A Pokémon fan has created an impressively realistic Lickitung model through 3D printing - even going so far as to give their creation an articulated and retractable tongue. Lickitung is perhaps one of the most memorable Generation 1 Pokémon thanks to its cute design, overly large tongue, and the many shenanigans that followed it in the Pokémon anime series.
With nearly 900 distinct Pokémon species in the roster, fans each have their own favorite characters, though many have a particular penchant for Gen One 'mons. The first generation of pocket monsters holds a lot of nostalgia for the franchise, and its characters are widely seen across merchandise, Pokémon GO events, and more. Due to their immense popularity, the earlier Pokémon are often the subject of fan art and creations, with users imagining characters like Dragonair in the real world, and even Gen-One Pokémon as Marvel characters.
Redditor twolf201 has shared a look at their 3D-printed Lickitung Pokémon model in action, with a video showing off just how its impressive retracting tongue really works. The figure has what appears to be a wheel that will retract its excessively long tongue back into its head when moved, giving the Lickitung a true-to-the-franchise fully-working tongue. While the design has yet to be painted, twolf201 has created a wonderfully lifelike Lickitung that's almost small enough to fit into a Poké Ball.
The Lickitung model isn't the first 3D-printed creation from twolf201, as the user recently made a splash on Reddit with their 3D-printed Rayquaza Pokémon. Similar to the Lickitung, the user's Rayquaza offered some articulation, though this time not with its tongue, but instead with its body. The finished product is a fully posable take on the beloved pocket monster, and just like Lickitung, serves to show off the creator's skills with a 3D printer.
While it's easy to find official Pokémon merchandise and figures across the world, there's something to be said for unique, fan-built creations like twolf201's. Due to the size of the franchise's roster, and thanks to technological advancements in the field of 3D printing, there's almost no limit to the Pokémon creations fans can bring to life should they have the patience, means, and skill. With Lickitung and Rayquaza under their belt already, it seems likely that the creator is set on making many more 3D-printed 'mons, and those looking to follow their work can find them on Reddit to see just what their next Pokémon-inspired project may be.
Source: twolf201/Reddit
