I know, the title looks confusing. Top 25 Pokemon, but numbers 101 through 125? That doesn’t make any sense at all! Well, I agree. But like last time, it seemed like a shame to waste the rest of the rankings when we had such an in-depth look at our favorites.
An editor’s note before we jump in: I was a terrible family member and didn’t include my sister Emily in the first run of voting. But we were able to get her choices submitted in time, so there are a couple changes to the list. Bellossom, Vileplume and Krookodile were all bumped into Honorable Mention territory. I’ve edited yesterday’s post with the changes, but Shaun and I already wrote up blurbs for them, so those still appear below. It’s like bonus content!
Tomorrow, the list continues with #100-76 as we make our way toward the best Pokemon of all-time.
101) Arcanine
Shaun: I think Arcanine would make one of the best translations from Pokemon into real life pet. Who wouldn’t want a real cute fire dog that could burn down your annoying neighbor’s house?
Chris: Arcanine always had great stats and an okay move pool, but it just couldn’t put the pieces together. Great pet, though, and a hell of a lot better to ride than Rapidash, who would set your groin on fire.
102) Banette
Chris: So I don’t get it. Is Banette supposed to be a ghost clown? Between that eye makeup and the weird facial expressions, I think this is my nightmare.
Shaun: So are Banettes and Ghost pokemon ghosts of actual pokemon that have died? Or do Banettes breed Banettes? Because I don’t want to think about that.
103) Meowth
Shaun: The line “Meowth, that’s right,” ruined my childhood. Talking pokemon are an Aboma-nation! HA! Get it? Aboma…nat….why is he on this list?
Chris: I didn’t hate Meowth because sometimes his talking was necessary to understand what the hell the other Pokemon were saying. “What’s that Pikachu?” “PIKA PIKA!” “He’s saying there’s a gas leak.” “Oh, thanks Meowth.”
104) Umbreon
Chris: I can’t say I’ve ever been big on Eeveelutions, but Umbreon’s pretty neat looking. And he’s so tanky! One of the best stat spreads for an -eon.
Shaun: Less cool than his Psychic counterpart, Umbreon’s still pretty legit. I just don’t like dark types that much I think…
105) Magmar
Shaun: One of the few good FIre pokes in Red Blue, Magmar got a boost from me for being a bad-ass in the anime.
Chris: Magmar was such an OG that even Ash’s bitchy little Charizard had to take notice. That’s remarkable.
106) Floette
Chris: I guess I just didn’t get the idea of this giant dude loving a Pokemon that he could accidentally crush in his hands. Also, why did he and his Floette live for thousands of years? I’m confused.
Shaun: I already regretted not putting Florges higher. You’ll get no quarter from me, Floette.
107) Jirachi
Shaun: Some legendary whatever who cares.
Chris: That’s not very nice. Jirachi is kinda adorable, although I WISH it did something besides dropping stickers in Smash Bros. (Get it? GET IT???!?!?!)
108) Pinsir
Chris: See, because he has pincers on the top of his head. I get it.
Shaun: Good thing they censor death in the pokemon, or Pinsir makes everything rated R. BECAUSE HE’S SO SEXY. But also because his head is designed to kill.
109) Aegislash
Shaun: Once pokemon start resembling actual inanimate objects, I check out.
Chris: Sort of neat, I guess. The first time you run head-first into a protect move that also lowers your attack two stages, you’ll learn to respect the Aegislash.
110) Abra
Chris: I remember getting so frustrated by Abra using Teleport that I bought one at the Game Corner instead. And then I got KA-DA-BOO-RAH!
Shaun: The cutest. But if it runs away from me again in battle I’m going to kick it.
111) Archeops
Shaun: With all the dinosaurs they keep bringing back from the damn dead, you’d think they could actually start a viable population at this point. Still, this is probably one of the cooler fossil pokemon designs.
Chris: Neat design, great stats, but that ability…man. What could have been.
112) Kangaskhan
Chris: I have to admit, I spent too much time throwing rocks at Kangaskhan to ever catch one. Is it neat? Can someone tell me?
Shaun: Really? Kangaskhan made this list? Was this “Top Pokemon” or “Top Frustrating Bull**** because no one likes the Safari Zone?” Because if it was the latter I ‘ve made a terrible mistake. Better not be a Tauros on this list…
113) Togepi
Shaun: Booooo. Get out of your egg, you stupid thing!
Chris: I liked that Misty just carried this thing around for a while, and it secretly saved Ash’s life about 47 times with Metronome. Not sure I know what “chucky-chucky-breeeeee!” means though.
114) Weezing
Chris: I like both Koffing and Weezing’s cries on the show, but I think Koffing’s is a little better. So forceful. Such majesty. Wow.
Shaun: What an awful existence this species of pokemon must have to endure, although this is probably the pokemon most likely to survive a nuclear holocaust. Like cockroaches.
115) Cloyster
Shaun: Fun for competitive gameplay, but I can’t imagine any other way this pokemon was designed than in a sexual education class sponsored by Gamefreak.
Chris: Once I got access to guaranteed 5x Icicle Spear, me and Cloyster became pretty good friends. Shame about that SPD and S.DEF though.
116) Marowak
Chris: I wanted to be sad when Team Rocket killed Marowak, but I barely even knew her. By all accounts, she was a hell of a mother.
Shaun: Cool design, but frustrating to me. Why? Stay tuned for Cubone, who may or may not be later on the list…
117) Weavile
Shaun: So fast, but probably super melodramatic.
Chris: I’m torn, because I like Sneasel’s design better, but Weavile actually has some use in battle (as long as you can breed Ice Punch onto it).
118) Houndoom
Chris: It’s a shame Houndoom’s not very good, because its typing and appearance are pretty neat.
Shaun: If Satan had a pokemon…it would actually probably be Krookodile. Still, this design is cool.
119) Virizion
Shaun: Props for being a later generation pseudo-legendary that I actually like, but that’s not enough to break the top 100.
Chris: Virizion was pretty neat, but I was already at the stage where I was a little underwhelmed by Game Freak’s 900 legendaries at this point.
120) Kingler
Chris: You remember that time in the anime when Kingler was like “COOKIE COOKIE” and you were like “What the hell are you talking about Kingler?” Good times.
Shaun: Probably my second biggest regret no I’m kidding, nobody likes Kingler.
121) Florges
Shaun: Probably my biggest regret of this list was not voting Florges higher. Easily one of the best Fairy types, I just didn’t realize in time. With tears streaming down my face, I’m sorry, Florges.
Chris: I didn’t release until now that Florges’ stats are pretty damn good. And that STAB Moonblast. A little weird about all the Grass moves without being that type though.
122) Abomasnow
Chris: Once upon a time Abomasnow at least had a gimmick — he could create permanent hail. Now that all weather is temporary, well…
Shaun: More like Aboma-lame. Or, “great, I have snow all over this new coat! THANKS ABOMA.”
123) Giratina
Shaun: I didn’t know this Pokemon existed. And now that I do, I don’t care, because it’s a creepy stupid Legendary.
Chris: Ghost/Dragon is an interesting type combo, and Shadow Force is a cool unique attack. Yet Giratina still doesn’t do much for me.
124) Bonsly
Chris: I especially like how it…uh…sits there. What I don’t like is how it turns into Sudowoodo, whose type I struggled to figure out when I was a kid.
Shaun: The worst and I hate it. If it were up to me, we spray nerve gas over the Bonsly nest, not vote it in the top 25.
125) Leafeon
Shaun: What is this parade of grass pokemon at the end? It’s an Eevee evolution, so that’s some free points…but it might be one of the worst. At least it’s not Sylveon.
Chris: Or Vaporeon. Vomit. Er…I’m getting word from my producer that I should be careful what I say about Vaporeon. Leafeon’s okay, but there’s too many Grass types around for it to stand out.
THE OTHER HONORABLE MENTIONS
126) Bellossom
Chris: You remember that time when Pikachu was off on a random adventure and then a bunch of Bellossoms danced and stuff? Yeah, me neither.
Shaun: A pokemon that looks like beautiful roses is probably not the best evolutionary feature. One confused gardener and it’s all over.
127) Vileplume
Shaun: Back in the days of red/blue, Vileplume was my go to Grass type that wasn’t BULBASAUR. So that should count for something.
Chris: I never had much love for Vileplume except for the way it said its own name in the anime.
128) Krookodile
Chris: What a badass. And he even got a little bit stronger this generation with a defense buff.
Shaun: Without exaggerating, this might be the pokemon I’d least want to see in a dark alleyway. Horrific.
For the record, in regards to where Banettes come from per the SoulSilver Pokedex: “This Pokémon developed from an abandoned doll that amassed a grudge. It is seen in dark alleys.”
Yes that’s right. Banettes are Pokemon created from when a child abandons a doll, and that doll becomes so angry it MANIFESTS ITS OWN SENTIENCE AND THEN GOES LOOKING FOR THE CHILD THAT ONCE OWNED IT.
And unlike Krookodiles, you actually are likely to find them down dark alleyways.