Genki is a boy who loves playing the Monster Rancher games and one day he's somehow transported into the world of the video game where he meets the girl Holly and the monsters Mochi, Suezo, Golem, Tiger and Hare. Together, they are searching for a way to revive the Phoenix, which is the only monster capable of stopping the evil Moo.
Pixie returns, and helps Genki in a battle against a group of Scale Jells. But she and Genki become separated from the others, and when Pixie gets injured, she finds she must rely on Genki to survive. At first, she is embarrassed and angry. But Genki's compassion begins to wear away at the barrier of hatred she has built around herself.
The Searchers finally confront Gali, the second of Moo's Big Four. Gali is both charming and clever, and manages to trap Genki and the others in a pit. But Mocchi escapes the trap, and the young monster must fight, alone, in order to save his friends.
The Searchers are attacked by the Black Worms, who are under Gray Wolf's command. Tiger must save the group and come over the realization that he must be the one to defeat his brother.
While wandering through a hude, dark forest, the Searchers are captured by a group of Moks, led by their captain, a dark Mok named Ebony. Mocchi manages to escape, and befriends a Ducken, who had been hiding in the forest from the Moks. Can Mocchi save Genki and the others or will his efforts get his new friend captured as well?
Genki and his friends come across a trio of Centaurs, proud warriors who serve Moo, but have a code of honor of their own. They challenge the Searchers to a tournament, but there is a squad of Salamanders in the area as well, and they don't want the Centaur to have the glory of Genki's capture.
The Searchers come across a small, quiet lake in the forest. They decide to restock their food supplies with fish. However, the lake has another inhabitant, an Undine. Golem falls in love with the beautiful water spirit, but she turns out to be a servant of Moo. Will he be able to defeat her?
