Dr Lava

135 Pages of New Pokemon Translations

Hey y'all. Apologies it's been a while since I've added a new translation article here on Patreon, but I've got two for you today that add up to about 135 pages. Also got another short one coming fairly soon, just waiting on some artwork I commissioned to come in so it can be included in the translation article (to illustrate spritework that's described in the interview).

The first interview added today is with Masakazu Kubo. You've probably never heard of him before, but Japanese fans ...

Some New Translations and Other Stuff

A couple weeks ago I added a Satoshi Tajiri book translation publicly available on my website: http://lavacutcontent.com/satoshi-tajiri-new-game-design/

And here's a new video translation from Game Freak's Japanese YouTube channel about Celebi's creation. It's in this Patreon-only google drive link: 2022-09-18 06:33:15 +0000 UTC View Post

New Japanese Magazine Translation (HeartGold/SoulSilver, 7 pages)

Hey guys, got a lengthy HeartGold/SoulSilver magazine interview translation for you today. The original Japanese interview was published as seven pages in the November 2009 edition of Japanese magazine Nintendo Dream, right around the same time HeartGold & SoulSilver launched in Japan. The primary focus of the interview are Johto’s origins, inspirations, and why certain decisions were made, both in the original Gold & Silver, as well as the remakes. Some of the characters and Pokemo...

New 9 Page Translation (Gen 3)

Hey guys, I know I tend to make these updates super long, so I'll keep today's short. I just posted a new and very long interview with Sugimori and Masuda covering Ruby & Sapphire's development. As usual, the password to access is "Pokemon History Club", and here's the link: http://lavacutcontent.com/sugimori-masuda-gen-3-interview/

Links to about a dozen more Patreon-exclusive intervi...

2 Translations, 1 Video, Some Updates

Hey guys, I've got three things for y'all today, and a few updates. The first is an interview with Takashi Kawaguchi, Gen 1's producer and the man who Tajiri pitched the Capumon concept to. Next, some of y'all have been asking for a (47 page) text version of the 1996 Japanese Pokedex that I wrote a series of videos on about 3 months ago. And yesterday, a video I wrote about Mew's origins went up on YouTube. As usual, the articles are Patreon-exclusive and thus password-protected. The password...

New: 8 Page Tajiri Interview (1997)

Hey y'all. So today's translation is an 8 page interview with Satoshi Tajiri talking about Gen 1 and 2's development, and also just having a bit of fun (he gives away a Red cartridge where the player's named Dumbass). It was originally published in the November 1997 issue of Japanese magazine Famimaga 64. As usual, I've included some outside sources and commentary. Like all the Patreon-only articles, the password to access is "Pokemon History Club". Here's the link: 2021-09-18 14:39:52 +0000 UTC View Post

New Translation: Game Freak Origins

Hey folks. So today's translation is a 5 page interview with Junichi Masuda discussing the early days of Game Freak and Pokemon. As usual, I've included some outside sources, including about 25 translated pages from the Satoshi Tajiri biographical manga. Like all the Patreon-only articles, the password to access is "Pokemon History Club". Here's the link: http://lavacutcontent.com/masuda-game-freak-histor...

Pokemon Colosseum Interview & Concept Art

Last year I was doing a lot Gen 5 translations, and this year it's mostly been Gen 1 translations. So for a change of pace, I thought I'd bring y'all the only Pokemon Colosseum interview ever conducted, along with all the Colosseum concept art ever published. Don't get TOO excited though, there's only 4 pages of concept art. As usual, the password for access is "Pokemon History Club". Link: ht...

New Translation/Archive Available, Other Updates

Heya folks. For this update I've got a new translation/archive, some updates on other projects in the works, and links to all previous Patreon-exclusive articles (in case you missed them). Okay, I've just finished archiving and translating all 21 Pokemon-related pages of the 2014 art book "Ken Sugimori Works." Most of the artwork and trivia included is stuff you've probably seen before, but the book also includes a 5 page Sugimori interview. To be perfectly honest, it's not the most explosive...

Quick Update, Big News

Hey guys, as always I wanna start by thanking y'all so much for the support. It really makes a world of difference. Okay first a quick update, then the reason I'm actually making this post.

My apologies it's been kind of a slow month as far as Patreon translations. A lot of my energy's been sucked up into that 1996 Pokedex book translation, and also I've been moving and renovating my new apartment the past 5 weeks, which just finally got finished earlier today. Part 2 of that video seri...

New Translation: Professor Oak's Lecture (1996)

Hey y'all -- as always I wanna start off by saying thanks so much for your continued Patreon support. These kinds of translations literally wouldn't be possible without you guys. Further down in this post I'll have links to all previous Patreon articles, but first I'll let you know what's new.

So I've been talking about this 1996 book called Pokedex quite a bit in recent months. It was never released outside Japan, but with this post, the project to unofficially localize the full book i...

New Article (1996 artwork archive)

Hey guys -- first off, thanks as always for the support. It really does mean a lot. For new Patrons, I just wanna mention that the previous Patreon post has links to all the Patreon-exclusive articles and videos. As for what's new today, I just posted all 26 maps from the 1996 Pokedex book (the same book as the recent Tajiri interview translation), which you can see here: http://lavacutcontent.com/1996-k...

Huge New Translation

First of all I just wanna thank y'all for all the support that makes these big translations possible. And to the folks who just signed up -- at the bottom of this post there are links to all the Patron-only translation articles. As for today's new article, it's an 8 page Tajiri interview (along with some comments from 8 other developers) originally published in a Japanese book called Pokedex. I've combined it with translations of 10 pages from the 2018 Satoshi Tajiri biographical manga, and a...

Important, Quick Update

Hey folks, as always, I wanna start by saying so much for the monthly support :) I'll be quick in this one, just two things I share -- first, there's gonna be a huge Satoshi Tajiri translation article posted here in about 48 hours. The biggest and best one yet, in my opinion. It'll include an 8 page interview from the 1996 Japanese book "Pokedex," 10 pages from the Tajiri biographical manga, and various other sources with information relevant to the 1996 interview.

And the second thing ...

Translating 1996's Lost Pokedex

Big update below. First off, let me just say to the new Patreon supporters -- thanks so much for signing up, it really means a lot. The previous 3 or 4 Patreon posts have links to some translation articles and videos only available here on this website, so check those out if you haven't already.

Okay, now for today's news. So I've been using y'all's generous donations to, along with other projects, commission translations for an official Pokemon book called Pokedex, published by Creatur...

Book Translations

Before getting to the new information -- for new Patreon supporters, you can find some Patreon exclusive video and interview translations in the previous two Patreon posts. Thanks so much for your support :)

Okay, now on to today's new stuff. Some of y'all might remember me talking about a 120 page book from 1996 titled "Pokédex," which contains tons of development info, artwork, and extra lore not included in the games. I tried to get the book officially localized last year, ...

Carddass Update

Hey guys. First of all, I just wanna say thanks once again for y'all's support on Patreon. It really means a lot personally, and it also helps fund various projects. Usually that means commissioning Japanese interview translations, paying for Lost Pokemon artwork, or buying old books and magazines with various pieces of history in them. But as most of y'all probably already know, last year a few volunteers and I set out to scan and restore all 153 cards in the Japan-only 1997 Pokemon Carddass...

Two Mew Translation Videos

Hey guys, first off I just wanna say thanks so much y'all's support on Patreon. It really means a lot. About 20 of y'all just signed up this month, which has allowed me to commission a lot more translations and Lost Pokemon artwork. I recently had an 11 page interview translated, but it still needs commentary written, so that's not ready to post just yet. But I do have a couple video interviews translated, which you can download and view here: 2021-03-24 08:57:57 +0000 UTC View Post

New Developer Interview Article

I just posted a new Diamond & Pearl development interview, featuring Masuda, Sugimori, Ohmori, and Unno. It's pretty long, and includes lots of information from outside sources like blog translations and the 2019 beta sprite leak. Highlights include details about the Masuda Method, an internal debate  over the UI, and which Sinnoh Pokemon were designed first, as well as why they were first. It's on my website, but hidden so that no one can see it unless they have the direct ...

Patreon-Only Translations

Hey guys, I posted this a few weeks ago, but Daniel just pointed out there was an issue with the second link. For some reason even after replacing the part 2 link, it still led to part 1. So here's an update, I'll make sure after posting it that the links all work properly. Sorry about that, I thought y'all were able to read part 2 weeks ago!

Tajiri and Ishihara Discuss Pokemon's Creation (Part 1, open to the public): 2021-01-14 05:55:49 +0000 UTC View Post

New Interview Translation

New Pokemon interview translation, with Sugimori and four other developers discussing Gen 1 and a little Gen 2: lavacutcontent.com/sugimori-masuda-developer-interview/

New Translation: Graffiti Charizard, Pikachu's Boobs

Hey guys, got a new translation for ya, a pretty long one: http://lavacutcontent.com/satoshi-tajiri-ishihara-interview/

This is actually part 1 of 2 of this super-long interview with Tajiri and Ishihara talking about Game Freak in the 80's and 90's. For now this translation's just for y'all, but I'll share it on Twitter in a week or two. But part 2 I'll try to finish next week, then won'...

New interview: Pokemon Platinum

In this newly-transcribed 2009 interview, Junichi Masuda and (Platinum's director) Takeshi Kawachimaru discuss Gen 4's development, and in the process talk about earlier games as well. There's some interesting bits peppered all throughout -- like the series' musical inspirations and the Distortion World -- but the standout quotes actually come when Masuda starts talking about how he caters games to new fans... and the established fanbase is a lower priority =/ Worth noting that he retired fro...

New (Short) Developer Translation

Hey guys, I've got a new translation for y'all today. This one's pretty short, and to be honest isn't as exciting as most of the other translations I've posted in the past. But after I had it translated, it seemed like a waste just to throw it out, so I figured I'd post it. The highlights are Masuda briefly addressing why Pokemon Gray and Pokemon Z never got made, and basically saying there's never going to be a new Pokemon Stadium or Colosseum.

I've got two super long ...

HUGE new translation finished, read it today

I just finished a huge new translation -- it was originally 6 pages in a Japanese book, and now with my commentary added, the length has about doubled. It's an interview with Ken Sugimori, Atsuko Nishida, and Motofumi Fujiwara -- Eevee's three creators. They explain how all the whole Eevee family was created over the years, and in the process, they explain how ALL Pokemon were created throughout the generations. I won't be publishing this until next month, so please don't share it with any Yo...

Patron-exclusive content summary

Between my website, Twitter, and YouTube, I've posted a lot about Lost Pokemon History over the past couple years. But in recent months, I've also published some stuff here on Patreon that hasn't been made public. This summary is for new visitors, and also for current Patrons who might have missed previous posts:

1. Pokemon Anime: Fueled by Booze - this translation-based article focuses on Takeshi Shudo's blog. Takeshi was the head writer of the first several years of the anime, as well...

New Lost Pokemon article, video updates

I've just finished a new Lost Pokemon article, this one's about White Pichu. Here's the link: http://lavacutcontent.com/white-pichu-lost-pokemon/

This is hidden on my website, so no one will be able to read it except you guys. As always, I ask you to keep this to yourselves until the YouTube video based on it is published. Which brings me to my next point -- YouTube videos. You may have noticed i...

New Translation & Blue Beta Sprites

I've just finished a new translation-based article. I'll publish it probably in a couple weeks, but I wanted to let y'all see it first. Here's a download link for the PDF: http://lavacutcontent.com/corocoro-comic-pokemon-blue/

It's the full story of how Blue was released -- most notably, it reveals that Blue was actually released about 7 weeks LATER than was previously b...

Download: Rare Art Book

Working on three large projects together right now, but I thought I'd share this with you guys while those are still in progress. Here's a download link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=18QxSMZiKPQR_6fP_j4MWMpitE28kz19M

These are scans of all 32 pages of the New Hoenn Art Book. These limited edition art books were only given to Japanese fans who pre-ordered Omega Ruby &...

Pokemon Art Director Deletes Development Info... Because of Me >_<

Well, I'm used to covering Lost Pokemon History... but this is the first time Pokemon History BECAME lost because of me.

On December 15, I went through the entire Twitter history of James Turner, the current Pokemon series art director. I was looking for development details and information about design inspirations, and I found some really good stuff amongst James' 3700 tweets. How Guzzlord's design was inspired by HP Lovecraft monsters and Guardians of the Galaxy villain Agrajag, that ...