Pokemon fan builds life-size metal Feraligatr

A Pokémon fan online has created an incredible metal model of Feraligatr. This fan has faithfully recreated a life-size version of the iconic Generation 2 Pokémon design with recycled metal, which describes the process from start to finish.

The Pokémon franchise has 30 years of history at this point, but fan art has always been central to its popularity. With over 1000 designs in total, fans are spoiled for choice when it comes to drawing inspiration from different Pokémon. After three decades, society continues to surprise, always finding new ways to impress and showcase its unique talents. After all, not everyone has the same skills. Some keep their fan art simple with traditional artwork, while others find different ways to show their love for the franchise. For example another Pokémon fan created Year of the Horse lucky red envelopes earlier this year, which combine culture and Pokémon in a unique way. It's awesome to see, and with the franchise's enduring popularity, fans can expect it to continue for a long time to come.

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Redditor Zotos_Workshop shared his incredible metal recreation of Generation 2 Pokemon Feraligatr, the final evolution of Water-type starter Totodile. According to the user, the creation took around 82 hours to bring to life, welding the recycled metal together with “some spray paint”. The final product looks fantastic, with sharp metal pieces giving the Feraligatr a tough look. That it's a life-size recreation only makes it all the more impressive, with Zotos_Workshop including a picture of themselves with their creation to show just how big it is.

The user even provided a look at his creative process to bring this metal version of Feraligatr to life. It starts with a basic sketch, noting exactly which bits of recycled metal will make up each part of the Pokemon. The build then begins to take shape with the basic frame of the Feraligatr, which they then stuff further with more pieces of metal. Eventually it becomes more recognizable as a Generation 2 Water-type starter, and the eventual spray paint is what really finishes it off. In total, they said it weighs between 180 and 200 pounds. They're not 100% sure about the weight, but described it as “definitely hard to move.”

Pokémon Generation 2 was released in 1999, which means fans have had plenty of time to familiarize themselves with the early designs. This makes them a very popular choice when it comes to fan art. Newer designs simply don't have the longevity of the classics. Although they may get there eventually, the nostalgia that many Pokémon fans have for older designs put them in a prime position to receive tons of fan tributes. This is exactly the same with starters as well. It is usually much more Pokémon fanart for starters than any other design, as players spend far more time with them in-game than other Pokemon. As a result, fans become more attached to the newcomers, and therefore they are the first to come to mind when producing artwork and tributes.

With 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Pokémon franchise, many expected Game Freak to release Gen 10 this year. However, this is not the case. In February, Nintendo revealed that Pokemon winds and waves will launch in 2027, marking the start of generation 10. It will be an exciting period for the franchise, which continues to go from strength to strength.