30 Weirdest Pokedex Entries
By Matt Becker
![](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/db7cb2c733719a766e340eab7c8fceca4e90de83e6906f5209bfb1ccb4f60ba9.jpg)
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
The Pokemon universe is filled with all sorts of unique Pokemon with often unusual backstories. We perused the games’ Pokedexes and compiled a list of thirty of the weirdest Pokedex entries.
What words come to mind when you think about Pokemon? Cute? Cuddly? Strong? Loyal? As we all know, Pokemon is about collecting, training, and battling Pokemon whom you form a strong bond with. Pokemon are supposed to be your “best friends,” according to the original anime theme song. Your friendship is based on mutual love and respect as you fight to defend the world and become the very best Trainer there ever was.
But what if I told you that some of these very Pokemon that you are collecting aren’t exactly the most friendly or normal of creatures? I mean, compared to our universe’s animals, no Pokemon is exactly “normal”. But if you take a close look at some of their Pokedex entries, you can find some extremely unusual descriptions. Yes, the Pokedex, that little device that identifies new Pokemon for you that so many players tend to overlook. This mini Pokemon encyclopedia contains everything from mind-boggling alternative science to downright creepy stories.
We scoured the Pokedex entries from all of the Pokemon video games and collected thirty of the weirdest, most unusual Pokemon descriptions we could find. So what are you waiting for, let’s take a look! “This is a great undertaking in Pokemon history!”
Credit: Game Freak/The Pokemon Company
Kadabra
Psychic-type Pokemon have always been a bit on the creepier side. They have powers of teleportation, psychokinesis, telepathy, and transmutation, which are both powerful and out of this world abilities. If you need an example, just watch Episode 22 in the first season of the Pokemon anime. In this episode, Ash takes on Saffron City gym leader Sabrina and her Abra (and later Kadabra). To put it mildly, things get extraordinarily weird in that episode as Sabrina and her psychic Pokemon teleport Ash and crew inside of her dollhouse.
Abra, Kadabra, and Alakazam are some of the most well-known psychic Pokemon in the franchise. At first glance, this trio of Pokemon appears to be a sort of hybrid humanoid mouse monster with long mustaches and an affixation for spoons. I like to think Kadabra is just always ready to eat cereal, but its spoons actually amplify its psychic powers. However, Kadabra’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Fire Red hints that something much more sinister is going on here:
"It happened one morning – a boy with extrasensory powers awoke in bed transformed into Kadabra."
Yeah, you read that right. A young child, gifted with special abilities and powers, just one night while sleeping randomly turned into a Pokemon. A Pokemon who will be captured, battled and traded by other humans, unaware they are actually dealing with another human. What does that make Abra and Alakazam? Are all three of the evolutions just humans turned into Pokemon during different stages of their lives? Or maybe Kadabra switches bodies with suspecting (and apparently psychic) victims? Talk about a horrifying situation.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Lampent
First introduced in Generation V, Lampent is a dual Ghost and Fire-type Pokemon that is, well, basically a floating lamp with wavy arms. This relatively harmless looking Pokemon has a spherical head containing a purple flame and oval, yellow eyes that give an eerily blank stare. While its depiction is not all that menacing, despite being a ghost, its Pokedex entries beg to differ. The Lampent Pokedex entry in Pokemon Black reads:
"This ominous Pokémon is feared. Through cities it wanders, searching for the spirits of the fallen."
Well, it is a ghost after all. I can see people being afraid of a floating purple lamp, even in the Pokemon universe. Although the afterlife in the Pokemon series is a bit of a mystery despite the fact there are Ghost-type Pokemon. Maybe Lampents just wander through the cities in search of other ghosts to befriend? Lampent’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 sheds some more light on the situation:
"The spirits it absorbs fuel its baleful fire. It hangs around hospitals waiting for people to pass on."
Oh, wow. Well, that went in a completely different and menacing direction than expected for such a little harmless-looking lamp. Nothing like a Pokemon stealing your soul to fuel their own life, just creeping around hospitals, feeding on human spirits. I can’t imagine the deceased’s family being all too keen on that happening. Do hospitals employ security guards whose sole jobs are to fight off these Lampents via Pokemon battles? And where are these human hospitals anyways? They are never explicitly shown in the video games or the anime. Regardless, Lampents confirms that even lamp ghosts can be creepy.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Drifloon
Drifloon continues the trend of Pokemon shaped as normally inanimate objects: in this case, a purple balloon. This Ghost and Flying-type Pokemon was first introduced in Generation IV. Drifloon is depicted as having a spherical purple body with two arms made of string, with small yellow hands and a tuft of white cloud “hair” atop its head. For a Ghost Pokemon it looks pretty innocent, like a balloon floating aimlessly about.
However, Drifloon is actually anything but innocent. Often called the “Signpost for Wandering Spirits,” Drifloon actually is “formed by the spirits of people and Pokémon.” Its Pokedex entry in HeartGold and SoulSilver reads:
"It is whispered that any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing."
Can you imagine your naive child accidentally pulling on Drifloon’s stringy arms, only to get dragged away and kidnapped, never to be seen again? Drifloon’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Sun isn’t any more comforting either:
"Stories go that it grabs the hands of small children and drags them away to the afterlife. It dislikes heavy children."
Not only does Drifloon kidnap small children, but it takes them away forever to the afterlife. Again, the concept of life after death in the Pokemon universe is a mystery. But what in the world does a balloon Pokemon need to kidnap children for? Does it kill them? Does it need human souls to survive, similar to Lampert? I’m honestly not sure we want to even know the answers to these questions.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Bewear
Look at this cuddly, fluffy black and pink bear Pokemon. Look at those big outstretched paws, just begging for a big ol’ hug from its Trainer. As enticing as it might be to want to cuddle up with this Pokemon, that is the exact opposite of what any Pokemon trainer would ever want to do. Bewear’s Pokedex entries in the latest Pokemon Sun and Moon video games explains why this Pokemon’s name is a homonym for “beware”:
"This immensely dangerous Pokémon possesses overwhelming physical strength. Its habitat is generally off-limits."
Just picture a seemingly nice dog, sitting right next to a “Warning: Beware of Dog” sign. But when you get close to the dog, it snarls and barks like a madman.
"This Pokémon has the habit of hugging its companions. Many Trainers have left this world after their spines were squashed by its hug."
Yes, this cute bear is actually extremely dangerous and possesses an inordinate amount of physical strength. It has actually killed Pokemon trainers by crushing their spines. Since when did Pokemon become Mortal Kombat? No wonder it is part Fighting-type Pokemon and carries the title of “the Strong Arm Pokemon”. I would not want to get into an arm wrestling contest with this bad bear.
And what makes it even harder is that Bewear actually shows its feelings of a fondness with an embrace! Imagine your loving companion wanting nothing more than a hug, but you can’t give it one because it might kill you! While it might be fluffy, this Pokemon is not one to mess with.
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Cacturne
Cacturne combines two things that I generally dislike: creepy scarecrows and spiky cacti. This humanoid, creepy nocturnal Pokemon resembles a green scarecrow with black holes for eyes and a grimacing smile of a mouth. It has spikes lining its arms, legs, and neck, with a dark green triangular head. First introduced in Generation III, this humanoid cactus monster is part Grass and Dark-type.
Unlike most of the previous Pokemon we’ve listed, Cacturne’s appearance is already a bit menacing. Just look at that unsettling face and creepy smile. And its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Sapphire confirms that it’s not the nicest of monsters:
"If a traveler is going through a desert in the thick of night, Cacturne will follow in a ragtag group. The Pokémon are biding their time, waiting for the traveler to tire and become incapable of moving."
These night dwellers roam around the desert in ragtag groups, looking to pick off weary travelers. What in the world do they do with these tired people? Do we really want to know? Its Pokedex entry in FireRed and LeafGreen share a little more info:
"It lives in deserts. It becomes active at night when it hunts for prey exhausted from the desert’s heat."
Oh great, they are hunting for prey at night. Glad we have yet another Pokemon species that have no issue hunting humans. This sounds like the plot of some horror action movie more than it does a rated “E for Everyone” video game about forming companionship with your favorite creatures.
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Haunter
It should come at no surprise that Haunter is on this list of weirdest Pokedex entries. One of the original Generation I Pokemon, Haunter is one of the series’ most sinister Ghost-type Pokemon. Just look at this ghost: it’s a huge floating spiky head with a large, menacing eyes, pointy teeth, huge tongue, and a pair of disembodied hands. Anyone who has seen the Pokemon anime knows that Haunter can be quite the troublemaker too.
Haunter’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Yellow shares some disturbing information about this shadowy creeper:
"By licking, it saps the victim’s life. It causes shaking that won’t stop until the victim’s demise."
This gives the Ghost move Lick a whole new meaning. Just one lick from Haunter will trigger a seizure while the ghost sucks your life away until you die. Sounds like a less-than-ideal way to bite the dust. I would definitely not want that toothy smile laughing at me to be the last thing I ever see. Its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Gold doesn’t make things any more pleasant either:
"In total darkness, where nothing is visible, Haunter lurks, silently stalking its next victim."
Because the fact that it can kill you with one gaseous lick wasn’t enough, Haunter will stalk you in the dark, floating out from solid walls to surprise (i.e. murder) you. At least it usually resides in dark, abandoned caves and mansions. You know, those caves that the video games constantly take you into to explore. Whenever you think living in the Pokemon universe might be a lot of fun, just think of Haunter stalking you in the dark.
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Banette
Introduced in Generation III, Banette is yet another frightening Ghost-type Pokemon. This Pokemon resembles some sort of demonic spiky doll, with a zipper for a mouth and menacing pinkish eyes with slit pupils. It’s said that its zipper holds its cursed life energy inside. Doesn’t really sound like any doll you’d find at the local toy store. Its Pokedex entry in the Emerald video game explains more:
"An abandoned plush doll became this Pokémon. They are said to live in garbage dumps and wander about in search of the children that threw them away."
You know all those old dolls you might have had growing up that you finally got rid of when you got older? Well, imagine that they become sentient Ghost Pokemon seeking revenge against you for throwing them away. Yet another Pokemon created from inanimate objects that have something against humans. And the way in which it curses its enemies isn’t too pleasant either, as described in its Omega Ruby Pokedex entry:
"Banette generates energy for laying strong curses by sticking pins into its own body. This Pokémon was originally a pitiful plush doll that was thrown away."
Banette’s entire purpose in life is based on a grudge. Really sounds like a great addition to your team of Pokemon doesn’t it? What happens when Banette finds the person that threw it away? Based on the wording of the Pokedex entry, we can’t assume it’s anything positive. Chalk this up as yet another reason that the Pokemon universe is not as friendly as you might think it is.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Gourgeist
Oh look, a Halloween themed pumpkin Pokemon! Holidays are always fun, right? Not in the case of Gourgeist. Although it might look like a pumpkin, this dual-type Ghost and Grass Pokemon is quite malicious. Gourgeist comes in many different sizes, some as large as five feet tall and weighing 86 pounds. That’s one big ass sentient pumpkin. Making its first appearance in Generation VI, Gourgeist’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Y explains what makes this Pokemon so dangerous:
"It enwraps its prey in its hairlike arms. It sings joyfully as it observes the suffering of its prey."
Remember It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown? What if Gourgeist was the Great Pumpkin, waiting in a field to strangle unexpecting humans in its long hairy arms. And to make matters worse, it serenades you as it strangles you to death. This murderous Pokemon actually enjoys watching its prey suffer. Its Pokedex entry in Pokemon X shares even more creepy info about its singing habits:
"Singing in eerie voices, they wander town streets on the night of the new moon. Anyone who hears their song is cursed."
Not only can this Pokemon choke you to death, but it also wanders around town once a month cursing everyone with its song. Must be a real treat to live in towns surrounded by Gourgeists. My question is what song does it sing that’s so evil it curses you? My money is on Nickleback or Justin Biever. Must be payback for all those Pumpkin Spice Lattes we drink during the fall season.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Darumaka
At first glance, you might be wondering why this cute little red nugget of a Pokemon is on this list. He’s not some murderous Pokemon out to seek revenge on humans (thankfully). This Fire-type Pokemon actually has an extremely unique and odd use that will make you question the sanity of people living in the universe. Its Pokedex entry in Pokemon White explains what I mean:
"Darumaka’s droppings are hot, so people used to put them in their clothes to keep themselves warm."
This is weirdly disturbing on a whole other level. Just when you thought things couldn’t be any stranger in the Pokemon universe, we learn that people are stuffing their clothes with hot poop. What’s even odder is that in Pokemon Black and White, Darumaka are found along the desert region of Route 4. I would assume that the desert is usually pretty hot. It either must get really cold at night, or someone started a lucrative business of farming Darumaka droppings and shipping them up to colder locations.
I can’t even begin to fathom who came up with this idea. I guess desperate times call for desperate measures? Putting actual excrement in my clothing would be the last thing I would think of doing, especially in a world with numerous other Pokemon that could heat you up. How many other Fire-type Pokemon are there that can just create fires at a whim? Or why not just cuddle up with a warm Pokemon like a Numel? Darumaka’s Pokedex entry wins the award for the most puzzling use of a Pokemon to date.
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Gengar
Gengar is the epitome of Ghost-type Pokemon. This infamous Generation I Pokemon arguably has the most sinister grin of any monster in the franchise, which matches its equally mischievous and malicious personality. Gengar’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Silver explains more:
"To steal the life of its target, it slips into the prey’s shadow and silently waits for an opportunity."
Similar to its prior evolution Haunter, Gengar likes to lurk in the shadows, floating through solid objects in its search for prey. And since Gengar is the species’ final form, we can only assume it is even more efficient at sneaking up on its victims. It enjoys pretending to be a shadow, taking joy in its victim’s terror when it reveals itself. Pokemon Sun’s Pokedex details how dreadful it can be when you are ambushed by a Gengar:
"Should you feel yourself attacked by a sudden chill, it is evidence of an approaching Gengar. There is no escaping it. Give up."
The Pokedex flat-out recommends just giving up on life if you are attacked by a Gengar. If only all the Trainer battles in the game went that easy when I bring out my Gengar. Its entry in the Pokemon Moon Pokedex explains why Gengar acts the way it does:
"It apparently wishes for a traveling companion. Since it was once human itself, it tries to create one by taking the lives of other humans."
This honestly is just sad and is a fact that the anime tries to touch upon. Gengar wants nothing more than to have a companion, but it clearly does not understand that popping out of shadows and attacking humans is not the way to go about doing that. Its erratic behavior and misunderstanding of what human life really means makes Gengar a Pokemon no human in their right mind would want to meet in a dark alley.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Phantump
First introduced in Generation VI, Phantump is both Ghost and Grass types. This wispy, black floating Pokemon has a small tree stump over its head, hence its self-describing name. Phantump lurks around abandoned forests, and for good reason, as explained in its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Y:
"According to old tales, these Pokémon are stumps possessed by the spirits of children who died while lost in the forest."
What is with all these Ghost Pokemon and small children? Life after death in the Pokemon universe sure is complicated. The real question that this Pokedex entry brings forward though is just exactly how many lost children die out in the woods? I can’t imagine this occurs all that frequently. Phantump is not a unique legendary Pokemon or anything super special, just your average run of the mill Ghost-type Pokemon. Which means there are a whole bunch of them out in the Pokemon universe. By the logic of the video games, there are arguably an infinite number of them. And if they really are spirits of dead kids, that raises a serious question regarding the safety of Pokemon forests and the universe’s population of children.
Not to mention that Trainers are capturing these spirits and using them in battle. Doesn’t look like these poor deceased children will get much of a chance to “rest in peace.” Phantump’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Sun also mentions that “their cries sound like eerie screams.” It’s hard to not think about these poor lost children crying out in confusion. Talk about depressing.
Credit: Game Freak/The Pokemon Company
Guzzlord
Guzzlord is one of the seven powerful Ultra Beasts. This extra-dimensional Pokemon has powers that transcend human understanding. Guzzlord resembles an enormous spiky crab-like creature with a huge mouth on its belly. This monster’s body is riddled with numerous fangs and spikes and claws. I would not want to get anywhere remotely close to this Dark and Dragon-type Ultra Beast unless you fancy ending up as its lunch.
Just look at the size of its mouth. Those two large pincers on its lower side are actually a part of its tongue, used to grab and consume anything that comes nearby. With that large of a mouth and with how many ways Guzzlord has to grab prey, I can only assume it eats insane amounts. It’s got to fuel its eighteen foot, one-ton frame somehow. Its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Sun describes this Ultra Beast’s eating habits:
"It has gobbled mountains and swallowed whole buildings, according to reports. It’s one of the Ultra Beasts."
This monster gets so hungry and has a mouth so large it just casually chows down on some mountains and buildings. What comes in must come out at some point right? Its weird to think about that when it comes to Pokemon, but Darumaka has already set the precedent. Pokemon Moon‘s Pokedex has our answer:
"A dangerous Ultra Beast, it appears to be eating constantly, but for some reason its droppings have never been found."
Wait, what? You have an eighteen foot, two thousand pound monster roaming around eating mountains and no one has every found any Guzzlord poop? Does it even poop at all? Does Guzzlord use some sort of Ultra Space portal to do his business in private? Better yet, why are we discussing the logistics behind if and how an Ultra Beast uses the bathroom?
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Yamask
Yet another Ghost-type Pokemon makes it onto our list of strangest Pokedex entries. Yamask, first introduced in Generation V, is a shadow-like Pokemon holding a mysterious gold face mask. The meaning of this mask is described in Yamask’s Pokedex entry from Pokemon Black:
"Each of them carries a mask that used to be its face when it was human. Sometimes they look at it and cry."
Well, that is extremely depressing. Yet another Pokemon that adds mystery and confusion to the relation between Ghost Pokemon and the human afterlife in the Pokemon universe. The Pokedex flat-out says that Yamasks are actually former humans. They are not ghosts that absorb human souls, nor are they former humans only according to “old tales.” These Pokemon are literally created from deceased human beings.
And to make matters worse, they even remember what its like to be human, using their mask as a reminder of their former life. Are these even really Pokemon to begin with? Or are they reincarnations of a human soul? Yamask rides the fence on what exactly it means to be a Pokemon, which is an entire discussion on its own. The “human afterlife” in the Pokemon world continues to be disturbingly puzzling.
And of course, in true Pokemon fashion, we capture, train, and battle these poor Ghost “Pokemon” or human souls or whatever they are. I’m glad when I was younger playing Pokemon I never read the Pokedex entries. Yamusk’s entry would have brought about some interesting questions that my parents would have been pretty confused by.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Slowking
Slowking, first introduced in Generation II, is one of the final evolutionary forms of Slowpoke. While Slowbro has a Shellder latched onto its tail, Slowking has one attached right onto its head. Slowking’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Silver explains more:
"When its head was bitten, toxins entered Slowpoke’s head and unlocked an extraordinary power."
This description sounds like something straight out of a superhero movie or a comic book. Shellder’s bit actually causes a chemical reaction in into a Slowpoke’s brain that gives him extraordinary intelligence. Just how smart is smart? The Pokedex in Pokemon Black and White clarify:
"Being bitten by Shellder gave it intelligence comparable to that of award-winning scientists."
Slowking’s intelligence matches that of some of the smartest humans, and it actively seeks out more information to further its knowledge. It has a sense of inspiration and genius that no other Pokemon has ever developed. I would even go so far as to say it’s probably smarter than a huge percentage of Team Rocket’s grunts. In the anime, Slowking is one of the few Pokemon capable of both understanding and speaking the human language without telepathy.
This is true “science” at work here. Why take a Limitless cognitive enhancer pill when you can just stick a Shellder on top of your head and inject poison into your brain? What kind of chemical reaction is this? I would assume scientists tried replicating this effect on other Pokemon or maybe even humans. The whole concept is both absolutely ridiculous and amusing at the same time.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Froslass
Surprise, another Ghost-type Pokemon has made it onto our list! Well, Froslass is a dual-type Ice and Ghost Pokemon, but this “Snow Land Pokemon” certainly is creepy. This female-only humanoid-looking Pokemon floats in the air with its flowy torso and long arms. Although first introduced in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, its Pokedex entries in Pokemon Sun and Moon best describe how strangely creepy this icy Pokemon really is. Moon’s Pokedex describes Froslass’ origins:
"The soul of a woman lost on a snowy mountain possessed an icicle, becoming this Pokémon. The food it most relishes is the souls of men."
Again we have deceased human souls taking on the form of a Pokemon in the afterlife! This time, it’s a poor old woman’s soul who for whatever reason decides to possess an icicle and feast on the souls of men. And again the question is posed: how many women are getting lost atop snowy mountains? Froslass isn’t a unique legendary Pokemon, so I would assume there are many of them. People need to stop going into all these dangerous forests and mountains already…
And what exactly did men have to do with her passing away? Did she get lost on the mountain because of some man? Pokemon Sun‘s Pokedex entry shows just how vengeful Frosslass can be:
"When it finds humans or Pokémon it likes, it freezes them and takes them to its chilly den, where they become decorations."
What a pleasant way to go: frozen like Han Solo in carbonite. Either you live long enough to be frozen to death with its negative 58 degrees Fahrenheit breath, or your soul becomes food for a spiteful Ghost. That’s a lose-lose situation if I’ve ever seen one.
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Duskull
This “Requiem” Ghost-Type Pokemon is supposed to resemble a Pokemon personification of the Grim Reaper himself. Duskull has all the typical abilities you might expect from a floating image of Death. It can become invisible, move through solid objects, and hide in the dark shadows of the night. Pokemon Sapphire‘s Pokedex explains more:
"Duskull wanders lost among the deep darkness of midnight. There is an oft-told admonishment given to misbehaving children that this Pokémon will spirit away bad children who earn scoldings from their mothers."
Regardless of whether or not this “admonishment” given to misbehaving children is just an old wives’ tale, this does not exactly make you want to run into a Duskull anytime soon. This must be the Pokemon universe’s equivalent of the age-old parenting “technique” of telling your children to behave or else something bad will happen to them. Except Duskull might actually harass you if you are being bad, according to Pokemon Platinum‘s Pokedex.
"It loves the crying of children. It startles bad kids by passing through walls and making them cry."
At least Duskull is reasonable enough to only bother misbehaving children. What a way to scar a young child for life though. Can you imagine if every time you disobeyed your parents or talked back to them a ghost popped out of the wall and scared you so badly you cried? This takes emotional punishment to a whole other level. I don’t know about you, but I would learn pretty quickly to behave myself…
Credit: The Pokemon Company, Ken Sugimori
Shiinotic
Shiinotic is a dual Grass and Fairy type Pokemon first introduced in the most recent Generation VII. This large, white mushroom looking Pokemon gives a serious dead stare: its eyes are pure black. Shiinotic lives in forests, and frequently gets into territory battles with the other mushroom type Pokemon, Parasect. It can also be (indirectly) dangerous to humans as well, according to Pokemon Sun‘s Pokedex:
"Forests where Shiinotic live are treacherous to enter at night. People confused by its strange lights can never find their way home again."
Yet another reason to second guess yourself before you head into those dark forests that the video games continuously push you into. Shiinotic’s spores do more than illuminate the forest, as described in its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Moon:
"It emits flickering spores that cause drowsiness. When its prey succumb to sleep, this Pokémon feeds on them by sucking in their energy."
Picture that blank stare sucking the life force out of its prey, completely passed out on the dark forest floor. At least Shiinotic has the courtesy of putting its prey to sleep before it kills them. The outstanding question, though, is what does Shiinotic prey upon? Does it use its illuminating mushroom cap to lure humans nearby then put them into a deep sleep? Or maybe Shiinotic is a part of a greater evolutionary chain and the reason so many children get lost in the forest and become Phantumps? Must I remind you again that this is supposed to be a children’s game!
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Grimer
Ever since I first saw Grimer in the original generation of Pokemon, I always thought it was such a strange concept. This Poison-type Pokemon is just a purple slimy blob of sludge filled with oozing toxicity that destroys any soil it touches. Grimer feeds off of waste and pollution and generally resides in sewage pipes and in polluted lakes, streams, and anywhere you can find industrial waste.
But how exactly did Grimer come to be? How did something so toxic come to life? Naturally, the Pokedex has the answer. Grimer shares the following entry in Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum:
"It was born when sludge in a dirty stream was exposed to the moon’s X-rays. It appears among filth."
This grimy blob of a Pokemon was created when polluted water was “exposed to the moon’s X-rays.” I have absolutely no idea what the hell that is supposed to even mean. According to NASA, “X-rays illuminate the interior of the Moon.” From my understanding, X-rays from the Sun are reflected off the Moon, turning it into an incidental (albeit weak) source of X-rays.
I am no scientist, but apparently these rays hit Earth and turn sludge into Grimers? I have no idea if these X-rays can even hit Earth’s surface in real life. Chalk this up as another strange inclusion of science into the Pokemon universe. Not that the franchise is even based on science and physics anyways. This little fact is such a strange inclusion in the games that it had to be included in our list of weirdest Pokedex entries.
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Snubbull
Snubbull, despite appearing to be a pink bulldog like creature, is actually a Fairy-type Pokemon. First introduced in Generation II, this cute little Pokemon has big flat ears, a pronounced underbite, and short stubby little arms and legs. It shares the same facial expressions as many bulldogs do. Snubbull might look like a fierce little pup but actually is quite playful and affectionate. It’s even depicted in the anime wearing a top hat and monacle!
Snubball is said to be a very loyal companion as well. It opts for non-violent methods of battling, utilizing moves like Scary Face and Charm rather than physically fighting. Pokemon Silver‘s Pokedex entry explains more:
"It has an active, playful nature. Many women like to frolic with it because of its affectionate ways."
What makes this entry interesting is the Pokedex’s choice of words. As you might expect from a Pokemon based off of a dog, Snubbull has a loving and playful demeanor. I mean, dog’s are “man’s best friend” right? And Pokemon are meant to be your loyal and friendly companions in battle. But to use the word “frolic” here is a bit questionable. Perhaps I am reading into it too much, but does that Pokedex entry not give a slight undertone of bestiality here?
I would prefer to not interpret that as anything more than the word’s literal meaning, but come on- could they not have phrased that a little better? This Pokedex entry wins the award for the most unclear and unfortunate description of a Pokemon.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Metapod
Ah yes, good ol’ Metapod. One of the original 151 Pokemon, this crescent-shaped green chrysalis of a creature is one of the first Pokemon encountered in the first generation of Pokemon games and in the anime. It is best known for its extremely hard outer shell that is said to be as tough as steel. Metapod also remains motionless, preparing its insides for evolution into Butterfree.
In the video games, the only ability that Metapods typically know how to use is Harden, which raises its defense stat. This can make for some amusing circumstances, such as in the anime when Ash’s Metapod takes on the Samurai Boy’s own Metapod in a battle filled with continuous Harden attacks. Metapod’s Harden ability has also spawned a serious of less than appropriate memes. But it protects its shell so vigorously for a good reason, which is explained in its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Sun:
"Its shell is filled with its soft innards. It doesn’t move much because of the risk it might carelessly spill its innards out."
Well, that explains a hell of a lot. Metapod is not some useless shell of an insect: it’s just trying to do everything it can to make sure it doesn’t disembowel itself and die. That is an oddly disturbing visual. Despite how hard its shell might be, it’s still a bug. And when going into battle against dragons and fire-breathing monsters and all sorts of powerful beasts, it needs to use all its focus just to stay alive. Talk about stressful!
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Litwick
First introduced in Generation V, Litwick is a Ghost and Fire-type Pokemon resembling a small floating candle. As cute as this little candle might appear, it stays true to Ghost Pokemon being anything but friendly. Litwick powers its flame by absorbing life energy off another living being, similar to its next evolution, Lampent. Its Pokedex entry shared amongst the Pokemon White, X, and Omega Ruby video games explains more:
"While shining a light and pretending to be a guide, it leeches off the life force of any who follow it."
Litwick tricks both humans and Pokemon alike by pretending to be a guide, lighting darkened areas. But in reality, it is actually absorbing their life energy, leading them not to their destination, but into the afterlife. Litwick’s Black 2 and White 2 Pokedex entry states:
"Its flame is usually out, but it starts shining when it absorbs life force from people or Pokémon."
So if you see a Litwick with a flame, that means it just recently sucked the life out of a victim. This is also a bit of a catch-22: Litwick needs a flame to trick people into following it, but in order to get a flame it needs to be close enough to suck the life out of people. What’s also disturbing is that the Pokedex never says why Litwick sucks away life force in the first place. It’s implied that Liwick can survive without a lit flame. Does it eventually die without one, or does it just enjoy sucking the life out of its unsuspecting victims?
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Palossand
Sometimes I wonder if Pokemon is starting to run out of ideas for monster designs. This Ground and Ghost-type sand castle Pokemon was recently introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon. Residing in sandy and beachy locations in the Alola region, Palossand might look like a harmless sand castle. But haven’t we learned by now to not judge a book by its cover?
Sure, the castle looks innocent enough, with its little red shovel and light blue and pink stones. But Palossand is not actually the sand castle itself. The Pokemon is only using the sand castle as a disguise and defense mechanism, which it creates by possessing people and forcing them into sculpting one. Palossand is able to replenish any sand that it loses as well, becoming a self-sufficient, possessed sand sculpture.
It also uses the sand offensively: it captures Pokemon by creating a sandy vortex and then absorbs their life force. Pokemon Moon‘s Pokedex explains what happens next:
"Buried beneath the castle are masses of dried-up bones from those whose vitality it has drained."
Palossand sucks up innocent souls and buries the empty bodies underneath itself. These dried-up bones, cursed with the grudges of lost souls, are then used in the creation of new Sandygasts, which are Palossand’s prior evolutionary form. This forms the never-ending cycle of life (or in this case, death) of this ghostly sand castle Pokemon. Can you imagine your young child playing in the sand at the beach and digging up old human and Pokemon remains?
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Dusclops
The Ghost-type Pokemon Dusclops was first introduced in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. Looking more like a Rock-type Pokemon than a Ghost, Dusclops has a roundish gray body with two stubby legs and one single big eye (hence its name being a play on the word cyclops). While it looks like he could weigh a solid several hundred pounds, it only weighs about 68 pounds despite being over five feet tall.
How does something that tall that looks that solid weigh so little? Dusclop’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Ruby explains more:
"Dusclops’s body is completely hollow – there is nothing at all inside. It is said that its body is like a black hole. This Pokémon will absorb anything into its body, but nothing will ever come back out."
Just when you thought Grimer took the cake on weird science in Pokemon, Dusclops rears its big ol’ eye. This Pokemon’s body is essentially a black hole. You know, those spacetime constructs that have such a strong gravitational pull that nothing, not even light, can escape from it. Yeah, this run of the mill common Ghost Pokemon has one of those inside of it. Dusclops need only to open its mouth and it can suck you into the void, never to be seen again.
There seems to be some conflicting reports on whether or not this is actually true. Pokemon Platinum states that “What happens inside [Dusclops] is a mystery” and Pokemon Emerald claims that “no one has been able to confirm this theory as fact.” Regardless, this is one Pokemon that I would not want to mess around with, even if this black hole concept is just a nonsensical theory.
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Drowzee
Drowzee is yet another Pokemon from the original Generation of 151 that has a reputation for being a bit on the … stranger side of things. This yellow and brown Psychic-type Pokemon resembles a tired-looking tapir, with a round belly and short trunk above its mouth. Drowzee is known as the “hypnosis” Pokemon since it puts people to sleep and feeds off their dreams.
How exactly does it “eat” your dreams? Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire describes this odd phenomenon:
"If your nose becomes itchy while you are sleeping, it’s a sure sign that one of these Pokémon is standing above your pillow and trying to eat your dream through your nostrils."
What a pleasant visual that is: a creepy, psychic tapir standing over your unknowing, sleeping body as it sucks out your dreams through your nose. It can even sense the person’s dreams before it eats them. Drowzees are actually pretty picky eaters: they don’t just eat any dreams. Its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Silver explains more:
"It remembers every dream it eats. It rarely eats the dreams of adults because children’s are much tastier."
Oh great, it likes to stalk children too. Drowzees prefer to eat fun dreams over bad dreams, so in a way this makes sense? I guess dreams about ice cream and puppies taste better than nightmares about taxes and work meetings. And it remembers every dream it eats too. I’m just imagining Drowzee with a catalog of people’s dreams, picking out its menu each night like a person looking at a takeout menu.
Credit: 4Kids Entertainment
Misdreavus
This dark blue-green Ghost-type Pokemon was first introduced in Pokemon Gold and Silver Misdreavus dons what appears to be a dark draping dress, with a bright red necklace and long, flowing hair. Misdreavus is a nocturnal Pokemon that lives in dark caves, sleeping during the day and playing mischievous tricks on unsuspecting people at night. It loves to watch people get scared, as explain in Pokemon Silver‘s Pokedex:
"It loves to bite and yank people’s hair from behind without warning, just to see their shocked reactions."
This mischievous ghost is one hell of a troublemaker. It would be startling to get your hair yanked by another person, let alone a ghost appearing out of nowhere and biting it. I didn’t know biting hair was even a thing. I would imagine that would be anything but a comfortable situation. Misdreavus doesn’t leave things at simply playing with people’s hair either. Pokemon Sun‘s Pokedex explains more:
"It will use any means necessary to frighten people and absorb their life energy. It practices constantly to hone its skill in causing fear."
Nothing will come between Misdreavus and frightening its victims. Scaring humans (and of course, absorbing their life energy) is what these Pokemon live for. I’m just picturing a bunch of Misdreavus discussing different scare tactics and practicing like it’s Monsters, Inc.. Which is admittedly pretty amusing. But then again, I don’t live in the Pokemon universe in constant fear of all these different ghost Pokemon playing scary pranks on me and biting my hair.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Cofagrigus
Of course there is a coffin Pokemon. And naturally, it also has uniquely weird Pokedex entries. The Ghost-type Pokemon Cofagrigus takes the form of a yellow and blue sarcophagus with angry red eyes, sharp white fangs, and four black hands. The coffin clearly draws influences from ancient Egypt, which makes sense considering that Cofagrigus hangs out in ancient ruins and tombs.
The coffin itself is said to be made of solid gold, which naturally is enticing to both grave robbers and historians alike. Cofagrigus’ Pokedex entry in Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 explains what happens when these grave robbers get a tad too close to Cofagrigus:
"Grave robbers who mistake them for real coffins and get too close end up trapped inside their bodies."
I thought this was Pokemon, not Indiana Jones or The Mummy. What goes around, comes around though. What do you expect when you rob graves in the Pokemon universe filled with strange ghosts and monsters? Cofagrigus’ Pokedex entry in Pokemon Black, however, explains that this coffin Pokemon is not actually very selective about who it entraps:
"It has been said that they swallow those who get too close and turn them into mummies. They like to eat gold nuggets."
And just when I thought we had finally found a Ghost Pokemon who was a bit more reasonable about which humans they attacked. At least these coffin ghosts hide out in obscure ancient ruins and not your local forest or watch you while you sleep. How often do people actually go exploring around in tombs whose names aren’t Lara Croft?
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Cubone
If you are a fan of Pokemon in any capacity, you have surely heard the story about the orphan Cubone and his mother Marowak. In the Generation I games, the story goes that Team Rocket invaded Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town in order to steal the skulls of Cubone. Only one Cubone escaped, protected by his mother who died in the process. In the game, the player must defeat the Marowak and put her soul.
Cubone is always depicted wearing a skull over its head. If you read Cubone’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Yellow, it explains more about this protective helmet:
"Wears the skull of its deceased mother. Its cries echo inside the skull and come out as a sad melody."
No wonder Cubone is nicknamed the “Lonely Pokemon”: these poor little guys are traumatized by the death of their mother. So much so that they are wearing their mother’s skull on their head, howling through the night. These sad Pokemon are in a constant state of mourning. Yet Pokemon Trainers everywhere are capturing them and training them for battle.
One question that this Pokedex entry raises (because I am reading way too much into these) is in regards to all of these Cubones’ mothers. If all Cubones are wearing skulls of their deceased mothers, doesn’t that implicitly confirm that female Marowaks have a severe population issue? Does every Marowak die upon giving birth? Yet in the video games, we can breed Cubones without any issues. Yay for poking holes in nonexistent Pokemon logic!
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Sliggoo
Sliggoo, nicknamed the “Soft Tissue” Pokemon, is a Dragon-type Pokemon that was first introduced in Pokemon X and Y. Despite being classified as a Dragon, Sliggoo more closely resembles a purple snail with two small nub arms and lifeless green eyes. This gelatinous little slug’s eyes actually devolved during evolution, turning Sliggoo blind.
Sliggoo uses the antennae atop its head to navigate around, similar to a radar system. However, these antennae don’t do a good enough job alerting Sliggoo of friends or foe. Its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Sun explains:
"It has trouble drawing a line between friends and food. It will calmly try to melt and eat even those it gets along well with."
I feel so bad for the poor Sliggoo! These blind little dragon-slugs are probably so lonely due to their ineptitude to properly sense who is around them. Just picturing a Sliggoo inadvertently melting and even eating its friend is both disturbing and downright depressing. How exactly does Sliggoo “melt” others? Pokemon Moon has got us covered:
"This Pokémon’s mucous can dissolve anything. Toothless, it sprays mucous on its prey. Once they’re nicely dissolved, it slurps them up."
There we go, a more defined disturbing visual of this slug sucking up the melted remains of its dead friends. Talk about a toxic Pokemon. I would assume that Sliggoo preys upon other Pokemon. And if it can melt other Pokemon into a sludge, it can surely do the same to humans, despite its small size. Note to self: do not pet any purple slugs.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Honedge
To round off our list of Pokemon who are based on inanimate objects is the sword Pokemon Honedge. This dual-type Steel and Ghost Pokemon resembles a silver medieval sword, sheathed in a dark brown cover with a long, flowing blue cloth attached at the end of its handle. This blue cloth is not just for decoration though, as described in its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Y:
"If anyone dares to grab its hilt, it wraps a blue cloth around that person’s arm and drains that person’s life energy completely."
Well, that escalated quickly. Though it might look like a sword, this is a living Pokemon. A dangerous Pokemon that will suck out your soul. Pokemon X‘s Pokedex explains what possesses Honedge to be so defensive:
"Apparently this Pokémon is born when a departed spirit inhabits a sword. It attaches itself to people and drinks their life force."
Big surprise! A Ghost-type Pokemon possessing an inanimate object in order to trick people into getting near them so they can suck their soul from them. Wonderful. And unfortunate: Honedge as a concept is a pretty badass Pokemon. This is the first real example of a human weapon we’ve seen in the Pokemon universe.
And since Honedge is created when a departed spirit possesses a sword, that must mean there are a bunch of unused swords lying around somewhere. What does this mean in terms of the history of the Pokemon universe? Are these from previous civilizations? Honedge’s Pokedex entry not only sheds light on how weird this Pokemon truly is, but makes us question what we truly know about the history of the world.
Credit: The Pokemon Company
Mimikyu
In case you missed it, Mimikyu is arguably one of the most interesting Pokemon to be revealed in the recent Pokemon Sun and Moon games. This Ghost and Fairy-type Pokemon is classified as the “Disguise” Pokemon. The story goes that Mimikyu is a lonely but introverted ghost, who is jealous of all the attention that Pikachu gets. So it created a crude little hand drawn Pikachu costume out of a rag in hopes that humans would start showing it more attention.
During the Ghost Trial in Pokemon Sun and Moon, it traps you in a room full of Pikachu drawings until you use the AR feature of the game to get a physical jump scare out of you. That’s one hell of a reveal! So why is this little ghost Pokemon so nervous to be around humans in its original form? Well, Pokemon Sun’s Pokedex has the answer:
"Its actual appearance is unknown. A scholar who saw what was under its rag was overwhelmed by terror and died from the shock."
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Wow, that is intense. That must be one messed up looking ghost if it scared someone so badly that they died. Bu this just makes me feel bad for the little guy. All it wants is some attention for once, but it’s cursed with extremely disturbing looks. All in all, this is one of the more depressing and unusual Pokedex entries we’ve seen yet. Proving yet again that Ghost Pokemon are actually quite a disturbing Pokemon type that stretch the boundaries of the afterlife.