There are over 1,000 differentPokemonnow, each based on different animals, creatures, household objects, or none of the above. With each new Generation, players once again debate if the new castlooksandfeelslike Pokemon, or whether they’re too simple or too complex.
Pokemon have always been based on animals or other types of fantastical creatures, but sometimes these connections just don’t make any sense. Below, we’ll take a look at several Pokemon whose Pokedex category seems like it should be for a completely different Pokemon.
8Snivy
Grass Snake Pokemon
The Pokedex describes Snivy as the Grass Snake Pokemon, which is a species famous for its lack of limbs. Snivy, however, has two arms and two legs, and doesn’t even really look like a snake. Grass snakes, in particular, are typically grey or brown, not the bright green that Snivy appears as.
If you take the Pokedex categorization slightly less literally, you could reason that it’s describing Snivy as a Grass-Type snake, which is why the Pokemon has a big leaf on its tail. But, it’s more fun to think that whoever categorized Snivy had never seen a snake before, and didn’t realize they don’t have limbs.
7Mudkip
Mud Fish Pokemon
In a similar vein, Mudkip’s Pokedex describes it as the Mud Fish Pokemon, which in our world is a more general classification for a type of fish found in New Zealand and south-eastern Australia. These fish have almost nothing in common with Mudkip’s appearance, which is more closely based on an axolotl.
Again, this is probably a case of the Pokedex categorization combining two terms that loosely apply, but that also happen to be a real-world animal. Mudkip does indeed like the mud, and I suppose it’s part fish, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a Mudfish.
6Diglett
Mole Pokemon
If you were describing Diglett to someone, I don’t think you could convince them that this Pokemon is based on any type of animal, let alone a mole. This mysterious Pokemon’s lower half is perpetually buried underground, and we still have never gotten a good look at it. Red and Blue Rescue Team hint that Diglett has some form of feet, so that’s something, I guess.
Still, regardless of the feet situation, Diglett is a brown round cylinder, and looks nothing like a mole. It doesn’t even have whiskers, claws, or squinty eyes!
5Goodra
Dragon Pokemon
Of the eight Pokemon that have received the Dragon classification, why on Earth is Goodra one of them? The whole classification in general is kind of a mess, since the Seadra line is also included, but Goodra makes even less sense. If anything, Goodra is based on a shell-less snail.
And another thing, why isn’t Goodra half Water-Type? It’s Dragon-Typing already doesn’t make a lot of sense, but considering it only evolves in the rain, why wouldn’t it also gain Water-Typing? Whoever designed Goodra, we need to talk.
4Bidoof
Plump Mouse Pokemon
Bidoof’s Pokedex classification is baffling. It’s described as the Plump Mouse Pokemon, which is fine in its own right if Bidoof didn’t look almost exactly like a beaver. In fact, its evolution, Bibarel, is given the Beaver categorization, so what gives?
Even if you take plump mouse to just mean a mouse that’s fat, where are the similarities to Bidoof? Mice definitely don’t have massive buck teeth or bushy tails like Bidoof do, and while I don’t know him personally, I’ve never known Bidoof to have a craving for cheese.
3Vigoroth
Wild Monkey Pokemon
The entire Slakoth evolution line’s Pokedex categorizations don’t make that much sense. Slakoth is fine; it’s very clearly meant to be a sloth, but it evolves into Vigoroth, who is described as the Wild Monkey Pokemon. However, Vigoroth retains some of its sloth-like characteristics from its pre-evolution, like its two-clawed hands and ringed eyes.
But, sloths are a completely different species from monkeys, so that doesn’t really fit for Vigoroth. Things get even stranger when you consider Slaking, who more closely resembles an ape, which is again a completely different species from both a sloth and a monkey.
2Slowbro
Hermit Crab Pokemon
Unless a hermit crab is just any creature that has a shell attached to it, something might be wrong with Slowbro’s Pokedex classification. For starters, Slowbro doesn’t have a single crab-like feature; it’s more closely related to a hippopotamus like its pre-evolution Slowpoke, and even then, the relation is tenuous at best.
Secondly, Slowbro doesn’t use its shell to protect itself like hermit crabs do, and it’s not like it could fit in there, anyway. If there were ever a case that Pokedex classifications are based almost entirely on vibes, Slowbro is definitely the strongest evidence.
1Togedemaru
Roly Poly Pokemon
Togedemaru is Generation 7’s entry into the electric rodent series that began with Pikachu. Pikachu’s Pokedex classification is already suspect, seeing as it looks nothing like a mouse, but that’s a rant for a different time. What I want to know is why Togedemaru is classified as the Roly Poly Pokemon.
Roly Polys are black insects that roll into balls—even if you draw the connection between these two creatures in that they both look like balls, it still doesn’t really make sense. Roly Polys roll into a ball, while Togedemaru is always one. In fact, Togedemaru’s agitated state makes it even less ball-like, as the spikes on its back stand up.
