Summary
For almost thirty years, thePokemonfranchise has introduced players to its vast collection of fascinating and unique magical creatures. Many of them – like Pikachu, Charizard, Eevee or Lucario – have become some of the most iconic video game characters of all time and are beloved by millions around the world. However, this isn’t always the case,as numerous other Pokemon are still quite divisive among the fan base.
Every single generation has its fair share of Pokemon that have gotten a polarizing reception from fans, for one reason or another. But the truth is that most of them don’t actually deserve all that hate, because they do in fact have brilliant designs that are extremely underappreciated. The following Pokemon may be controversial, but they are actually very well-designed.
While somePokemonfans like to claim that the original generation didn’t have any divisive designs, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The Psychic/Fairy PokemonMr. Mimehas always been quite controversial, with many people deeming it as creepy or uncanny due to its humanoid appearance and mime/jester theme.
But these elements are what actually make Mr. Mime such a unique and fascinating Pokemon, seeing as it can create psychic barriers with its mind because it’s a mime. Not to mention that his colorful body and chubby face make it seem more funny and adorable than creepy, and the mime/jester part of its concept is perfectly reflected in its appearance. The fact that Mr. Mime appeared in the live action filmDetective Pikachuand didn’t look creepy is enough proof of how brilliant its design is.
Pokemon X and Yintroduced some of the best and most universally beloved designs in the entire series, like Greninja, Hawlucha and Tyrantrum. Because of this, some of the more unconventional Pokemon from the Kalos region stood out among fans and became quite polarizing, with one of them being the Water/Rock typeBarbaracle.
Many people dismiss Barbaracle as an ugly or creepy Pokemon due to all the different heads, faces and eyes that are scattered throughout its limbs.But this odd feature is elevated by the fact that it’s actually made up of multiple Binacle, as a reference to how its real-life counterparts, the goose barnacles, often stick themselves to rocks near water. In a way, Barbaracle is a much more modern and creative take on the concept of Pokemon that are made up of multiple smaller creatures, like Magneton or Dugtrio.
6Klefki
It’s More Than Just A Living Key Ring
Pokemon that are based on inanimate objects have always been very controversial, and Generation Six introduced one of the most unusual ones:Klefki,a brand-new Steel/Fairy Pokemon that looks like a living key ring with several keys attached to its limbs.
This unconventional design is actually quite clever, seeing as fairies and other fae creatures are often blamed for the loss of small objects in some European cultures. Not to mention that tthekeys are not actually part of Klefki’s body, as it collects them from its surroundings, and the Pokedex even mentions that some noble families from the past actually entrusted Klefki with their vault keys. This is overall one of the best Pokemon based on an inanimate object in the entire franchise.
The type combination of Fire and Fighting was utilized on Starter Pokemon for three generations in a row(Blaziken, Infernape and Emboar), so fans eventually grew tired of it. Because of this, most of them immediately groaned whenIncineroarwas revealed, as it seemed like it was going to be yet another humanoid Pokemon with a secondary Fighting Type once again.
Of course, Incineroar is actually Fire/Dark type and its appearance is intentionally misleading because it’s based off of a heel, an antagonistic type of professional wrestler that fights dirty, which explains its secondary type. On top of that, its design is most likely inspired by the classic wrestling manga,Tiger Mask, which stars a feared heel wrestler who wears a mask in the shape of a tiger’s head. At the end of the day, Incineroar has an impeccable design and a creative concept, and it doesn’t deserve to be dismissed just because “it looks like another Fire/Fighting Pokemon”.
The Fighting/Ice Pokemon from Alola known asCrabominableis often considered one of the ugliest and least popular in the entire franchise, and the fact it looks extremely different from its pre-evolution, Crabrawler, certainly didn’t help improve its reputation. Nevertheless, its unique design still works in many areas, especially when taking a look at its inspirations.
Crabominable’s appearance combines elements from both a real-life crustacean called the Yeti Crab and the mythical Yeti (or Abominable Snowman). This is not only a creative and brilliant idea that was executed perfectly, but it also explains why its pincers look so strange, seeing as Crabominable uses them to leave footprint-like marks on the snow, just like the Yeti does, according to legend.
3Ultra Beasts
Bizarre Creatures That Don’t Look Like Pokemon (Because They’re Not Supposed To)
Generation Seven introduced a bizarre new category of Pokemon known asUltra Beasts, a group of extradimensional creatures who invade the Alola region. Most fans’ initial reaction to the Ultra Beasts was quite mixed, because all of them feature unusual and almost abstract designs that make them look and feel quite different from a regular Pokemon.
Needless to say, looking so strange and out-of-this-world is the whole point of the Ultra Beasts, since they’re all extradimensional invaders that are supposed to spawn a sentiment of discomfort in regular Pokemon trainers. Furthermore, there’s no denying that their individual designs are also quite clever, creative and impressive, with some of the most noteworthy ones being Buzzwole, Kartana, Guzzlord and Naganadel.
Curiously enough, it took Game Freak nine different generations to finally make a Pokemon based off of a flamingo, one of the most colorful and renowned birds in the real world. This creature is calledFlamigoand, unfortunately, many fans felt disappointed by its generic and plain appearance.
But Flamigo is one of those Pokemon that looks boring at first, but it’s actually quite creative and fascinating whenever fans take a look at its origins and inspirations. Not only is it supposed to look like a plastic lawn ornament, but its entire body makes it look like an arm with a boxing glove, which explains its secondary fighting type.On top of that, Flamigo is surprisingly strong in battle, seeing as it was used by the Elite Four member, Larry.
1Veluza
An Unremarkable Fish With A Gorey Secret
ThePokemonfranchise is filled to the brim with generic fish Pokemon that are meant to inhabit the many bodies of water found throughout the different games. Because of this,Veluza(which was introduced inPokemon Scarlet and Violet) may initially seem like yet another plain fish Pokemon with nothing special about it. Its design, coupled with its annoying behavior in-game, has earned it a negative reputation among fans.
But Veluza is yet another brilliantly made Pokemon that is sadly misunderstood. It’s based off of the hake fish, which is one of the most consumed fish species in Spain (the country in which the Paldea Region is based) and to further enhance its culinary elements, it also has a signature move called Fillet Away, which it can use to shed its own flesh to boost its speed. Humans can actually eat the meat it leaves behind, which means that Veluza is actually a food Pokemon, and this element alone is enough to make it stand out from all the other fishes in the franchise.
