Highlights

  • Pokemon fan art often draws inspiration from new game gimmicks, like Mega Evolutions and regional variants.
  • Generation 9 introduces Paradox Pokemon, Past and Future forms of existing Pokemon, sparking fan creativity.
  • Torterra's fan-made Past and Future Paradox forms blend prehistoric and sci-fi elements, inspired by the World Turtle myth.

A Pokemon fan has designed Past and Future Paradox forms for Torterra, the Generation 4 Grass/Ground-type. Pokemon fan art has often taken inspiration from the unique gimmicks tied to each generation, with fans designing some impressive creatures that would fit right in with the real Pokemon that make up the franchise's ever-growing Pokedex.

The Generation 6 Pokemon games, Pokemon X and Y on the Nintendo 3DS, introduced the concept of Mega Evolutions, in turn spawning endless fan art imagining new Mega Evolutions for Pokemon that were left out in the games. Similarly, Pokemon fan art inspired by Generation 7's regional variants has been plentiful, as has fan art imagining unique Gigantamax forms, as seen in the Generation 8 games Pokemon Sword and Shield.

pokemon-fan-art-paradox-darkrai-iron-singularity-feb-2024
Related
Pokemon Fan Designs Future Paradox Form for Darkrai

A Pokemon fan artist designs a Future Paradox version of the Mythical Pokemon called Darkrai and shares their efforts with fans on social media.

The Generation 9 Pokemon games, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, have introduced their own gimmick that has inspired fans: Paradox Pokemon. Paradox Pokemon, for the uninitiated, are Past and Future variants of existing Pokemon that give them a prehistoric or sci-fi makeover. Scarlet and Violet introduced plenty of official Paradox Pokemon, but Pokemon fans have designed their own takes on Pokemon that didn't receive new forms in the Switch games, like Reddit user banetteshiny_44, who created Past and Future Paradox forms for Torterra.

Paradox Torterra Pokemon Fan Art

Torterra was first introduced in the Generation 4 Pokemon games as the fully-evolved form of Turtwig, the Grass-type starter in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. These Past and Future Paradox forms for Torterra both imagine the creature having a world on its back, with the prehistoric Searing Isle holding up a mountain range and a body of water, while the futuristic Iron World features what appears to be multiple islands or continents protected by a large dome. Both designs were clearly inspired by the "World Turtle" myth that has appeared in various cultures, books, films, and games over the years.

In fact, there is already a Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet that seems to take inspiration from the World Turtle myth. Introduced as part of The Indigo Disk DLC, Terapagos is one of the newest Legendary Pokemon added to the franchise.

It's likely that Paradox Pokemon will continue to inspire Pokemon fans moving forward, but fans shouldn't count on future Pokemon generations revisiting the concept. Each new Pokemon generation likes to introduce a new gimmick, so it's quite possible that the Generation 10 Pokemon games will offer something completely unexpected that inspires plenty of its own fan art.