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Pokémon Chronicles, known in Japan as Pokémon Side Story (ポケモンサイドストーリー, Pokemon Saido Sutōrī), is a spin-off series of the Pokémon anime, revolving around characters other than Ash.
It first aired in Britain on Toonami, where the initial run has now finished. The only places where episodes are currently airing for the first time are the Caribbean, and Latin America on Cartoon Network Monday to Friday at 9:00pm EST/ 10:00 MXT. The show airs in India on Cartoon Network Thursday and Friday at 7:30pm IST. However, in Latin America (except Brazil), it seems the show has been cancelled because Mew Mew Power was put when Pokémon Chronicles usually is. The series made its U.S. premiere on Cartoon Network on June 3, 2006 at 7 PM US ET/PT after it ended in most other countries.[1] In addition, episodes are available online through Cartoon Network's "Toonami Jetstream" online video site, and moved to the Miguzi block for November at 5:30 PM US EST on November 6, 2006. On September 4, 2010; for the first time in almost four years, Cartoon Network aired "The Legend of Thunder" (Which dubbed, was split into three parts, aired as the first three episodes). It was aired as part of a "Pokémon Marathon" along with the episode "Entei at Your Own Risk" and the third Pokémon Movie.
Four DVDs have been released in the United Kingdom, with a U.S. release still non-existent. All of the episodes have been released as extras on the first six season box sets of Pokémon in Australia.
Characters
As Pokémon Chronicles focuses on recurring minor or departed major characters from the main Pokémon anime, its cast shifts from episode to episode, and many different characters have played starring roles. These are listed here in order of appearance:
Main characters
- Ash Ketchum (Satoshi): Ash's Pokémon get into mischief even when Ash is not around. In the Winter Vacation episodes they are joined by Pikachu and some of Misty and Brock's Pokémon and meet a group of "Snow Snorlax."
- Brock (Takeshi): Brock travelled around the Kanto region and the Johto region with Ash but between "Gotta Catch Ya Later" and "You Can Never Taillow", he visited his Pokémon Gym in Pewter City. There he found that his mother had taken over the gym, turning it into a Water Gym.
- Casey (Nanako): Casey was introduced in Johto, where she met Ash. They met a few times after that, although Casey only got 4 badges in the time it took Ash to get 8. When she is not training Pokémon, she is a big fan of the fictional Electabuzz baseball team. Her Pokémon are Meganium (her starter), Pidgey, Rattata, Beedrill (given by Ash), Elekid, and the dub says she has a Magmar and Rapidash.
- Gary Oak (Shigeru) Gary Oak is Professor Oak's grandson. He was very stuck-up and travelled with his female cheerleaders around Kanto. He eventually matured after losing in the Indigo Plateau a round before Ash. He re-appeared in Johto, and after losing to Ash in the Silver Conference, decided to become a Pokémon Professor.
- Jimmy (Kenta): Jimmy is on his way to become a great Pokémon Master with his Typhlosion, so that he can help the kids in New Bark Town. He is based on Gold, the male protagonist from Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal. He first appears in the first three episodes of the Pokémon Chronicles, called Raikou: The Legend of Thunder
- Marina: Marina is an old friend of Jimmy's, and she battles to entertain, always making sure she puts on a good show. She also performs in dance routines with her Pokémon. Marina is based on the female character from Pokémon Crystal. Her favorite Pokémon are her Misdreavus (nicknamed "Little Miss") and Croconaw (nicknamed "Wani-Wani"). Marina also appears in episode 10 of Diamond & Pearl as the poster girl for the Poketch, on the back of a magazine Dawn was reading. She later appears in episode 41 of Diamond & Pearl in a video of her doing a double contest appeal.
- Vincent (Jun'ichi): Vincent battled Ash in the Silver Conference, although he was known there as Jackson. Vincent's favorite Pokémon is his Meganium.
- Misty (Kasumi): Misty has travelled everywhere with Ash since he broke her bike, as well as with Brock and Tracy in the Orange Islands. But at the end of Johto saga of the Pokémon anime, her sisters went on a World Tour, and she had to become the official Gym Leader of Cerulean City. She is the major character in "Cerulean Blues".
- Professor Samuel Oak (Yukinari Okido-hakase): Professor Samuel Oak is the world's foremost authority on Pokémon. When Trainers such as Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak begin their Pokémon Journey, Professor Oak gives them their starting Pokémon - Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle, (or Pikachu in Ash's case) When he is not looking after all the Pokémon that Trainers do not have with them at the time - (each trainer may carry up to six on his or her person) - he is studying them and upgrading the Pokédex.
- The Pichu Brothers (individually known as Pichu Little and Pichu Big): The Pichu Brothers live in Millennium City. Their days are all about having fun with the Pichu Possé in the clubhouse. They met Pikachu in "Pikachu and Pichu" - the mini-movie before the third movie, as well as an anime inside Pokémon Channel - they get into other mischief later, either on their own or with Team Rocket's Meowth.
- Richie (Hiroshi): Ritchie and his trusty Pikachu, Sparky, battled Ash at the Indigo Plateau, and they have been friends ever since, even though they only met once again (in the Whirl Islands.) Ritchie does decide to go and meet Ash in Hoenn, but he apparently decides against it, because he is later seen in the Sevii Islands.
- Tracey Sketchit (Kenji): Tracey Sketchit travelled with Ash and Misty in the Orange Islands, and is now a lab assistant for Professor Oak. He loves drawing, and has produced many accurate sketches of Pokémon. He is also good friends with Brock.
[edit] Minor characters
- Delia Ketchum (Hanako): Delia is Ash's mother. She really misses him while he is away, but she is happy at home with her Mr. Mime for company. She is also good friends with Professor Oak and Tracey.
- Gilbert (Hajime): Gilbert is a new Pokémon trainer (and the mayor's son in the English dub). He dislikes the Kanto starters and wants stronger Pokémon like Torchic rather than the ones that Professor Oak has to offer, but in the end, he chooses a Bulbasaur.
- Sakura: Sakura is one of the Kimono Sisters from Ecruteak City. She originally intended to join Ash, Misty, and Brock on their Pokémon Journey, but decided to stay at home and learn more first. She is now collecting badges in Kanto with her trusty Espeon and her new Beautifly.
Team Rocket villains
- Atilla & Hun (Buson & Basho): Atilla & Hun are also members of Team Rocket, and are out to capture Raikou. Their names were derived from Atilla the Hun. (Hun is male in the Japanese version).
- Cassidy & Butch (Yamato & Kosaburo): Cassidy & Butch do not follow one Trainer around like Jessie & James do. They pick random worthwhile things and Pokémon to steal. Unfortunately for them, they usually choose people linked to Ash in some way. They are the main villains in Pokémon Chronicles. Their names are derived from the outlaw Butch Cassidy. In the anime, all of the characters, including Cassidy (though not as often) forget Butch's real name and calls him by a similar name, after which he gets into a fit.
- Professor Nanba: Professor Nanba (unseen, but seen with a silhouette) appears after the first couple of minutes in various episodes when Cassidy and Butch are sent for trouble. He orders the 2 rocket members to do all sorts of stunts via satellite chip (well placed usually in various foods), but his plans always fails some way or the other. This is another Rocket member to constantly forget Butch's name.
- Jessie & James (Musashi & Kojiro): Jessie & James are starting up the Hoenn branch of Team Rocket (Giovanni sent them to do so to get them out of the way). When they aren't trying to capture Pikachu, they are spreading the name of Team Rocket for their boss. Their names were derived from the outlaw Jesse James.
- Meowth (Nyarth): Meowth is a unique Pokémon in that he can talk. He normally hangs around with his best friends Jessie and James, attempting to capture Pikachu. But he somehow occasionally finds time to visit Millennium City, and be the good guy with the Pichu Brothers. He is also quite helpful when communicating with Pokémon, as well as translating what they say to Jessie, James, or even Ash and his friends sometimes.
Opening and ending
When shown on Shūkan Pokemon Hōsōkyoku, the episodes did not have a musical opening. Instead, they open with Brock and Misty talking (except for the Team Rocket episodes, where said characters would talk instead). Normally, it would result in Misty hitting Brock with a mallet, fan, or water gun for acting out of line. The endings would normally deal with that episode's character. When released on DVD these sequences were omitted entirely. The Japanese episodes were seen as special episodes, hence the unconventional opening. However, it was dubbed as a completely new series, so a musical opening was required. While the openings from the main series interlink scenes from the related Japanese opening with scenes from the episodes, there was no Japanese opening for Pokémon Chronicles, A new opening was created. Some of the scenes in the opening are taken from the Japanese Legend of Thunder opening, the rest are taken from episodes. There are 42 scenes in 36 seconds.
The ending is a repeat of the opening on the left of the screen, with the credits rolling past on the right. There are a few variations, however. The DVD version and first two parts of The Legend of Thunder shows footage from the battle at the start of Part Two. The ending for Pikachu's Winter Vacation on the DVD rolls over a full screen picture taken from the episode.
The original theme tune is a modified version of the "G/S Pokerap". However, there is an instrumental in the middle, where the narrator basically says what Chronicles is about:
- Old friends!
- New adventures!
- Never before seen stories from the world of Pokémon!
When the series aired in America, starting with the second episode, the intro sequence was changed to a newer version, consisting of a montage of various scenes from "The Legend of Thunder" with more intense music.