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Manga: Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!

Basically, Dragon Ball meets Pokémon.

"I'm fine with being stupid! I'm going to keep meeting challenges and keep marching forward! And I swear I'm going to meet Dialga!"

—Hareta

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! is an eight volume manga based on the Pokemon Diamond And Pearl games. It is written and illustrated by Shigekatsu Ihara. All eight volumes are translated by Viz.

The manga stars Hareta, a boy who has lived in the wild for most of his life because Professor Rowan noticed that he had the ability to instantly become friends with Pokémon.

One day Hareta is called to Professor Rowan's lab by his assistant, Mitsumi. The two of them then set off in search for the legendary Pokémon Dialga. They however have to worry about Team Galactic, who are also after Dialga. And off they set on a journey, beating the Gym Leaders (it's a Pokémon manga, what do you expect?) while simultaneously trying to stop Team Galactic from capturing Dialga.

Not to be confused with the Pokemon Diamond And Pearl based chapter of Pokemon Adventures.

This series provides examples of:

Abusive Parents: Cyrus is, for all intents and purposes, Mitsumi's father figure. Who raised her to be a war machine (in the games it's implied that his own parents were abusive, but in DPA it never comes up).
Action Girl: Mitsumi
Adaptation Dye Job: Mitsumi has green hair; her video game counterpart's hair is black/blue. Hareta's hair appears to be pitch black, while his game counterparts hair color is the same deal as Mitsumi's.
A God Am I: Cyrus' goal.
Anachronic Order: Several of the side story chapters. The ones in volumes 3 and 4 have to be set near the start of volume 2, and the one in volume 7 is set between volumes 5 and 6.
And the Adventure Continues: In the epilogue, Hareta is given the task of filling the National Pokédex.
Anime Hair: Hareta and Mitsumi, but especially the latter
- And, you know, EVERY MEMBER OF TEAM GALACTIC except Cyrus (though he does have a Super Saiyan hairdo here) and the Grunts (who just have a minor case). Also most of the Gym Leaders, and Flint.
Badass
Badass Normal: Hareta is basically Sapphire's male counterpart.
Berserk Button: FOR LIFE ITSELF, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT SELL POKEMON WHEN HARETA IS IN THE VICINITY! THAT IS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN BE EVIL FROM HARETA'S POINT OF VIEW! And if you are arresting a friend of Hareta even if he/she is on Team Galactic...Well, GOOD LUCK!
Big Bad: Cyrus for five volumes, Charon for the next three.
Big Eater: Kaisei
Bishie Sparkle: Roark gets this at one point, actually.
"Blind Idiot" Translation: Averted for the most part, but it has its moments. Such as B-2 being identified as "the buttman of Team Rocket" (he's in Team Galactic; there are no Rockets in this series), misspelling a main character's name in a few places, mistaking Saturn's gender at one point, and formatting the occasional text in Western order despite the translation being released in Japanese order.
- In volume 1's "DP Snapshots", the title of one of the pages is "ターゲット、　ロックオン!", quite literally the English words "Target, Lock-on!" in katakana. What did Viz translate it as? "Rock the Target's World!" ...
  - The Japanese text could also be read as "Target, Rock On!", which is likely the cause of the mistake.
  - Sure, it could be read that way. Except for the fact that it makes close to no sense in the context.
Breaking the Fellowship: When Hareta battles Cyrus on a Rope Bridge while Mitsumi and Jun deal with his subordinates, and... well the bridge breaks, with Hareta falling into the river below. It takes over a whole volume before he is reunited with either Jun or Mitsumi. (Who were also separated a bit later.)
Butt Monkey: B-2, quite literally.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Cyrus's Pokémon are last seen in volume 3 and only casually mentioned once later, in what's pretty much a joke (Hareta imagines Cyrus as a fisherman, mentioning Gyarados in the process). It's assumed that he had them in volume 5 since he waited for Hareta to battle him, but once Hareta actually arrives, he doesn't use them. It simply never comes up for the rest of the series.
Covers Always Lie: Volume 6 features Origin Form Giratina on the cover, the volume is about Hareta fighting in a tournament. Giratina is only mentioned once in the last panel of the book.
Covers Always Spoil: One of the covers prominently features Mitsumi in Galactic garb. It may be somewhat a case of It Was His Sled with the fandom, but it can be a spoiler to people if you haven't read enough of the manga
Curb-Stomp Battle: Has quite a few. Mitsumi's beatdown of Hareta in Volume 4 when they battle comes to mind, until Hareta himself joins in.
Demoted to Extra: Volkner. He makes a really brief one panel cameo in the final chapter. (In volume 5, he also makes an appearance between chapters complaining about how he hasn't made an appearance in the story.)
- Maylene did the same thing earlier, whining about how she was only present in one panel that chapter. Fantina was also given a minor role in just one chapter.
  - Cynthia, while more important than the three aforementioned gym leaders, still doesn't appear as much as one would expect of her.
Determinator
Dirty Old Man: Palmer, kinda. To be fair, Mitsumi is apparently legal.
Disappeared Dad: Kaisei, who is still alive, and left to find more Pokémon.
- Daddy Had A Good Reason For Abandoning You: The first time, not so much. The second time when Hareta and Kaisei meet, he is being chased by Interpol agents.
Driven to Suicide: Mitsumi, though she was saved by Jun at the last minute.
Enemy Mine: Team Galactic teaming up with the heroes TWICE to take down a greater enemy, including one of their own.
Even Evil Has Standards: Cyrus in the final volume, as they go to fight Charon, talks about how Team Galactic was never about money or power. However, given what the team was about...
- The means are bad with the team under both leaderships, but with Cyrus, Team Galactic at least had ideals beyond just "get wealth and power at the cost of everyone else."
Everything Is Better With Penguins: Hareta's Piplup.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Cyrus's rant in volume 5 is basically a textbook example of this, puncuated as it is by Hareta's subsequent sobbing.
Evil Old Folks: Charon, who's probably pushing 70.
Excited Episode Title!: The series itself, as well as many of the chapter titles
Foe Yay: Cyrus's interactions with both Hareta and Mitsumi are pretty much made of this. Then there's Jupiter's interactions with Mitsumi. To a lesser extent, there's also that chapter with Koya and Mars...
Friend to All Living Things: Hareta.
Freudian Excuse: Koya has one that explains why he's a "Stop Having Fun" Guy.
Getting Crap Past the Radar: Oh let me count the ways:
- Hareta hitting the cameraman in the junk with his Poké Ball, which Piplup then proceeds to emerge from—stuck in the poor guy's crotch.
- A flashback to a half-sleeping Hareta peeing on Mitsumi's travel bag.
- Neo Team Galactic's attempted suicide bombing of the league tournament.
- The constant abuse of B-2's butt, but especially an infamous shot from the final volume where a Stunky is sniffing it with its face between the cheeks.
- Flint's entrance at the tournament sees him accompanied by three shapely women (and an indifferent driver).
- After the contest in volume 2, Hareta is all too eager to get out of his suit and takes it off in front of Jun and Mitsumi...and everyone else in the lobby. He then proceeds to run around naked while Mitsumi yells that he needs to put clothes on.
- Did they seriously just compare Purugly's tail to a bra? "Lifts and separates"?
- Mitsumi attempting suicide is a bit surprising, even for Shōnen.
Go Karting with Bowser: Hareta inviting B-2 to join the heroes for lunch before invading the Galactic base.
- The entire last battle could be an example as well, especially since it's established that going up against Giratina is for fun rather than out of necessity.
Good Is Not Nice: Koya is a member of the International Police, but that doesn't stop him from being a complete jerkass.
Happily Failed Suicide: Mitsumi seems right as rain after being pulled out of the explosion she pretty much begged to remain in.
Heel Face Turn: Cyrus (yes, you read it right), Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter, all after volume 5
- As well as Mitsumi, pre-series.
Heel Realization: It takes almost blowing up the universe, but Cyrus finally realizes that he might not be the savior he thought he was.
Heroic BSOD: Jun after failing to save Mitsumi from Jupiter.
Honor Before Reason: Hareta in dealing with pretty much every villain except Charon. Cyrus does it too, especially when he delays his plan by several hours, waiting on the Spear Pillar for Hareta to show up so they can have that battle he promised the kid.
Idiot Hero: Hareta is this. When he beats Roark and gets his first badge, he tries to eat it.
I Cannot Self-Terminate: Mitsumi asking Jupiter to blow her up in the base
Improbable Age: I'm not quite sure how old Koya is, but he certainly doesn't look old enough to be a member of the International Police.
- Granted it's not said if DPA Cyrus is 27 like his game counterpart, but since this is the only canon where he looks young enough to be that age and there's nothing really to contradict it, it can be assumed that he is. But that makes things difficult, as he'd have had to be in his mid-teens when he recruited Mitsumi. Not impossible, as this is a franchise built around the incredible feats of ten-year-olds and we already know he was a massive overachiever as a kid, but...difficult.
Inconsistent Dub: Various translation errors involving items and abilities from the video games. Also while Jun keeps his Japanese name, the name "Jun" is localised in the video games (as an optional default name) and anime as "Barry".
- And in volume 6, the Japanese character Handsome has had his name translated as "Hansom", rather than being consistent with the games and anime which call him "Looker".
  - And as of volume 7 is back to being Looker with the rationale that Looker is his code name. So does that mean that his real name is Hansom?
Inspector Javert: Koya
Idiot Hero
"I Know You're In There Somewhere" Fight: Hareta vs. Mitsumi in volumes 4 and 5.
Informed Ability: Looker is said to be "invincible", but we never see him battle. Really he just stands around and yells.
- Kaisei is also said to be an incredible battler, but again, we never see it, and to our knowledge he has only one pokemon.
Jerkass: Koya.
- Jupiter, particularly toward Mitsmi. Saturn too, especially in volume 7. He was The Mole at that point, but he played up his role WAY too much for comfort.
- Though the biggest one in the series is, of course, Charon.
Journey to Find Oneself: Jun after he fails to prevent Mitsumi being taken by Team Galactic.
Kick the Dog: Frequently done by Cyrus or Charon.
Let's Get Dangerous: Mitsumi was shown to have a single Starly in volume 1. Volume 2 she dominates a contest with a superpowered Infernape. Volume 6 has her going head to head with Cynthia and only losing because she gives in, despite being equally matched. Of course, having a past as a Team Galactic officer will do that to you.
Mad Scientist: Charon
Middle Management Mook: B-2.
Mind Rape: Charon's control effectively turns critters into Shadow Pokemon.
Miniature Senior Citizens: Cynthia's grandmother has to be less than a meter tall.
The Mole: Saturn seems to have refused the Heel Face Turn path and joined Charon in the Platinum arc, but it turns out he's a Double Agent and has always been loyal to Cyrus.
Mood Whiplash: The series can go from comedy to drama in about a page or two.
Nature Hero: Hareta
No Name Given: A recurring Galactic Grunt with a swollen ass is known for most of the series simply as "That guy with the butt". In volume 7 he states that as a grunt he has no name and that he is known as K-2. Also a Punny Name in Japanese due to it sounding incredibly similar to "ketsu", the Japanese word for "butt".
- Of course, in the English translation, he explains that he is named B-2, with Hareta cheerfully informing him that it "sounds kinda like 'butt'". Er... nice try, but no cigar there.
No Sense of Personal Space: Jun throwing himself at Mitsumi with a loud "Hello there!" when they get to Floaroma Town gets him slugged by her.
Olympus Mons: Hareta gets Regigigas in volume 4.
Omnicidal Maniac: Cyrus
Parental Abandonment:
- Hareta's father left him in the care of Professor Rowan, who in turn left Hareta in the care of wild Pokémon!
- Mitsumi was an orphan and was raised by Cyrus.
Pet the Dog: All of the Galactics save for Charon. Even Cyrus gets in on it in the Platinum arc.
Plot Hole: In the first chapter it is stated that it's been four years since Hareta and Rowan have seen each other. The first half of the Deoxys side-story, which is set before the first chapter, features both Hareta and Rowan. Hareta doesn't look much younger than he is now, certainly not four years younger.
The Power of Friendship: This is Pokémon, after all. Comes with the territory.
Raised by Wolves: As mentioned above, Professor Rowan left little Hareta in the care of wild Pokémon.
Rated M for Manly: Byron. Just try to read the part where he takes Hareta as a student and not get "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" stuck in your head. I dare you.
Redemption Equals Death: Mitsumi
- However, it was a Disney Death
The Rival: Jun in the first five volumes. Koya plays a less friendly variant of it in the next six volumes.
Running Gag: Throughout the first volume, Hareta can't throw his Poké Balls.
- The abuse of B-2's rear end is an even further running gag.
- As is Hareta messing up people's names ("Mabs", "Surface", etc)
- And people mistaking things for Earthquake. Except the few times it actually IS Earthquake, nothing's made of it.
Save the Villain: More emotionally than physically.
Scenery Censor: Piplup behaves as this when Hareta is naked.
She's a Man in Japan: Aaaaaalmost. Saturn gets called "she" twice on one page, but "he" the rest of the series. Admittedly, a few pages before, Saturn is drawn with broad hips, long eyelashes, and man-breasts for no apparent reason.
Shown Their Work: When Hareta and pals head to Veilstone City in volume 7, there's a shot as they're approaching the town (riding Jun's Dragonite) of the entire city EXACTLY as it appears in Platinum version.
- Also, Ihara clearly paid attention to how Sugimori drew Team Galactic. Mitsumi's eyes are brown when she's drawn in her normal outfit◊, but green in her Galactic uniform◊...because in the stock art, all the agents have matching hair and eye color. Most people don't notice this because it's never brought to attention, but it's there.
Sibling Triangle: Well... Not exactly siblings, but both Jun and his father Palmer have an interest in Mitsumi.
Sniff Sniff Nom: Hareta. Things that have been in his mouth include Poké Balls, Badges and a Galactic Grunt's ass.
Spiritual Successor: This manga can be seen as one to an earlier manga by the same artist, "Pocket Monsters Emerald: Challenge!! Battle Frontier", which was a Japan and Singapore only manga based off the Battle Frontier portion of Emerald.
Sympathy for the Devil: Hareta just can't hate Cyrus, even after all the man did.
The Stoic: Koya. Oddly not Cyrus, however, although he does say that "emotions only cause pain".
Teach Him Anger: Most of Cyrus's manipulation of Mitsumi is focused on getting Hareta to hate him. It doesn't work, although he does make the boy angry.
Tender Tears: Hareta after Cyrus's rant in volume 5.
The Starscream: Charon
"Stop Having Fun" Guy: Koya
"Once I too was a trainer who had fun during my battles... So you see having fun in battle is foolhardy. A perfect win that is a Pokémon Trainer's duty"
There Is No Kill Like Overkill: Piplup's surf.
Toilet Humour: Hareta. He urinated in Mitsumi's bag at one point and farted really loud while Mitsumi was trying to think.
Took a Level in Badass: Jun, once he returns from his Journey to Find Oneself. ... Kinda.
Totalitarian Utilitarian: Cyrus, especially the second and third points.
Tough Love: Byron compares his training young Roark to the story of lions throwing their cubs off cliffs.
Training from Hell
Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: Mitsumi.
- Implied with Cyrus as well, although we don't see it, considering there's a big chance he was around fifteen when he recruited Mitsumi.
- And don't forget Koya! Just because he's on the side of good doesn't make him not a screwed up little freak.
Tykebomb: Mitsumi
- Defusing The Tykebomb: Professor Rowan defuses Mitsumi
Utopia Justifies the Means: Cyrus and by extension, Team Galactic.
Vague Age: As expected from Pokémon. Hareta seems to be around the same age as his game counterpart, eleven or so, but Mitsumi and Jun seem considerably older than their game counterparts.
Villainous BSOD: Cyrus after realizing that Dialga and Palkia will destroy everything, without hope of rebirth, and it's all his own stupid fault, could also perhaps qualify as My God, What Have I Done?.
- And Mars, a few chapters before that, when Cyrus reveals that his "new world" involves destroying everything and everyone in the current one. She snaps out of it enough to help in the end, though.
Villains Never Lie: Cyrus is surprisingly honest about his goal to become a god (blurting it out in what's basically his introductory speech as he does), and as in the games he goes on about a "new world" so much that it comes as a surprise that apparently all of his followers thought it was a metaphor. Or something.
- And the Galactics are true to their word about evacuating the exploding base, including the Gym Leaders they were holding prisoner. But that may have more to do with their plan to delete the universe in a couple of hours than any actual honor. They do enjoy a challenge, after all.
Villainous Demotivator: Cyrus's reaction to Saturn's loss to Hareta is to fire Saturn on the spot. Never mind that Saturn had just successfully caught Azelf.
We Can Rule Together: Comes after Cyrus has spoken to Hareta for less than five minutes.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Cyrus.
Wild Child: Hareta
0% Approval Rating: Charon