A talented Pokémon fan has recreated base set Charmander from the Pokémon Trading Card Game, intricately carving their design into a wooden box lid. Early card designs from the TCG provide some of the most unique takes on beloved pocket monsters from the franchise, including the internet-famous fat Pikachu Pokémon card design, which fans are still hoping will make a return.
The Pokémon TCG has thrived in the years since its release, not only offering immersive and challenging gameplay, but also creating one of the most lucrative collector markets in gaming. Rarer Pokémon cards can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and even newly-released sets and cards are in high demand. Last year, some retail stores struggled to keep up with demand for Pokémon cards, with viral videos showing fans scrambling to get their hands on the latest releases. Unfortunately, the desire for cards led to an increase in Pokémon card scalpers, a problem that still persists in some markets.
Pokémon TCG fan and artist FrigginBoomT shared their base set Charmander box art to Reddit, where their creation has seen a lot of appreciation from the community. The box carving features the instantly-recognizable Charmander card art, with the Fire-type starter staring at his lit tail while standing in a field of grass. According to the artist, the piece took around four hours to complete, highlighting not only their talent, but also their patience and dedication.
With nearly 900 Pokémon in the ever-expanding roster, fanart and fan creations based on the franchise are incredibly popular. Previous viral pieces include digital art, stained glass pieces, and even Pokémon's Eeveelutions remade as dolls. Whether taking inspiration from the manga, anime, the series' many video games, or the TCG, there are endless possibilities for fanmade crafts and art from creators and designers.
FrigginBoomT's impressive Charmander base set Pokémon TCG wooden box recreation is a wholly unique and beautiful piece that's likely to survive for just as long as the game itself thanks to its expert craftsmanship. Commenters on the Reddit post have shared their adoration of the piece, with multiple users praising the design and final look. With such positive reactions, it's possible the creator might continue their box art endeavor and design even more classic Pokémon characters, which could mean fat Pikachu, or perhaps other Generation-One starters Bulbasaur and Squirtle, may be next on the agenda.
Source: FrigginBoomT/Reddit