Pokemon Fan Art Imagines What the Legendary Birds Would Look Like as Humans

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A Pokémon artist created human-like designs (called ‘gijinka’) of the legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. They illustrated each bird in both its original and Galarian forms, showcasing both the standard and Shiny color variations, and incorporated unique themes and colors into each design.

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres were the very first Legendary Pokemon introduced in the original Pokemon games. In Pokemon Red and Blue, you can find Articuno in the Seafoam Islands, Zapdos at the Power Plant, and Moltres at the end of Victory Road. All three are level 50 and can be battled and caught, so it’s a good idea to save your game beforehand! However, these Kanto Legendary birds are known for being difficult to catch, and they pack a powerful punch. You’ll likely need a lot of Ultra Balls, patience, and a bit of luck to add them to your Pokedex.

Pokemon Fan Artist Shares Impressive Gijinka Designs of The Legendary Birds

Fans often create art inspired by the Legendary Birds from Pokemon, and one artist recently shared their unique take on them. On the official Pokemon subreddit, a user named Goku-MIEL10032002, who goes by Miel the Mouse, posted their designs of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres as human-like characters, known as gijinka. The artist drew each bird in both its standard and Shiny color variations, alongside the original Pokemon designs for comparison.

Early designs showed Articuno as a woman with long blue hair, black boots reaching her thighs, and a blue sword at her side. Zapdos, in contrast, was a young girl with short, spiky blonde hair, orange boots, and carrying an umbrella. Moltres was envisioned as a man with a facial scar, dressed in traditional Japanese clothing decorated with flame designs.

Miel the Mouse not only created the original designs for these Pokémon, but also illustrated the Galarian forms of Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno. These Galarian birds, as seen in Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra, have distinct looks compared to their original Kantonian versions. Miel portrayed Galarian Articuno as a person wearing a violet and black suit, complete with black-rimmed glasses and short purple and black hair. Like their version of Galarian Zapdos, Miel gave that Pokémon short, spiky hair.

Galarian Zapdos was designed to look like a man wearing an orange sleeveless shirt and black boots, with a serious expression. Similarly, Galarian Moltres’ design took inspiration from Japanese clothing. It was portrayed as a woman with dark skin and black and pink hair, dressed in a black and pink kimono with a tied sash, and carrying folding fans.

Gijinka Fan Art is Popular With Pokemon Trainers

Miel the Mouse has previously created human-like versions of Pokemon, called gijinka. Back in October 2025, they shared redesigned human forms of the Legendary Golems, including Regidrago and Regieleki, which were popular with fans. Now, in response to their latest work on the Legendary Birds, Pokemon trainers are praising Miel for their hard work and the impressive detail in these new gijinka designs.

So, Miel the Mouse told me their next project is all about the Treasures of Ruin from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet – those super cool Dark-type Pokemon like Chi-Yu and Wo-Chien. It’s wild to think the Pokemon franchise is turning 30 in 2026! I’m really excited to see what amazing fan art everyone comes up with over the next year.

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2025-12-03 09:04