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This page is solely dedicated to going over my top 10 favorite Pokémon of all time!
I'm just gonna say straight-up: I don't have a lot of specific reasons for why I like a lot of these Pokémon. For the most part, I just think they're neat!

Also, just a fair warning: There WILL be spoilers, along with some strong language ahead. So if you're not too fond of either of those, I'd suggest closing this page.

#10: Koraidon

“...Are you serious right now. You're beginning this list with a legendary Pokémon? What are you, a 7-year-old--” ALRIGHT, FIRST OFF, GREG, PEOPLE CAN LIKE LEGENDARY POKÉMON. DEAL WITH IT. SECOND OFF, just lemme explain, alright?

The main reason I like Koraidon so much isn't even because it's stupidly strong. I rarely EVER use it in battle, and on the rare occasions I DO, it's mainly as a last resort or to make grinding faster. The main reason I like it so much is because... okay, actually, there's two reasons.

First off, and this is THE main reason, IT'S A LEGENDARY THAT ACCOMPANIES YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE ADVENTURE. I absolutely ADORE this concept, and it's something we haven't really seen since Cosmog in Sun and Moon!

Also, slightly off-topic, but if we're talking typing, Miraidon probably would've been here instead of Koraidon had I played Violet instead of Scarlet. Electric and Dragon ARE my two favorite types (foreshadowing?), so this spot could've EASILY gone to Miraidon. But BECAUSE I played Scarlet instead of Violet, I ended up becoming so attached to Koraidon that I actually prefer it over Miraidon! Meanwhile, Miraidon's just... kinda there. Funny how stuff like that works out, huh?

Second off, JUST LOOK AT IT. Not only does it look SUPER cool, but... I don't know HOW Game Freak does it, but they've CONSISTENTLY been able to make these super imposing legendary Pokémon be ABSOLUTELY FUCKING ADORABLE OUTSIDE OF BATTLE, AND I LOVE IT.

To quote Dookieshed, this is one of my “FORGIVE ME, I'M SEVEN YEARS OLD ON THE INSIDE” favorites. And uhh, yeah, this ain't gonna be the last one!

(I hope that answers your question, GREG.)

#9: Leafeon

Pretty much everyone's got their own favorite Eeveelution, and mine is Leafeon! And to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure why I'm drawn to Leafeon so much. I mean, you'd expect Sylveon to be here because... I mean, hi, its design is LITERALLY if a trans flag was turned into an Eeveelution, and uhh... anyway.

I dunno, maybe it's because Leafeon can learn Leaf Blade, which is one of my favorite Grass-type moves of all time? Maybe it's because it can work really well as a physical attacker and I LOVE physical attackers? Maybe it's because it's green, which is my favorite color? Maybe it's because it's just really cute? I dunno. I just think it's neat.

#8: Corviknight

Here's a case of a Pokémon that I fell in love with at first sight. But first, story time!

Flashback to 2015. Back in high school, we had a forensics class, which – for the uninitiated – is pretty much just Drama Club Lite. I joined the class pretty much as soon as I was able to, mainly because I just thought it sounded neat. The piece I chose to act out for literally every meet we went to in my freshman year was The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe.

I think you can see where this is going.

I was absolute GARBAGE at acting it out until the last few meets, but it's what helped me learn how to... well, ACT. Or at the very least, voice act. Flashforward to 2019, and I lay my eyes on the MAJESTY that is Corviknight.

IT'S A GIANT FUCKING METAL RAVEN! Plus, I was already a HUGE Skarmory fan, and CORVIKNIGHT IS JUST A BETTER SKARMORY! So yeah, Corviknight was GUARANTEED a spot on my team solely for those two reasons. And to honor the piece that helped me improve my acting skills (and because I have ZERO imagination when it comes to naming Pokémon), I named my Corviknight “Nevermore”.

#7: Mudsdale

Honestly, I don't have much to say for Mudsdale other than it's just one of my “I just think it's neat” favorites. Part of it's probably because it was one of my best Pokémon in my first Moon playthough, and that it can work REALLY well as a physical tank, ESPECIALLY if it has Stamina for its ability.

Also, this might just be me, but the FIRST thing I thought of when I saw Mudsdale for the first time was the Budweiser Clydesdales. Yes, specifically the Budweiser Clydesdales. I think you can probably guess what I named my first Mudsdale.

#6: Hydreigon

FORGIVE ME, I'M 7 YEARS OLD ON THE INSIDE!

I won't lie, the main reason I love Hydreigon so much is because of Ghetsis. Yes, he's completely batshit insane and I would despise him with EVERY fiber of my being if he were a real person... but he's got good taste in dragons, I'll give him that.

His Hydreigon is a BRUTAL Pokémon to bring down if you're not prepared... and it's also one of the most tragic Pokémon I've ever seen. Not just Ghetsis' Hydreigon, but Hydreigon in general. In Black 2 and White 2, Ghetsis' Hydreigon has a MAX. POWER. FRUSTRATION. Not to mention it's WAY too low of a level to be fully evolved, even in Black and White 1. What the FUCK did Ghetsis DO to it to make it evolve so early??

In addition, its Pokédex entry in Violet says, word for word, “It’s said that Hydreigon grew ferocious because people in times long past loathed it, considering it to be evil incarnate and attacking it relentlessly.” So yeah, I wanted to get a Hydreigon of my own because A: It's STUPIDLY strong, and B: I wanted to give it the love it DESERVES after all the shit it's gone through over the years.

Believe me when I say raising a Hydreigon ISN'T for the impatient. It takes a VERY long time for Zweilous to evolve into Hydreigon (same goes for Deino evolving into Zweilous, even), and it's gonna take a while for it to warm up to you. But once it does... you have one HELL of a partner.

Plus, its shiny form is green; and as I said before, green's my favorite color.

#5: Meowscarada

MOVE OVER SCEPTILE, I HAVE A NEW FAVORITE STARTER NOW
AND GOOGLE I SWEAR TO GOD, IF YOU KEEP SHOWING ME HENTAI OF MEOWSCARADA WHENEVER I SEARCH FOR IMAGES OF IT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ISSUES

...Ahem. Got a little ahead of myself there.

First off: It's a cat. I love cats. Second off: It's green. Green's my favorite color. Third off: It's part Dark-type. Dark's one of my favorite types. Fourth off: Its signature move always crits. SUPER useful. Fifth off: Its Dark type allows it to stand up to Skeledirge. I've wanted a set of starters like this for a WHILE. Sixth off: Its hidden ability is Protean. GRENINJA FLASHBACKS.

Real talk, though: I adore the Meowscarada line. The moment I saw Sprigatito when it was first revealed, it was love at first sight, just like Corviknight. The only thing I don't like about it is how it's yet ANOTHER cat Pokémon that starts off as a quadruped and evolves into a biped. CAN WE JUST HAVE A LINE OF QUADRUPEDAL CAT POKÉMON THAT DOESN'T TURN BIPEDAL, GAME FREAK? PLEASE???

#4: Zekrom

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN???????

First off: LOOK AT THIS THING. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE BEAST OF A POKÉMON. Second off: IT'S MY TWO FAVORITE TYPES ROLLED INTO ONE!

“Then why isn't it at the top of the list–” SHUT UP, WE'LL GET TO THAT
“...Okay, then why aren't Mega Ampharos, Dracozolt or Raging Bolt on the list? You already went over why Miraidon's not on the list, but–” ZEKROM DID IT FIRST, SHUT UP

Anyway, third off: ITS CRY IS ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS I'VE EVER HEARD. Fourth off: Its shiny form, while virtually the same as its normal form at a glance, HAS GREEN IN IT.
Say it with me: GREEN IS MY FAVORITE COLOR.

Fifth off: It has one of my favorite legendary battle themes in all of Pokémon. And finally, sixth off: FUSION BOLT. NEED I SAY MORE?

Honestly, I would've put Zekrom higher on the list, if it weren't for the fact that the top three just BARELY edge it out. And, uhh, spoiler alert: Zekrom isn't the last legendary on this list.

#3: Gardevoir

I know what y'all are thinking, aND SHADDAP

Gardevoir being one of my favorite Pokémon has NOTHING to do with there being metric fucktons of hentai of it on the internet. I just like Gardevoir for the fact that it's a really good Pokémon, and its Mega Evolution's shiny form has a GORGEOUS color scheme. I just think it's neat. Moving on.

ALSO GREEN'S MY FAVORITE COLOR–

#2: Pidgeot

Do I... Do I even need to say anything about this one? IT'S PIDGEOT. IT'S BIRD JESUS.

It's EASILY my favorite bird Pokémon from a design standpoint! I ADORE its shiny form AND its Mega Evolution (so much so that I hunted for a shiny Pidgey in the Friend Safari in Y JUST SO I could have a shiny Mega Pidgeot on my team in Alpha Sapphire), AND ITS PRE-GEN 6 CRY IS ONE OF THE PRETTIEST CRIES I'VE EVER HEARD.

I'm REALLY bummed that Pidgeot wasn't added back in with Scarlet and Violet's DLC, because I REALLY miss having a Pidgeot on my team. I've loved it since I was a kid, and I still love it to this day.

Now, I'm technically cheating with the top spot, as it's actually two VASTLY different Pokémon, but I love them both so much that I literally can't choose between the two. SO HERE WE GO!

#1, Part 1: Pichu

Pichu is another case of a Pokémon that I fell in love with at first sight.

Flashback to 2007. Imagine me: A 7-year-old kid who had just gotten into Pokémon for the first time. My mom was helping me play through both Emerald and LeafGreen, and she was breeding some Pokémon on Four Island in LeafGreen to help fill out my Pokédex. CUT TO ME SEEING PICHU FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

I had never seen a cuter Pokémon in my entire life up until that point! IT'S LIKE PIKACHU, BUT SOMEHOW EVEN CUTER! My mom named my first Pichu Bittybutt, I still have her, she is in my Scarlet save file now, she's Lv. 100, she's still a Pichu, and I LOVE HER.

Also, can you imagine how excited I was when I learned that Pichu was a fighter in Super Smash Bros. Melee? And how excited I was when I learned she was coming back in Smash Ultimate? AND THAT SHE WAS INFINITELY BETTER THAN SHE WAS IN MELEE AND NOT JUST A JOKE CHARACTER?

Are Pikachu and Raichu objectively better Pokémon from a stat standpoint? Yes, absolutely. But will I ever willingly evolve a Pichu just so it has better stats? NO. PICHU IS THE GREATEST AND I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL.

Or rather... one of the greatest.

#1, Part 2: Rayquaza

Flashback to 2007. Imagine me: A 7-year-old kid who had just gotten into—you get the idea.

Like I said earlier, my mom was helping me play through both Emerald and LeafGreen, and every time we'd reach a legendary, she'd always catch them for me. BUT one evening, after she had gotten to the top of Sky Pillar in Emerald, I asked her if I could try to catch Rayquaza on my own. I tried for a bit, but Big Surprise: Nothing was working. (We'd already used the Master Ball on Kyogre, so catching it with that was out of the picture.)

BUT! I had an idea. One of my friends had a Rayquaza of her own, so my master plan was: Ask her if she could trade her Rayquaza to me so I could register it in my Pokédex, trade it back to her, and then CHUCK REPEAT BALLS AT IT LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS. Trying to catch Rayquaza was still WAY harder than I thought it would be at the time, but one fateful Sunday morning...

One shake.
Two shakes.
Three shakes.
Click.

Rayquaza is the very first legendary Pokémon I ever caught on my own, as well as the very first Pokémon I ever got to Lv. 100. This big fella, who I named Dragonman (because I had no imagination and was JUST getting into the Mega Man series (specifically Battle Network)), was my guardian Pokémon for the LONGEST time. Whenever I was having trouble with something, he was ALWAYS there to back me up (even when I had given him nothing but useless HMs, which WHY DID I DO THAT).

Anyway, flash forward to 2014, leading up to Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire's release. Imagine my excitement when I learned that Rayquaza was getting a Mega Evolution. My parents got me a copy of Alpha Sapphire for Christmas, I sped through the ENTIRE main story (and a good chunk of the Delta Episode) before Christmas was even over, and got to Rayquaza the following morning. After having a MUCH easier time catching this Rayquaza, I got to experience the FEROCITY of Mega Rayquaza for the very first time! But... it didn't feel right. This wasn't Dragonman.

Well, one Pokémon Bank transfer later... and Dragonman finally got the power-up he deserved.

...Or rather, that's what I WOULD say if it weren't for the fact that Sun and Moon retconned Mega Evolution to be EXCRUTIATINGLY painful, so now I just feel like an ASSHOLE for Mega Evolving my Pokémon so often.

Am I disappointed that Mega Evolution is probably never going to come back? Honestly... no, not really. Between balancing issues in competitive and, y'know, Mega Evolution essentially being turned into animal abuse, I can understand why Mega Evolution's probably not gonna come back outside of Go and Legends Z-A. And besides, Mega Evolution or not, Dragonman's still my buddy. And just like Bittybutt, he's with me in my Scarlet save file now. Right where he belongs.

ALSO HE LOOKS SUPER SIMILAR TO SHENRON FROM DRAGON BALL AND I LOVE DRAGON BALL AND HIS SHINY FORM IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS EVER AND HIS NORMAL FORM IS GREEN AND GREEN'S MY FAVORITE COLOR–