The covers for Pokémon's 30th anniversary art books are here
Overlap has revealed the cover designs for its massive 1,500-page Pokémon Visual Art Book collection, releasing this December. Hopefully it gets translated to english.
Japanese publisher Overlap has revealed the cover designs for the upcoming three-volume Pokémon Visual Art Book. The collection, which was previously announced to celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary, will launch on December 18.
According to Overlap's announcement, the books cover three decades of Game Freak's production art. The set spans from 1996's Pokémon Red and Green all the way to the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It is a massive undertaking. The publisher split the collection into three B5-sized volumes, each clocking in at around 500 pages.
Breaking down the eras
The collection documents a massive technical shift. Game Freak originated as a self-published gaming fanzine in 1983, before formally incorporating and transitioning into a video game development company in 1989. When they released Pokémon Red and Green in 1996, the Game Boy hardware limited them to simple monochromatic sprites. By the time Book 3 concludes with Legends: Z-A, the studio is building massive 3D environments. These art books track that exact progression, showing how the monster designs evolved alongside Nintendo's hardware capabilities.
Book 1 covers the pixel art era and the transition to the Nintendo DS. It includes Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, and HeartGold and SoulSilver.
Book 2 handles the middle generations. This volume includes Black and White, Black 2 and White 2, X and Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Sun and Moon, and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Book 3 brings the series to the Nintendo Switch. It starts with Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, moves through Sword and Shield, Legends: Arceus, Scarlet and Violet, and concludes with Legends: Z-A and its M-Dimension Rush expansion.
You have to buy them separately
Overlap isn't selling these as a bundled box set. Each volume costs 5,000 yen (about $35) plus tax. If you want the complete 1,500-page collection, you're looking at a $105 import before shipping fees. The price is steep, but the contents seem comprehensive. The pages include package designs, title screen demos, character and Pokémon art, field designs, promotional materials, and previously unpublished development documents.
Veteran gaming writer Shusuke Motomiya is serving as the editor-in-chief for the project. Motomiya has worked on official Pokémon strategy guides since the early days of the franchise. Each volume also includes long-form interviews with Game Freak creators about the design evolution over the last 30 years.
The language barrier
Currently, this release is only in Japanese. There is no information about an English translation, which means importing is the only option right now. Overlap specializes in Japanese publishing, and while Pokémon is a global franchise, these massive reference books often stay exclusive to Japan or take years to get localized.
The visual nature of the books means the concept art and character designs will still be enjoyable without reading Japanese, but the developer interviews and setting documents will require translation tools. Preorders are open at Japanese bookstores now ahead of the December 18 release date.
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