Like a lot of other kids from the ’90s, Pokémon was a HUGE chunk of my childhood. Pokémon Ruby was my second GBA game and second game I owned at all, but playing a Pokémon game was THE main reason I even wanted a console.
The first game I played in absolute was actually either Red or Blue on a classmate’s GBA in first grade (and I threw out their Map for no reason at all, dumb me). And I had been a fan of the series before, I watched the anime and probably already had some trading cards, and I think one or two books of the animated series (don’t recall when I got those two).
But Ruby was the first time it was MY game. MY adventure. I was in the Pokémon world.
The moment I took those first steps out of the truck, soon to meet my first Pokémon (Torchic), it was the moment my imagination and future nerd life was forever signed. The start of my love for Hoenn, of countless adventures in game, in my head, even a huge building blocks of great friendships and memorable IRL events to come.
Then Pokémon Emerald came, and by virtue of being the superior version of the game that started my journey, it cemented itself among the most influential… well, parts of my whole artistic and actual childhood.
My first fanfiction, as in the first time I actually started writing down a story of mine, was a Pokémon one.
During middle school it became crystal clear that my vocation was to tell stories. It was the time I made an onslaught of childishly drawn comics, 90% of which were Pokémon-themed, mainly in the Mystery Dungeon World, or with otherwise talking Pokémon protagonists.
Both because of how much I liked Mystery Dungeon (best stories in all of the Pokémon franchise, that’s what happens if you give a Pokémon game to a company that makes regular JRPGs), and because that was an excuse not to draw human characters. In any case, in the end I have to thank Pokémon for its huge role in bringing me into drawing as well.
By now, you get the point, and if you are here you probably like or liked Pokémon just as much growing up. In that case… time for some worlds and stories!
Also self inserts abound here, but be honest: who would send a character into the Pokémon world when you can go yourself?
Fanfic: Journey To Dreams
Two friends on a Pokémon Journey, facing trials and chasing a Dragon. A personal take on the classic core Pokémon tale, with plenty of action and lore. Sparked in high school by a friend’s idea for a self-insert tale of our PKMN trainer alter egos. JtD soon grew bigger than the two of us, becoming the Pokémon universe of my teenage years, which also were central casting for the key characters.
Fanfic: Hoenn’s Guardian
Before there were self-inserts… there were “almost-self-inserts”. With how huge Pokémon Emerald was to my childhood, there’s no way I DIDN’T have a headcanon retelling of that game for my player character. Also no way it WASN’T a crossover with the anime. Prepare the trumpets. We’re going back to Hoenn.
Mystery Dungeon- Unnamed Project
Concepts, plot points, art and ideas from a Mystery Dungeon universe fan project conceived together with a fellow artist and Pokémon fan.
Our tribute to a beloved spin-off series.
Pokémon Conquest– Arthurian Cycle Episode
I’d say the title speaks for itself. But the whole truth is even weirder. Pokémon Conquest was a weird fascinating spin-off, and a concept with absurd potential. Only natural I tried to take it to the logical extreme. Come into a world of warlords, Pokémon… and Excalibur.
The Time Capsule– Comics Archive Revisited
You remember those middle school Pokémon comics I mentioned? Yeah, those.
A fun retrospective, personal nostalgia tour, and while the drawing is obviously childish, I still find that some of the ideas and concept are endearing or interesting.
Also re-draws and reboots are a thing.