Pokemon With Humanoid Designs

Pokemon are designed with a variety of different inspirations behind them. Some turn out closely resembling the animal or mythological creature that inspired their design, while others look far different. Pokemon are mostly designed after creatures, but others are designed to resemble humans closely

These humanoid Pokemon can look strikingly similar to people, with bipedal legs, human-like features, and even hair in some cases. This can unnerve players that come across these humanoid creatures, as most players think of critters that resemble animals and bugs when they think of Pokemon.

12 Cinderace

Cinderace is one of many bipedal starters, but that's not the only feature that makes this fire-type rabbit humanoid. Cinderace is largely based on the design of a human soccer player, backed up further by its PokeDex entry in Pokemon Sword which states that it "juggles a pebble with its feet, turning it into a burning soccer ball."

Gigantamax Cinderace is also strikingly humanoid. It further strengthens the evidence suggesting the design inspiration of a soccer player, as Gigantamax Cinderace stands atop a huge, flaming "soccer ball."

11 Hawlucha

Hawlucha might not seem like the most humanoid Pokemon at first glance, but the inspiration for this winged creature lands it as one of the handfuls of Pokemon inspired by humans. Hawlucha's design closely resembles that of a luchador.

Luchadors are Mexican professional wrestlers that are known for wearing distinct, colorful masks in the ring. Hawlucha's head and color scheme closely resemble the mask and outfit of a luchador.

10 Infernape

Monkeys are often closely connected with humans due to their evolutionary similarities. Infernape is a fire/fighting-type monkey Pokemon that becomes humanoid for that very reason. It's a bipedal primate that's even classified as a humanoid creature in its egg groups, which are Field and Human-Like.

As it evolves from Chimchar, Infernape grows to resemble a human more and more with each stage of its evolution.

9 Lopunny

Lopunny's regular form, as well as its Mega Evolution, are both strikingly humanoid despite being blatantly designed to resemble a rabbit or bunny. It's bipedal and strikes a human-like pose, with its hands positioned near its face as if its hands have been nestled into a muff.

It's also regarded to be a humanoid Pokemon in its Egg Groups, which are Field and Human-Like.

8 Jynx

Since the psychic/ice-type's introduction in Generation I, Jynx has been infamous for being a humanoid Pokemon. It's so humanoid, in fact, that its design landed it in a bit of hot water back in the 90s. Originally, Jynx's skin was black instead of purple, paired with her large, red lips rightfully made some claim that Jynx was designed after a negative racial stereotype of African-Americans.

Jynx's design has been altered since, but its humanoid features, such as its long, blonde hair, lips, and dress, have remained a part of all future designs.

7 Mewtwo

Mewtwo retains human-like features in a variety of different ways. Despite being manufactured in a lab with the DNA from Mew, the second coming of the legendary looks far more human than the original Mew. Mewtwo is bipedal and has a human-like body shape.

In Pokemon: The First Movie, Mewtwo even (telepathically) speaks fluent English, able to be understood and heard by human characters like Ash, Brock, and Misty.

6 Gardevoir

Gardevoir is another humanoid psychic-type Pokemon. Introduced in Generation III, Gardevoir's design closely resembles a young woman with a bob haircut wearing a long, flowing white dress. Gardevoir's Mega Evolution is equally humanoid, giving the psychic-type a more round, royal-looking dress rather than the flowing slip it has on in its regular forme.

Only after Generation VIII was Gardevoir put into both the Amorphous and Human-Like Egg Groups.

5 Mr. Mime

Fans who watched the anime should know exactly why Mr. Mime is the first creature that comes to mind when the phrase "humanoid Pokemon" comes up. Mr. Mime's design is not only strikingly human, with a clown-like face, red cheeks, and human body shape. It's also shown acting relatively human as well, completing household chores and even cooking.

Mr. Mime is designed after a mime, which is a person who performs the art of storytelling through body movements and gestures without words. This is evident in both its design and the way the creature performs its psychic attacks.

4 Tyrogue

Tyrogue, as well as its evolutionary forms Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, and Hitmontop, are all rather humanoid in design and nature. Tyrogue, especially, reflects this human-like design as it closely resembles a young boy with a mohawk haircut. It's impossible to find a female Tyrogue in any of the games, further backing up this boy-like design choice.

Many fighting-types retain human-like features in their designs, mainly due to the fact that fighting-type Pokemon are heavily inspired by martial artists.

3 Machoke

Machoke is another creature that immediately comes to mind when fans think of humanoid Pokemon. It's another fighting-type that displays heavy martial arts inspiration, a fact impossible to ignore throughout its evolutionary line.

Machoke could almost pass off for a human, with its human-like body shape and muscles. It even dons a championship belt and briefs below its torso. In the games and anime, it's often shown performing manual labor, acting as an aide to moving in at the beginning of Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire. Machoke is one of a handful of creatures to belong only to the Human-Like Egg Group.

2 Kadabra

Kadabra might not seem like a humanoid creature at first, but the controversy involving the real-life psychic magician Uri Geller (known for claiming to bend spoons with his mind) seems to say otherwise. In November 2000, Geller sued Nintendo with the claim that Kadabra's design and Japanese name (Yungera) were an unauthorized use of his identity.

Due to the case, Kadabra was not printed on any Pokemon Trading Cards from 2000 onwards. It wasn't until 2020, two decades after the lawsuit began, that the case was finally lifted and Kadabra could resume being printed on Pokemon Trading Cards. Outside of this controversy, there are many humanoid features to the psychic-type Pokemon. Its bipedal body shape resembles a human's, and it only belongs to the Human-Like Egg Group.

1 Sawk

Sawk (as well as its counterpart, Throh) is a humanoid for a variety of blatant reasons. The fighting-type could pass for being completely human if not for its facial markings and blue skin, as other than those features it displays several human qualities. Its body shape is distinctly human, with arms and legs as well as a body covered with a karate gi.

Sawk is an exclusively male Pokemon that belongs solely to the Human-Like Egg Group.

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