With 893 total Pokémon currently composing the Pokédex, it’s inevitable that at least a small handful of these Pokémon are gonna look really weird. Generation I, the generation that brought Pokémon into existence is widely regarded to be the peak of the franchise, with easily the highest number of household-name pocket monsters.
Was Generation I perfect? Of course not. From Seel to Exegccute, from Magnemite and Magneton to Koffing and Weezing, there were plenty of Pokémon in the original 151 that seemed either uninspired or just downright ridiculous, but it was the later generations that took it to a whole new level.
10 Rotom
Rotom is far from the first Pokémon to have a name that is simply a descriptive word spelt backwards, with Ekans and Arbok both dating back to Generation I, but Rotom could very well be the lamest. Backwards, “Rotom” spells “Motor”, but Rotom can’t shapeshift into cars or motorcycles.
Rotom can possess the motors of certain appliances. Which appliances, you ask? Try microwaves, lawnmowers, refrigerators, fans and washing machines, all appliances that leave even the fiercest warriors unable compose themselves. In its normal form, it looks alright, but its appliance forms leave much to be desired.
9 Sandygast
When you think of ghost Pokémon, do sandcastles ever spring to mind? If not, they will now. Sandygast, as well as its evolution, Palossand are two beach-dwelling sandcastle Pokémon that look more cute than they do scary. I mean, just look at that adorable little shovel poking out of its head.
Sandygast has the ability to grow bigger by taking control of anyone who puts their hand in its mouth, or anyone who grabs its shovel, and forcing them to build it taller. This is actually kind of cool, but it’s not enough to forgive the fact that this is still a sentient pile of sand.
8 Klefki
What’s more intimidating than piles of sand? That’s right… keys. Klefki is a fairy Pokémon with a keyring appearance and a key obsession, who will protect any and all keys you give to it, at all costs. It rattles its keys to scare off predators and is known to steal master keys from people’s homes.
The idea of inanimate objects coming alive is deep-routed in Japanese culture, called “tsukumogami” in folklore. The belief is that certain tools would come to life after a long time of service to commit a string of hijinks, and as Klefki is a prankster, it would seem that Nintendo drew their inspiration from there. Could’ve chose a cooler tool though.
7 Garbodor
Speaking of inanimate objects, here’s some trash. No, really, it’s literal trash. Garbodor, the evolution of Trubbish really encapsulated the efforts that went into its concept, maybe more so than any other Pokémon. Garbodor stands over six feet tall, eats and dwells in garbage and converts trash to poison to be used in battle.
To make matters worse, Garbodor is one of the 32 kinds of Pokémon to have a Gigantamax form, a Dynamax which allows them to grow significantly larger and more powerful. In Garbador’s Gigantamax form, it stands at over 68 feet tall and can release a toxic gas so powerful, it will seep into the bones of those who it engulfs. No thanks.
6 Vanilluxe
If the fact that there is a Pokémon modelled after an ice cream cone isn’t bad enough, Vanilluxe doubles as maybe the most uninspired evolution of them all. It’s previous form, Vanillish, appears as only one ice cream cone, and according to the lore, the first Vanilluxe was formed when two Vanillishes froze together.
The soft-serve ice cream coats their actual heads, which appear as icy spheres. If they “go bald”, they get quite embarrassed, as would most people if their faces got melted off. Vanilluxe would probably be excusable if not for it being a lazy evolution, essentially the Magneton of Generation V.
5 Spheal
Spheal is the S.H.I.E.L.D. of Pokémon, as it’s quite obvious that the developers decided on the name before the design of the actual Pokémon itself. The designers at Nintendo simply combined the words “sphere” and “seal” and ultimately concluded that that idea was as refined as it was going to get, as one of the many seal-based Pokémon.
If this is the route they’re taking for designs, combining 3D shapes with animal names, it’s only a matter of time before we get a “Kangarube” or a “Platyprism”. Hopefully those Pokémon at least evolve into something more creative than a seal with a moustache.
4 Conkeldurr
Conkeldurr is a fighting Pokémon that utilizes concrete pillars in its attacks, and is the final form of Timburr, who uses wood. Timburr, as well as the next form, Girdurr, both have punny names that play cleanly off of the material they use to attack with, but “Conkeldurr” may be the biggest stretch in the Pokédex.
The design is at at least somewhat cool, certainly better than many of the others on this list, but the name is a huge swing and a miss. Nintendo felt the need to incorporate “-urr” into the name, due to its presence in previous forms, but they seriously should have just settled on something like “Conkreat”.
3 Amoongus
Amoongus is the evolution of Foongus, a mushroom Pokémon with a Pokéball pattern on its head. Its name is a rather lazy play off of “among us”. No, not the game, the two forms are intended to spell out “fungus among us”, because it rhymes. Good lord.
Foongus and Amoongus aren’t the first Pokémon to disguise themselves as Pokéballs, with Voltorb and Electrode having done it first in Generation I, but they at least had regular, cool-sounding names. “Amoongus” isn’t exactly the kind of name you’d expect to strike fear into your opponents.
2 Applin
Looks can be deceiving, as Applin is actually a dragon-type Pokémon. It’s a dragon-type apple-dwelling worm and is both the lightest and smallest of all dragon-type Pokémon. Its appearance is about as unintimidating as it gets, appearing as just an apple with a little tail and eyes.
Applin has two possible evolutions, a flying apple Pokémon named Flapple (sheesh), and a dinosaur-esque apple pie themed Pokémon named Appletun, who has a Gigantamax form. It’s a shame that Applin’s two evolutions actually look pretty cool, as Applin itself is about as bland a design as it gets.
1 Eiscue
Where do you even begin with this one? Eiscue is nothing more than a penguin with an ice cube for a head. Admittedly, it’s adorable, but it’s no more clever than a camel with a bucket of sand for a head, or a bird with a branch for a head would be.
While it’s not quite as bland as Generation I’s Seel, Seel at least had an evolution, as lame as it was. Eiscue doesn’t even evolve. Similarly, Beartic - the polar bear Pokémon - is just a polar bear with a beard, but at least polar bears are daunting and aggressive. Penguins are cuddly and tame, not exactly what you want leading you into battle.
