Before you sit down and watch the newly released 4-part Pok mon Origins special, forget everything you thought you knew about Pok mon anime. Forget about the days of Ash Ketchum and Pikachu. Forget the bumbling Team Rocket duo of Jesse and James. Forget gym leaders handing badges over out of pity.
Forget it all - Pok mon Origins is a very different kind of anime.
Released in Japan, and broadcast on TV Tokyo October 2, 2013, ten days before the launch of the Pok mon X & Y gaming titles, Pok mon Origins follows a new hero named Red as he attempts to fulfill the task of completing Professor Oak's Pokedex encyclopedia. It closely follows the plot of the first generation Pok mon Blue and Red Game Boy titles that were released here in North America back in 1998, but with a much more mature theme and feel then the on-going television series.
Red begins his journey from Pallet Town with his Pok mon partner Charmander, intent on, not only completing the Pokedex by capturing every known Pok mon in the Kanto Region, but also becoming the Pok mon League champion. Throughout the course of his journey, Red faces off against numerous opponents, including his rival Green (known as Blue in North America), numerous trainers and gym leaders and the criminal organization known as Team Rocket.
Each of the four episodes in the miniseries was helmed by a different director and stays very close to the plot of Pok mon Red and Blue, dealing with situations fans of the original titles will no doubt recognize. Episode 1, entitled Red see's the series' hero leaving Pallet with his Pok mon and Pokedex, battling a few trainers and capturing more Pocket Monsters. Red and Green eventually meet on the road and do battle, with Red's Charmander losing horribly in a rather brutal match to Green's Squirtle. Shortly afterwards, Red meets a man, who is later revealed to be the Pewter City gym Leader, Brock. Brock teaches Red of the bonds between trainers and Pok mon and directs Red to a Pok mon Centre in Viridian City. The episode draws to a close with Red entering Pewter City, learning the importance of Brock's lesson and defeating the gym leader - earning himself a Boulder Badge.
Continuing into Episode 2, Cubone, viewers are treated to a few flashbacks of Red earning more badges and defeating more rivals, including members of Team Rocket. The episode then unfolds with Red entering Lavender Town, where he learns of Pok mon Tower and the Pok mon House. Upon entering the latter, Red meets a young girl and an orphaned Cubone who's mother, Marowak, was killed by Team Rocket. While we do not see the death, it is eluded to in a small flashback. Red then learns that the owner of the Pok mon House, a man named Fuji, disappeared after entering the Pok mon Tower, which is currently being used as a base of operations by Team Rocket. Undeterred, Red decides to head for the tower to look for the man, with rival Green close behind. The pair eventually encounter both Team Rocket and a ghost, which is revealed, by means of the Silph Scope, to be Cubone's mother. After rescuing Mr. Fuji, the old man thanks Red by giving him a Pokeflute and a set of mysterious stones before continuing his journey. No doubt, fans of the original Pok mon titles know Mr. Fuji never passed any stones on after being rescued in the game, but they go on to play an important part in the story of Pok mon Origins.
Episode 3, Giovanni, opens with more flashbacks of Red obtaining more badges before beginning in Saffron City. It is here where Red and Green encounter the vice-president of the Silph Company, which has, again, following events of the original Red and Blue games, been taken over by Team Rocket. As in the games, Team Rocket takes over the company in an attempt to obtain the experimental Master Ball. Straying into a slightly dark plot area, it is revealed Team Rocket is attempting to replicate the Master Ball by experimenting on Pok mon. Red infiltrates the corporation, rescuing both Pok mon and people. As a sign of gratitude, a scientist gives Red a Lapras. Red then encounters Giovonni, leader of Team Rocket, whom he challenges in a Pok mon battle. However, Red's inexperienced Charizard is easily beaten by Giovonni's much tougher Nidoqueen. The battle is, once again, brutal, and see's the building destroyed and Giovonni escaping onboard a helicopter before the arrival of the Saffron City Police. Continuing on his journey, Red acquires more badges before learning the Viridian City gym leader is said to be the toughest of all. Red soon arrives in Viridian and discovers that the gym leader is none other then Giovanni himself. Seeing the man and is organization as an enemy to all Pok mon, Red engages him in battle and eventually earns the Earth Badge. This gains Giovonni's respect and he decides to disband Team Rocket once and for all.
Episode 4, Charizard, see's Red entering, and defeating the members of the Pok mon League on the Indigo Plateau, known as the Elite Four. However, before Red can gain the title of League Champion, he must defeat Green, the current title holder. The battle boils down to a match between Red's Charizard and Green's Blastoise. Charizard wins, and Red is entered into the Pok mon Leagur Hall of Fame by Professor Oak. Yet, this story isn't over yet. Returning home with a full Pokedex of 149 enteries, Red takes the electronic encyclopedia to Oak and discovers that Green has been badly injured by a mysterious, currently undocumented 150th Pocket Monster. Recalling a journal entry he read on Cinnabar Island, Red deduces this creature to be an artificially created Pok mon called Mewtwo. Red travels to encounter this new Pok mon, who is extremely powerful. Both Red and Charizard refuse to give up, thus the stones given to Red by Old Man Fuji back in Episode 2 finally come into play. Revealed to be Mega Evolution stones, they allow Charizard to evolve into the incredibly powerful Mega Charizard X. Mewtwo is defeated and captured, thus all 150 Pok mon are entered into the now completed Pokedex. The episode concludes with Green griping about Red succeeding as a Pok mon trainer, something he figured he would do way before his rival. It is then that Red remembers that Mewtwo, the 150th Pocket Monster, is the child of another undocumented Pok mon named Mew. As this realization strikes him, a Mew flies past the window and Red declares he must continue his journey to become the #1 Pok mon master.
And that, in a nutshell, is Pok mon Origins. Fans of the original Blue and Red Game Boy titles will love it! It follows the plot of the classic games closely, with only a few slight differences here and there. The miniseries contains plenty of action which, again, has a rather dark and mature feel to it, reminding fans that this is nothing like the current on-going Pok mon series. Now, while Origins is dark in tone, we here at Infinite Earths still felt that Mewtwo Strikes Back was still a darker Pok mon story. Still, we would not recommend Pok mon Origins for those fans under the age of 9 or 10.
Pok mon Origins has, at this point, only been released in Japan. Yet, there are several versions out there containing English subtitles. However, for those who can't be bothered, Pok mon Origins will be released here in North America on October 15th as part of the Pok mon TV app. No doubt, this new miniseries will undergo some strong editing before reaching North America. As is known to fans, what may be considered fine for kids overseas isn't always fine for those here in Canada and the USA. And for good reason.
Pok mon Origins is a very different type of Pok mon anime. But, one thing remains the same - its love for the classic characters we all know and love! Fans who grew up with the first generation games are going to love this miniseries, and we here at Infinite Earths hope a DVD release isn't too far behind! A true blast from the past, Pok mon Origins goes big and keeps our love for all things Pok mon burning bright, even 15-years later...
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