Anime Reign Magazine | Page 32

www.worldanimeclub.com Pokemon Origins - By Damien Riley Plot: Following the storyline from the games of Pokemon Red, Blue and Green, this anime follows Red (you in the games) on his Pokemon adventure to gather all of the badges, complete the Pokedex and be the Pokemon Champion. MUSIC: Every last musical piece from this 4-part OVA was taken from the original Red, Blue and Green games and given a fresh shine. That’s something that really takes you back to the days when you didn’t use the internet to learn about everything in the game before you go and play it. PLOT: The plot is fairly simple and laid out for you at the very start: Catch all the pokemon and be the very best like no-one ever was. You see Red do this (not all of it unfortunately) and more. He has the clear antagonists shown right away including the antihero. CHARACTER DESIGN AND ANIMATION: Let’s start with the animation this time. If I were to compare it to the TV series of Pokemon, this would put it to shame. It feels more like an anime should with the way everyone moves and grows from experience. The very way everything got designed and animated down to smallest of details was beautiful. Now to the Character designs and all I can say is wow. With Red and Green’s designs it looks like they were taken straight out of the Pokemon Adventures manga (a great series to read by the way) and put straight into the anime special. If you’ve played the games then you’ll understand this more than anyone that never played them. Red: Seeing Red and Green grow up is just beautiful because they grow up in 4 episodes when Ash/Satoshi (the main anime’s protagonist) hasn’t in 17 seasons. The attention to detail in this is amazing! Small things that many people might have missed in the original games have been incorporated into this special including many of the creepypastas that fans made by finding these small things. OTHER NOTES: It is rumoured that the main anime for the X and Y series is being done by the same people that did the illustrations and animation for Pokemon Origins (it’s going to be so beautiful). PERSONAL RATING: This is drool-enducing for any pokemon fan and has been something that those who grew up with the original games have wanted for years. As much as I’ve praised it though, I had to take a step back to see the minor flaws in it. Following my usual attitude of not giving spoilers, I’m not going to say what they are. Even with these flaws I do have to rate it a very solid 8.5/10. FINAL THOUGHTS: People may call me a Pokemon fanboy and they wouldn’t be wrong but I’m acknowledging the problems these specials had unlike many of the other huge fans. I still loved these and the updated music. I highly recommend you watch this (it’s easy to find) or wait for the english dub which will be released on November 11. The hero and main protagonist, Red is an eager boy who is happy to help Okido complete his new invention. An encyclopedia on all the pokemon in the world. Green: The anti-hero who simply wants to be the very best trainer in the world. He helps Red from time to time, even though it is reluctantly. Professor Oak/Yukinari Okido: The inventor of the pokedex and the pokemon expert of the Kanto region, Oak is the one who gave Red and Green their first pokemon. Brock/Takeshi: The leader of the Pewter City gym, Takeshi specializes in rock-type pokemon and teaches Red the difference between using a pokemon in battle and forming a bond with them. Sakaki/Giovanni: Sakaki is the leader of Team Rocket and the main antagonist, he uses the Page 18 logic of “pokemon are just tools to be used and then sold”, the opposite of how a trainer should think. Anime Reign | Issue 2 | 2013