Summary
The many Gym Leaders seen throughout thePokemongames represent some of the most popular characters in the franchise, and one big fan of the games pays tribute to the eight Gym Leaders of the Gen 1 games by designing pairs of trainers based off their themes. It’s not uncommon forPokemonfans to show off their creative talents through a number of unique artistic projects, and these fan made shoes represent yet another fun way of expressing appreciation for various Pokemon.
Present throughout almost every generation of the core-seriesPokemongames, Gym Leaders present some of the greatest challenges that players will face over the course of their adventures. Most players are of course well aware of these tough trainers and how to effectively defeat them, but those less informed should know that almostevery region seen throughout thePokemonworldfeatures 8 different gyms, with each one managed by its own Gym Leader. Every Leader specializes in their own types, and few Gym Leaders are more iconic than those seen throughout the Kanto region inPokemon Red and Blue.
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Some of the only realexceptions to the traditionalPokemonformulaare theLegends: Arceusand Gen 7 games, which feature several boss-like Pokemon instead of Gym Leaders. In the other games, earning badges from Gym Leaders is the only way to progress to the end of the game, and one talented fan known as MelodicWeb2161 on Reddit shows their appreciation for some of these Gym Leaders through the creation of several themed pairs of sneakers. These custom Nike Air Jordan designs are each themed around Kanto’s original eight Gym Leaders: Brock, Misty, Lt. Surge, Erika, Sabrina, Koga, Blaine, and Giovanni. The designs take inspiration from the aesthetics and types used by these Gym Leaders, while also including certain patterns or logos, such as the Team Rocket insignia, in Giovanni’s case.
Gyms still continue an ongoing tradition in the world ofPokemoneven more than 27 years after the franchise was born, withPokemon Scarlet and Violetfeaturing its own roster of Gym Leadersscattered around the Paldea region. While many of the game’s oldest traditions are still in place, that doesn’t mean they haven’t changed a little over the years - the Gen 9 games mark a substantial step away from the series' roots in many ways, and the open-world experience it delivers allows fans to battle any Gym Leader in any order they want.
While theDLC forPokemon Scarlet and Violetdoesn’t introduce new Gym Leaders like the base game did, they do allow players to leave the Paldea region and travel to new parts of thePokemonworld more familiar to previous regions. Only The Teal Mask expansion has been released thus far, which allows fans to meet new people and Pokemon out in the Japan-inspired location of Kitakami.
