This retro Pokémon fan project is a stunning look back at Kanto

polygon.com:

Long-time fans of the Pokémon franchise may remember the early retro art style of Ken Sugimori, the illustrator of the artwork used for the original Pokémon games. Sugimori’s artstyle is much less bold, vibrant, and polished than the work in early games. That being said, it has its own charm and is fondly looked back on to this day. For instance, fans still love the original chubby Pikachu. But what if we revisited that pen and marker artstyle for a modern Pokémon title? Fans have solved that mystery, and the result is stunning.

A fan account has been posting images of what a Sugimori-inspired Pokémon game mght look like; the bio, which is in Japanese, explains that they are creating fan art of Pokémon from a different time. It’s a way to see characters and creatures from the original games through a new perspective, or bring the potential of an old title to life with modern upgrades. The account’s theme is that they’re producing lost titles from a space-time distortion; it’s a fun way to explore a long-lived and beloved franchise.

これは時空の歪みによって生まれた、懐かしくも新しい『ポケットモンスター 初代』！ (トキワの森編)<a href=«https://twitter.com/hashtag/pokemon?src=hash&ref_src=» https: www.polygon.com>#pokemon

pic.twitter.com/Mm7bF4M80F

It’s definitely fascinating to imagine what a game likePokémon Legends: Arceusmight look like if it was done through this super nostalgic lens. The colors are muted and gentle, and the creatures that Red encounters are downright adorable. It’s worth watching the clip for the 3D chubby PIkachu alone, although there’s plenty of other recognizable ‘mons on the loose.

The account also shares a look at other fascinating alternate realities, like a Sword and Shield-era take on Pokémon Stadium. Characters like Grookey’s evolution