Hidden beneath the facade of cute that most seemingly adorable Pokemon display to the world, there is an underbelly of stark, sobering ugly. Prepare yourself, dear reader, for the ugliest of the ugly Pokemon known to humankind.
10. Bruxish
Coming up first is Bruxish, a Water/Psychic hybrid Pokemon introduced in the seventh generation. While undeniably an ugly Pokemon, there is a certain charm to Bruxish that is almost indescribable. Like if Nigel Thornberry were transformed into a Pokemon. It’s not enough to offset the creature’s off-putting color scheme and haunting eyes, however.
9. Enamorus
Next up we have Enamorus, a Pokemon coming out of the eighth generation. A Fairy/Flying combo Legendary Pokemon, Enamorus is a special inclusion on this list. This particular monstrosity has two distinct forms: Incarnate and Therian.
Incarnate is the standard way form here, and it’s far easier on the eyes. There’s actually a somewhat terrifying quality to the imposing horned Pokemon ensnared by a snake, even if the serpent’s expression doesn’t quite fit.
The Therian form, however, is just straight up ugly. The elongated neck and off-putting facial features are the most immediately noticeable qualities. But the cloud-based body gives Enamorus a sheep-like aesthetic. It’s a bizarre design choice, though not unusual for Pokemon.
8. Munkidori
Another Legendary Pokemon with dual types here, it’s Munkidori, who was introduced in the ninth generation. This Poison/Psychic monkey-based creature seems blandly cute on first glance, but look a little deeper and you’ll see it. The strange ribbon-crown across the forehead, and the weirdly pointed elbows. Plus what’s going on with that hair? It’s all so chaotic that it almost works.
7. Huntail
This Water Pokemon from the third generation is perhaps the first on this list with no redeeming qualities. The fan-like fin extending from the forehead is almost as off-putting as the eyes and sharp teeth. Ugly? Definitely. But also sort of bone-chilling. Huntail is sure to haunt the dreams of many for years to come.
6. Binacle
A Rock/Water combo Pokemon brought in during the sixth generation, Binacle is a truly odd entry here in this list. The angry heads themselves are not super intimidating here, and they look more akin to feet with odd mountainous claws. The rock body isn’t exactly an interesting concept here either. It’s all just an eyesore that feels lazier than it is anything else.
5. Magmortar
A Fire Pokemon coming out of the fourth generation, Magmortar is an example of just trying to do too much. The final evolutionary form for Magby, Magmortar loses all of the cute charm of its origins for weird cannon mop arms and a color scheme that wouldn’t be out of place on a Hot Rod. The middle evolutionary form, Magmar, is a much better design that deftly maintains Magby’s adorableness while being intimidating. Magmortar, on the other hand, is neither of these.
4. Alolan Persian
Like the name suggests, this is the Alolan version of Persian, a Pokemon that actually is sort of adorable. However, the modifications made here to distinguish the two don’t quite work. The rounder face, while nice as a concept, looks strange in reality. Especially when contrasted with the very slim body shape. Still, while nothing really gels together here, it’s still a cat, so there’s already some inherent cuteness factor lingering.
3. Gumshoos
Some might remember when this Pokemon became something of a meme due to comparisons in appearance to Donald Trump, but beyond that, Gumshoos is just not very visually appealing. This Normal type dude came right out of the seventh generation, and it’s just a mess. The weird design of the fur on the front doesn’t exactly mix well with the, well, very Trump-like hairdo. There’s very little that could be considered cute here.
2. Miltank
Sometimes we really do not need to explore concepts based on wordplay, and Miltank is a perfect example of this. This Normal type Pokemon, introduced (for some reason) in the second generation, definitely has her fans. But there’s something unsettling about what is essentially a cow walking on two legs with giant udders protruding. The flat, extended ears aren’t doing Miltank any favors either. Everything works against her here.
1. Crabominable
Oh cool, it’s a combination of a crab and the Abominable Snowman. We definitely needed more of that in our lives. This particular Pokemon is a Fighting/Ice duo type, which obviously makes sense for the theme here. What doesn’t make sense is why it has to be so horrifying and ugly in equal measure. This is what nightmares are made of. The Crabominable just waiting for you in the deep recesses of your unconscious mind, with its weird pincer/handsaw things.
