That quote about Special "most resembl[ing] the world I was trying to convey"

[Dogasu]

We've all seen that Tajiri Satoshi quote about the Pokemon Special manga by now:

"This is the comic that most resembles the world I was trying to convey."

What I want to know is...why do people put so much stock in it, even today? I always hear people defend the ridiculous notion that Pokemon Special is "the" manga by bringing up this 10+ year quote, but I don't feel like it really has any weight anymore.

I mean, Mr. Tajiri isn't exactly super hands-on with the franchise anymore, is he? And the franchise has changed quite a bit since the Kanto days, hasn't it? So who's to say that his opinion hasn't changed in the ten plus years since he made that quote? Why are people so convinced that bringing up this quote should put an end to all discussion about Special's status and the one and only official manga?

 

[Rex Kamex]

I guess now we'd have to get a quote from Game Freak saying, "This is the comic that most resembles the world we at Game Freak are trying to convey."

(Although I don't see Game Freak ever agreeing or disagreeing with the quote I just mentioned, so we might never know if it's true...)

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

I have no idea. Especially since it wasn't elaborated on so we don't know what aspects he was talking about, and we don't even know how much he read (the quote appears on the first English volume--anyone know what the delay was between the first Japanese print and the translation?).

Although gyah. Just try saying that there's manga life beyond Special to some people. Posted elsewhere asking why the others never get talked about and everyone leaps down my throat about how I "hate it". I don't hate Special. I LIKE Special. I just like and wish to discuss other series as well.

 

[Falconwing]

I've read some of the other mangas, but special focuses mostly on the games, all the while inserting complex character development, plot twists, and a gripping story. It also takes aspects of the games and inserts them in with just the right formula. The special is just more appealing overall compared with others.

Not that others are bad. Not at all. I just prefer how the Special is written.

 

[Takoto]

Special was always pretty cool, but anyway, I agree, Satoshi's views might well have changed, Special does answer some previously unexplained questions (I think, or was that another manga...) that bugged the Pokémon Fandom...

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

I've read some of the other mangas, but special focuses mostly on the games, all the while inserting complex character development, plot twists, and a gripping story. It also takes aspects of the games and inserts them in with just the right formula. The special is just more appealing overall compared with others.

Not that others are bad. Not at all. I just prefer how the Special is written.

DPA does the same thing, but it seems to only be popular among Team Galactic fans (and of course there's very good reasons we adore it, but still, they're not the only thing in it).

 

[Rellik]

I think part of the reason why it's quoted so much is because (as far as I know) PokeSpe is the only one to get that kind of endorsement. I mean, I don't remember EToP or Kaito! Pokemon 7 getting that kind of thumbs-up.

 

[Zesty Cactus]

I think part of the reason why it's quoted so much is because (as far as I know) PokeSpe is the only one to get that kind of endorsement. I mean, I don't remember EToP or Kaito! Pokemon 7 getting that kind of thumbs-up.

That's sort of what I was thinking too. I mean, yes, it's a dated quote, but it's still legit endorsement from Satoshi Tajiri. It's not like he loves every friggin' Pokemon manga ever drawn.

Apparently Tsunekaz Ishihara loves Pokemon Adventures, too. "I want every Pokémon fan to read this comic!"

 

[Dogasu]

Well, when that quote was made, the only other manga out there was a gag comic about Red and a talking Pippi, loose adaptations of the TV series where every woman is a size DD, and a girl's romance comic. It's not hard to see why Special stood out.

Still, saying that the newer stuff doesn't get the same seal of approval and is therefore inferior is a bit misguided. Back in the day, Mr. Tajiri and the others probably had the time to read a little bit of every series because there wasn't that much out there. These days, I doubt they have that same luxury.

anyone know what the delay was between the first Japanese print and the translation?

My Japanese copy of Volume One says it was released on September 25th, 1997, but Bulbapedia has a different date listed.

Viz's first printing apparently came out in 2000.

 

[Rellik]

Well, when that quote was made, the only other manga out there was a gag comic about Red and a talking Pippi, loose adaptations of the TV series where every woman is a size DD, and a girl's romance comic. It's not hard to see why Special stood out.

Still, saying that the newer stuff doesn't get the same seal of approval and is therefore inferior is a bit misguided. Back in the day, Mr. Tajiri and the others probably had the time to read a little bit of every series because there wasn't that much out there. These days, I doubt they have that same luxury.

Regardless, the fact remains that the new stuff hasn't gotten the same kind of honorable mention as PokeSpe, and that kind of thing will way heavy on a fandom. Besides, we don't know that Taijiri-San doesn't keep up to date on the newer manga either. If I was the guy who came up with one of the most succesful franchises in recent history, I would try and stay in the loop on what that franchise's name gets attached to.

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

I always thought that to see MPJ as a "romance comic" was to see only a small bit of it. I think the real charm, and it's true strength, was in the world it showed. With the exception of some stories in PokeWake, MPJ is the only comic to show regular people living semi-normal lives in the pokémon world, and to develop the pokémon as characters themselves and how they interact with humans. Even reading the story, the romance is a side note after a while. Hazel brings it up occasionally, but it's not a motivating factor in most stories, while that interaction is always there.


Also, when Ono actually remembers what women look like, he's a damn good artist. And his first movie backstory is years better than the one in the actual movie.

 

[The Outrage]

Honestly, that's what I've been wondering. Besides its not as if Special hasn't skewed from the main-series games starting with the Yellow saga.

Some of the stuff they have happening in the manga seem more ridiculous than the game's dex entries.

 

[Rellik]

Honestly, that's what I've been wondering. Besides its not as if Special hasn't skewed from the main-series games starting with the Yellow saga.

Some of the stuff they have happening in the manga seem more ridiculous than the game's dex entries.

PokeSpe skewed from the main series games' storyline as early as chapter one. But that's besides the point. Taijiri-san wasn't trying to say that PokeSpe was closest to the game's storyline when he made that quote. He was trying to say that PokeSpe captured his vision of the Pokemon world more accurately than any other PokeManga out at the time.

 

[Dogasu]

Regardless, the fact remains that the new stuff hasn't gotten the same kind of honorable mention as PokeSpe, and that kind of thing will way heavy on a fandom.

Still, it doesn't seem like people even question the quote or bother to consider the fact that it's super old. They just accept it as-is and try to apply it to volumes that came out long after the initial quote was made.

Besides, we don't know that Taijiri-San doesn't keep up to date on the newer manga either. If I was the guy who came up with one of the most succesful franchises in recent history, I would try and stay in the loop on what that franchise's name gets attached to.

The problem is that in 1997, the name "Pokemon" was only on a handful on products. In 2009, the name is on thousands.

It just isn't feasible anymore.


It's also entirely possible that he's trying to avoid handing out any more endorsements because it's showing a certain amount of favoritism, something that really doesn't make great business sense.

 

[The Outrage]

PokeSpe skewed from the main series games' storyline as early as chapter one. But that's besides the point. Taijiri-san wasn't trying to say that PokeSpe was closest to the game's storyline when he made that quote. He was trying to say that PokeSpe captured his vision of the Pokemon world more accurately than any other PokeManga out at the time.

So its not storyline, but more like the interaction between people and Pokemon then? I'm pretty sure that statement holds true to many other manga now.

Like Dogasu said, they'd never make another statement like that again since it would seem like an endorsement. Sure individual employees as may state their favourite manga, but I doubt Game freak as a company would make that statement that "This manga captures our vision of the Pokemon World" since it seems like they are killing any other manga that arises.