Pokémon Adventures: Gold, Silver & Crystal – Part 1

A new hero, a mysterious thief, and the start of the Johto saga.

After the epic conclusion of the Red, Blue, and Yellow chapters, the Pokémon adventures take us to a new region in Volume 8. We leave Kanto and travel west to Johto, where a new generation of trainers is at the ready. But forget everything you know from the TV series - in the manga, the story is darker, deeper, and more intense.

Here's a walkthrough of the start of the Gold, Silver & Crystal arc.

Meet Gold: A different kind of hero

Where Red was a classic, battle-focused hero, the new protagonist Gold is something entirely different. He lives in the city of New Bark Town in a house full of Pokémon ("The Pokémon House"), and he is known in the neighborhood as "Pokémon Boy."

Gold isn't primarily interested in becoming a master trainer at first. He's a gambler, a mess, and loves billiards. He actually uses his billiards cue to shoot Pokéballs with precision! His partner is an Aipom (called Aibo), and together they live a carefree life - until fate knocks on his door.

Theft at Professor Elm's

The action kicks off when Gold meets Joey (known from the games as "Youngster Joey") who has had his bag stolen. The clues lead to Professor Elm's lab.

There we witness the event that shapes this entire saga: A mysterious intruder with silver hair has broken in. He steals a Totodile and a new invention – a Pokédex .

Never one to turn down a challenge, Gold takes the remaining Cyndaquil (which he calls Exbo) from the lab to take up the hunt. What starts as a misunderstanding where Gold believes the thief is after him, escalates into a personal vendetta.

Rival Silver

The thief is Silver . Unlike the arrogant Blue of the previous generation, Silver is cold, calculating, and physically dangerous. He doesn't steal for fun; he's on a mission.

The dynamic between Gold and Silver is at the heart of "Part 1" of this story:

• Gold is impulsive, warm-hearted, and cares about the bond with his Pokémon (he is called "The Hatcher" because he brings out the potential in eggs).

• Silver is cynical, efficient, and sees Pokémon as tools to achieve his goal (he is called "The Exchanger").

Why is this part so good?

What makes the Gold, Silver & Crystal arc special in the Pokémon adventures is how it expands the universe:

1. Neo Team Rocket: We get hints that the old enemy is not gone. A new, masked threat (Masked Man) pulls strings from the shadows, making the story a thriller.

2. Creative Battles: Since Gold uses billiard skills and cheats/tricks in combat, the battles are more unpredictable than the pure tests of strength we saw with Red.

3. The mystery: Who is Silver really? Why did he steal Totodile? And what really happened to Red, who has been missing since the last arc?

Conclusion: The start of something big

The first part of Gold and Silver's journey involves a cat-and-mouse game through the Johto region. From the ruins of Alph to the tower of Violet City, Gold is forced to become a better trainer in order to compete with Silver.

This is the start of what many fans believe is the best story in the entire Pokémon Adventures series. It's action-packed, humorous, and dramatic.