One of the Pokémon franchise’s most successful manga series is also the most controversial.
A new video from anime YouTuber Mother’s Basement brings the ’90s manga The Electric Tale of Pikachu back to the masses, celebrating the end of Ash Ketchum’s iconic series by revisiting one of His strangest adventure. Electric Tale was created by artist Toshihiro Ono and is based on the first season of the Pokémon anime, with the tagline being loose, as Ono made some major changes to the story and characters, many of which were changed. that was done by both the publisher and the artist. censorship. While creating the series, Ono is also working on a series titled Anal Justice, which could give some indication of the unique style he has brought to the Pokémon franchise in operating process, which continues to shock readers more than 25 years later.
Adult Elements in Pokémon’s Electric Tale Manga
Perhaps the most notable deviation of Electric Tale from the franchise is Ono’s sexualization of its characters, particularly female characters like Misty and the Pokémon Center Nurses. One famous scene includes Ash and Brock peeking at Misty in the shower, who ran away in shame when they invaded her privacy. Mom’s Basement also notes a scene from Ono’s series where he confirms Team Rocket’s Jessie and James are a couple when the two send a letter from Ash to his mother in which the trainer bragging about having sex with Misty in the bathtub. While these elements are certainly worrisome, their video also points to some of the positive changes Ono has made, including giving more depth to previously one-dimensional characters like Gary Oak. , Ash’s rival, helped make Electric Tale one of the franchise’s best-selling manga. .
While Pokémon certainly isn’t the only series to raise its female representation issues, the franchise has evolved tremendously since the ’90s and has taken another positive step forward. with the new protagonist Riko. The young trainer will be in the spotlight in the upcoming Pokémon Horizons series, which will follow her journey alongside her starter Pokémon Sprigatito and a young Kanto trainer named Roy. The anime, which will premiere April 14 in Japan, is based on the ninth-generation game of the Pokémon franchise Scarlet and Violet, which introduced fans to a whole new region inspired by Iberia whose name is Paldea.
An English release for Pokémon Horizons has yet to be announced, but in the meantime, fans can revisit The Electric Tale of Pikachu in all its heavily censored glory through the publisher. VIZ Media.
Source: YouTube