Don't just take it from Koga, Janine, and Roxie, we'll also tell you that Poison-types pack a serious punch! These toxic pals make excellent additions to any trainer's team. Being only weak against Psychic and Ground-type Pokémon, Poison-types offer a lot of utility while keeping Fairy types in check.
Whether they are powerful or beloved fan favorites, there have been many pure Poison Pokémon throughout the years. Still, not all Pokémon are made equal, and some are just a step above the rest.
16 Nidoran♀
Nidoran♀ has had a whopping forty appearances in the anime series! Still, the most notable Nidoran♀ is likely Green's from the Pokémon Adventures manga. Nido was a lovely companion, even if she was almost used to scam a man into trading his Butterfree.
15 Nidoran♂
One of the original Pokémon with gender, Nidoran♂ is certainly something special. Pokémon Zensho confirms that this was the Pokémon that fused with Bill during his mishap experiment and seeing Tony the Nidoran♂ fall in love in the anime was absolutely adorable. It only recently became available in Pokémon Sword & Shield thanks to the DLC, and it is welcomed well by fans.
14 Nidorina
Both Whitney and Green have a strong Nidorina by their side that they use in battle. A curious fact about Nidorina is that despite the male side of the evolutionary Nidoran line being able to bread, Nidorina is actually unable to. This Poison Pin Pokémon sadly might not have eggs, but can be an excellent addition to any trainer's team — especially when players give it a Moon Stone.
13 Grimer
Grimer isn't exactly a beautiful Pokémon — it's quite literally a sentient toxic sludge pile. One of its most notable features is that it smells pretty terrible. Dawn even trained one with low self-confidence at the Pokémon Summer Academy.
Grimer features in one of the most disturbing moments in the Pokémon Adventures manga. Koga attempts to use the smother Blue so that he can't call out any commands in the battle. This is the kind of thing that could literally kill a young child! We can't help but worry about what happens to trainers out on their adventures now.
12 Ekans
Jessie received her Ekans as a gift during a chūgen festival but this wasn't the only time this Pokémon got to sign. Ekans was a part of Team Meanies in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate! Also, just in case somehow someone out there still doesn't know this piece of Pokémon trivia, "Ekans" is "Snake" backward.
11 Gulpin
Gulpin is one goofy goober of a Pokémon. It featured as a Poké Ball Pokémon in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and even had an entire anime episode with it as the main focus. In Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel, Ash befriended a sad Gulpin whose trainer had abandoned it after giving it one last hug. It's not just a pre-evolution of Swallot, it's a Pokémon all its own.
10 Garbodor
Roxie's Garboder was enough to take down plenty of trainers when they faced her in Pokemon Black & White 2. It even received an impressive Gigantimax form in the latest games which made it look even more like a dumpster fire. We mean that as a compliment, we promise! Seeing it in the anime in its Gigantimax form was a serious treat and likely inspired many trainers to track it down.
9 Nidorino
Nidorino ends up on a lot of starting Pokémon trainers teams — Red even catches one to show young children how to catch Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga. Still, this isn't Nidorino's biggest claim to fame.
What fans remember Nidorino most for is how it was featured in the opening of Pokémon Red & Blue. This moment was also re-created in the original anime and was one of the most exciting parts of the very first episode of the series. Nidorino will always be iconic in the Pokémon series because of this important appearance.
8 Trubbish
Some Pokémon fans haven't liked Pokémon that are based on objects, but honestly, we feel that they are a bit underappreciated. Players who are hesitant to take a Trubbish onto their teams should remember the time one saved an entire group of kindergarteners in the anime! Plus, this Pokémon literally eats garbage, which has to be great for the ecosystem. Don't be mean to Trubbish!
7 Swalot
Ash fights a lot of Swalots in the anime. Dominick used one in a 2v2 match against Ash, while Reggie's Swalot is able to take down Ash's Staravia. Still, this isn't where most people recognize this Pokémon from. Satoshi Yamamoto, the illustrator of the Pokémon Adventures manga, uses this Pokémon to represent himself whenever he speaks to the readers.
6 Koffing
A lot of Pokémon fans do not know that caught things original name in the beta for the first game was Ny, a reference to New York City's bad air quality. Koffing wasn't just the signature Pokémon of James for a long while, it actually shows up quite often in the Super Smash Bros. series. It not only appears from Poké Ball — it's also an enemy in the special Smash Run mode as well as Smash Tour.
5 Poipole
Poipole is one of the Ultra Beast Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. It was designed by James Taylor, a British graphic designer that works for Game Freak, who was the first Western designer to ever design any Pokémon.
It wasn't just famous in the games, Ash also had a Poipole to travel alongside him in the anime. While it eventually has to return to its home, when it comes back as Naganadel to reunite with him, it's a marvelous moment in the anime.
4 Seviper
Seviper's rivalry with Zangoose is practically legendary within the Pokémon world. Considering it comes from the Panchatantra fable of the Mongoose and the Farmer's Wife, this makes plenty of sense.
While it's no Arbok, Jessie's Seviper was a welcome return to her commanding powerful snake-like Pokémon. It's the only pure Poison-type Pokémon that doesn't have an evolutionary relative which we think is a crying shame. Imagine just how amazing is the Viper evolution would look like, or even just seeing it have a Gigantimax form. It would be absolutely epic!
3 Muk
Ash's Muk was an absolute treasure in the anime. It was always so loving wanting to hug everyone around it, or more so potentially smother them entirely in its toxic gunk we suppose, but still who doesn't love a little bit of affection now and then? It also has the unique distinction of being one of the shortest named Pokémon, only tying with the famous legendary Pokémon Mew.
2 Weezing
James's Weezing was such an important part of Team Rocket's adventures through the majority of the anime. He is extremely loyal to James, so much so that he refuses to take orders from Meowth when they are on the Island of Giant Pokémon.
It was heartbreaking seeing Weezing finally part with James in a moment that showed deep down, Team Rocket has a heart of gold. Weezing is likely still protecting young Ekans and Koffings to this day, a noble goal if ever we saw one.
1 Arbok
Arbok (which yes, is Kobra backward) was Jessie's primary battling Pokémon during most of the anime. It was such a sad moment to see it go with Jessie's Weezing to protect defenseless Pokémon from poachers. It even appears as a spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, likely as a tribute to Jessie's famed friend.
Still, plenty of other famous trainers use Arbok. Agatha and Koga both have used powerful Arboks in their own battles across various Pokémon media installments. It is likely one of the most iconic Poison-type Pokémon that more players have seen and faced than any other.