Recaps

Shiraishi Ritsu and Smeargle turned Pokémon Adventures into a hit, but its portrayals of real Gym Leaders and Team Rocket drew attention from both. As Ritsu prepared for a reader signing, Sabrina considered attending and Giovanni quietly investigated the manga’s author.

• Sabrina confronted Shiraishi Ritsu over her villainous portrayal, then accepted his assurances, portraits from Smeargle, and a formal disclaimer while warning him not to make her look foolish.
• Pokémon Adventures rose in popularity, earned a collected volume, and drew Lt. Surge’s attention after depicting him and Raichu as Team Rocket members.
• Shiraishi Ritsu and Kikkawa Maho sent Lt. Surge an illustration and sample, but he remained unhappy with his defeat in the story before later praising the battle tactics in a new issue.
• Jessie, James, and Meowth bought Pokémon Adventures as a gift for Giovanni, who recognized its resemblance to Team Rocket and ordered a discreet investigation of Masuda Senbei.
• After Kikkawa Maho reported a collector’s unusual interest in Giovanni, Shiraishi Ritsu secured his original pages and found an unsigned letter questioning whether his drawings were only a story.
• Koga, Lt. Surge, and Sabrina discussed their fictional roles and the manga’s battle tactics, while Koga decided to visit Celadon City to meet Masuda Senbei.
• Shiraishi Ritsu agreed to a reader signing only if his identity stayed private and the three Gym Leaders were not invited, and the eighty reservations sold out quickly.
• Sabrina read fan letters, asked her staff to pass along Pokémon-training questions, and kept looking at the signing flyer while thinking about meeting Masuda Senbei and Smeargle.

Shiraishi Ritsu and Smeargle grew as a manga team, celebrated the success of Pokémon Adventures, and began planning a home and studio. In Saffron City, Ash lost to Sabrina and was trapped in her dollhouse before being rescued, and Ritsu joined Ash’s journey to Lavender Town, where Haunter became curious about his manga.

• Kikkawa Maho reported strong sales and reader interest, while Shiraishi Ritsu and Smeargle answered letters, added a safety warning, and began training for battles.
• Shiraishi Ritsu trained Smeargle to learn Quick Attack, then guided it to defeat Ashu’s Butterfree in a friendly battle.
• At his first signing, Shiraishi Ritsu met Lt. Surge, discussed battle tactics with him, and later exchanged ideas about Poison-type strategies with Koga.
• After publicity boosted sales, Shiraishi Ritsu and Smeargle celebrated their earnings, bought art supplies, and reserved a quiet two-story house in Celadon City.
• Shiraishi Ritsu met Ash, Misty, and Brock in Saffron City, warned Ash about Sabrina, and urged her to give him a proper Gym battle.
• Ash forfeited to Sabrina’s Kadabra, but her doll shrank Ash, Misty, and Brock and trapped them in a dollhouse until a mysterious psychic rescued them.
• Shiraishi Ritsu learned that the rescuer was Sabrina’s father, then joined Ash, Misty, and Brock on their trip to Lavender Town to study Ghost Pokémon.
• At Pokémon Tower, Haunter watched the group and reached for Shiraishi Ritsu’s copy of Pokémon Adventures instead of frightening Ash.