Pokemon feels like it has never been bigger than it is today, but its first foray into America could give the fame a run for its money. Back in the ’90s, the little-known Japanese franchise madeitself known overseas, and it didn’t take long for the U.S. to fall to PokeMania. Soon, a special book will go live detailing how the IP pushed its way into the global sphere, and none other than Ash Ketchum will be narrating the piece!
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Yes, that is right! Veronica Taylor is returning to Pokemon for the special project, so fans will want to check out Daniel Dockery’s upcoming book ASAP.
Over on Twitter, the author announced Taylor’s participation in his audiobook to the delight of fans everywhere. Monster Kids: How Pokemon Taught a Generation to Catch Them All will be read by Ash’s original voice actress in English when it goes live. So if you are eager for a history lesson, you can pre-order the book here.
For those unfamiliar with Taylor, the actress got her start in 1996 and is known best for voicing Ash in the original Pokemon anime. The star oversaw Ash for eight seasons between 1996 and 2006. Since leaving Pokemon, Taylor has gone on to work on a number of anime ranging from Yu-Gi-Oh to Sailor Moon and The God of High School. Most recently, Taylor worked on the English dub of In the Land of Leadale, and you can check out her performance over on Crunchyroll.
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As for Dockery’s book on all things Pokemon, fans will be able to find it on shelves or online starting October 4th. You can check out its official description below for more details:
“More than just a simple journey through the history of Pokémon, Daniel Dockery offers an in-depth look at the franchise’s many branches of impact and influence. With dozens of firsthand interviews, Monster Kids covers its beginnings as a Japanese video game created to recapture one man’s love of bug-collecting as a child before diving into the decisions and conditions that would ultimately lead to that game’s global domination. With its continued growth as television shows, spin-off video games, blockbuster movies, trading cards, and toys, Pokémon is a unique and special brand that manages to continue to capture the attention and adoration of its eager fanbase 25 years after its initial release.
Whether it was new animated shows like Digimon, Cardcaptors, and Yu-Gi-Oh!; the rise of monster-catching video games and trading card games; and more, Pikachu, the king of pop culture in the ’90s, opened the doors in America to those hoping to capture some of Pokémon’s dedicated fans. In Monster Kids, Dockery combines the personal stories of the people who helped bring Pokémon to the global stage with affection and humor, making this book the ultimate look at the rise of the franchise in Japan and then North America, but also the generation of kids whose passion for “catching them all” created a unique cultural phenomenon that continues to make a profound impact today.:
Will you be checking out this audiobook when it drops? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
