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Gotta ink em' all! -Pokémon tattoos for charity

4K View2023-02-18

Ask any tattooist how they got into the ink game, and the answers will be as varied and exciting as the tattoos on a rockstars sleeve. So, when I came across the story of William Langford and his goal to ink all original 151 Pokémon for charity, I thought, first, that's a brilliant idea, and secondly, how has nobody thought of this before?

In response to the many animals rehomed or given away during the lockdowns, Langford is raising £4,000 for Blue Cross, a registered animal welfare charity in the UK. So far, he's already done eight, including Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Mew.

(Tattoo From William Langford’s Instagram)

Did I mention I'm a tattoo fan? In fact, I have eight. I have a long-time tradition of getting inked every time I visit a new country. That's what's unique about tats. Everyone has a story of why they're getting one. Of these tattoo enthusiasts, there's no group more interesting than the artists themselves.

(My Latest Tattoo from my January 2023 trip to Egypt)

So, what does this mean for me? It means I need to book a plane immediately to the UK and get my ninth tattoo, and I would be grateful if you could help fund my trip by sending money to my PayPal, linked below... Just kidding!

Langford's project is perfectly timed with the departure of long-time Pokémon protagonist Ash Ketchum, who is leaving the series after finally becoming a Pokémon master. If you're a millennial like me, you probably remember when Ash and Pokémon were first introduced, and the schoolyard battles started over Red vs. Blue version.

(Tattoo From William Langford’s Instagram)

With Ash's departure, we're seeing a generational shift in the Pokémon franchise. Still, it's nice to see someone taking the original 151 and the series that inspired us to be "The very best like no one ever was." and using it to help some real critters.

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