Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team

Directly based on the 2005 original Gameboy/DS games (Rescue Team Red & Blue) of the same name, comes a manga adaption for the series entitled Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team. This six-chapter, single volume release originally ran in Nintendo Power (for its USA release) and was then compiled into a single Viz Media product for mass purchase thereafter. After mysteriously waking up as in a Pokémon's body (specifically a Torchic), the human boy Ginji must get to the bottom of his strange predicament that has landed him in the world of Pokémon! While there, he meets Mudkip, a naive but impassioned Pokémon whowants to form a rescue team in order to save and help others in need against the mysterious rise of natural disasters in the local area. Though hesitant and uninterested at first, Ginji realizes it may be his only shot at finding the key to unlock the secret to his plight and return him to the normal world and his human life. The art of the manga is standard fare (very average) for a Pokémon manga release. On top of this, the plot and writing of the story are no where near as in-depth as say, the likes of Pokémon Special (Pokémon Adventures) or Magical Pokémon Journey. Ginji's Rescue Team is pretty much a condensed beat-for-beat rendition of the first half of the two original Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game titles' story (as they were followed by other sequel releases). Beyond that, there is little to tell (the manga doesn't even actually go to the end of the game's main plot!). I originally read this having no clue what Pokémon Mystery Dungeon was. This, in my opinion, is the only way the manga adaption can be fully enjoyed....basically only when ignorant. Otherwise there is no point when the actual game takes the story to a more in-depth immersed level AND innovative gameplay to compliment a better telling of said plot! All in all, if you want this story to the fullest and have not read this manga, skip it and play the GBA title. The plot will be fully flushed out and you'll have a fun time to boot.