Remember the stunning Johto Redrawn project that we covered way back in 2021? You might also recall that the team behind this beautiful pixel art recreation of one of our favourite Pokémon regions, Retro Redrawn, was also working on a reimagining of the Kanto region. Today, Kanto Redrawn is finished, and it looks absolutely amazing.
Kanto Redrawn is a reimagining of the Kanto region, the world from the first Pokémon games, Pokémon Red & Blue (and Green and Yellow). It’s not a playable game but an incredibly detailed and beautifully crafted redraw of the world so many grew up with. The project started up in 2021 and took almost three years to complete.
Using the Kanto map from Gold & Silver and the GBA remakes of the original Gen 1 games, FireRed & LeafGreen, as a base, over 100 artists collaborated to lovingly recreate this world. Each panel is painstakingly redrawn and embellished with features both old and new. Looking at the map is like diving into your imagination and remembering how these places felt to explore.
Initially, the project was only meant to cover the overworld, but that soon expanded to include building interiors such as gyms, caves, the Pokémon Tower, and buildings such as the Power Plant. Images of these final additions have been provided to us by one of the project’s organisers, artist Foofarawr, along with some comparison shots with the original Game Boy and GBA maps. We think you’ll agree that the work, artistry, and accuracy are staggering.
Let’s take a look at a few.
Pallet Town lab
One screen that every single Pokémon trainer will remember is the inside of the Pallet Town lab, the place where you choose your starter Pokémon.
One simple screen has been given so much personality thanks to Nekofresa‘s reimagining, with paperwork on the floor, a corner desk, and the addition of a bonsai tree and a desk in the top-right corner.
Cerulean Gym
Another familiar locale is the inside of Cerulean Gym, which has been redrawn by Julia Goodish.
Pokémon and trainers now sit around the outside of the gym, watching as the Pokémon Trainer approaches the challenges ahead of them. And we love the Starmie in front of Gym Leader Misty and the little Pikachu on the rubber ring.
Power Plant & Six Island Ruin Valley
The Kanto Power Plant, an iconic location where you capture the legendary Zapdos, shows the electric-type bird bursting out in a cloud of smoke and explosions, as Team Rocket helplessly watch.
Janito Medina work here is impeccable, and the side-by-side split shows just how much more detail has been added while retaining the feel of the OG maps.
Similarly, Zaebucca‘s redrawing of the Six Island Ruin Valley — one of the Sevii islands added in the GBA remakes of Gen I — really emphasises the ‘ancient’ aspect that the GBA games didn’t quite capture. Covered in ruins and ancient buildings, we’re dreaming of a remake in this style, please.
We could wax lyrical about all of the final additions, or the whole map. There’s tons of personality in each section — the Pokémon with flowers in their hair, for instance, or the flexing Pikachu and Caterpie in the Viridian Woods. Every single panel will make you smile, whether you’re a Pokémon fan or not.
And with 100 artists working together on this, the coherence is staggering. Nothing feels out of place, but every single panel also has its own style that works for that location.
Go and check out the fully completed map on the Kanto Redrawn page, where you can flip between the original map and the artists’ reimagining to see just how perfectly everyone has reimagined Kanto. There’s also a tour which will show you around the region’s various routes, towns, and dungeons.
Today is the perfect day to complete the Kanto Redrawn, too, as it’s Pokémon Day! The Pokémon Company is celebrating the 28th anniversary of the franchise and Pokémon Red & Green’s launch with a Pokémon Presents broadcast.
Retro Redrawn has worked on recreating maps for more than just Pokémon games. Castlevania Redrawn reimagines Dracula’s Castle from the original NES Castlevania, while Hyrule Redrawn is the original overworld from the NES Legend of Zelda.
Upcoming projects include Super Mario Bros. 3 Redrawn, which — surprise! — will recreate the world of Super Mario Bros. 3, and Koholint Redrawn, which will do the same for Link’s Awakening. For updates on those projects and more, follow Retro Redrawn on Twitter and Instagram.
Thank you to Foofarawr for reaching out to us about the project, and congratulations to all of the artists involved in making Kanto Redrawn.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
