Okay, so I finally cracked and watched Pokemon: The Origins with subtitles today. I wrote reviews as I watched, writing 1 in the middle of episode 2 (I had to pause due to lag), and all the others at the end of their respective episodes. In case anyone is curious, these are written from the perspective of someone who watched the Pokemon anime at around the same time that it started, and began playing the games when the original Silver version when the Gameboy Color version came out. I've played every main game since then (Or at least one per generation, more for a few of them), and enjoyed every single one. Well then, here they are: Enjoy!
Pokemon: The Origins Episode 1- Red (10/10)
This first episode embodies everything that I remember from starting my first Pokemon journey. Sure, I
started with Gen II for the games, but it still all applied. It also brought back memories of watching the original
anime. They were spot-on with translating the characters to the anime. Red was an excited kid, eager to begin his
journey. He was just like me when I first played the games, as well as like many other fans. Green acted just
like he did in the game, and elicited the same feelings that he did. He was always one step ahead of Red, and unlike
Gary from the anime, actually felt like a true rival. The battles were much better than they were in the anime.
They were how I'd picture a fight in the real world. The gym battle with the HP bars was also a cool feature, too.
The small things that were from the games were also nice. For example, the girl in front of Brock's gym who gave
the light years line that the Camper from the gym did in the games. I was hooked in from this episode alone, it was
a fantastic sign of what the rest of the special would be like.
Pokemon: The Origins Episode 2- Cubone (10/10)
While the first episode contained the excitement of first starting the journey, the second was the emotional
response. What better way to get that than to retell the tale of Lavender Town's Pokemon Tower? It was another
excellent translation from game to anime, with added story elements to make it more interesting. The story elements
didn't ruin the way it was told, but instead enhanced it. For example, they gave some backstory to the history
between Cubone and Team Rocket, which was a really emotional scene to watch. The scene with the Marowak ghost
was incredibly touching as well. This episode kept up the outstanding job from the first.
Pokemon: The Origins Episode 3- Giovanni (10/10)
This episode was about Red's battles with Team Rocket, continuing on from episode 2. Red's battle with
Giovanni at the Silph Co. was a great way to show the strength of the leader of Team Rocket, and drive Red to
defeat the team. However, it was the gym battle against Giovanni that made this episode so great. It was probably
one of the most exciting and intense Pokemon battles I've ever seen in the anime. The backstory we got for Giovanni
was also a nice touch. This special has continued to keep spectacular, quality episodes going over and over, and
the conclusion will be very exciting to see!
Pokemon: The Origins Episode 4- Charizard (10/10)
The conclusion of this special summed up the two greatest accomplishments possible in the original games:
Becoming the champion, and defeating Mewtwo. The champion battle was very accurate to how it was in the games.
Both sides were on equal terms, desperately trying to overcome the other. This made it feel much more real. Also,
the ending of the fight consisted of what I've always thought of as the best way to end the final battle: The
duel of the two starters. Comparing it to when Red and Green first fought showed just how far Red and Charizard
had come since then. I wish the fight could have gone on a little longer, but nonetheless, it was a spectacular
clash. After this, Red researched the mysterious Mewtwo, eventually hunting it down. Once again, the battle against
Mewtwo was very accurate, being a struggle to defeat what was then the strongest Pokemon in existence. The special
surprise added in at the end was spectacular, even if it wasn't something from the original games. I won't spoil
exactly what it was though, I'll leave the surprise for you! The ending had my chuckle too; It went back to the
childish excitement from the first episode.
Overall: 10/10
This special embodied everything that is Pokemon. From the excitement of taking the League challenge
and filling the Pokedex, to the trusting bond built between a player and their Pokemon, every element was taken
into careful consideration to make this the best Pokemon anime adaptation I've ever seen. It was like a huge
nostalgia trip, taking me through my entire Pokemon journey. I felt a strong connection to Red, being a long-time
Pokemon player. I've formed bonds with many of my Pokemon, and this special helped me realize just how far I've
come. These four episodes are able to be enjoyed by any Pokefan, no matter how old they are, or when they got into
the franchise. I've rarely felt this emotionally attached to an anime, and can't wait until the dubs come out so
I have an excuse to watch it again! I also hope that the other games will get this sort of treatment, I'd gladly
Okay, so I finally cracked and watched Pokemon: The Origins with subtitles today. I wrote reviews as I watched, writing 1 in the middle of episode 2 (I had to pause due to lag), and all the others at the end of their respective episodes. In case anyone is curious, these are written from the perspective of someone who watched the Pokemon anime at around the same time that it started, and began playing the games when the original Silver version when the Gameboy Color version came out. I've played every main game since then (Or at least one per generation, more for a few of them), and enjoyed every single one. Well then, here they are: Enjoy!