Gaming YouTuber RaidAway encountered a shiny Moltres by accident while trading a Pokémon from Blue to Crystal. The legendary bird, normally yellow, appeared pink in the second-generation game, revealing its rare status. This rare find happened during RaidAway's work on a Crystal Living Dex.
Shiny Pokémon, the rare alternate-colored versions of the series' monsters, were introduced in Gold and Silver. However, because of how these rarities spawn in early games, a Pokémon from the first-generation titles like Red and Blue can turn out to be shiny when traded over. RaidAway experienced this with Moltres, one of the Legendary Birds that spawns only once per save file at Victory Road in Pokémon Blue.
Moltres is a flame-covered legendary that players must capture on their first approach, as there is no second chance in that playthrough. Shiny hunting for such Pokémon typically involves resetting the game multiple times to retrigger the battle, but RaidAway did not need to do this. The bird showed no indication of being shiny in Pokémon Blue, but upon trading to Pokémon Crystal, its true nature emerged.
In Generation II, shiny status is determined by a Pokémon’s Individual Values, which are the monster’s genetic disposition toward certain stats like Attack, Speed, and Defense. If these IVs land on a specific number combination, the Pokémon appears in a new color. These values existed in first-generation games, but the visual effect only appeared in the sequels. As a result, a traded monster can still be shiny even if undetectable when caught in Red or Blue.
The shiny Moltres trades its yellow body for a pink one, making it a visually striking version of the bird. RaidAway shared his discovery on X, stating: "I ACCIDENTALLY FOUND A SHINY MOLTRES IN POKEMON BLUE TRANSFERING TO CRYSTAL THIS IS THE MOST INSANE SHINY EVER.. pic.twitter.com/cSqFR4wRN5" on February 17, 2026.
He was building a Crystal Living Dex, a collection of every Pokémon in one game. While shiny hunting usually takes hours, this accidental find with a rare legendary like Moltres stands out as an impressive stroke of luck.
