Fakemon

The word Fakemon is a portmanteau of the words fake and Pokémon.[1] Fakemon have existed for as long as the Pokémon franchise, but began to proliferate with the advent of fan-made video games.[2] Some of the earliest Fakemon designs on the Internet were created using Microsoft Paint and Photoshop to mimic the pixel art of the Pokémon video games.[3] The popularity of the creatures has lead to the creation of various online Fakemon image generators.[3]

Some particular fan-made creations have gained significant renown. A set of three fake fire, water and grass starter Pokémon created by Leopoldo Spagna as a hoax in 2018, prior to the announcement of Pokémon Sword and Shield, were featured on multiple websites as a legitimate rumor, also leading fans to create fan art, memes and Rule 34 of the supposed Pokémon. While he later apologized for the hoax, PokéNinja, a Twitch streamer, backed a special tier of the Kickstarter for Temtem, a game resembling Pokémon, putting forth one of the fake Pokémon, Platypet, as a monster design. It became an actual character within the game, starring in an in-universe cartoon about Toxic-elemental Temtem. The experience compelled Spagna to continue trying to become a character artist.[4]

Fakemon are designed by fans of the Pokémon franchise using design principles from the Pokémon video games and anime, such as color, level of detail, anatomy, and relatability.[5][6][7] Fans design Fakemon based on real-world concepts such as culture, architecture, animals, plants,[8] and mythology.[9] Fakemon are often created to accompany fan-made Pokémon regions or games;[1][10] the fan game Pokémon Clover has over 300 Fakemon featured in it.[11] Fakemon designs have occasionally been so similar to the visual language of Pokémon that they have been confused for real leaks.[4][6]

The Fakemon fandom is composed of artists who create Fakemon designs for entertainment as well as for commercial purposes.[8] Fakemon are popular on websites such as DeviantArt, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit,[3] as well as YouTube.[8] Some Fakemon designers are professional artists in the video game industry.[7] Fakemon design has been described as "a way for fans to express their individuality while honoring the franchise they love."[12]