A Pokemon fan recently gave Torterra a haunting Ghost-type regional variant, trading the giant tortoise’s nature-themed power set for a more supernatural one. Nintendo’s legendary monster-collecting franchise has been inspiring gamers to come up with their own custom creatures since Pokemon Red and Blue’s release in the late 90s, and the advent of region-based Pokemon variants has led to several creative takes on franchise mainstays.
Like in the games, these fan-made Pokemon variants often change the given creature’s elemental type to go with its new appearance. The spooky Ghost type has been a part of the Pokemon franchise since the original generation, and fans all over the world have imaged spectral Ghost-type variants of Pokemon like Slowpoke, Slugma, and even the classic Pokemon Blue cover monster Blastoise. Now a different turtle-themed Pokemon is being given a fan-made Ghost variant that is both eerie and somber in its design.
Reddit user JJonnie recently shared a new Ghost-type variant of Torterra, which is said to be native to the real-life Osaka region that partially inspired Pokemon’s Goldenrod City. This dual Ghost/Grass variant trades the miniature oak tree and mountain peaks on the standard Torterra’s back with a traditional Japanese-style gravesite and gives it a striking purple and green color scheme. According to the bio JJonnie created for this new version of Torterra, the large turtle appears during wildfires and supposedly guides the souls of those who die to the afterlife.
Some of the Reddit users that have seen JJonnie’s Ghost Torterra variant have noted how sad this backstory is and praised them for their inspired take on the Generation 4 starter evolution. There have been several different Torterra fan redesigns over the years, including alternate forms that combine Torterra with fellow Grass evolutions like Venusaur or give it Venus flytrap-like vines on its back to attack opponents in a manner not unlike Blastoise’s famous water cannons.
Pokemon Sun and Moon first introduced regional variants to the Pokemon franchise, and since then fans have been using the mechanic to dream up their own interesting versions of existing creatures. JJonnie's custom regional Ghost Torterra variant is one such redesign, giving the terrarium-like creature an interesting new shell design and a backstory that fits alongside other supernatural elements of the Pokemon mythos like the tragic origin of Cubone’s famous skull helmet.