Manaphy in SSBB, Manga

Manaphy a Poke Ball Pokemon in SSBB – The official Super Smash Bros. website has revealed Manaphy as a Poke Ball item Pokemon, using its special attack, Heart Swap. When released, it switches two characters’ bodies with each other, spare their status, health, and lives, of course (so you can’t jump off the stage and make your opponent lose a life). Manaphy seems to be one of the more unique Pokemon in this game, considering the effect of its attack lasts for some time, and its power is quite memorable (and funny, to a degree). Click the thumbnails below for larger images – they show Manaphy coming out of its Poke Ball and switching Zelda and Donkey Kong’s bodies.

Pokemon Manga Coming to America – Viz Media has had the right to publish Pokemon manga (Japanese “comic books”) for several years now, but has chosen not to do so since the first generation… until now! According to this Amazon.com listing for “Diamond and Pearl Adventure!, Vol. 1,” the first Diamond and Pearl manga volume will be coming to America on April 1st, with the second volume coming July 1st. There are several Pokemon mangas in existence, and for those of you who read them, the one coming to America is the “Pokemon DP” manga illustrated by Ihara Shigekatsu. The product description for the first volume is as follows:

Set in the country Sinnoh, the story follows the adventures of Hareta, a young boy raised in the wild with Pokémon. Recruited by Prof. Rowan, he decides to become a Pokémon trainer after catching his first tame one, Piplup. He and the Professor’s assistant, Mitsumi, set off on a quest to find Dialga, one of the three “Legendary” Pokémon, which is rumored to be able to control time. But Team Galactic, lead by villainous Cyrus, is hunting for Dialga too.

Personally, I just started reading a Ruby and Sapphire generation manga last week, and I found it very surprising that just as I started getting into it and talking to people about how great it is, Viz decides to release a Pokemon manga in America! I suppose fans who have wanted a Pokemon manga to come over here for quite some time will now be extremely excited and happy, since many have had to rely on Japanese versions for several years now (although several volumes of a first generation manga were translated and released many years ago by Viz, like “The Electric Tale of Pikachu” in 1999). In my opinion, the different Pokemon manga are much better than the animé, and the storylines are extremely unique, detailed, and enjoyable, so this is something to definitely look forward to if you watch the show and want to go beyond the television!