Pokemon Sun & Moon brought the series to the beautiful Alola region,filling it with whimsy and plenty of heart. Many years after Diamond and Pearl, I was once again thrust into the jolly, yet addictive Pokemon series with delight. The manga, written by Hidenori Kusaka and drawn by Satoshi Yamamoto, also brings back childhood memories of reading the original Pokemon manga series all those years ago. It has plenty of chuckle-worthy lines and perfectly captures the franchise’s spirit
Story
In this manga, the two main characters (appropriately named Sun & Moon) do errands for Professor Kukui. Moon delivers a rare Pokemon while Sun carries a special pokedex.
Kusaka was able to create personalities for characters that were the game’s voiceless avatars. Sun is a dim-witted, but good-willed delivery boy who wants to make a million dollars as fast as he can. Unfortunately for him, he ends up working for Team Skull by getting Pyukumaku off the beach. Moon points out his mistakes with snide remarks. Sun’s stumbles and Moon’s retorts make this first volume actually quite funny.
However, you can’t call this Pokemon without any battles! Both of this first volume’s battles are drawn in excellent detail. While it’s harder to follow than the show, the book’s drawings really pop out. The happy and whimsical Pokemon style also remains throughout. It helps bring out the jokes and wacky nature of the anime. The panels aren’t made traditionally either. The art stands out as panels of all shapes and sizes seem intentionally placed to create an emphasis on the manga’s personality. For example, the more action-heavy panels are emphasized to create movement and establishing shots are given more focus. Sun and Moon are introduced by covering the entire page.
Final Words
This volume is a great entry point for kids and Pokemon fans alike. The Pokemon series’ whimsical personality shines through with exciting art that makes battles pop. The book is also very budget friendly with a $4.99 US price tag.