Pokemon’s roster of collectible monsters is increasingly getting close to the thousand strong mark, but many fans still hold the original 151 in high regard. This is especially true for each of the Legendary Pokemon from this original batch that took a little more effort to catch. The Legendary Bird trio of Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos will soon be getting new makeovers in the upcoming Expansion Pass DLC for Pokemon Sword and Shield, but one artist has given Articuno a slick new look before that major change. Because while Pokemon: Detective Pikachu offered up a world full of neat realistic looks for our favorites, it didn’t cover everything.
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The only Legendary to show up in that movie was Mewtwo, but fans probably would have really loved a brief cameo from one of the birds. But how would a realistic take on these birds look like anyway? Artist MBrumArt imagines just that with a cool realistic interpretation of the Legendary ice bird, Articuno.
Sharing the following work to Reddit, this take on Articuno strips away its more cartoonish design yet still offers up a take on Articuno that’s as gorgeous as you would expect it to be. Rather than be a frightening giant bird (probably what a Fearow would look like in real life), this Articuno seems like it could exist in our world already. Check it out below:
Finally got around to this digital painting of Articuno (banana for scale this time). Two down one to go. from r/pokemon
The latest Pokemon anime series has taken Ash back to the Kanto region, and has already seem him interact with the Legendary birds Lugia and Ho-Oh. With two Legendaries already making their appearance in the new anime, this could mean that the original trio could show up someday as well. With the new Expansion Pass DLC adding new areas to Sword and Shield soon, perhaps Ash will see the new versions of these birds instead? Either way, it’s sure to be a big moment when Articuno shows itself in the anime!
Are you hoping to see Articuno again in the anime someday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or talk to me directly about all things anime and other cool things @Valdezology on Twitter! Pokemon: The Series, is now airing new episodes weekly in Japan, but unfortunately is still not officially licensed for an English language release as of this writing. There’s also a brand new film on the way to Japan this Summer, Pokemon the Movie: Coco.
