter: The begining, based on the first games and protagonized by Red, a young boy who wants to be the very best.

Hey,  sounds pretty similar to Ash— YES OK BUT THEY ARE NOT THE SAME CHARACTER.

The first Chapter follows Red’s journey in the region of Kanto, from his first battle against his smug and way too cool and serious rival, Green (Blue in the English localization), as he starts to collect gym badges, meets the flirtious and mischievous/borderline criminal Blue (Green in the English localization), and finally to the moment he thwarts Team Rocket’s evil world domination plans. It may seem simple, but if you read it all you’ll notice the authors took the freedom of making it way more than just the game’s plot. Pokémon are in danger, adults are not afraid of using any means to get what they want, and just because someone is in a position of power it doesn’t mean you should trust them.

If you want to know what you really are getting into, you should start here.

The Yellow Chapter: Two years after the incidents that took place in Kanto, a little boy who goes by Amarillo del Bosque Verde searches the region looking for someone. What a strange mission, but nothing coul go wrong, right? Team Rocket has been defeated, what could be worse? And don’t you think that pikachu looks familiar?

The Yellow Chapter is a direct sequel to the RGB arc, old characters make a come back and new enemies threathen the safety of the world because that’s how things roll. You need to read the first arc before this one.

The Gold/Silver/Crystal Chapter: Same as the games, Gold lives in a little happy town, but someone has stolen a Pokémon from the professor’s laboratory, and well, things are pretty boring here, why not follow his trail and take him to justice? But maybe there are more important things to worry about than a petty thief, and maybe he, Silver, can be of help- ok no Silver doesn’t want to be of help I didn’t need it anyway you dick. Things begin to affect all the region, and it reaches Crystal’s ears, a part-time pre-school caretaker. Lucky for everybody else, she happens to be a Pokémon trainer with the world’s deadliests legs who takes the phrase “Gotta Catch’em All!” as a life motto.

GSC takes place a year after the Yellow arc, and it’s plot is heavily related to both its and RBG’s. You need to read the first twp arcs before this one.

The Ruby/Sapphire Chapter: The son of a Gym Leader makes a bet with the daughter of a Pokémon Professor for who can conquer their respective subject of maestry first in 60 days. Ruby, the boy, is aiming for the 20 Pokémon contest ribbons, and Sapphire, the girl, wants to claim all 8 Gym Badges. Stopping two evil teams with opposite but equally dangerous plans of world domination wasn’t part of the deal but, you know, shit happens.

The RS arc begins with a fresh start in a new region and a different set of characters. You don’t need to read any other arc before this one.

The Fire Red/Leaf Green Chapter: The first generation remakes, it takes us back to Kanto where… Well, I can’t tell you the plot for this one without spoiling GSC. You need to read the first three arcs before this one.

The Emmerald Chapter: Hoenn’s very own thematic park is a week from opening: The Battle Frontier! But this, uh, very tall boy insists on conquering each of these facilities before the inauguration. His name is Emmerald and he is getting on everyone’s nerves.

Before this arc, you need to read all of the previous ones.

The Diamond/Pearl Chapter: Dia and Pearl are two aspiring comedians (yes, you read it right). One day, and thanks to the biggest misunderstanding in the story of space and time (hahaha get it), they end up joining the heiress of the most important (and rich) family of investigators in the world of Pokémon on her journey, who refuses to tell them their name.

Some consider the DP arc to have one of the weakests plots, as the begining is slow and consists mostly in terrible Pokémon puns, but the characters have a great dynamic, they grow on you and when the plot starts to get serious you just can’t stop reading. This arc is independent from the previous ones, so you can start here without missing or spoiling anything.

The Platinum Chapter: Just like FRLG, telling you about this arc’s plot is an immediate spoiler for DP, so you need to read the previous arc first. There are some spoilers from the ending of FRLG and Emmerald too.

The Heart Gold/Soul SIlver Chapter: Arceus is in this one.

You better read all of the previous arcs. Just to be sure.

The Black/White Chapter: Ouran Highschool Host Club with Apollo Justcie’s lost relative as Haruhi (Black), a bossy director as Tamaki (White), a talent agency as the Host Club (the BW Agency), and lots of ascended minor characters from the games. The plot with the Team Plasma is pretty much the same but N is slightly more panromantic in this one. Also poor Cheren and Bianca dealing with Black’s shit.

This arc is completely independent from the previous ones, and you can perfectly start here.

The Black 2/White 2 Chaprter: It hasn’t been translated yet (we are working on it!), but it’s presumely related to the BW arc, just like the games.

The X/Y Chapter: Ex, a young man with social anxiety, is forced to leave his home with his ever worrying friends, Wye, Shauna, Trevor and Tierno, after two giant monsters FUCKING DESTROY EVERYTHING WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS ARC.

Only three episodes have been translated so far and it doesn’t seem to be related to any previous arcs yet, but why would you start with an incomplete Chapter? Pick something else.

The Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Chapter: Only one episode has been released (and translated), but everything points to it being based on the Delta Episode.

One episode. Don’t start here. It’s obviously related to RSE too. You can catch up with the rest of the series while you wait for new episodes.

Basically, 500+ episodes is a big number, and while I really recommend starting from the begining, some of you may feel overwhelmed by all of this. If it helps you getting into PokéSPE, and I really want you to read it, start from an arc/generation you are more familiarized with, maybe your first game or one you’ve played recently. After that, and if you liked it enough, start from the begining. Read everything, join the fandom, share your feels and cry because Pokémon SPECIAL is one of the most popular long-running manga for the past ten years and it hasn’t got an anime. Why. Why won’t they animate it

Sssssso yeah, I got carried away.

TL;DR: Pokémon SPECIAL is a manga series about Pokémon. It’s great. Please read it.