Electric Tale of Pikachu

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The Electric Tale of Pikachu is a four-volume manga series by Toshihiro Ono. Its four volumes were translated into English under the names The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Pikachu Shocks Back, Electric Pikachu Boogaloo, and Surf's Up, Pikachu, respectively.

In Japan, the series is known as ポケットモンスター・電撃ピカチュウ Pocket Monsters: Dengeki Pikachu. The Singapore English version uses Electric Tale of Pikachu for all four volumes.

In Brazil, this series had only the first volume released, with its four chapters split in four volumes. The split volumes used the American covers and it was based on the American censored version.

The characters are the same as in the anime, and the series loosely follows the plot of the anime up to the end of the Orange League, although characters differ between versions in significant ways. For instance, Brock's romantic advances often work, Ash does most of his traveling solo, Gary has a sister, Sabrina is nice, and Jessie and James end up as a couple.

The story is not very sequential, as only a few select anime episodes were picked to be adapted into manga form.

The manga concluded with Ash's victory in the Orange League. The entire last volume focuses on it.

Chapter Summaries

Volume One: The Electric Tale of Pikachu

Chapter 1: Pikachu, I See You! (ピカチュウ Pikachu)
Chapter 2: Play Misty For Me　(カスミ Kasumi)
Chapter 3: Clefairy Tale　(オツキミ山 Mt. Otsukimi)
Chapter 4: Haunting My Dreams　(シオンの塔 Shion Tower)

Volume Two: Pikachu Shocks Back

Chapter 1: The Human Race and the Pokémon Race (激走！　ポケモンレース Exciting Run! Pokémon Race)
Chapter 2: To Evolve or Not to Evolve, That Is the Question! (タイチとイーブイ Taichi and Eievui)
Chapter 3: Pikachu's Excellent Adventure (ピカチュウエレキ旅 Pikachu's Electrifying Trip)
Chapter 4: You Gotta Have Friends (ともだち Friend)

Volume Three: Electric Pikachu Boogaloo

Chapter 1: I'm Your Venusaur (神さま The God)
Chapter 2: Clefairy in Space (地下鉄のピッピ A Pippi From Subway)
Chapter 3: Days of Gloom and Glory (リンドウ Lindow)
Chapter 4: Welcome to the Big Leagues (セキエイリーグ開催 Sekiei League Begins)
Chapter 5: The Indigo Finals (ヒロシ Hiroshi)
Chapter 6: The Orange Islands (オレンジ諸島 Orange Islands)

Volume Four: Surf's Up, Pikachu

Chapter 1: Attack of the Demon Stomach (カビゴン Kabigon)
Chapter 2: You Bet Your Wife (ユズジム Yuzu Gym)
Chapter 3: The Orange Crew Supreme Gym Leader (ウイナーズカップ Winner's Cup)
Chapter 4: Pikachu's Plan (ウイナーズカップ（２）Winner's Cup (2))
Chapter 5: Ash vs. Gary (ヤドン Yadon)
Chapter 6: Epilogue: Wild Type (タイプ：ワイルド Type: Wild)

Controversy and Censorship

The manga has gained some notoriety for its censorship issues. The original Japanese version of the manga featured artwork that would have been considered objectionable in the West; that is, women (such as Misty (to a lesser extent), Jessie and Misty's older sisters) with over-sized busts in very little clothing. In order to make the series marketable to younger English-speaking readers, much of this was censored during translations.

One scene in particular that was heavily edited was the chapter where Ash battles Misty for the Cascade Badge. She strips down to a very revealing bathing suit (one could say that she was barely clothed at all), but in the edited English version, she strips down to a black wetsuit.

There was one scene that was removed altogether from the English version. It is the original ending of Chapter 2 from Volume 2. This scene was set in a hot spring, and it pictured a naked Misty (with Pikachu) relaxing and washing herself, making a comment about how her chest should evolve, too. All of a sudden, Ash, Mikey and Brock are seen sitting in another hot spring, and they see Misty washing herself. All three boys like this a lot, and start to make lustful faces (drooling and blushing immensely) towards her. Misty, noticing their presence, is extremely embarrassed and feels very violated; and she runs away in anger. This scene was likely deleted due to excessive nudity and the adult nature of the scene.

Scene Removed from the North American adaptation