There are a lot of different types of Pokémon, based on animals, mythical creatures, inanimate objects and so-on. The style each Pokémon is designed with has changed over the years too. There are plenty of Pokémon that, even if they look bad, are viable in battles so people use them anyway. Ignoring usefulness in battle though, if you could narrow it down to one Pokémon, which Pokémon do you think has the best design? Which do you think has the worst design? For the best design, I think I would have to say Mawile. It looks elegant, it's a good mix between human/animal-like, especially in the shape of its mouth (the one in front I mean). Its second mouth, the way it sort of floats/bobs behind it gives it the sense that it's light enough to not made it imbalanced weight-wise. (Seriously, some Pokémon's heads are just huge compared to their bodies). The yellow spot on its jaws also gives it the appearance of a creepy one eyed crocodile from behind. It's mega evolution is just as good, although maybe slightly top-heavy with the two larger jaws. For worst I would have to say stunfisk. It's just weird and it has that creepy smirk in its animations. In the 3D models in the 6th and 7th gen games, you can hardly see it at some angles because of how flat it is. The colors are understandable since it hides in mud underwater, but they still aren't very appealing and those yellow spots on its back just seem completely pointless. Honorable mention for best design: Masquerain. Masquerain's design is really clever. If you look at it right, its entire body looks like a cat's face, complete with whiskers. It's larger wings are the cat's eyes, its face and the point on its head are the nose and the bridge of the nose, the lower part of the body is the mouth, and the four smaller wings are the whiskers. Its eyes even look like nostrils on the nose. Every single part of its body goes towards making the illusion of the cat's face. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the color scheme. Spoiler: Do you see it?
There are a ton of Pokémon designs that I really like. For simplicity's sake though, I'll just use my favorite Pokémon Absol as an example. Did you know that by looking at its face head on, it looks like a Yin-Yang symbol? As for least favorites... The only one that comes to mind for me is Stunfisk. I just... don't like its design for various reasons.
Well... Spinda is pretty well made...I mean, there's over a billion combinations. And...GARBODOR. Trubbish is underrated, but Garbodor is just BAD.
not sure for best for me, but worst is, hands down, jynx. not even gonna explain why, feels obvious enough. jynx used to be my least favorite Pokémon but then bugsy ruined scyther for me and then whitney ruined miltank for me.
One of my favorites is probably Mega Banette. The zippers, the smile, the entire vibe is just perfect. It's quite clearly an upgraded voodoo doll, maybe one that's tired of being the toy and has decided to be the master... *cough* Uhm, anyways, I can't ever go back to just plain old Banette anymore. *saying that makes me feel like I'm going to end up with Banette stalking me...* #MissingNo
My favorite design is probably Deoxys; the idea for a shapeshifting alien with a crystalline brain is just awesome. As for weird/meh designs... The BW anime made me hate Palpitoad. It just looks so weird. >_>
I have to say I like the Design from Chandelure. I really like these yellow eyes and the blue flames... I dont like the design from Swirlix and its evolution Slurpuff. They look a little bit.... strange.
Best would be slow king, alolan raticate, alolan grimer and magnezone.... For these choices I made, each have a creative design element and also are quite eye catching. Worst rhydon's final evolution by far and also, alolan Golem. For these choices, because they are just awful to look at and seem lazy in execution.
Damn, thats a tough question. I guess for best designed I'd go with Golisopod. I feel like it's design works together quite well, and it has a nice colour palette. I feel Snivy, Kartana, all Kyurem forms, and Xerneas have nice designs. As for the worst, well, I'd have to say either Sunflora, Barbaracle, or Mr. Mime. Sunflora is just boring and looks weird, and the other two are just plain hideous.
When I think about well designed pokémon (not favourites per say), these three always come to my mind: Lucario - Where do I start with this one? A telepathic, aura sensing hound, that greatly resembles Anubis is high up in my alley (especially with my interest with Egyptian culture). To me, it's one of those pokémon that scream character. Which could be the reason it got its own movie, and character slot in Smash Bros. Bisharp - I'm sort of bias in this one, due to being a chess fanatic. But I just the way it looks, and much like with Lucario I love the pokémon designs that have historical elements to them. I love the bishop/samurai combination, it kind of reminds me of those villains you see in those 80s action cartoons, like Shredder for example. Decidueye - Out of all the starter designs, personally, I think the award for best goes to this one (just to verify though, it's not my favourite. That would be mudkip, obviously). It just looks so mysterious and cool, with its hoodie and design that fits really well, especially since it's an owl and nocturnal, it feels very fitting to be a ghost type. I also find it quite reminiscent of Robin Hood or Green Arrow Honourable mentions: Blastoise, Greninja, Alolan Marowak, Excadrill and countless others. For the worst, I'd say Pineco. What can I even say about it? It's just a pinecone with eyes (I'm aware it's lossly based on a bagworm, but still)! At least with other pokémon designs that people consider uncreative like Mr.Mime, Luvdisc, or Stunfisk (heck Luvdisc is based on a kissing gourami, and Stunfisk is based on a stargazer with some flounder mixed in there), but a pinecone? Really? At least it evolves into Forretress which looks pretty cool if you ask me. Dishonourable mentions: exeggcute, lickitung, lickilicky and komala.
I think Shiftry has a pretty epic design. It looks how the Pokédex describes it- menacing, evil, threatening. It's bared teeth and piercing yellow eyes are just super cool. Imagine seeing that thing when you're walking in a forest a night. I also really like Pheremosa's design- elegant, yet it looks deadly. It's slender and beautiful, but it really does give off the impression it can destroy you in one hit. That being said... I hate Guzzlord's design. It looks too busy and is just way overdesigned, imo. Although, this is probably bias because it's just one of my least favorite Pokémon in general. I also kinda hate Mega Gengar's design just because it looks... stupid. I dunno. Mega Manectric also suffers from a pretty godawful design.
A lot of generation five Pokémon are really high on my list. Chandelure, Zoroark, Leavanny, Reuniclus, Escavalier. They all just look good. That being said, Mr. Mime should go die in a hole and never come back.
Favorite design: Ninetales. I'm one for simplicity, and I love foxes, so this one hits all the right notes for me. Least-favorite design: Stunfisk aside, I think that certain Pokémon like Mega-Rayquaza just have too much going on, which can be quite distracting.
I think that for a Pokémon that's supposed to be "mega" being over the top isn't necessarily a bad thing. Especially since it's a temporary transformation.
Noibats/Noiverns NEED to be mentioned here as great designs on both the cuteness and hotness spectrums. I kind of have an affinity with Sylveon too, with the bows being really creative (but how is one supposed to wear stuff around those bows? Gee.) Labeling bad designs is harder for me, but Rhyperior is a pretty obvious one for being way too far a cry from its pre-evos. Goodra and Dragonite have a similar problem but at least they're appealing in their own ways, Rhyperior is just...egh.
I have literally never cared for Drowzee/Hypno's designs. Just...eh. Not a fan. Also Guzzlord is really awful.
I personally like most of the UB designs, but I can definitely agree with you on Guzzlord. I think it looks really bad as well. At least it has a nice colour palette, I guess. Not a fan of Naganadel either. I really hate how they designed it's stinger. Looks like a straw going into, well, ya know. Poipole isn't a favourite of mine either. Looks more like a mythical than an ultra beast, and I just don't find it's design very appealing to look at. Oh, and I also think Ash-Greninja is horrid design-wise, as is Dusk Lycanroc. Both are incredibly lazily designed in my opinion, and Ash Greninja looks super ugly.
