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Among the files included in the Teraleak, a massive breach of internal server data from Game Freak in 2024, are early overworld sprites for various prominent NPCs in Pokémon Black and White. These sprites feature various differences compared to the final game:
• Grimsley is blonde instead of dark-haired, coincidentally resembling Barry from the Generation IV titles.
• Elesa doesn't wear stockings and features a more curved set of headphones.
• Brycen's palette is overall darker, he wears a face mask instead of a domino mask, and his robe shows much more skin compared to the final game.
• Skyla has much darker skin and brown hair tied in pigtails resembling a bird's wings. This design, which was radically overhauled in the final game, is likely a more literal interpretation of later revisions of her character pitch (also included in the Teraleak), which describe her as a dark-skinned Hispanic character inspired by Latina celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez (who is ethnically Puerto Rican) and Isabeli Fontana (who hails from Brazil, which is a Latin American country, but not a Hispanic one on account of its Lusophone population).
In-battle sprites for several characters are also present in the Teraleak's assets. Notably, while Elesa's in-battle sprite reflects her early overworld design, Skyla's in-battle sprite is light-skinned and blue-haired, indicating that Game Freak were considering alternate design options before ultimately settling with her final look, which features red hair, a significantly different hairstyle, and a complexion that matches the "slightly dark-toned" description given in the earliest version of her pitch (which more specifically describes her as South American, matching Fontana but not Lopez).
• Grimsley is blonde instead of dark-haired, coincidentally resembling Barry from the Generation IV titles.
• Elesa doesn't wear stockings and features a more curved set of headphones.
• Brycen's palette is overall darker, he wears a face mask instead of a domino mask, and his robe shows much more skin compared to the final game.
• Skyla has much darker skin and brown hair tied in pigtails resembling a bird's wings. This design, which was radically overhauled in the final game, is likely a more literal interpretation of later revisions of her character pitch (also included in the Teraleak), which describe her as a dark-skinned Hispanic character inspired by Latina celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez (who is ethnically Puerto Rican) and Isabeli Fontana (who hails from Brazil, which is a Latin American country, but not a Hispanic one on account of its Lusophone population).
In-battle sprites for several characters are also present in the Teraleak's assets. Notably, while Elesa's in-battle sprite reflects her early overworld design, Skyla's in-battle sprite is light-skinned and blue-haired, indicating that Game Freak were considering alternate design options before ultimately settling with her final look, which features red hair, a significantly different hairstyle, and a complexion that matches the "slightly dark-toned" description given in the earliest version of her pitch (which more specifically describes her as South American, matching Fontana but not Lopez).
The Cutting Room Floor articles:
https://tcrf.net/Development:Pok%C3%A9mon_Black_and_White/Sprites/Overworld_Sprites
https://tcrf.net/Development:Pok%C3%A9mon_Black_and_White/Documents#Gym_Leader_Profiles
Tweet by Centro Leaks comparing Skyla's early overworld and battle sprites:
https://x.com/CentroLeaks/status/1845531330911822270
https://tcrf.net/Development:Pok%C3%A9mon_Black_and_White/Sprites/Overworld_Sprites
https://tcrf.net/Development:Pok%C3%A9mon_Black_and_White/Documents#Gym_Leader_Profiles
Tweet by Centro Leaks comparing Skyla's early overworld and battle sprites:
https://x.com/CentroLeaks/status/1845531330911822270
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