Comic Kanto Teen Mon Self Acceptance: A LeafGreen Nuzlocke

[Rapidashing]

Hello all! After lurking on the Nuzlocke forums for 9 years and not really drawing for the past 3, I’ve finally decided to start my own comic! I worked on the first 3 pages of the prologue, in what was, a painfully slow process over the course of 2019 as I tried to remember how to draw. And then I decided 2020 needed to be the year I just said “fuck it” to all my art insecurities and actually started the dang thing. So I hope you all enjoy this story that’s been in my head for so long its embarrassing at this point.

TL;DR I’m rusty at art, I love Pokémon, and here’s hoping this process helps me grow as an artist.

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Self Acceptance is a coming of age story about Kathy, an angry young adult, who’s trying to learn how to navigate a world that she feels hasn’t been very nice to her. Kathy was born with the ability to speak with Pokémon, which is virtually unheard of, so they’ve been her one solace for a long time. Which is why she thought starting in a new region, as a trainer with a bulbasaur by her side, would be the best way to start her adult life. But now she finds herself with a rival she didn’t ask for and she keeps stumbling into bad situations with a shady team called Rocket. On top of that, Kathy is also learning that life as a trainer is a lot harsher than she initially thought.

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The Rules

1. If a Pokémon faints it is considered dead and must be permaboxed in the “graveyard”
2. Must catch the first encounter on every route, if it runs away or faints too bad
- dupes clause
- gift/scripted/forced encounters (ex. Snorlax) don’t count
3. Every Pokémon must be nicknamed

Note: the ingame portion of this run has been finished

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Deviantart

I’m only using DA to post the comic so I’ll probably be more active here on the threads!

Spoiler: The Story

Cover
Prologue pg1
Prologue pg2
Prologue pg3
Prologue pg4

Chapter One pg1
Chapter One pg2

Spoiler: Prologue

 

[Kadew]

Oooh I like this already. This bulbasaur is good and perfect and I will cherish him always. That lil ear flick when he comes out. I die. I live again. I can't wait to see where you go from here!

 

[Salt&PepperBunny]

Oh I like this! Basil's face when he realized Kathy can understand him.. Soooo cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!!! It's awesome to hear that you're jumping back into art; I wish you the absolute best of luck on the project. It's looking stellar already!

 

[RubyClaw]

Great beginning, and I love Basil's design. Best of luck!

 

[Bug]

Helloooo and welcome! I’m loving this nice, smooth start. Your art is really nice, and I hope you stick with this! Comics really are a fast way to get into a comfortable groove with art, if thats what you’re looking for. Let us know when you update!

 

[Rapidashing]

Hello all! It’s been longer than I wanted it to be but I’m back with an update and a preview!
Unfortunately I ended up too stressed/tired to draw for a while there but things have settled down so I’m back to working on this.
I should have the first part of chapter one up by the end of October so I hope to see ya’ll then!

And now for some VERY LATE replies ....

Spoiler: Replies

Oooh I like this already. This bulbasaur is good and perfect and I will cherish him always. That lil ear flick when he comes out. I die. I live again. I can't wait to see where you go from here!

Thank you! My bulbasaur bias really comes out in my art haha I’m glad you’re loving basil so far

Helloooo and welcome! I’m loving this nice, smooth start. Your art is really nice, and I hope you stick with this! Comics really are a fast way to get into a comfortable groove with art, if thats what you’re looking for. Let us know when you update!

Thank you so much! I’ve always wanted to get into comics so I’m really hoping I stick with this too even if updates are a little slow

Oh I like this! Basil's face when he realized Kathy can understand him.. Soooo cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!!! It's awesome to hear that you're jumping back into art; I wish you the absolute best of luck on the project. It's looking stellar already!

Thank you for the luck and for thinking Basil is cute!!!

Great beginning, and I love Basil's design. Best of luck!

Thanks, I’m so glad my love for basil is coming through in his design!

 

[goofatron]

I really love the character designs, and the unique take on the story so far!

 

[Rapidashing]

Heyyy let’s just pretended it hasn’t been forever. We’re finally getting chapter one going with our first catch, a sweet little rat boy.
I ended up cutting this whole part in half because it was a little too big of a file. It’s certainly been a learning process lol. This means that the next part will be posted next week though!

Spoiler: Self Acceptance: Chapter One Pg.1

 

[Riboo]

Wow, I love this comic already, the premise, the fact that we have an adult protag, the sort of tough love thing going on with a sort of lightly fun and sarcastic yet playful attitude? YES, MOAR OF THIS GOOD FOOD PLEASE AND THANKYOU!

 

[Wwarborday]

OKay, first of all, I am in love with this art style, it's so expressive. Secondly, I love your disaster children?? What the fuck.

 

[Velink]

Huh, I could swear I have read and commented on DA, but apparently they are not there... are they deleted or did I just go crazy
Anyway good luck on the run and god speed on the comic!

I really liked the mc's masked look, but oh well

 

[Picket Furret]

Well what did Twitch expect to happen? He goes to a trainer and expects not to be caught for battling creatures x12 his size?

 

[Rapidashing]

As promised here is the next part!

Spoiler: Self Acceptance: Chapter One Pg.2

I had scout for around 2 wild pkmn battles and I debated whether I should even add her in the comic but who doesn’t like some early on angst?
ALSO I have Nuzlocked leafgreen 3 times and ALL 3 TIMES I have caught a mankey on route 22 and all 3 times it has died early on.
Mankeys are cursed :’)

and now for some replies!

Spoiler: Replies

Wow, I love this comic already, the premise, the fact that we have an adult protag, the sort of tough love thing going on with a sort of lightly fun and sarcastic yet playful attitude? YES, MOAR OF THIS GOOD FOOD PLEASE AND THANKYOU!

Ahhh I love that it’s coming off that way so far! Hope I can keep it up so I can continue to feed you

OKay, first of all, I am in love with this art style, it's so expressive. Secondly, I love your disaster children?? What the fuck.

Thank you! I am so glad someone has already referred to them as disaster children :^)

Huh, I could swear I have read and commented on DA, but apparently they are not there... are they deleted or did I just go crazy
Anyway good luck on the run and god speed on the comic!

I really liked the mc's masked look, but oh well

Im not sure about deleted comments but I’m trigger happy with a bad memory soooo it’s possible???? ?
I also liked the masked look but I also like drawing her expressions so it had to be sacrificed. It’ll probs make a comeback though

Well what did Twitch expect to happen? He goes to a trainer and expects not to be caught for battling creatures x12 his size?

He‘s a sweet rat but he’s not a particularly smart rat

From here on out I can’t promise consistency in page length or full color because I definitely bit off more than I could chew and it overwhelmed me. I DO however want to be more consistent with uploads and I think not setting such high bar for myself will help lol. Also. I’m excited to get to the meat of the story haha. I hope to see y’all again soon :)!

 

[Riboo]

Oh man, mood when a death happens that quickly ; - ; poor little fellow didn't even have a chance, breaks my heart</3

 

[pinkshellos]

I have a soft spot for FRLG runs and Rattata, so long live Twitch! Basil is adorable too. I love how you went for really catlike ears. Also! Kathy is a super cool protagonist and I can’t wait to see what kind of misadventures she gets herself into.

 

[ACottontail]

I like how you showed Scout's death. Even if she did nothing, it shows how dangerous the world is, and how Kathy and the team are willing to rush in and try to save someone they don't even know. Still I like Twitch on page 1, insulting that mart guy like that and asking why they're running towards the screaming.

 

[THKS]

I'm beginning to grow on this story. I can admittedly relate to Kathy, and I do find it fun that she can talk to Pokemon. I'm very sorry to hear about Scout's death, but I'm rooting for you, Basil and Twitch.

 

[Kadew]

Hey I'm loving this so far? I love this good chumby bulbasaur, of course. But also that rat? That's a good rat. I love Twitch's attitude, love his easily-won affection by food. Love that panel of him rubbing on Kathy's face and being a good lad. Also I really enjoy how you handled that last page, with the early game quick death. It feels really right how you did it, how she never actually caught it, but found it in a bad situation and tried to help but was too late. It goes from a cheap personal tragedy into a sad happening that you reflect on and make a polite burial for and move on. I really like how it reflects on both Kathy's character and saves the more cutting drama for later moments. Smart story move and also a nice somber moment.

 

[french-teapot]

Ooooh I just read through all your pages and what a start! The art is so clean and has an almost nostalgic feeling to it? Dunno if that makes sense but I love it.
I always find it really interesting when people explore the idea of only one person understanding what pokemon say. I wonder will that be explained? Basil is already so sweet!
And that Mankey death was really excellently done considering you hadn't had them very long. I actually gasped a little at the it; I was really excited at the rescue. T_T
Fantastic job so far! 8D