Pokemon Fan Art Gives Staryu a Valentine's Day Makeover

gamerant.com:

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, aPokemon fan artist created their version of what Staryu would look like if it was themed around the holiday. The Pokemon fan then shared their handiwork on social media, and other fans compared their work to other popular characters that shared similarities to Staryu.

Known as the Star Shape Pokemon, Staryu is a Water-type Pokemon that first appeared in Pokemon Red and Blue. Often associated with the Cerulean City Gym Leader Misty, Staryu evolves into Starmie if a Pokemon trainer uses a Water Stone on it at any point outside of battle. While it has never been an outstanding Pokemon in most competitive battle situations, Staryu has remained popular due to its appearances in both the Pokemon anime and other games such as the Super Smash Bros. series. With its distinct battle cry of «Hyah!» upon being sent out of a Poke Ball, the Star Shape Pokemon has one of the most recognizable designs in the series, which has, in turn, made it a favorite of fan artists.

As the calendar turns from January to February, one Pokemon fan artist decided to get into the Valentine's Day spirit with their latest work. A Redditor and Pokemon fan named MunchyKu gave Staryu a new look and posted the finished product on the r/pokemon subreddit. While it retained its star-shaped design, Staryu's body color was changed from golden brown to pink, and the corners of its appendages were rounded off to be more smooth. Staryu's central gem core was also changed from a sphere to a heart shape, to align with the theme of Valentine's Day. The Water-type Pokemon from Kanto was not given any other major changes, but the OP placed the pink Staryu in front of a dark and starry backdrop to serve as a contrast.

For their work, the OP was given compliments from other Pokemon trainers on the subreddit. While a few users initially compared the Valentine's Day Staryu to characters from other franchises such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Sailor Moon, and Steven Universe,