The Pokemon franchise began in 1996 with Pocket Monsters: Red and Green for Nintendo Game Boy, later released worldwide as Pokemon Red & Blue in 1998. Since the series' breakthrough, it has spawned countless sequels, spin-offs, and other media that all take place in this world of elemental creatures.
With every new generation comes a selection of brand-new Pokemon for fans to discover. Many of these Pokemon are directly inspired by real world animals, with added typing and abilities that make them strong foes or partners on the battlefield. However, these ten real-life animals have surprisingly not yet found their Pokemon series counterparts.
Updated December 2, 2022 by Blaise Santi: The highly-anticipated entries in Pokemon’s ninth generation, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, have finally released exclusively for Nintendo Switch. In the new open region of Paldea, players can discover hundreds of Pokemon old and new across the expansive map. Out of the game’s Pokedex, there are over 100 brand-new Pokemon for players to encounter. Some of them, such as the bottlenose dolphin-inspired Palafin, incorporate animals that hadn't been made into Pokemon before. However, there are still plenty of animals in real life that don’t have counterparts in the Pokemon world, but maybe they’ll finally get their shot in future games.
13 Peacock
Aside from being the mascot of the TV network NBC, the peacock is a species of bird notable for its elegant patterned feathers. Their coloring has been the subject of biological debate for centuries, with researchers like Charles Darwin assuming it was a mating technique. Other experts cite the plumes as an intimidation tactic by peacocks.
Whatever the case may be, a peacock Pokemon certainly has the possibility to be both exquisite and fierce. Peacocks are symbols of goddesses in Ancient Greece, meaning this specific bird could be awaiting its time to shine in a future Mediterranean region. However, peacocks are also common in places like India and Persia.
12 Possum
Also referred to as an "opossum," this marsupial is common in both North and South America. Their origin dates back 20 million years, making their longevity on Earth incredibly remarkable. It's only a wonder why a possum Pokemon hasn't made an official debut in any Pokemon game, especially with the amount of rodents in the series.
Notably, possums are notorious for playing dead, which they involuntarily use to avoid predators. This makes the perfect premise for a possum Pokemon, perhaps an early game regional rodent that "plays dead" when it evolves, becoming Normal/Ghost-type. Currently, this typing is only shared with the Hisuian forms of Zorua and Zoroark.
11 Mantis Shrimp
There is technically already a shrimp Pokemon in the mainline games: the Water-type Pokemon Clauncher. Alongside its evolution, Clawitzer, these Pokemon are based on pistol shrimp, which are often known for their enlarged pincers. However, there is yet to be a Pokemon based on the mantis shrimp, a much more visually striking aquatic creature.
Notably, the mantis shrimp has very bright colors of its carapace, even underneath the water. Because of its ability to change color, a mantis shrimp Pokemon could potentially have different forms, like Oricorio or Squakabilly. It could even have a more interesting type combination such as Water/Fairy, Water/Psychic, or Water/Bug.
10 Wolverine
While this animal is mostly known for being the namesake of the extremely popular X-Men hero, it's also quite a ferocious land carnivore. Despite its small size, the wolverine is incredibly aggressive and dangerous. This would make it an unassuming power in the world of Pokemon, especially depending on its movepool and stats.
Due to its nature as a predator, a wolverine Pokemon could boast incredibly beefy Attack and Speed stats, perhaps at the cost of defense and HP. It could also have a typing like Fighting/Dark, giving it the upper hand against types like Psychic, at the cost of defending against more offensive Fairy-type Pokemon.
9 Albatross
The albatross is a species of seabird that mostly live in the Southern Hemisphere. It's widely known for its efficiency in flight, able to cross large distances with its wide wingspan. Despite the numerous bird Pokemon already featured in the series, the albatross has not inspired any in-game creatures thus far.
An albatross Pokemon could be a unique choice for the series, since this species of bird has literary associations as well. In the English poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the narrator alludes to an albatross hanging over its killers neck, symbolizing guilt. This hypothetical albatross-inspired Pokemon could allude to this poem by being Ghost/Flying-type, haunting Trainers.
8 Hummingbird
Another species of bird that has yet to inspire the creators of Pokemon is the hummingbird, known for the sound they make from their rapid wing strokes. This animal could easily be included into the Pokemon franchise as a typical Normal/Flying-type, with incredible speed stats to match the real-life creature's characteristics.
However, Game Freak could incorporate other true-to-life elements of the hummingbird into its design. For instance, the hummingbird has increased body heat due to its fast flying, meaning Fire/Flying would also be an interesting option.
7 Moose
Surprisingly, a moose Pokemon has not yet been added to the franchise. There have been, however, a plethora of deer family Pokemon throughout the years, such as Sawsbuck, Stantler, and Xerneas. However, this colder climate creature could be unique compared to those Pokemon due to its iconic, wide antlers.
Perhaps Game Freak has been waiting to include a moose Pokemon in a setting that fits the creature. Moose are typically found in places like Canada, New England, and Eastern Europe. Perhaps a Pokemon Legends game that takes place in ancient Unova (which is based on New York City) could feature a moose-inspired Pokemon.
6 Tanuki
It's surprising that the Pokemon franchise, which originated in Japan, has not yet featured a Pokemon based on the Japanese raccoon dog, also known as the tanuki. Nintendo even included the tanuki in the Mario franchise as a power-up. In Japanese folklore, tanukis are known for shapeshifting and mischief, making the perfect choice for a Dark/Fairy-typing.
However, the tanuki got close to appearing in the franchise during the second generation. This alleged design would have been based off a Japanese folktale where a tanuki carried burning firewood on its back, meaning this Pokemon could have been a Fire-type. Maybe one day Game Freak will revisit this design!
5 Llama
The llama seems like an animal diverse enough to have many interpretations in the Pokemon world. They're often-domesticated creatures that originate in South America, meaning that any future Pokemon region based on that area must include the llama in its Pokedex.
There are definitely Pokemon currently in the series who occupy a llama-esque design, such as Furfrou or Arceus. However, making this hypothetical Pokemon an unexpected type like Fighting or Water could give it the uniqueness it needs. It would also be a great choice for a future Ride Pokemon, galloping across large terrains.
4 Capybara
The Pokemon franchise has no shortage of rodent Pokemon, such as Raticate, Pikachu, and Bunnelby. However, the capybara is certainly distinct as the largest species of rodent, native to savannahs and forests. Like the llama, the capybara is a must-have for any South America-inspired region.
It would also be nice to see the capybara have a more interesting typing than Normal. One of the capybara's distinct attributes is its greasy hide, which makes it a valuable target for hunters. With this in mind, perhaps this capybara could be Poison-type, secreting pheromones that affect trainers or other wild Pokemon.
3 Platypus
The platypus is a shoo-in for any Pokemon region based on Australia, where this semiaquatic creature originates. The platypus is notable in the animal kingdom for being one of the few species of mammals capable of laying eggs. However, it's probably more recognizable these days as the basis for popular cartoon character Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb.
The platypus is another creature which Game Freak could take many directions with its design. The simplest typing would be Water/Ground, considering its usual habitat. However, leaning into its venomous characteristics could justify a Water/Poison or Ground/Poison typing, which be an interesting angle for the long-overdue animal's inclusion.
2 Narwhal
Narwhals are unique among the whale family for their massive "tusk" that protrudes from their forehead, resembling a unicorn horn. They're mostly native to arctic waters in places like Canada and Russia. Due to their already unique feature, it's easy to see how a narwhal could be reinterpreted for the Pokemon franchise.
Obviously, the go-to angle for the narwhal would be Steel/Water-typed, turning its tusk into a lance or giant sword. However, a narwhal Pokemon could also lean into the unicorn-like or mythological aspects, making it Water/Fairy. Maybe the ultimate curveball could be a regional form or an evolution of an already existing Pokemon, like Wailord.
1 Tardigrade
It's probably true that the tardigrade is not the most obvious choice to have a Pokemon based on it. These microscopic water bears can be found all over Earth, in rainforests, volcanoes, and even arctic waters. It has somehow been able to survive extreme planetary conditions such as radiation, starvation, and even air deprivation.
Due to the enormity of scientific curiosity surrounding the tardigrade, keeping it as a simple Water-type Pokemon doesn't do it enough justice. A tardigrade-inspired Pokemon could easily be a Legendary or Mythical Pokemon that's known for silently existing all over the Pokemon world, just like real-life tardigrades.