Pokémon Origins

Pokémon Origins (Japanese: ポケットモンスター  Pocket Monsters: The Origin) is a miniseries that closely follows the plot of. Aesthetically it is based on the artwork, sprites, and other minor elements from (and to a far lesser extent, ), as well as including some unique features, such as Blue's green jacket and Mega Evolution. It stars as the protagonist and  as Red's rival.

The story is split into four episodes. It was first aired in Japan on October 2, 2013, airing in its entirety. The first episode premiered in English on Pokémon TV on November 15, 2013, with subsequent episodes following on November 18, 20, and 22, 2013; the episodes remained on Pokémon TV until December 2, 2013. All four episodes were released on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan on December 4, 2013. On January 30, 2014, the English dubs of all four episodes were made available on the Hulu streaming service for the United States (although after April 2015, they became Hulu Plus-exclusive), along with Amazon Video. On May 28, 2014, the English dubs of all four episodes were released on the iTunes distribution service, available in (SD) and  (HD) formats. On September 13, 2016, the first English dubbed episode was uploaded to Pokémon's official YouTube account.

Differences from the games
Although the mini-series is more faithful to the games than the main anime, there are still some differences, mainly to enhance the plot or due to time constraints.
 * speaks.
 * The character dialogue is directly from Red and Blue when in the text boxes during the montages (such as the beginnings of Files 2, 3, and 4), but when actually spoken, it is retranslated.
 * Pallet Town is much bigger.
 * The two visits to Professor Oak's Laboratory for the starter Pokémon and the Pokédex are combined in Origins. Thus, Oak's Parcel is absent.
 * Red encounters certain wild Pokémon in locations where they cannot be encountered in the games, such as and  appearing on.
 * Red and first battle on Route 1, instead of in Professor Oak's Laboratory. He references the lab battle by proposing that he and Red "test out [their] Pokémon" like in the games, but quickly changes his mind.
 * Brock meets Red on Route 1, whereas in the games he meets Red at the Gym, like all Generation I Gym Leaders except Giovanni.
 * The Gym Trainers do not battle Red.
 * Reina has a bigger role.
 * There are no s or any other Trainers in the Pokémon Tower.
 * Red is shown to already own a by the time he visits Pokémon Tower, despite having not yet visited Celadon City, where he would obtain Eevee at Celadon Condominiums.
 * The Silph Scope is obtained in the Pokémon Tower, instead of in the Rocket Hideout. However, a held it before Blue stole it from him.
 * The Rocket Hideout is instead encountered afterwards in a flash back in File 3.
 * Blue helps Red in the Pokémon Tower.
 * The ghost Marowak is calmed by her child,, instead of Red.
 * Giovanni is the only Trainer that battles Red inside Silph Co. Also, Red loses against him.
 * In the games, Blue leaves Red to defeat Team Rocket in Silph Co. In this special, he goes to inform the police, though only after being scolded by Red.
 * The Master Ball's production is put on hold, as opposed to Red being given one.
 * Giovanni uses fewer Pokémon.
 * This is referenced by him putting away his regular Gym Pokémon to battle Red with his two most powerful ones.
 * In the games, Giovanni originally disbands Team Rocket because he does not wish to face his followers after losing to Red. In this special, he disbands them because he remembers his former love for Pokémon.
 * One of the photos in the Hall of Fame includes a, a Generation II Pokémon.
 * Blue goes to Cerulean Cave to catch, whereas in the game he does not go at all.
 * Mewtwo knows instead of.
 * Mega Evolution, Mega Stones, and Key Stones were all added in Pokémon Origins.

Cast

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Gallery

 * For more artwork, please see Pokémon Origins images on the Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

 * Unlike the main anime, all of the Pokémon make realistic, animal-like sounds. However, these sounds were still dubbed over and recreated by English-language voice actors in the English dub.
 * The sound and visual effects for Poké Balls (such as when a Pokémon is being sent out) differ in comparison to the effects used in the main anime, instead being more loyal to the games. Another example is the three small stars that pop out of a Poké Ball when it has successfully caught a Pokémon.