Way back in 1998, the firstPokemongames hit store shelves in the United States. The game introduced players to the original 150 creatures and gave them the task to catch them all as they battled gym leaders throughout the world. As it turned out, however, there was a 151stPokemonto obtain in the game.
In the games, Mew is a Pokemon that is very difficult to get ahold of legitimately.Mew can be used inPokemon Sword and Shield, though it’s only through a means designed for thePokemon: Let’s Gogames. Lapras was also somewhat difficult to find in the original games and can only be obtained when an NPC gifts the player one for helping fight off Team Rocket. Thanks to their adorable design and rarity, however, both Mew and Lapras quickly became fan-favorite Pokemon.
RELATED:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Starters Plushies Go On Sale
In the past, fans have created art tributes to both Mew and Lapras. One fan, for example, made an impressivepaper figure of both Mew and Mewtwo. Lapras has likewise seen its fair share of fan art with one creating a low poly statue out of the Pokemon. In a recent post, Reddit user Piinl shared a piece of their art to the Pokemon page depicting a parent Lapras, its child, and a curious Mew with the latter meeting the baby in a cave.
The artwork almost looks like a screenshot out of a game or one of the animated movies. Like itsPokemon: The First Moviecounterpart, this version of Mew appears curious and playful with the baby Lapras responding with joy. Mother Lapras appears to look on approvingly as light shines down from an opening in the cave. The picture met with overwhelming approval in the comment section.
According to longtimePokemondeveloper Shigeki Morimoto,Mew was added toPokemonat the last second. As a result, the character lacked the same amount of narrative depth that other Pokemon enjoyed. The creature’s full backstory would eventually be fleshed out in the 1998 film,Pokemon: The First Movie,where the character was depicted as the strongest and rarest of all Pokemon. Likewise, Lapras were also rare in the original games, with the species nearly hunted to extinction. As ofPokemon SunandMoon, Lapras is no longer an endangered animal in the franchise.
Since the originalPokemon Red and Blue,Lapras can be captured, gifted, or bought in every major installment in the franchise. Mew is also obtainable in manyPokemongames, but the methods of getting the legendary creature are a bit odd. InPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining PearlMew can only be obtainedif the player has a certain set of saved data from thePokemon: Let’s Gogames. However, as long as Game Freak and Nintendo continue to producePokemongames, fan art that depicts both Mew and Lapras will likely continue to be produced for many years to come.
