Pokémon truly is a multimedia franchise. While many people think of games first and foremost, various TV shows have been running for decades, as has the trading card game arm, along with tons of other projects like toys, books, and manga.
At this point, there are countless tales to enjoy from pretty much every aspect of the franchise, through every generation and region. Ash Ketchum, on his own, has traversed a ton of the world of Pokémon, but there are other adventurers, too, and a lot of roads eventually lead back to the nostalgic Kanto region.
Take this 30th-anniversary release coming up later this year, as revealed on X. It revisits Kanto in style, and paints the region in a whole new light, with tons of colorful characters and adventures.
Later this year, a Pokémon Adventures: Red and Blue manga deluxe edition will launch in time for the franchise’s 30th anniversary. Priced at $30, this compilation collects the classic adventures of Pokémon trainer Red, as he traverses the Kanto region and finds his way in the world.
It has a tentative release date of October 27, 2026, and it’s up for pre-order now on multiple sites, including Amazon. The hardcover edition goes for $23.99, but there is a paperback edition already available for $8.99, if you’re just hearing about Pokemon Adventures, and don’t need a fancy hardcover version.
Here’s a quick rundown: “Join Red as he competes with his rival Blue, travels through dangerous zones, battles Gym Leaders for badges, and discovers the secrets of the Pokémon! Red doesn’t just want to train Pokémon—he wants to be their friend too. Bulbasaur and Poliwhirl seem game, though independent Pikachu won’t be so easy to win over! But as Red improves as a Pokémon Trainer, so does his competition. And soon Red must team up with his biggest rival, Blue, to defeat a common enemy!”
The author is Hidenori Kusaka, who has worked on Pokémon Adventures for over 25 years. It’s the “only manga series to completely cover all the Pokémon games,” according to publisher Viz Media.
If you’re further interested in the adventures of Red, you might want to check out Pokémon Origins. It’s a retelling of the original game in four parts, showcasing Red’s adventures as he battles Blue and receives his first Pokémon from Professor Oak. This time, though, he gets Charmander instead of Pikachu, and those adventures are extremely different.
That’s sort of how the Pokémon Adventures manga plays out. If you’re a Pokémon fan, you owe it to yourself to check out at least one alternate retelling of the Kanto region timeline, with Red instead of Ash.
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Pokemon Red and Blue, Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Gold and Silver, Pokémon Crystal, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, Pokemon Sapphire, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, Pokemon Platinum, Pokemon Black and White, Pokemon Black and White 2, Pokemon X and Y, Pokemon Sun and Moon, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Pokemon Winds and Waves, Pokemon Legends Arceus, Pokemon Legends Z-A