Story Synopses

Dogasu's Backpack | Manga Guide | Volcanion and the Tricky Magearna

Story Synopsis | Differences between the movie and the comic | About the Author

Chapter One

The manga adaptation of Pokémon The Movie XY&Z "Volcanion and the Tricky Magearna" is currently running in CoroCoro Comics, a manga anthology magazine that goes on sale around the 15th of every month. The first chapter premiered in the April 2016 issue.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
March 2016	Preview
April 2016	Part One
May 2016	Part Two

Preview
March 2016 Issue

Release Date: February 15th, 2016

5 pages
The Mythical Pokemon Volcanion suddenly appears in front of Satoshi and Pikachu in the Azoth Kingdom. Volcanion calls out for Magearna, saying that it's come there to rescue it. Just who is this "Magearna" that Volcanion seems so eager to help!?

Notes

N/A

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Part One
April 2016 Issue

Release Date: March 15th, 2016

30 pages

Our story begins with Satoshi and Pikachu in the middle of a battle with a Karate King and his Goronda. The match is over quickly, however, as Pikachu's powerful Thunderbolt attack knocks out the Fighting-Type pokemon. Later, Satoshi makes his way through a forest until he arrives just outside the city of machinery, the Azoth Kingdom! As the young Trainer from Masara Town wonders what kind of pokemon he'll meet, something can be seen falling from the sky...

SLAM! A large red pokemon named Volcanion lands on Satoshi's head, pushing the unsuspecting Trainer into the ground like a tent spike being driven into the ground. Pikachu, meanwhile, is knocked back by the force of the impact. As the smoke begins to clear, Volcanion looks over at the startled Pikachu and asks what it's looking at. Volcanion then notices that it seems to have landed on something; when it lifts up its leg it sees an unresponsive Satoshi lying belly up in a crater! Satoshi has a strange metal belt around his waist all of a sudden that matches a similar band around one of Volcanion's legs. Satoshi quickly comes to and wastes no time asking Volcanion what its name is.

Volcanion makes a run for it, telling itself that it doesn't have time to waste dealing with some human. As it distances itself from the crater it just created, Volcanion looks back and notices that Satoshi is being dragged along with it! It seems that the metal band that wrapped itself around Satoshi's waist at some point during the impact is attracted like a magnet to the band that a group of humans apparently put on Volcanion's leg before pushing it out of their airship. But no matter...Volcanion says that humans took something important from it and it's going to get it back no matter what. It then tells our heroes that its name is Volcanion and that it hates humans. After all, it reasons, humans tell lies even though pokemon do not.

Volcanion propels itself over the giant wall surrounding the Azoth Kingdom with powerful streams of water it shoots from its legs. Satoshi and Pikachu continue to be dragged along as they land on a metal floor. Steam can be seen coming up through various grates scattered throughout the city while pipes run along the streets in all directions. After landing, Volcanion sees a bunch of bystanders in the way and uses its Hydro Pump attack to chase them away. It didn't come here to see them; it came her for Magearna. Volcanion calls out "Magearna!!" over and over again as Satoshi sits there bewildered. Is this "Magearna" the important something that was taken away from it?

Suddenly, Cabinet Minster Jarvis appears from out of the shadows. He's a tall, skinny man with long hair, glasses that obscure his eyes, and a scepter shaped like the Mega Evolution sigil. Three Mega Stones can be seen pressed into the sigil. A number of fierce-looking pokemon - Samehader, Gengar, and Onigohri - wait behind him while a small robot-looking thing stands to his side with its head down. "Kyuuuun" is all it seems able to say.

This robot, it turns out, is the Magearna that Volcanion's been searching for! Satoshi wastes no time in demanding Jarvis return it back to Volcanion but the cabinet minister refuses. He tells Satoshi that Magearna is a pokemon created by humans using mystic science and that it holds the key to the future of the Azoth Kingdom. Volcanion doesn't care about any of this and demands Jarvis return Magearna immediately. Jarvis responds by shouting "Mega Wave" (メガウェーブ), causing the three Mega Stones on his scepter to react. Suddenly, Jarvis' pokemon all begin to Mega Evolve at the same time! Mega Onigohri, Mega Bangirasu, Mega Samehader, Mega Houdin, Mega Spear, and a white Mega Gengar...it's a Mega Pokemon Army! Satoshi stands there with his mouth open.

Volcanion, on the other hand, doesn't seem phased. It knocks Mega Samehader back with Hydro Pump before being attacked by Mega Houdin's Psychokinesis. The psychic wave slams Volcanion against a wall, dragging Satoshi along with it. Mega Onigohri jumps toward Volcanion and hits Volcanion's abdomen with Ice Beam, freezing it to the wall. As Magearna continues to "Kyuuuun" Jarvis orders the white Mega Gengar to strike the finishing blow. Mega Gengar rushes toward Volcanion...and is attacked out of nowhere by Pikachu's Iron Tail! Satoshi turns to ask Volcanion if it's OK as he and Pikachu get ready to continue the battle.

Can Volcanion really trust this human after all...?

Notes

Serena, Citron, Eureka, Musashi, Kojrou, and Nyasu do not appear in the first chapter at all.

Volcanion appears to be speaking as opposed to using telepathy; it uses word bubbles with the tail pointed toward Volcanion and everything. Magearna, on the other hand, seems to only make mechanical noises.

No explanation is provided about how Jarvis can Mega Evolve six pokemon, at the same time, using what appear to be only three Mega Stones.

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Part Two
May 2016 Issue

Release Date: April 15th, 2016

30 pages

Satoshi steps forward, ready to fight. He starts running toward Jarvis...only to be pulled back to Volcanion by the chain attached to his waist! The Mega Evolution army leaps toward Satoshi and make quick work of the young Trainer.

"So weak!" exclaims a shocked Volcanion. Satoshi recovers and yells that he only got beaten because of the stupid metal belt that's keeping him stuck to his tormentor. Volcanion fires back that it doesn't even need the help of some human in the first place and that it can retrieve Magearna all by itself. Jarvis steps in to comment on how strange this argument has become; "return" Magearna, you say? Why, Magearna was made by the genius Éliphas in our country 500 years ago and is therefore the property of the Azoth Kingdom! An angered Volcanion shouts out that Magearna isn't anyone's "property" and manages to break free from the ice that had been keeping it pinned to the wall.

Volcanion then cocks its arm-like cannons and fires a Hydro Pump at Jarvis and his army! Unforunately for Satoshi he's in the way when the Hydro Pump is launched and is therefore carried right along with the jet of water toward the evil group. Thanks to the chain attached to his belt he comes to a halt mere centimeters away from Magearna as the Hydro Pump just kind of sputters out behind him. A bewildered Satoshi recognizes the opportunity he's been handed and scoops the man-made pokemon up in his arms before allowing the chain to snap the two of them back toward Volcanion.

Satoshi tells Volcanion to hurry up and get out of there, and while Volcanion isn't too happy about a human having the gall to order it around like this it can't really argue with the sentiment. Volcanion expels numerous steam jets from the various openings in the arms on his back and blankets the area in a white fog. Our heroes use the cover to make their escape.

Outside, Volcanion and the others have run far enough away from the Azoth Kingdom to avoid being seen. Volcanion turns its attention toward Magearna to ask if it's OK. "If it's for you," the mythical pokemon says, "I'll go through fire or water...!" Satoshi places his hand on Volcanion's head and observes how much it must really care about Magearna. Volcanion's had enough with Satoshi's overly familiar attitude; the galloping pokemon screeches to a halt, bucking Satoshi off its back. "I can't stand being stuck with some disgusting human any longer!" Satoshi demands to know why Volcanion hates humans so much so the mythical pokemon tells him it's because all they do is lie. Satoshi responds that *he* doesn't lie, and before long the two are shouting back and forth at each other. Pikachu's had enough of their bickering and decides to use its Thunderbolt attack to put an end to it.

After the two recover Volcanion says it's about time to take Magearna back to its home in the Navel Plateau. A short while later the three arrive at a grassy field surrounded by a large rock wall. Lots of different species of wild pokemon frollick about together. Satoshi doesn't have much time to enjoy the view, however, as the sound of tires rumbling draws their attention to a pair of Pokemon Hunters heading toward the pokemon! As the Navel pokemon make a run for it one of the hunters swoops in on a jet pack and aims a bazooka toward the fleeing group. The bazooka fires a net that captures a Hariborg, an Eriketeru, and a Gokurin. The second hunter takes this net and dumps its contents into a cage he has on the back of his truck. As Satoshi looks on in shock Volcanion mentions that the hunters have been there before. *This* is what humans are really like.

The hunters spot an Amarus making a run for it and decide that they could probably make a lot of money selling it. Volcanion is preparing to fire a Hydro Pump at the duo when Satoshi appears out of nowhere and tackles the hunter to the ground! Satoshi picks himself up and begins yelling at the hunters for treating pokemon as nothing more than tools to help them make money.

Now that Satoshi's drawn their attention in his direction the two hunters finally notice the giant red pokemon behind him. I'll bet we can make a ton of money off of that one! they think. The two of them call out a Kailios and Heracross and order the two of them to attack. Volcanion fires off a Hydro Pump to take down both of them at once but the bug pokemon are easily able to out-maneuver the comparitively slow attack. Satoshi enters the fray and has his Pikachu use Quick Attack to combat the hunters' speedy pokemon. As the bug-types stop in their tracks at the sight of Pikachu's fast footwork the Mouse Pokemon fires off an Electro Ball. Volcanion steps in and uses Steam Blast to finish the battle and send both the pokemon and the two hunters packing. As the poachers drive away Satoshi yells at them to never come back.

Satoshi turns to the pokemon of the Navel Plateau to tell them everything's OK. But now it seems like they're scared of him as well? Volcanion explains that they're afraid of Satoshi because he's a human and must therefore be a hunter just like the other two. Volcanion then clicks its tongue and tells Satoshi that it didn't need the help of a human to take care of those hunters back there. Satoshi angrily shouts back that the hunters' speedy pokemon had it surrounded but Volcanion says it was just sizing up its opponents. Pikachu sighs as Magearna looks on quizzically.

Back in the Azoth Kingdom, an attendant informs Jarvis that they've finally located Magearna. With that, Jarvis' massive airship begins its journey toward the Navel Plateau.

Notes

The two hunters who attack the Navel Plateau have not been seen in any of the trailers or other promotional material for the film so far. Click on each image to view a larger version.

When asked about the hunters' identity on Twitter, author of the manga Kawamoto Kemon had this to say:

"@DogasusBackpack Thank you for reading. I actually don't know if those two hunters have names or not ^_^;"

@DogasusBackpack 読んでくれてありがとうございます。あのポケモンハンターの名前、あるかどうか分からないんですよ〜f^_^;)

The pokemon that the hunters capture in their net and put into their truck are never shown to be rescued; it seems as if they were still trapped in their cage when the hunters drive off.

Part Three
June 2016 Issue

Release Date: May 14th, 2016

30 pages

Pikachu tries to cheer up the shaken pokemon by making funny faces at them. Volcanion thinks Pikachu is just wasting its time but before long the pokemon of the Navel Plateau all warm up to the Electric-Type pokemon! Even the Amarus who was chased by the hunters is becoming friendly with Satoshi! This does not go unnoticed by Volcanion.

Meanwhile, Jarvis continues to make his way toward the Navel Plateau in his airship. If he can get his hands on Magearna, he says, he'll finally be able to release something called "the Forbidden Seal."

That night, Satoshi and Volcanion stay up talking while all the other pokemon in the Navel Plateau sleep. Suddenly, a Gokurin approaches the two of them and spits out a liquid that causes both of their restraints to melt off! At last, Satoshi and Volcanion are no longer attached to each other! Volcanion explains that this is Gokurin's way of thanking him for helping them with the hunters earlier that day. Satoshi rushes over and hugs the pokemon but Gokurin suddenly gets a scared look on its face and wiggles out of the young Trainer's arms! Volcanion explains that the way Satoshi hugged it reminded Gokurin of its old Trainer. This is painful for the pokemon, however, since one day the Trainer decided it didn't want it anymore and released it! In fact, all the pokemon in the Navel Plateau were abandoned by their Trainers! Volcanion turns toward Satoshi. "Pokemon don't lie, but humans will lie whenever it's convenient for them." Satoshi insists that he's different and that he never makes pokemon suffer.

Suddenly, a Mega Livolt appears and uses Electric Terrain to shock all the sleeping pokemon! The rest of Jarvis' Mega Evolution Army is there too! The cabinet minister steps out from his airship and tells them to return Magearna. Livolt shoots off an electric attack toward Satoshi but the attack is blocked...by a giant metallic Monster Ball!? As the smoke clears the ball begins to open up to reveal that this "Monster Ball" was really Magearna using one of its unique abilities! The man-made pokemon rushes forward, points its arm toward Mega Livolt, and fires off a series of energy blasts at Jarvis' pokemon. Mega Livolt retaliates with an electric attack but Magearna is too quick and dodges every bolt. Magearna prepares to fire off another blast at point blank range when Jarvis reveals that he's taken a hostage! As his Mega Evolved pokemon point their razor sharp claws at the Navel Plateau pokemon he tells Magearna that if it doesn't stop he'll have all the pokemon killed. Magearna quietly stands down.

Jarvis then orders his white Mega Gengar to use Psychic to lift Magearna up toward him. He reaches out to the motionless Magearna and grabs its chest cavity and begins to pull on the Soul Heart that's attached to it. Satoshi and Volcanion look on helplessly. As Jarvis wrenches the Soul Heart out of Magearna he says that he'll be able to use this to release the seal on the kingdom...

Jarvis now has the Soul Heart in his possession! Without its heart Magearna is just an empty shell so Jarvis orders his Mega Gengar to dispose of it. The white pokemon throws Magearna overboard and into Volcanion's waiting arms. Volcanion tries to shake Magearna awake but it doesn't respond; Jarvis sees this and tells everyone that now that it's lost its heart Magearna is basically dead now. An angry Satoshi gets ready to fight but it's too late; Jarvis has already ordered his Mega Evolution Army to all use Hyper Beam on our heroes. "It's your turn to die now."

Seven super powered Hyper Beam attacks are fired at the same time. A blinding white light envelops Satoshi, Pikachu, Volcanion, and Magearna. After an terrific explosion, a giant crater is left in the ground where our heroes once stood. Jarvis prepares to return to the Azoth Kingdom.

Notes
N/A

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Part Four
July 2016 Issue

Release Date: June 15th, 2016

?? pages

Coming Soon!

Notes
N/A

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Story Synopsis | Differences between the movie and the comic | About the Author