001 Bulbasaur 2009

I've been meaning to draw all 150 original pokemon in a realistic style for a while. My goal is to finish by the end of the year.

Here's Bulbasaur. He's a froggish fellow with a plant growing in his back. The plant and animal have a symbiotic relationship. Newborn bulbasaur have a seed planted into their backs when they are born and the two grow together. The flower produces a sweet, pungent odor of decaying flesh that attracts smaller animals to it, which the bulbasaur eats. In return, the flower absorbs nutrients with its roots, which grow into the animals flesh and bloodstream. Although both species could conceivably live independent of each other, they usually die within minutes of separation. I imagine the bulbasaur and its flower also depend on each other for attracting mates/pollination.