Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield have created quite a stir among Pokemon fans, as players eagerly await the opportunity to explore the Galar region. The excitement over a new regional area to explore has also gotten fans thinking about Pokemon twists on other real world locales, leading one talented artist to think about Australia and one of its most popular figures.

Instagram artist Vivinkart has dreamed up the late Steve Irwin as a Pokemon trainer, and shared her art with the world. The drawing depicts Steve Irwin in his signature khakis - including comfy and easy to wear shorts - looking ready to start a battle, Pokeball in hand. Appropriately, the two Pokemon depicted with Irwin are Totodile and Krokorok, inspired by the crocs that Irwin was famous for wrangling on-camera that earned him "The Crocodile Hunter" as a nickname.

Most fans of Steve Irwin and his family's work would likely approve of this rendering, especially given when Pokemon Sword and Shield were revealed. The trailer for Pokemon Sword and Shield dropped shortly after Steve Irwin's birthday, so it's a timely and touching tribute.

With the upcoming Pokemon Sword and Shield heading to the in-universe version of the United Kingdom, it's unlikely that gamers will get to see them head to Australia anytime soon. Of course, it could still happen, as prior Pokemon games have already had regions based off of Japan, France, and the United States. If a future entry to the series does ever find itself there, it's not completely out of the question for a Irwin-inspired trainer to make an appearance, as prior Pokemon games have had references to celebs in the past, including Batman Pokemon trainers and Ikue Otani, the voice of Pikachu.

In the meantime, the prospect of a new Pokemon game has gamers plenty excited already, especially with the number of Pokemon Sword and Shield leaks and fan renderings of the starter Pokemon's evolutions making the rounds on the internet. There's a lot yet to be revealed about the new games, but in the meantime, fans will keep making new creations imagining what the future could hold for the series someday.

Pokemon Sword and Shield is currently in development exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.

Source: Instagram