List of unused Pokémon and character designs: Difference between revisions

Nothing is known about Gorillaimo. Its hat could be a reference to the character Ninten from the Ape Inc. game, Mother. It also resembles the Nintendo character Donkey Kong. Gorillaimo could also be based on King Kong. Later generations have introduced many ape-based Pokémon.

It has short arms, a long tail, two horns on the back of its head, and draconic wings. It bears some resemblance to an early version of Scyther,^[2] as well as Charizard.

Main article: Gengar (Pokémon)

Main article: Nidorino (Pokémon)

An early version of Gengar and a creature with traits of Nidorino, Gyarados, and Feraligatr.

Main article: Weedle (Pokémon)

An early version of Weedle. This was one of several Pokémon sprites shown on Game Freak's official Japanese website circa 1997.

Main article: Poliwag (Pokémon)

An early version of Poliwag. This was one of several Pokémon sprites shown on Game Freak's official Japanese website circa 1997.

Main article: Poliwhirl (Pokémon)

Main article: Poliwrath (Pokémon)

An early verrsion of an evolution for Poliwag. This was one of several Pokémon sprites shown on Game Freak's official Japanese website circa 1997. Notably it is wearing a crown, similar to the King's Rock necessary to evolve Poliwhirl into Politoed.

Main article: Dragonair (Pokémon)

An early version of Dragonair. This was one of several Pokémon sprites shown on Game Freak's official Japanese website circa 1997.

Main article: Bayleef (Pokémon)

Chikorita's prototype evolution looked drastically different from the final Bayleef. It looked like a blossom. Its name was ハナモグラ Hanamogura.

Main article: Marill (Pokémon)

Marill's appearance in the Spaceworld 1997 demo. While it is recognizably similar, it has several visual differences, most notably the pink color. It also does not sport Marill's erratic tail pattern.

Main article: Hoppip (Pokémon)

Main article: Girafarig (Pokémon)

Main article: Torchic (Pokémon)

This early version of Torchic shows its lower body covered by an eggshell, with the fluff going all around its neck and wing-shaped ears. The other early design is nearly identical to the current Torchic, aside from the large floppy ears, and a flame-shaped marking on the back of its head, rather than the final design's flame-shaped feathers on top of its head.

Main article: Blaziken (Pokémon)

Main article: Latias (Pokémon)

Sometimes referred to as Latiaziken or Latiken by fans, this early image from Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire depicts a creature with traits of both Latias and Blaziken. In appearance, it more closely resembles Blaziken, but some features are more similar to Latias, such as its size. Some features resemble neither Pokémon, such as the hands.

Main article: Shellos (Pokémon)

Main article: Gastrodon (Pokémon)

Prototype back sprites of Shellos and Gastrodon show another form for each. These forms are possibly leftovers from when Shellos and Gastrodon were planned to be in Generation III. Shellos's sprite is pink, like its West Sea form, and seems to combine the West Sea form's head with the East Sea form's body. Gastrodon's sprite is brown and looks like its West Sea form, but with more rock-like protrusions on its body.

Main article: Sawsbuck (Pokémon)

Main article: Gogoat (Pokémon)

An early version of Sawsbuck. A concept art of it, dated January 19, 2009, was exhibited during a festival in Meiji University from October 31 to November 1, 2010.^[8] As noted in the concept art, Nekkoyagi (Japanese: ねっこやぎ) is a Grass/Ground-type, and has a pelt made out of roots. Its name is likely a combination of 根っ子 nekko (root) and やぎ yagi (goat). In an interview, it was said that Sawsbuck was created before the idea of seasons.^[9]

Additionally, it is possible that some aspects of Nekkoyagi's design, such as its apparent goat inspiration and root pelt, were reworked as Gogoat.

Main article: Stunfisk (Pokémon)

Stunfisk's design was originally based on a goosefish, but eventually became more like a flounder. It was also a Water/Electric-type, but was changed to Ground/Electric to balance out the type spread of Pokémon.^[9]

Hydreigon's design was based on the eight-headed Yamata no Orochi, although it is designed with fewer heads to appear less off-putting.^[10]

Main article: Blastoise (Pokémon)

Main article: Staryu (Pokémon)

In this early depiction of a battle, Blastoise is shown without its signature water cannons. Originally, this picture was captioned "Karabajio VS. Mimii", which are not the names of any known Pokémon. Karabajio may be a reference to the Italian painter Caravaggio, which in turn may reference how the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are named after Italian artists. It also may include "carapace".

Main article: Kakuna (Pokémon)

The "arms" on Kakuna seen in its Red and Blue sprite are commonly mistaken to be a sprite error, as they are rarely shown in any other media. They have, so far, only been shown on its Red and Blue sprite and one of the Pocket Monsters Carddass Trading Cards. In most depictions since, Kakuna's arms are always tucked up against its belly, apparently unable to move.

Main article: Lapras (Pokémon)

This early version of Lapras is recognizably similar, but visually quite different. Lapras's curly ears are not present, and the underbelly coloration ends under the lower jaw instead of including it. There are also no visible appendages or tail, but that may be due to the water. However, it bears a striking resemblance to its Generation I back sprite. Also in the sketch is an early design of Red.

Main article: Chikorita (Pokémon)

A demo released in 1998 showed that Chikorita's pre-release name was Happa (Japanese: ハッパ). Happa was previously mistakenly thought to be a prototype of Chikorita.

Main article: Ampharos (Pokémon)

An early sprite of Ampharos shows a lack of coloring. Its tail and head lack the signature red coloring to them and its belly is the same color as the rest of its fur instead of white. Ampharos is shown with a shorter neck and it only has two rings around its neck instead of three.

Main article: Bellossom (Pokémon)

Both early artwork of Bellossom and its Gold and Silver artwork show that it was originally to be a similar color to its other evolutionary relatives. This might have been changed to avoid another racial controversy, as the original Bellossom design appears similar to traditional Polynesian dress.

Main article: Tyranitar (Pokémon)

This potential early version of Tyranitar is nearly identical to the design seen in the finalized Gold and Silver versions. It was at the time an original design shown alongside two other original designs (as seen above) on the cover of Volume 14 of MicroDesign Publishing's Bimonthly Game Review magazine.^[7]

It has very few differences compared to the final version. Of these differences, the early Tyranitar design is more heavy-set, has a tan, rather than indigo belly, arms more reminiscent of Nidoking, and dozens of short spikes upon its back rather than a few long ones.

Main article: Treecko (Pokémon)

Concept art of Treecko shows numerous designs for the creature before the final one was decided. Many of these early sketches more closely resemble real geckos than the final product, which would later gain a more elongated head shape and a rounder nose.

Main article: Groudon (Pokémon)

In its early design, its eyes were shaped differently, the positioning of the spikes on its body was slightly different, its overall shapes are much less sharp, its head details became much more elongated in the final version, and the weather trio's signature body patterns are not present.

Main article: Combee (Pokémon)

The original design for Combee featured three larvae, instead of honey bees, wedged inside a honeycomb. Ken Sugimori noted that while the concept sounded "gross", it is nonetheless a distinctive and attention-grabbing idea, so the team decided to keep the design and tweak it slightly. In particular, Combee's three faces were simplified, based on simple faces found in old comic books, to make its overall appearance friendlier.^[12]

Main article: Excadrill (Pokémon)

In Excadrill's first appearance in a promotional video, its body was violet and its markings were mirrored and a different shade of red. However, it was changed to its current appearance in the next video it appeared in.

Main article: Throh (Pokémon)

Main article: Sawk (Pokémon)

According to interviews with Ken Sugimori in Nintendo Dream, during development, Sawk and Throh both had horns to look more like oni. However, these were replaced with eyebrows so as not to clash with Tornadus and Thundurus, who were originally designed to be red and blue, like Throh and Sawk.^[10]

Main article: Tornadus (Pokémon)

Main article: Thundurus (Pokémon)

Initially, Tornadus and Thundurus were designed as red and blue demons. However, the designers felt that the colors made them too similar to Sawk and Throh, so the horns of Sawk and Throh were replaced with eyebrows.^[10]

Revamped and enlarged versions of Mendel Palace's sumo sprites also appear in Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald as overworld sprites which are believed to be unused.

Main article: Green (game)

This art of an unnamed female character (with Squirtle) was featured on the cover artwork for the official strategy guide for Red and Green, as published by Shogakukan. Sugimori had stated that he wanted to portray a trio of Trainers facing against each other, hence created the female character for the cover.^[13] When Red and Green were being developed for a remake, Sugimori took the unnamed female character into consideration as he was designing the female player character, who later became known as Leaf.^[14]

A character named Green later appeared in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, whose design appears to have taken inspiration from both the unnamed female character and the female player character of FireRed and LeafGreen.

The unnamed female character also appeared several times in manga-styled instructions illustrated by Emiko Yoshino included in Pokémon papercraft sets (bottom).

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, a similar artwork appeared at the end of Volume 3 (right). The design of the character Green seems to have drawn inspiration from this unknown female character. After the release of FireRed and LeafGreen, Green donned the same outfit as the female player character in the fifth chapter of the manga.