Prerelease:Pokémon Sun and Moon

This page details pre-release information and/or media for Pokémon Sun and Moon.

To do: Other game trailers. CSS crops on a lot of the art to focus on the interesting stuff. More concept art if they're noteworthy. (From the officially released Artbooks or other pre-Freakleak sources.)

Trailers

Reveal Trailer

The Tide Song Hotel concept art, shown in the game's reveal teaser trailer. Features a early protagonist design that is similar to Red, along with an early female character design which might've inspired Lillie; blonde hair, hat, large bag/suitcase with a white dress.

A design for a fire truck with a Blastoise riding the aerial platform. Where this would have been used is unknown, but in the final game there are no fire trucks and only one Firefighter trainer appears outside the Battle Tree.

Early Boss Battle Theme

Part of this theme was played by Junichi Masuda at a Masterclass at Japan Expo 2016, and, as stated at the event, would never be played again. This theme was apparently scrapped very early on. It's unclear if the details of what this theme would be used for were finalized at the time this was composed, as it was only introduced as a "Boss Battle Theme". It was later remixed into the Elite 4 battle theme in the final game or it at the very least inspired it.

Game Informer

Before Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon's release GameInformer published a video about Game Freak members going through older game material, some of which is Sun and Moon related.

Concept Art for Seafolk Village, shows a rough sketch of presumably Lillie with a Clefairy (or her Poké Doll) and a Jigglypuff, a Pokémon which she does not catch in the final game(s). It was not included in the artbook.

0:12 A concept for a wild Pokémon encounter can be seen in the top left at 0:12. A lens-flare ring appears around the camera like in Sun and Moon.

At 3:58 Early concepts for encountering a Trainer and Wild Pokémon are seen.

Between 4:14 - 4:19 are sketches for Pokémon Amie created during a meeting.

Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Essentials Artbook

The cover for the book.

In late 2017 a physical artbook only released in Japan contains over 260 pieces of concept art mostly from the prior Sun and Moon development cycle. Some of them contain interesting ideas and concepts that were changed or removed during development.

Early Protagonist

Very small.

Hau'oli City concept art. Features the back of the early protagonist design and some street layouts.

Concept art for Kukui's yacht. This time featuring the early protagonist now with blond hair seen from very far away.

Concept art for Wela Volcano Park, which not only features this early protagonist but also features a layout for the inside of the volcano and what appears to be either Kiawe or Kiawe's grandfather.

Concept art for the motel on Akala Island.

This early protagonist design would later be found as a full 3D model in the development files for the Ultra games and subsequently in some Sun and Moon prototypes.

Characters

Concept art for the player's mom, shown with a Pikipek stealing her keys instead of a Kantonian Meowth.

Lana's character sheet shows her with two older sisters. In the final game they are younger sisters without unique designs.

Pokémon

Concept art for Rotom Dex shows Clemont as the inventor of the device (lore), as well as mock-ups using Black and White's Pokédex background with Pikachu's 3D model imposed over it and the map from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire being used by Serena wearing her later anime attire.

Concept art for Bewear which features Ash and Serena from the Pokémon anime. Bewear carrying Team Rocket away became a running gag in the Sun and Moon anime.

Locations

Pieces of concept art for Kukui's lab with lots of early room revisions and some unimplemented rooms. The first image uses a screenshot from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

Hau'oli Mall shows a screenshot from when the in-game locations were being created.

The Tourist Center does this too.

Concept art for Ten Carat Hill's cave. There might have been a cliff-clinging mechanic that wasn't included in the final game (or it's just artistic flavor).

Concept art for Paniola Town's building. There are Wimpod Roombas which aren't seen in the final game.

Concept art for an Akala Meadow. This location does not appear in the final game, only having a location name leftover in the final game's files and being replaced by the Royal Avenue in-universe.

Concept art for the police station on Akala Island. There is a Swellow with a police cap that isn't seen in the final game.

Concept art for Malie City. Shows a Hariyama Poké Ride, it is not stated if this was for the player; likely just an NPC for worldbuilding purposes.

Concept art for Mt. Hokulani with some road signs that weren't implemented.

Concept art for the Steelix boat along with it's presumed scrapped Captain character. What's very interesting is that the scarf they're wearing somewhat resembles Centiskroch, a Pokémon first seen in Sword and Shield.

Concept art for the Huntail Boat, featuring a skinny Misty in her anime attire. It's unknown if this concept is truly a cut cameo appearance (given Grimsley, Red and other past characters appear as cameos) or just a sketch for sizing reference (Game Freak's concept artists are prone to re-using past characters). Although it may have gone on to later inspire the anime episodes where Brock and Misty make a return in the Sun and Moon anime.

Concept art for Exeggutor Island. The layout is very rough.

Concept art for the Ruins of Hope. Features a placeholder design for Tapu Fini's outer shell.

Concept art for Vast Poni Canyon. There are three Pokémon structures that look like a Onix bridge, a Palossand castle and a Minior's shell. It also features a similar cliff-clinging idea from the Ten Carat Hill concept mentioning you might fall down to a lower level. None of these ideas were implemented.