Pokémon anime novelization series

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This article is about the English language novels based on the original series of the anime. For the French language novels released by Hachette Jeunesse, see Pokémon anime novelization series (France).
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The Pokémon anime novelizations are the main series of Pokémon books. In this series, there are 28 books. However, only 26 books are based on actual anime episodes, with Race to Danger and Talent Showdown having original plots. Like the Pokémon Junior series, it is a multiple-author series, authored by Tracey West, Jennifer L. Johnson, and Sheila Sweeny. The Pokémon anime novelizations start with the book I Choose You! and end with Winner Takes All, spanning the anime seasons for Indigo League, Orange Islands, and part of The Johto Journeys. This series is distinguished from others that are based on anime episodes by its chapter-book format and the design of the blurb on the back, which consists of a black box with text and several circles featuring different species of Pokémon on its rim. Books in this series typically have a Pikachu near the corner of a page, with the only exception being Team Rocket Blasts Off!, which instead has Meowth in the corner of the pages, as a reference to the member of Team Rocket.

Books in this series

Original series

Number Cover Title ISBN Release date
1 I Choose You! I Choose You! ISBN 0439104645 July 1999
2 Island of the Giant Pokémon Island of the Giant Pokémon ISBN 0439104661 July 1999
3 Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon ISBN 0439135508 September 1999
4 Night in the Haunted Tower Night in the Haunted Tower ISBN 043913742X October 1999
5 Team Rocket Blasts Off! Team Rocket Blasts Off! ISBN 9780439154185 January 2000
6 Charizard, Go! Charizard, Go! ISBN 0439154219 February 2000
7 Splashdown in Cerulean City Splashdown in Cerulean City ISBN 043915426X March 2000
8 Return of the Squirtle Squad Return of the Squirtle Squad ISBN 0439154294 April 2000

Orange Islands

Number Cover Title ISBN Release date
9 Journey to the Orange Islands Journey to the Orange Islands ISBN 0439169429 May 2000
10 Secret of the Pink Pokémon Secret of the Pink Pokémon ISBN 0439169437 June 2000
11 The Four-Star Challenge The Four-Star Challenge ISBN 0439169445 August 2000
12 Scyther, Heart of a Champion Scyther, Heart of a Champion ISBN 0439169453 August 2000
13 Race to Danger Race to Danger ISBN 043920089X October 2000
14 Talent Showdown Talent Showdown ISBN 043920090X November 2000
15 Psyduck Ducks Out Psyduck Ducks Out ISBN 0439200911 December 2000
16 Thundershock in Pummelo Stadium Thundershock in Pummelo Stadium ISBN 043920092X January 2001

Johto Journeys

Number Cover Title ISBN Release date
17 Go West, Young Ash Go West, Young Ash ISBN 0439200938 February 2001
18 Ash Ketchum, Pokémon Detective Ash Ketchum, Pokémon Detective ISBN 0439200946 March 2001
19 Prepare for Trouble Prepare for Trouble ISBN 0439220335 April 2001
20 Battle for the Zephyr Badge Battle for the Zephyr Badge ISBN 0439243971 April 2001
21 The Chikorita Challenge The Chikorita Challenge ISBN 0439221137 June 2001
22 All Fired Up All Fired Up ISBN 0439221145 July 2001
23 Ash to the Rescue Ash to the Rescue ISBN 0439220920 August 2001
24 Secrets of the GS Ball Secrets of the GS Ball ISBN 0439220912 September 2001
25 Prize Pokémon Prize Pokémon ISBN 0439202760 October 2001
26 Teaming Up With Totodile Teaming Up With Totodile ISBN 0439295742 November 2001
27 Tough Enough Tough Enough ISBN 0439358019 2002
28 Winner Takes All Winner Takes All ISBN 0439358027 July 2002

Series collections

The eight Orange Island novelizations have been collected as a boxed set with updated covers, titled Pokémon Classic Collection or Pokémon Master Collection (ISBN 9781338193091),[1] which was released on November 1, 2016. Eight Johto Journeys novelizations from Go West, Young Ash to Secrets of the GS Ball have been collected as a boxed set with updated covers, titled Pokémon Adventure Collection (ISBN 9781338284003),[2] which was released on April 1, 2017. They are also available in a 16-book collection known as Pokémon Essential Collection, which was released in December 2016.[3]

In other languages

The Pokémon anime novelization series are known to be translated into Bulgarian, Czech, Canadian French, European French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Latin American Spanish.

Trivia

  • The books were the first media to show Gary having a Blastoise, seen in Talent Showdown. However, he was also shown with a Charizard and a Venusaur due to the author not actually knowing which one was his first partner Pokémon.[citation needed] Gary's actual first partner was not revealed until The Ties That Bind. Incidentally, the author also depicted Gary owning all the Pokémon he uses during his Champion battle from Pokémon Red and Blue versions except for Gyarados and Pidgeot.
  • The novel Race to Danger also states that Pidgeot rejoined Ash after his return from the Orange Archipelago. However, Pidgeot has not made any physical return appearances in the anime until at the end of Ash's journey in The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!, almost 23 years after the release of Race to Danger.
  • At the beginning of most of the books, there are lyrics to various songs used in the series. In the books that show Pokémon Theme, the lyric given is "each Pokémon to understand the power that's inside". However, the actual lyric is "teach Pokémon to understand".

References


People, companies, and series related to Pokémon books
Authors and illustrators: Akihito TodaBill MichaelsGregg SaconHiroshi TakaseHoward DewinJason R. Rich
Jennifer L. JohnsonKatherine FangKatherine NollKazunori AiharaMaria S. BarboMichael Mikaelian
Michael TeitelbaumS. E. HellerSheila SweenySimcha WhitehillTracey West
Publishers: Chuang Yi (Singapore) • Golden Books (USA) • Panini Comics (Italy) • Pikachu Press (USA)
Scholastic (USA) • Shogakukan (Japan) • Shogakukan Asia (Singapore) • VIZ Media (USA)
Series: Element PokédexLet's Find Pokémon!Pathways to AdventurePocket Monsters Film ComicPocket Monsters Series
Pokémon Adventure SeriesPokémon anime novelization seriesPokémon JuniorPokémon Keychain Books
Pokémon Pack PalsPokémon ReaderPokémon TalesThe Official Pokémon FictionThe Official Pokémon Early Reader


Pokémon anime novelizations
Original series: I Choose You!Island of the Giant PokémonAttack of the Prehistoric PokémonNight in the Haunted Tower
Team Rocket Blasts Off!Charizard, Go!Splashdown in Cerulean CityReturn of the Squirtle Squad
Orange Islands: Journey to the Orange IslandsSecret of the Pink PokémonThe Four-Star ChallengeScyther, Heart of a Champion
Race to DangerTalent ShowdownPsyduck Ducks OutThundershock in Pummelo Stadium
The Johto Journeys: Go West, Young AshAsh Ketchum, Pokémon DetectivePrepare for TroubleBattle for the Zephyr Badge
The Chikorita ChallengeAll Fired UpAsh to the RescueSecrets of the GS BallPrize Pokémon
Teaming Up With TotodileTough EnoughWinner Takes All
Advanced Generation: Haunted!Phantom UnmaskedTeam Rocket TruceCelebi RescueGrovyle TroubleDeoxys in Danger
Diamond & Pearl: Pokémon AcademyThe Lost RioluCoal Badge BattleWorld of Sinnoh
Movies: The Art of Pokémon The First MovieThe Art of Pokémon the Movie 2000The Art of Pokémon the Movie 3: Spell of the Unown
Mewtwo Strikes BackMewtwo ReturnsPokémon the Movie 2000Pokémon the Movie 3Pokémon 4Ever
Destiny DeoxysLucario and the Mystery of MewPokémon Ranger and the Temple of the SeaThe Rise of Darkrai
Pikachu's VacationPikachu's Rescue AdventurePikachu and Pichu


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