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[[File:Capsule Monsters Logo.png|thumb|200px|Capsule Monsters logo]]

'''Capsule Monsters''' (Japanese: '''カプセルモンスター''' ''Capsule Monsters'') was [[Satoshi Tajiri]]'s early design concept of [[Pokémon]], first proposed to [[Nintendo]] as early as 1990. According to the book ''[[Pikachu's Global Adventure]]'', this early concept traces all the way back to Tajiri's childhood years, during which he had enjoyed bug collecting. 

The name "Capsule Monsters" is inspired by Japanese {{wp|gashapon}} machines.<ref>[http://bivio.web.fc2.com/column_poke_10th.html Pokémon 10th Anniversary Commemoration Column (Japanese)]</ref> Apparently, Tajiri had trouble trademarking the name "Capsule Monsters" so he changed it first to '''カプモン''' ''CapuMon'' and then later "[[Pokémon|Pocket Monsters]]".

Various Pokémon are known or believed to have originated from this early concept work, such as the well known battling foes {{p|Nidorino}} and {{p|Gengar}}. A few others include {{p|Lapras}}, {{p|Rhydon}}, and {{p|Slowbro}}, though many of the concept sketches included generic looking creatures such as simple dragon and apelike figures that may have eventually been developed into many of the existing Pokémon.

Presumably, monsters were not caught through combat, as in the final Pokémon mechanics. Instead, the Trainer had a Charisma stat that had to be raised to entice wild monsters to join them.<ref>[http://www.glitterberri.com/pokemon-red-blue/early-concept-art/2/ Glitterberri - Early Concept Art Page 2]</ref> The Trainer may have been able to participate in combat himself, indicating that several Trainers that are depicted with the whips were the leftovers of the mechanics. The Trainer may restore their monster's health by staying at the hotel, which provided healing devices in rooms, similar to a [[Pokémon Center]].

In addition, some concept art shows Trainers buying monsters in a pet-store like setting, probably a similar concept to purchasing Pokémon at the [[Celadon Game Corner|Game Corner]] or from the [[Magikarp salesman]]. The original pitch also did not include [[core series|the paired games]] with the [[game-exclusive Pokémon|game-exclusive concept]]; instead, [[trade|trading]] would be encouraged by "Mirage Monsters", creatures with a very low encounter rate. One Mirage Monster mentioned was a Green Dragon, which would be encountered in a dungeon. It is said that it would have taken up to 2 hours to find and catch.

===Artwork===
<gallery>
File:Capsule Monsters Cover.jpg|The cover of the Capsule Monsters concept booklet
File:Capsule Monsters map.jpg|An early design of the map of [[Kanto]], also showing an alternate logo
File:Poké Ball sketch.png|An early [[Poké Ball]]
File:Early Red and Rhydon sketch.jpg|The proposed player character and an early {{p|Rhydon}}
File:Mart Sketch.jpg| A [[Poké Mart]] concept
File:Capsule Monsters Town.jpg‎|A town
File:Capsule Monsters Bedroom.jpg|A Trainer's bedroom
File:Capsule Monsters Hotel.jpg|A Hotel, possibly a precursor to the [[Celadon Hotel]] or the [[Pokémon Center]]
File:Capsule Monsters Route.jpg|Interaction on a [[Route]]
</gallery>

==Trivia==
* "Capsule Monsters" was the name of [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Capsule_Monster_Chess a game] that appeared in the early ''{{wp|Yu-Gi-Oh!}}'' manga, which was later adapted into a [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Yu-Gi-Oh!_Capsule_Monsters short spin-off anime series] and [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Yu-Gi-Oh!_Capsule_Monsters_Collectible_Figure_Game board game].

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20120228074233/http://web.me.com/celebi23/Capsule_Monsters/Main.html Information on Capsule Monsters] (archive)
* [http://allabout.co.jp/gm/gc/215584/#2 Capsule Monster displays]
* [https://helixchamber.com/media/capsule-monsters/ Hi-res scans of all the Capsule Monsters available pages]

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