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Capsule Monsters was [[Satoshi Tajiri|Satoshi Tajiri's]] early design concept of [[Pokémon]]. According to the book ''[[Pikachu's Global Adventure]]'', This early concept traces all the way back to Tajiri's childhood years. All throughout his childhood, Tarjiri loved insect collecting. As early as [[wp: 1975|1975]], Tajiri had published a magna series called ''Capsule Monsters'', but sales of the magna had failed.
[[File:Capsule Monsters Logo.png|thumb|200px|Capsule Monsters logo]]


{{stub}}
'''Capsule Monsters''' (Japanese: '''カプセルモンスター''' ''Capsule Monsters'') was [[Satoshi Tajiri]]'s early design concept of [[Pokémon]], first proposed to [[Nintendo]] as early as 1990. According to the book ''[[Pikachu's Global Adventure]]'', this early concept traces all the way back to Tajiri's childhood years, during which he had enjoyed bug collecting.
 
The name "Capsule Monsters" is inspired by Japanese {{wp|gashapon}} machines.<ref>[http://bivio.web.fc2.com/column_poke_10th.html Pokémon 10th Anniversary Commemoration Column (Japanese)]</ref> Apparently, Tajiri had trouble trademarking the name "Capsule Monsters" so he changed it first to '''カプモン''' ''CapuMon'' and then later "[[Pokémon|Pocket Monsters]]".
 
Various Pokémon are known or believed to have originated from this early concept work, including {{p|Lapras}}, {{p|Gastly}}, and {{p|Slowbro}}, though many of the concept sketches included generic looking creatures such as simple dragon and apelike figures that may have eventually been developed into many of the existing Pokémon.
 
Presumably, monsters were not caught through combat, as in the final Pokémon mechanics. Instead, the Trainer had a Charisma stat that had to be raised to entice wild monsters to join them.<ref>[https://glitterberri.com/early-concept-art/2/ Glitterberri - Early Concept Art Page 2]</ref> The Trainer may restore their monster's health by staying at the hotel, which provided healing devices in rooms, similar to a [[Pokémon Center]].
 
In addition, some concept art shows Trainers buying monsters in a pet-store like setting, probably a similar concept to purchasing Pokémon at the [[Celadon Game Corner|Game Corner]] or from the [[Magikarp salesman]]. The original pitch also did not include [[core series|the paired games]] with the [[Version-exclusive Pokémon|Version-exclusive concept]]; instead, [[trade|trading]] would be encouraged by "Mirage Monsters", creatures with a very low encounter rate. One Mirage Monster mentioned was a Green Dragon, which would be encountered in a dungeon. It is said that it would have taken up to 2 hours to find and catch.
 
===Pitch document===
{{incomplete|section|needs= <br> Translations for the text. <br> Descriptions.}}
This is, in order, the entirety of the original Capsule Monsters pitch, written by [[Satoshi Tajiri]], featuring artwork by [[Ken Sugimori]].
<!-- Please move all the info in this gallery to the table below!
 
 
<gallery>
File:Capsule Monsters Cover.jpg|The cover of the Capsule Monsters concept booklet
File:Capsule Monsters map.jpg|An early design of the map of [[Kanto]], also showing an alternate logo
File:Unreleased Child Capsule Monster.jpg|Mock-ups featuring a {{tc|Tamer|Beast Tamer}}, as well as {{DL|List of unused Pokémon and character designs|Capsule Monsters designs|Godzillante & Gorillaimo}}
File:Capsule Monsters Dragon4.jpg|A mock-up featuring {{DL|List of unused Pokémon and character designs|Capsule Monsters designs|Dragon4}}
File:Capsule Monsters Town.jpg|A town featuring an early {{p|Rhyhorn}} and {{p|Clefairy}}
File:Capsule Monsters Tower.jpg|Grave of the Mythical Beasts, possibly a precursor to [[Pokémon Tower]]
File:Capsule Monsters Hotel.jpg|A hotel, possibly a precursor to the [[Celadon Hotel]] or the [[Pokémon Center]]
File:Capsule Monsters Bedroom.jpg|A hotel bedroom, featuring the female [[player character]]
File:Capsule Monsters Route.jpg|A male Trainer offers to [[trade]] for the player's {{p|Nidoran}} on a [[Route]]
File:Mart Sketch.jpg|A [[Poké Mart|shop]] concept
File:Early Red and Rhydon sketch.jpg|The male player character and a {{DL|List of unused Pokémon and character designs|Pokémon designs|Gyaōn}} exploring a cave
File:Early Lapras sketch.png|Heading for the harbor atop an early {{p|Lapras}}
File:Early Gastly and Slowbro.jpg|{{p|Slowbro|Yadon}} VS. {{p|Gastly}}
File:Early Blastoise and Staryu sketch.jpg|{{p|Blastoise|Karabajio}} VS. {{p|Staryu|Mimī}}
File:Poké Ball sketch.png|A [[Poké Ball|Monster Capsule]]
</gallery>-->
 
{| class="roundtable" style="margin:auto; background: #{{unknown color dark}}; border: 3px solid #{{unknown color}}" 
! style="background:#{{unknown color light}}; {{roundytl|5px}}" | Image
! style="background:#{{unknown color light}}; {{roundytr|5px}}"| Description
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Cover.jpg|250px]]
| <span style="color:red">''(scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)''</span>
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg2.jpg|250px]]
| Unknown, but data can be found here [https://tcrf.net/Prerelease:Pok%C3%A9mon_Red_and_Blue/Early_Development#Capsule_Monster_Pitch under "Technical details"]
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg3.png|250px]]
| <span style="color:red">''(scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)''</span>
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg4.png|250px]]
| ''(scan source: Famitsu 2019)''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg5.png|250px]]
| ''(scan source: Famitsu 2019)''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters map.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[GAME FREAK 2000]])''
|-
| [[File:Unreleased Child Capsule Monster.jpg|250px]]
| <span style="color:red">''(scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)''</span>
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Dragon4.jpg|250px]]
| <span style="color:red">''(scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)''</span>
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg9.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg10.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg11.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg12.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters 1990 First Sprite Sheet.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: Famitsu 2019)'' <br>
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg14.png|250px]]
| ''(scan source: Famitsu 2019)''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg15.png|250px]]
| <span style="color:red">''(scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)''</span>
|-
| [[File:Mart Sketch.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Early Blastoise and Staryu sketch.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Pg18.png|250px]]
| ''(scan source: Famitsu 2019)''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Town.jpg|250px]]
| <span style="color:red">''(scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)''</span>
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Hotel.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Route.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Early Lapras sketch.png|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[GAME FREAK 2000]])''
|-
| [[File:Early Red and Rhydon sketch.jpg|250px]]
| ''(scan source: [[A Man Who Created Pokémon]])''
|-
| [[File:Capsule Monsters Tower.jpg|250px]]
| '''''Grave of the Mythical Beasts''''' <br> <span style="color:red">''(scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)''</span>
|}
 
==Trivia==
*''Capsule Monsters'' may have been inspired by characters of the same name from ''{{wp|Ultraman}}'' franchise and {{wp|Gamera}} in the 1995 short film ''Cosplay Warrior Cutie Knight''.<ref>[https://originalnews.nico/325487 『エヴァ』『ポケモン』の元ネタは『ウルトラセブン』？ アスカのプラグスーツが白かった理由]</ref>
* "Capsule Monsters" was the name of [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Capsule_Monster_Chess a game] that appeared in the early ''{{wp|Yu-Gi-Oh!}}'' manga, which was later adapted into a [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Yu-Gi-Oh!_Capsule_Monsters short spin-off anime series] and [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Yu-Gi-Oh!_Capsule_Monsters_Collectible_Figure_Game board game].
 
==References==
<references/>
 
==External links==
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20120228074233/http://web.me.com/celebi23/Capsule_Monsters/Main.html Information on Capsule Monsters] (archive)
* [http://allabout.co.jp/gm/gc/215584/#2 Capsule Monster displays]
* [https://helixchamber.com/media/capsule-monsters/ Hi-res scans of all the Capsule Monsters available pages]
 
[[Category:Pokémon meta]]
 
[[it:Capsule Monsters]]
[[zh:膠囊怪獸]]

Latest revision as of 15:25, 30 March 2024

Capsule Monsters (Japanese: カプセルモンスター Capsule Monsters) was Satoshi Tajiri's early design concept of Pokémon, first proposed to Nintendo as early as 1990. According to the book Pikachu's Global Adventure, this early concept traces all the way back to Tajiri's childhood years, during which he had enjoyed bug collecting.

Capsule Monsters logo

The name "Capsule Monsters" is inspired by Japanese gashapon machines.[1] Apparently, Tajiri had trouble trademarking the name "Capsule Monsters" so he changed it first to カプモン CapuMon and then later "Pocket Monsters".

Various Pokémon are known or believed to have originated from this early concept work, including Lapras, Gastly, and Slowbro, though many of the concept sketches included generic looking creatures such as simple dragon and apelike figures that may have eventually been developed into many of the existing Pokémon.

Presumably, monsters were not caught through combat, as in the final Pokémon mechanics. Instead, the Trainer had a Charisma stat that had to be raised to entice wild monsters to join them.[2] The Trainer may restore their monster's health by staying at the hotel, which provided healing devices in rooms, similar to a Pokémon Center.

In addition, some concept art shows Trainers buying monsters in a pet-store like setting, probably a similar concept to purchasing Pokémon at the Game Corner or from the Magikarp salesman. The original pitch also did not include the paired games with the Version-exclusive concept; instead, trading would be encouraged by "Mirage Monsters", creatures with a very low encounter rate. One Mirage Monster mentioned was a Green Dragon, which would be encountered in a dungeon. It is said that it would have taken up to 2 hours to find and catch.

Pitch document

050Diglett.png This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason:
Translations for the text.
Descriptions.

This is, in order, the entirety of the original Capsule Monsters pitch, written by Satoshi Tajiri, featuring artwork by Ken Sugimori.

Image Description
Capsule Monsters Cover.jpg (scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)
File:Capsule Monsters Pg2.jpg Unknown, but data can be found here under "Technical details"
Capsule Monsters Pg3.png (scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)
Capsule Monsters Pg4.png (scan source: Famitsu 2019)
Capsule Monsters Pg5.png (scan source: Famitsu 2019)
Capsule Monsters map.jpg (scan source: GAME FREAK 2000)
Unreleased Child Capsule Monster.jpg (scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)
Capsule Monsters Dragon4.jpg (scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)
Capsule Monsters Pg9.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Capsule Monsters Pg10.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Capsule Monsters Pg11.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Capsule Monsters Pg12.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Capsule Monsters 1990 First Sprite Sheet.jpg (scan source: Famitsu 2019)
Capsule Monsters Pg14.png (scan source: Famitsu 2019)
Capsule Monsters Pg15.png (scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)
Mart Sketch.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Early Blastoise and Staryu sketch.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Capsule Monsters Pg18.png (scan source: Famitsu 2019)
Capsule Monsters Town.jpg (scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)
Capsule Monsters Hotel.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Capsule Monsters Route.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Early Lapras sketch.png (scan source: GAME FREAK 2000)
Early Red and Rhydon sketch.jpg (scan source: A Man Who Created Pokémon)
Capsule Monsters Tower.jpg Grave of the Mythical Beasts
(scan source: HiResPokémon redraw/upscale)

Trivia

References

  1. ↑ Pokémon 10th Anniversary Commemoration Column (Japanese)
  2. ↑ Glitterberri - Early Concept Art Page 2
  3. ↑ 『エヴァ』『ポケモン』の元ネタは『ウルトラセブン』？ アスカのプラグスーツが白かった理由

External links

Retrieved from "https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/w/index.php?title=Capsule_Monsters&oldid=3967853"