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In a world like Pokémon where there’s absolutely no shortage of powerful — or adorable, depending on a trainer’s preferences — partners to choose from, it makes sense that some would end up far more recognizable and beloved than others. The ever-obvious forever-mascot of the series, Pikachu became so popular even early on into the franchise’s history that Pokémon Yellow was created just so players could have a starting Pikachu partner of their own. Many other Pokémon from within the original 151 are still incredibly popular to this day, such as the starter trio and Vulpix.
However, it’s only natural that not every Pokémon received the same level of love and attention from the fanbase. There are actually quite a few that probably never would have gotten the amount of attention from fans that they did if they hadn’t gotten time to shine in the anime.
10 Jessie’s Wobbuffet Added A Layer Of Dorky Charm To An Otherwise Plain Pokémon
Wobbuffet is a Pokémon introduced in the Johto region that got overshadowed by many of the other fan-favorite releases of the time, such as the Cyndaquil line and Mareep. Although not one of the least popular, it wouldn’t be until Wobbuffet became a main staple of Team Rocket’s group in the anime that its popularity would truly rise.
Known for popping out of its Pokéball at inopportune times, Wobbuffet added an extra layer of humor onto the team that didn’t revolve around the running joke of the group always failing. In fact, although Jessie rarely ever used hers in battle, the times when she did actually worked out rather well for them.
9 Muk Is A Pokémon Most Fans Would Prefer To Ignore If It Wasn’t For Ash
There’s a Pokémon within the franchise meant to appeal to just about every type of person out there. This even includes those who prefer designs on the grosser side of things. However, the number of people who were willing to do anything except shove the Grimer line out of their mind was relatively low.
That was, until Ash and his Muk shared some genuinely cute moments on-screen. It’s hard not to develop a soft spot for Muk when it’s got that rosy blush on its cheeks and is happily hugging its trainer.
8 Goldeen Pales In Comparison To Its Fellow Water-Types, But Misty’s Makes A Big Splash
Goldeen, despite having a simple-yet-elegant design, simply can’t hold a candle when compared to its fellow Water-types. This is true even when only comparing it to other Generation I Pokémon, as the Goldeen evolutionary line is actually the single least-popular line in the first generation, according to a huge user survey held on the Pokémon subreddit.
Goldeen’s appearances in the anime were mostly for comedic relief, shown splashing around uselessly when Misty tried to summon it in battle. However, Goldeen has been an invaluable asset, seen helping ferry people through water and locating lost items. As one of Misty’s favorite signature Pokémon, it makes sense that its anime appearances would help its popularity.
7 Cilan And His Brothers Helped The Elemental Monkey Trio Gain More Popularity
Generation V brought with it quite a few new fan-favorites, and a lot of creative designs as well. It’s easy to see how the elemental trio of Pansage, Panpour and Pansear got overlooked in comparison, as their designs are relatively simple and don’t really push any limits.
However, Cilan and his brothers helped the trio to gain a bit more notice among fans. This is especially true of Pansage, as Cilan is a key character in these episodes of the anime and Pansage is his inseparable partner.
6 Turtonator Shines In The Sun And Moon Anime
Turtonator is one of the unlucky seventh generation Pokémon that initially didn’t see a lot of love from the fanbase. In order to separate itself from the rest of the turtle Pokémon that already existed, its design is rather odd, meaning it wasn’t an instant hit with many fans.
However, it doesn’t take more than a single glance at the bond that Kiawe has with his Turtonator to develop a bit of a soft spot for the giant. The two train together and genuinely care about one another, with Turtonator even shown bringing Kiawe food after an intense training session.
5 The Bond Between James And His Carnivine Helped Its Popularity Among Fans
Team Rocket has an unsung reputation for helping to popularize Pokémon that otherwise might have been fully forgotten by the larger fanbase, even if it’s unintentional. The bond that they end up sharing with the few Pokémon that they either caught themselves or had from childhood is incredibly sweet.
The affection that James and his Carnivine have for one another, for example, is downright adorable. James had owned it since he was a child and it’s constantly seen breaking out of its Pokéball to tackle-hug its trainer, which James never really seems to mind.
4 Jessie’s Woobat Made The Forgettable Zubat Clone Charming
Woobat doesn’t have much going for it besides the fact that it’s a slightly cuter version of Zubat. Its purpose, especially within the games, is generally the same: an extremely common mob that generally serves to frustrate the player. Like several others, Team Rocket’s Woobat is thankfully able to add more charm to a Pokémon that most fans would otherwise prefer to forget.
3 Nando’s Kricketune Showed Off Its Contest Prowess And Won The Hearts Of Fans
Sinnoh introduced so many fan-favorites that it’s only natural some would be left behind. This is typically especially true of Bug-type Pokémon as they’re one of the less popular types overall. It’s a shame because the Kricketot line is rather unique: a Bug Pokémon that primarily focuses on singing songs.
That makes it an absolute perfect fit for Nando, a wandering entertainer who always carries a small harp with him. Not only does the anime help to show off Kricketune’s battle prowess, but the series showcases its graceful ability to compete in contests as well.
2 Both Zoey And Dawn’s Mother Helped Glameow Stand Out
Glameow has an adorable design, but simply suffered from the fact that there were already several super iconic cat Pokémon at the time that’d won fans’ hearts. Both Skitty and its evolutionary form were incredibly popular, and thanks to Team Rocket, Meowth’s popularity only continued to rise.
Thankfully, there were not one, but two characters within the Sinnoh anime that helped keep Glameow from getting lost beneath all of the other new additions. Both Dawn’s mother and Zoey, two Pokémon Coordinators, had Glameows that they were incredibly close to.
1 Team Rocket Took Arbok From A Generic Snake To An Unforgettable Member Of The Team
So many of the Pokémon from the original 151 are so popular that some had to be left behind, and this was unfortunately the case for the Ekans line. Poison-types, at least early on, were never the most popular, and there really wasn’t much about its design that stood out.
However, because of how often Jessie uses her Arbok within the anime, it’d be impossible to ever forget about the cobra. It follows the typical gag of Team Rocket’s Pokémon smothering them in affection — literally — and shows a sweeter side to what otherwise might just be a forgettable snake.
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