Red is one of the most popular characters in thePokemonfranchise. He was the playable character of the firstPokemongames ever released internationally,RedandBlue, and has appeared in the series as an NPC since, having an important role each time. He is also one of the main characters of thePokemon Adventuresmanga.
Red from thePokemongames is quite different from the person he is in the manga series, as he is developed a lot more inPokemon Adventures, speaking a lot more and going on a greater journey. However, they also share some similarities.
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Red In The Games
InPokemon RedandBlue, Red was sent on a journey by Professor Oak to travel acrossthe Kanto regionto find Pokemon and add their data to his Pokedex. He traveled to each Pokemon Gym, where he fought Kanto’s Gym Leaders so he could obtain the eight badges necessary to battle the Elite Four in the Indigo League. His rival, Blue, had gone on the same quest and achieved his goal before Red. As a result, Red needed to face Blue as well in order to become Kanto’s Champion. Following his victory against Blue, Red went to Mt. Silver, where he trained his Pokemon for three years inPokemon GoldandSilver, before being defeated by Ethan. He then left Mt. Silver, participated in the Pokemon World Tournament inPokemon Black 2andWhite 2, and worked with Blue at Alola’s Battle Tree inPokemon SunandMoon.
Since Game Freak wantedRed to be a relatablePokemoncharacterto all players, it made him a silent protagonist. Because of this, he doesn’t have anything to say, and is very reserved. However, due to the journey he went on, it is obvious that he is adventurous and cares deeply for Pokemon. He is also the type of person that would do whatever needed to fulfill his goals, as he worked very hard to become Kanto’s Champion.
Red In The Manga
Thinking that he knew a lot about Pokemon in the beginning ofPokemon Adventures, Red was ashamed when losing a battle as soon as it began, and Blue mocked him for it. As a result, Red went to Professor Oak, who gave him hisPokedex. Like the games, Red and Blue compete against each other, but they both learn a lot more about Pokemon from one another throughout the manga.
The two eventually compete in the Indigo Plateau, where Red becomes Kanto’s Champion.The Elite Fourobserve Red’s fight before battling him, in an attempt to make sure that he wouldn’t be able to stop their secret goal of wiping out humanity. Red fromPokemon Adventuresmade a lot more friends than he did in the games, so they all teamed up to save him, defeat the Elite Four, and save the world.
Red is a very heroic person in thePokemonmanga who is always there for those in need, especially the friends that he is very close to, such as Blue, Misty, and Bill. He became a much better Pokemon trainer throughout his journey, learning how to take good care of his team and doing what they want rather than focusing on himself. However, there were also times where he could be quite clueless and trustworthy towards people that didn’t deserve it, such as when he thought he befriendedGiovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, or when he made a truce with some of its other members.
Comparing The Two Versions Of Red
While the version of Red from the games doesn’t have much to say and distanced himself from others after achieving his goal, his manga counterpart is practically the exact opposite. Red inPokemon Adventuresis very outgoing and constantly makes friends who he communicates with quite often. He arguably enjoys battling others inthePokemon Adventuresmangaa lot more than he does in the games, considering how he focuses on finding tough opponents to beat.
The two versions of Red share some similarities as well. They both try their best to help others, whether they be innocent people or Pokemon. They both fought against Team Rocket in order to protect others, thoughRed fromPokemon Adventuresdid a lot more in his fight against the organization than his video game counterpart. WithPokemon ScarletandVioletreleasing later this month, and the manga ongoing, Red’sPokemonjourney may not be finished yet.
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