Pokémon’s Original Artwork Was So Much Better Than It Looked in the Manuals

A Pokémon archivist has shared newly discovered scans that show what Kanto and Johto’s original Pokémon were always meant to look like.

Analysis by YouTuber and Pokémon Archivist Twitterthey were sent “precise scans of the original 251 Ken Sugimori Pokémon artwork for archival in high quality.”

Ken Sugimori was the primary creature designer for the Pokémon series and designed the original Pokémon roster for the franchise’s early Game Boy entries. The recently discovered 251 scans cover the first two generations of Pokemon (Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow and Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal).

For the first time, exact scans of the original 251 Ken Sugimori Pokémon artwork have been submitted and archived in high quality.

The difference is insane. pic.twitter.com/KmNUIJQ2yv

— Ryutsu (@Lewchube) April 17, 2023

As Lewtwo explained, it doesn’t take long to realize that “the difference is insane” when looking at new and old scans. The Pokémon Ryutwo featured in the Twitter thread include Digret, Ivysaurus, Taurus, and Mew.

For example, Ivysaurus appears blue and orange in the old and inaccurate artwork. However, in the new scans, it looks green and pink, true to the character.While Diglett appears washed out with little detail in the old artwork, the new scan brings both the character and the ground around him to life. is.

Lewtwo explains that Pokémon’s Game Boy-era artwork on the internet was “often inaccurate in color, misshapen, and of very poor quality overall.” Apparently, these low-quality scans were first used in his Pokémon Red and Blue Player’s Guide for Nintendo Power in 1998. Ultimately, this faded artwork became the default for original Pokémon designs.

For over 20 years, the red, blue, gold, and silver artwork of each Pokémon on the internet has been inaccurate in color, often misshapen, and generally of very low quality.

Thanks to the scan provided by @Excalibur Zero Zwe can finally see what they were always meant to look like. pic.twitter.com/aCTYVzC0DZ

— Ryutsu (@Lewchube) April 17, 2023

But that all changed when Twitter users came along @Excalibur Zero Z I sent a scan of what I believe to be Sugimori’s original design. They did “a lot of cross-referencing” to make sure these new scans were authentic, making them official Game Freak assets, scans of the Japanese Korokoro that lead to the original Gold and Silver releases, and press kits. and compared with.

In the coming months, Pokémon archivists will be working with Pokémon fan sites such as Bulbapedia to disseminate more information about these new scans. But if you miss the old version, don’t worry. Lewtwo said they will still be preserved as well.

For more on Pokemon, check out the new Pokemon recently featured in the anime.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over 7 years of experience in the games industry and has bylines for IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.