A fan of both Pokémon and Avatar: The Last Airbender has created crossover art giving Aang and friends some powerful Pokémon abilities. The artwork, in the form of trading cards, gives a taste of what it could look like if two of the most beloved franchises in the world teamed up for a TCG, something which fans of Pokémon and Avatar would likely love to see happen.
Pokémon trading cards have been one of the most popular trading card games since the very first set released in 1996. As well as offering a robust and competitive game, Pokémon TCG also appeals to collectors thanks to the varied rarities of individual cards. Some of the rarer cards in the game have been known to sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and while stumbling across a first edition Charizard isn't likely to happen nowadays, even the latest packs are highly sought-after. An increase in interest in the game over recent years has caused issues with scalpers reselling Pokémon cards, something which has been a problem with the recently-released Pokémon Celebrations anniversary cards.
Redditor and artist xhederaxhelix's Pokémon-inspired trading cards imagine what type many of the characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender would be in a mash-up TCG, looking into their abilities, stats, and attack moves. The creator imagines Aang as a Flying-type Pokémon with perfect base stats, the Libero ability, and attacks including Sky Attacks and Earthquake. Katara is imagined as a Water-type with the Natural Cure ability, Toph is a Ground-type with Compound Eyes, and Zuko and Azula are both Fire-types. The full set of cards, featured on Reddit, includes 11 of the series characters, each with live-painted artwork based on official Avatar works.
See the post on Reddit here.
The Pokémon cards' carefully selected stats and moves perfectly align with the characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and hint at what a real-life crossover TCG could look like. While some have questioned why Aang isn't a Fire-type, the artist has explained they believe that Flying is better suited to Aang, who rarely uses Fire-type moves. Unfortunately, an official collaboration between the IPs seems unlikely, though there seems to be a demand for it with the post receiving over 6,000 Reddit upvotes from those impressed with the fan art.
Avatar: The Last Airbender fans might not have an official Pokémon trading card game, but there's still lots to look forward to for both of the franchises. Aang has seen renewed love thanks to the recent release of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, a fighting game that pits classic Nickelodeon characters against each other across a series of stages, in a fashion similar to Super Smash Bros. Aang, Toph, and The Legend of Korra's Korra are all included in the roster, with more Nick characters to come via DLC. As for Pokémon fans, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are set to release in November, while Pokémon Legends: Arceus will launch in early 2022.
Source: Reddit/xhederaxhelix