ketchup‘s journey Pokémon anime ended slightly controversial in 2023, as it left a lot of things open-ended in a way that some fans didn’t appreciate. Those fans should probably watch the ending of The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga instead, as it brings many of those plot themes to a satisfying conclusion, while still leaving Ash with an open ending without anime provided.
The Electric Tale of Pikachu is a manga adaptation of the first two seasons of the Pokémon anime, specifically the Indigo League and Orange Islands sections that made up much of the first season of the series. It features all the characters from the anime, such as Misty, Brock, Gary, and Team Rocket, and loosely adapts the plot of certain episodes while occasionally taking the time to tell its own stories. me. The art style and tone is quite different from the style used in the anime, giving a unique twist to the supposedly more “realistic” classic Pokémon designs. The humor of the series is also a bit more mature, aimed at teenagers rather than young children who are the main audience of the anime.
Ash’s manga ending is every fanboy’s dream ending
For those with strong memories of the first two seasons of the greatest Pokémon, this manga’s epilogue offers a level of closure. The end of the series shows Ash writing a letter home to his mother, which is hand delivered by Team Rocket’s James, whom Ash calls a “friend”. Jessie and James are said to be married and have left Team Rocket, with a child about to be born. Ash and Gary’s mutual respect for each other grows, and now the two are real friends, walking together in a way that never actually happened in the anime. Ash talks about meeting Lugia and how amazing it was, even suggesting that he and Misty have hooked up.
Since The Electric Tale of Pikachu discontinued the anime adaptation when it switched to Johto, it made sense to put an end to this version of the characters at the time. That means ending right after Ash wins the Orange Islands League, which is definitely his peak even in the anime. By contrast, the ending of the anime leaves Ash and Pikachu still traveling on their own, with Team Rocket still chasing them to chase Pikachu, exactly like before. His final goodbye to Misty in the anime is also very casual. Ash is still having adventures in both endings, but the manga offers an ending for certain character arcs, like Ash’s relationship with Gary and Misty, or Jessie and James’s own relationship, that is. just makes it more satisfying.
The Pokémon anime wanted to end in a way that would open the door for Ash Ketchum’s reappearance at the end of the line, so they were afraid to stray too far from the status quo of the series, ultimately leading to an unsatisfying ending. satisfied. Electric Tale of Pikachu does not have this problem, as it simply ends and is therefore allowed to do things like pairing characters. Longtime fans of Pokémon anime owe it to themselves to see The Electric Tale of Pikachu, even if it’s just to read the epilogue and finally give their favorite character a proper goodbye.