Yeah, we're talking about Pokémon again. Somehow, this is only the third post I've made about it, considering that I spend a good chunk of my time thinking about my favorite Pokémon. I've said that one of the big things that makes Pokémon so popular is just how stinkin' cute some of them are! In fact, I was drawn to it specifically for that reason. So today I'm going to look at the Pokémon I personally think are the most adorable. This is absolutely not fact, as there is no way to tell what makes something adorable. Beauty, or in this case, cuteness, is in the eye of the beholder.
25. Cufant
One of my personal favorite Pokémon from the second generation of games is the elephant, Donphan. Donphan’s pre-evolution, Phanpy, definitely had a shot at this list because it’s an adorable, playful elephant. But in the end, I had to pick Cufant, the newest elephant in the franchise. Just look at its official artwork! It’s so happy to be alive! Cufant is also quite spherical with a nice color scheme. Elephants are one of my favorite animals, and it makes me happy that both of the elephant Pokémon start out really adorable.
24. Litwick
Inanimate object Pokémon are often an easy target for many fans. People love to ridicule the likes of Vanilluxe, the ice cream Pokémon, Klefki, the key Pokémon, and especially Garbodor, the Pokémon that is literally sentient garbage. However, one exception seems to be Chandelure, which is a gothically elegant chandelier with flames powered by the souls of the damned. Chandelure is one of my personal favorites, but today I’m going to highlight the first stage of its line, the adorable candle Litwick. I think the cutest thing about Litwick is the candle wax dripping near its flame, which looks like adorable emo bangs.
23. Yamper
The most recent games, Pokémon Sword and Shield, are set in Galar, which is a region inspired by the UK. It was practically a given that there was going to be a Corgi-inspired Pokémon, given the Queen of England’s affinity for the dogs. Enter Yamper, an electric type Corgi who is adorably chubby. A lot of the time, making things chubby just makes them cuter, and that’s the case here. It’s also relatable, as its Shield Pokédex entry states: “This gluttonous Pokémon only assists people with their work because it wants treats.” I feel that.
22. Sobble
In each Pokémon game, you get to pick a “starter Pokémon” to begin your journey with. One is grass type, one is fire type, and one is water type. I usually find myself most drawn to the water type, and the water starter from the most recent games, Sword and Shield, is the chameleon Sobble. At first, I wasn’t sure which starter I liked the best, but then I saw memes about Sobble being a sad boy and I never looked back. Its portrayal as an anxious chameleon that cries a lot and just needs a hug really resonated with me, an anxious teenager that cries a lot and just needs a hug. Something about that enormous head and goofy fin just makes me want to love it forever. And when it smiles, it’s just a beautiful thing, seeing a creature who is usually in so much misery be happy for once. Sobble does look a little bit like another water starter who is in my opinion cuter, so I can’t put it too terribly high. It’s still my favorite water type, even if I don’t think it’s the absolute cutest.
21. Wooper
20. Dratini
Dratini, Dragonair, and Dragonite were the first dragon Pokémon ever put in the games, and they still hold a place in the hearts of many. I really love all three stages in this line, with Dratini being adorable, Dragonair being elegant, and Dragonite being goofily charming. Today I’m going to talk about Dratini, as I think it’s particularly adorable. It doesn’t have much in common with your standard majestic dragon, instead being an adorable, wiggly worm. I’m just enthralled by its tiny, serpentine glory.
19. Eevee
In a lot of the lists I’ve seen, Eevee seems to be the consensus pick for the #1 cutest Pokémon of all time. In fact, it’s so cute that it’s also become a secondary mascot for the series, if the games Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! are anything to go by. While Eevee isn’t my number one, I’d be silly to deny the fact that it’s pretty adorable. It’s unbelievably fluffy and has gigantic eyes filled with love. Other than it being absolutely adorable, Eevee is also as popular as it is because it can evolve into eight different Pokémon, commonly known among fans as the "Eeveelutions." My personal favorite is the dark-type Umbreon, but I think the fairy type Sylveon is by far the cutest. It’s the most classically feminine of the bunch, and it has a very sweet, loving personality. Consider it an honorary #26 of this list.
18. Squirtle
17. Joltik
Ask most people what their biggest fear is, and they’ll tell you it’s spiders. I’m one of those people. There really isn’t any reason for me to be afraid of spiders, but they just creep me out. And yet, Joltik, the electric spider Pokémon from the fifth generation, is one of the cutest critters ever made by the Pokémon team. I think part of that is because, at only four inches, it is the smallest Pokémon in existence. It’s also extremely fluffy. Considering that I’m generally afraid of most bugs, it’s a surprise that I find quite a few of the bug type Pokémon pretty adorable. Honorable mentions to Cutiefly, which literally has a name saying that it’s cute, as well as Snom, a spiky, icy caterpillar that was instantly beloved by Pokémon fans for how cute it is.
16. Teddiursa
I think everybody had that adorable teddy bear from their childhood that they were attached to. Well, here’s the Pokémon equivalent of that. Teddiursa is a small, mischievous teddy bear cub that I’ve always thought was adorable. Its tiny paws and crescent moon are just darling. I would share some honey with it. I also want a plush of it.
15. Noibat
14. Wooloo
From the minute it was unveiled, the sheep Wooloo enjoyed a warm reception from fans. For many fans, Wooloo is the embodiment of everything that is good in the Pokémon world. It’s incredibly fluffy and round enough to roll away from its problems. Its face is also just really cute. Side note: Pokémon has been doing this series of shorts for the new games called Twilight Wings. Wooloo appears in the "Buddy" installment of the series, and it made me cry, so...
13. Mantyke
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| And here it is from the back, because I must. |
Considering that I used the word “cute” around 40 times in my Ranking the Baby Pokémon post, it’s surprising that I only have two baby Pokémon on this list. Mantyke is the first of the two. Rays are typically not a very cute animal, but Mantyke’s two adorable smiles are adorable. Its actual face has these loving eyes, and then on its back, it has a pattern resembling a smiley face! It’s just a friendly, sweet little swimmer.
12. Fletchling
One trademark of every Pokémon game is the “regional bird,” a bird Pokémon you encounter a lot in the very beginning of the game. Fletchling, the regional bird of Pokémon X and Y is by far my favorite. It’s inspired by a robin, which I already thought to be a pretty cute bird (it is my state’s bird, after all). Fletchling just seems to be extremely small, and the smaller something is, the cuter. I also am particularly fond of Fletchling’s final evolution, the terribly-named-but-epic- nonetheless Talonflame.
11. Piplup
There are three starter Pokémon that are based off of birds, and spoilers: all of them are appearing on this list. First is Piplup, who was actually voted to be the cutest starter Pokémon in a Japanese poll. While I wouldn’t say I personally think Piplup is the absolute cutest, I still think it’s pretty adorable. This little penguin is just effortlessly huggable with the perfect amount of roundness. I’ve also been watching the Pokémon Diamond & Pearl anime lately, and the character Dawn has a particularly adorable and sassy Piplup.
10. Bulbasaur
Like Squirtle, Bulbasaur is one of the three iconic starter Pokémon from the first generation of games. It seems to be the least popular of the three original starters, but it’s always been my favorite. Bulbasaur is a delightful frog-dinosaur with an adorable bulb on its back. To me, it is representative of the quirky charm that makes Pokémon such a magical series. It was also by far the best part of the Detective Pikachu movie, being so lovable it made Bulbasaur haters into fans..
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| It's just a lovable, pure friend. |
9. Pichu
Spoilers: Pikachu is not appearing on this list. I know, it should be on here, it is the mascot Pokémon after all. Pikachu is famous all around the world for its adorableness. But why would I pick Pikachu when there is a literal baby Pikachu out there instead? Pichu is much cuter than Pikachu for me. Its head just seems so big compared to the rest of its body, and its rosy pink cheeks and sweet smile are adorable. My favorite member of the Pikachu family is Raichu, specifically its surfing Alolan variant, but for Pichu is the smallest, so it is the cutest for me. It’s also really adorable in Super Smash Bros., much like our next entry!
8. Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff is one of the most well-known characters in the series, even appearing in the Super Smash Bros. series. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is where the majority of my affections for this pink puffball come from, as it is the character I use most. Jigglypuff is a very simple design, but it’s cute in its simplicity. I especially like its giant eyes filled with love. In the anime, Jigglypuff likes to sing for people, but its song magically makes people go to sleep. Upon finishing its song and seeing a snoozing audience, Jigglypuff gets angry, pulls out its marker, and draws on their faces. It gets even cuter the angrier it gets. In Smash Bros, Jigglypuff is my favorite character to use because of how easy it is to control in the air. You wouldn’t expect it, but this pink puffball can hold its own against the game’s more menacing players, especially with its Rest attack, which is one of the most powerful in the game. (If only I knew how to properly use it…)
7. Vulpix (Alola form)
In Pokémon Sun and Moon, one new gimmick the games offered was regional variants. They took Pokémon from past games and reimagined them to fit into Alola, the setting of Sun and Moon. My favorite of these regional variants is the aforementioned Raichu, but Vulpix is a close second. Vulpix is normally a fire type, and it’s already plenty adorable as is, but something about the Alola counterpart is much cuter to me. I think it’s because I’ve grown attached to it from watching the Sun and Moon anime (if you are at all interested in hearing me gush about this series, enjoy.), where Lillie’s Alolan Vulpix, Snowy, plays a big role and is a giant sweetheart. It also has even more fluffy fur on its hair, making it that much cuter.
6. Ponyta (Galar form)
Similarly, Pokémon Sword and Shield saw the arrival of new versions of old favorites, and one of them was Ponyta. Ponyta in the original games is a fire type, but the new version is a psychic type unicorn. This makes lots of sense, as the Galar region is based on the UK, and the unicorn is the national “animal” of Scotland. Other than that, it’s just really adorable. It has very pleasing colors, a fluffy and voluminous mane, and a playful personality. I’ve always loved the whimsy of unicorns, but this is probably the cutest I’ve ever seen. The Pokémon website also unveiled plushies of this Pokémon, and, um...I need five of them.
5. Shinx
This Pokémon’s final evolution, Luxray, is one of my personal favorites. Its color scheme of blue, black, and yellow, is perfect, and it manages to look intimidating while also looking friendly and approachable. To make matters even better, its base stage, Shinx, is by far one of the cutest Pokémon in existence. Shinx is an adorable cub with giant, loving eyes and a sweet smile. Its tuft of fur on its head is really sweet and like its evolutionary relatives, its color scheme is incredible. The electric typing has no shortage of cute Pokémon (which makes sense with it being the typing of Pikachu and all its knock-off brethren), but Shinx is, for my money, the absolute cutest electric type Pokémon.
4. Rockruff
I mean, it’s a puppy. I could just leave it at that, but I’ll keep going. The Pokémon world has no shortage of adorable doggos, from the Yorkshire terrier-esque Lillipup to the majestic tiger-dog Arcanine to the aforementioned Yamper, but if you ask me, Rockruff is the absolute cutest. Rockruff is inspired by the spitz dog breed, as well as the Japanese wolf, due to its association with rocks and mountains. Rockruff is so lovable mostly because of its eyes. They are a gorgeous blue color. It’s incredibly playful, excitable, and sociable. Rockruff can also evolve into a wolf Pokémon called Lycanroc, which has three different forms. I personally prefer the Midday Form, as it keeps the gorgeous blue eyes Rockruff had.
3. Mudkip
Mudkip is inspired by a variety of aquatic creatures, namely the mudpuppy, the mudskipper, the axolotl, and the gilled East African lungfish. None of these animals are conventionally cute, so a combination of them realistically should not be the one of the cutest Pokémon of all time. But oh, Mudkip is. And there’s one very specific reason as to why I find it so adorable: that smile! Mudkip always seems to have the biggest smile on its face, and its enthusiasm is contagious. Mudkip is like this big, happy, goofy puppy that is always excited to see you and play with you. It’s also at the center of the definitive Pokémon meme of all time: I Herd U Liek Mudkipz. Cute!
2. Rowlet
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Rowlet is my favorite Pokémon of all time. There’s just something about this perfectly round, bowtied owl that speaks to me. I’m more attached to Rowlet than I really should be, and that’s for plenty of reasons. I like how it acts in the anime. I have a plushie of it that I hug when I’m feeling anxious. I think its final evolution, Decidueye, is rad. But most importantly, I think it’s just adorable. Owls have always been one of my favorite animals because I think they’re cute, but Rowlet takes the cuteness of owls and turns it up to eleven. Its body is a perfect circle, making it great to hug. It has giant, expressive eyes. I kind of love its vacant expression in its official artwork. And of course, I love its bow tie. Rowlet is a dapper little owl who wants to look its very best! That bow tie gives it so much personality. I already touched on this, but it’s also really adorable in the anime, especially when it wears a cloak to look like its evolved form, Decidueye:
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| He is so proud of himself and I love him. |
The little coconut owl will always have a giant place in my heart, and for a long time, I thought it was the cutest Pokémon by far. But due to recent events, I was forced to admit that there is one cuter...
1. Torchic
1. Torchic
My brother got Pokémon Mystery Dungeon for his Nintendo Switch for his birthday a month ago. I chose Bulbasaur as my player character, but I chose Torchic as my partner because my best friend’s favorite Pokémon is its final evolution, Blaziken. After playing the game for a bit, I realized that Torchic is the cutest. It’s incredibly expressive in everything it does, and when it smiles, it’s just adorable and pure and melts my heart. Even outside of Mystery Dungeon, Torchic is adorable. It doesn’t really have much in the way of limbs, which somehow makes it cuter. Its feathers on the top of its head just make me want to pet it on the head and give it treats. And of course, this isn’t relevant to it being cute, but its final evolution, Blaziken, is extremely cool and my second favorite Pokémon after Rowlet. It’s a karate chicken, what part of that isn’t awesome? Although it does evolve into one of the most badass Pokémon ever created, you can’t get much cuter in the Pokémon world than Torchic.
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I kind of a bitch of a time getting all these pictures to format properly, but I overall had a lot of fun writing this. I could talk about cute Pokémon all day. Next week, I'm planning to do the final installment of Kpop Crash Course, which I'm looking forward to. I've had my favorites from the past three Kpop Crash Courses on a loop all throughout writing and editing this. Hopefully we find new favorites! I'll see y'all next week for that.
Stellar
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I kind of a bitch of a time getting all these pictures to format properly, but I overall had a lot of fun writing this. I could talk about cute Pokémon all day. Next week, I'm planning to do the final installment of Kpop Crash Course, which I'm looking forward to. I've had my favorites from the past three Kpop Crash Courses on a loop all throughout writing and editing this. Hopefully we find new favorites! I'll see y'all next week for that.
Stellar
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