Artist creates custom Pokemon trainers you need to own
Away from the games and anime, the Pokemon merchandising machine is as big as Eternatus, and 27 years later, it shows no sign of slowing down. Forget the official merch of the Pokemon Center, one artist's custom Pokemon trainers are a thing of beauty.
Yes, we're all for Snorlax Squishmallows and Gengar beds you can stick your head inside, but when it comes to decking yourself out in some custom creps, stepping out in style as your favourite Pocket Monster has never been so tempting.
Andrew Chiou's custom Pokemon trainers are a thing of beauty
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Kotaku has brought our attention to the work of Andrew Chiou and his custom line of Pokemon x Nike trainers. With a clear love of anime, Chiou's account is full of custom trainers that homage the likes of Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z.
The star of the show is undoubtedly his Pokemon-themed trainers. Giving a subtle nod to some of the most iconic 'Mon, there's a beefy pair of Snorlax shoes, some nautical Lapras ones, and even a Chansey pair for Valentine's Day.
Chiou creates custom sneakers for one-offs and occasionally celebrities, but for the time being, his store remains empty. Sorry for those who were looking to grab the most recent pair of Scyther shoes. Our personal favourites are the custom-dyed suede Lightning 4's that gives Gengar the fame it deserves.
Are there official Pokemon shoes?
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It's true that The Pokemon Company has teamed up with plenty of shoe brands in the past, but they haven't exactly been high-fashion. As seems typical with these kind of lines, they're marketed at kids with garish Charmander or Pikachu decals plastered all over them.
Puma has a Pokemon crossover last November, but as we pointed out above, they came adorned with massive charms and OTT branding. Some have been using the Nike customisation to create their own Pokemon Air Max knock-offs, but it's not quite the same.
The internet is awash with custom concepts for Nike trainers, and while some artists actually create them, Chiou's work is some of the best we've seen. We'll keep an eye on Chiou's work, but sadly, his Lugia AJ4 concept remains just that...a concept.