Any series that has existed for as long as Pokemon and seen regular reiterations at set intervals for the past 25 years is bound to end up with some content on the proverbial cutting room floor.
That the Pokemon series now boasts almost 900 individual monsters is a testament to the artists behind it. It’s even more impressive to find out that, aside from this astounding 900, there are also a handful of Pokemon that went unreleased for varying reasons. In continuing our celebration of this milestone anniversary, here are a handful Pokemon that never made the cut.
10 Kurusu Line
Like many of the monsters below, Kurusu and its evolutionary line was revealed to fans in the West long after its inception in Japan. Within the vast collection of data stolen from Nintendo in their infamous 2018 online security breach, hackers uncovered fragments of unreleased projects and demos for Pokemon Gold/Silver.
Twitter Pokemon historian Dr. Lava states that Kurusu was the water starter Pokemon at the time, as Totodile was presumably yet to be designed. Kurusu and its evolutions were scrapped entirely instead of being repurposed for wild encounters in the Johto series.
9 Cactus
Your guess is as good as ours here… This Pokemon, if it can truly be called one, has only appeared publicly via the manga “Satoshi Tajiri: The Man Who Created Pokemon” according to Bulbapedia. What seems to be a photocopied scan of that manga is the clearest — to use that term generously — depiction of this prototype known only as “Cactus.”
Though this original design came about before generation one, a fully fleshed out cactus Pokemon wouldn’t appear again until Cacnea in generation three. This isn’t the only instance of rejected monsters from early generations being reiterated and given a deserved place in a later games’ roster.
8 Honoguma Line
More sprites courtesy of Dr. Lava. Like Kurusu above, Honoguma and its evolutions were also only present in the Johto series demos that were leaked in 2018. Honoguma was intended to be a starter Pokemon in generation two before being replaced by the Cyndaquil line.
According to Did You Know Gaming, upon seeing the original demo Japanese players thought Honoguma might be a fire stone evolution related to Pikachu. This simultaneously added fuel to rumors that a surfing Pikachu, or “Pikablu,” might be hidden somewhere in Yellow, or be released properly in generation two.
7 “Latiken”
Here’s a Pokemon design that really had legs… pun intended. Why make one Pokemon when you can make three out of one design? The design above proved to be extra useful to Game Freak as it served as the basis for Blaziken, Latias and, by extension, Latios.
The arms, talons, and legs were clearly preserved and transplanted directly to Blaziken. The other bird-like elements were kept from the flightless Blaziken and used instead for the legless Latias and Latios. Dr. Lava shares this image from Twitter user kurowasan, who captured it at a Brazilian tech expo during the lead up to the Hoenn series. Apparently this Pokemon was never named, so it lives on under the fan-made moniker “Latiken.”
6 Barunda
There isn’t much that can be said about Barunda. This is yet another Pokemon that appears on Bulbapedia thanks to fans who scanned the “Satoshi Tajiri” manga. Bulbapedia states that Barunda’s name is derived from “balloon.” Though clearly sidelined in favour of more recognizable designs in generation one, it seems that this Pokemon — like Cactus — was revisited, this time in generation four, and served as the basis for Drifloon.
5 Bomushika
This may be an example of competing designs fighting for one opening leading up to the generation two release. As Dr. Lava describes, Bomushika as a sea lion, but it’s clearly very similar to Seel and Dewgong from generation one, which were included in the Johto games. Perhaps Bomushika was set aside in favor of more visually distinct Pokemon.
It’s also said that Bomushika was meant to be a water/fire type, which would have been extremely strong in generation two when there were fewer Pokemon to counter it, so it may have been axed for balancing purposes.
4 Manboo Line
The Manboo line is interesting because it, like in the case of Latiken, seemingly served as a basis for so many other Pokemon in later generations despite never being released itself. Dr. Lava states that this water/steel-type family was originally designed for generation two.
While it was never officially implemented, the similarities between the final evolution and Huntail are apparent, as are the similarities between the middle evolution and Sharpedo. Even Manboo itself has a vaguely Luvdisc-esque silhouette, and its lamp is like that which appears on Chinchou and Lanturn.
3 Turban
Let us all collectively cry out, “that thing has a name!?” Yes, dear reader, the peculiar, anonymous abomination that’s been attached to Slowbro’s rear since generation one, and to Slowking’s head since generation two, was at one point meant to be its own Pokemon with the uninspired name “Turban.”
The Indigo League anime taught us that Slowpoke evolves when its tail is bitten by Shelder, which evolves along with it. The resulting fusion is collectively named Slowbro, but otherwise Shelder should evolve into Cloyster and this clearly isn’t Cloyster. Well wonder no longer, this drowned horror now has a name. Anti-climactic, isn’t it?
2 Crocky
Probably the most visually cursed designs on this list, the disturbed-looking dinosaur descendant above was once again revealed in the “Satoshi Tajiri” manga. Affectionately known as Crocky, this design was intended to be included in generation one, though no one is really surprised that it got cut. We’re certainly glad that Game Freak later introduced reptile Pokemon everyone can be proud of with Feraligatr and Krokorok.
1 Animon
This is what happens when you try to improve on perfection. Ditto — a Pokemon so flawless in its design that even your other Pokemon can’t help but find it irresistible when left with it in a daycare — at one point had a steel-type evolution planned for generation two.
With this, one of the laziest Pokemon designs ever, it appears that some artist said “what if Ditto was also a thumb tack?” Thus Animon was born. Behold, it’s poorly aliased maw agape, as if crying out in protest against it’s own creation. Arceus would never give life to such a thing. No. This is a testament to humankind’s hubris.
