Explaining Pokémon Powers With Highly Technical PokéNatomy
There are two types of "Pokémon" fans in the world. First, there are those who play the games, watch the TV show, and continue on with their lives. Second, there are the people who lie awake at night wondering why a mouse that shoots lightning out of its cheeks can only defeat a rhinoceros made of rock if it aims for the horn.
Artist Christopher Stoll belongs in that second group. This summer, he's been working on a series of illustrations that give a scientific rhyme and reason to the mysterious workings of the Pokémon world. Stoll has released a handful of the images to to a gallery on his DeviantArt page, and plans to publish a book of the illustrations in the future, according to an interview he did with Inverse. He says he plans to illustrate all 151 Pokemon from the first generation.
To give his anatomical analysis a believable feel, Stoll paged through actual books about 'botany, herpetology, exotic fish, and even embryology,' he told Inverse.
Stoll told Inverse some of his favorite 'mon to illustrate were the weirder ones like Bulbasaur and Voltorb, because to adequately explain them he had to 'strike a good balance between the imaginary and the plausible.'
Stoll said one of the hardest creatures to break down was Staryu. 'The biology of Starfish is already so alien I actually felt like I had to tone down the actual anatomy so that the readers wouldn't think I'd made it all up.'
Stoll even modified his art style to fit certain special monsters, like everyone's favorite non-Pokémon, Missingno.
From Stoll on his DeviantArt page: 'Don't look too close, Missingno can be dangerous you know.'
It's good advice. Then again, if Missingno gives you any trouble, you could just aim for the horn.
To stay up to date on the latest PokéNatomy drawings (and vote on which Pokémon should go next) follow Christopher Stoll on DeviantArt. And for all kinds of cool art, design and photos, follow Digg on Instagram.
