After nine generations and almost a thousand designs, it's amazing that there are still animals that haven't been made into Pokemon. Some of the world's most obscure creatures have inspired designs since Pokemon's inception, and yet, there are still some obvious choices that lack representation.
Despite the fact that there is a Pokemon based on a chandelier and some inspired by extinct creatures, prodigious professors still haven't found a llama or a platypus. In honor of our missing perfect fits for pocket monsters, here are examples of Game Freak curiously skipping something anticipated in favor of kitchen appliances. (Don't get us wrong, though. Rotom can stay.)
Updated by Dexter Adams on January 21, 2023: With Scarlet and Violet's release, Nintendo has yet again created a new batch of Pokemon with unique designs. We even got a dolphin Pokemon this time around. That said, there are several real-world creatures that we're still waiting for Nintendo to take inspiration from. Let's hope by Gen 10 we see a few animals checked off this list.
15 Mantis Shrimp
Game Freak is no stranger to designing Pokemon after crustaceans. In fact, they have shrimp Pokemon in the Clauncher line and Anorith. However, Nintendo's shrimp-based Pokemon have nothing on the mantis shrimp.
Unlike the typical shrimp, mantis shrimp are predatory hunters, feasting on small fish, snails, crabs, and even oysters. FkmnOfficial gives a beautiful interpretation of what a Pokemon based on these bizarre arthropods by combining elements of a ghost shrimp and glassblowing. The Fire typing could be a nod towards the animal's strike being fast enough to generate heat and light.
14 Chiton
Chiton are lesser-known creatures are subspecies of mollusk whose shell is composed of eight separate plates. Like the pill bug, this animal is capable of rolling up into a ball when dislodged from its home. However, what makes these creatures truly fascinating is that, like a certain jewel-eyed Ghost-type, their "eyes" are made up of crystals.
While these creatures' eyes are inferior to a human's, they are functional enough to allow chitons to distinguish a predator's shadow from clouds covering the sun. Tubz_AZ's Jemineye is a perfect representation of what a Pokemon derived from this strange creature could look like. The various gems on this Fakemon's back may also be a reference to the mollusk's many aesthetes.
13 Geese
For all the bird Pokemon released over the years, it's strange that Nintendo hasn't designed one after a goose. Geese are possibly one of the most well-known birds in the world, yet the frigate bird got a Pokemon before they did. There's even a children's game based around the aforementioned waterfowl. This is an injustice!
Thankfully, DarknWindie has corrected this grievance with their Gooserene. This Water and Fairy-type Pokemon takes inspiration from how geese are often portrayed in animated kid movies. This Fakemon's kind and nurturing personality make it the perfect babysitter for any affluent family.
12 Opossum
The concept of playing dead or playing possum is a phrase that can be found in nearly any corner of the world. The phrase itself derives from the opossums' tendency to feign death when faced with a predator. This correlation between opossums and death is the blueprint for an exceptional Ghost-type Pokemon, so it comes as a shame that Nintendo hasn't thought of it.
Tubz_AZ once again comes in clutch with their depiction of an opossum-based Pokemon. This Normal-Ghost type takes inspiration from Shakespeare, specifically the scene in Hamlet where the titular character monologues with a skull.
11 Goblin Shark
The goblin shark is one of the strangest creatures to grace the earth. These deep-sea sharks have pink skin and long flat snouts that make the easily distinguishable from other sharks. However, these sharks are most known for their ability to protrude their jaws. This is such an odd hunting tactic and from a shark no less.
Nintendo would do well to add this shark to their roster of Pokemon, especially considering they only have Sharpedo and Gible line. DarknWindie's take on the goblin shark as Pokemon perfectly captures the animal's ferocity. Additionally, the artist's little blurb on how, despite its appearance, Brutear is friendly gives this depiction more character.
10 Musk Oxen
Most herd or pack animals and domesticated creatures have been made into Pokemon. Bouffalant is a buffalo, Miltank is a cow, Tauros is a bull, and so on. However, musk oxen have yet to see any true representation.
These horned, shaggy animals are large beasts of the Arctic regions that could make for a great Pokemon. As Ice-types, they might resemble Mamoswine too closely, but there are many ways they could be implemented, like the Poison and Ground-type Fakemon created by Banz-Fakemon. A Poison typing could definitely fit with a musk ox's strong odor. Perhaps the first Ice and Poison-type could be a muskox.
9 Llamas
Llamas and alpacas have cemented their status as memetic creatures on the internet for some reason, yet they've never made their way to the Pokemon world. Game Freak has shown their ability to put "memes" or comical designs in the games, from Morpeko's Hangry Mode to giving Alolan Dugtrio beautiful flowing locks.
However, llamas (and alpacas) are completely underutilized. Artist T-james has shown how a llama could use the oft-forgotten seasonal form mechanic of Sawsbuck, which really should be brought back.
8 Capybara
The largest rodent in existence and a strange little fellow is the capybara, cavies that are native to South America. These social animals live in large groups and are known for being incredible swimmers.
These giant rodents could make for a great Pokemon that utilized the Water-type or, more likely, Normal-type as the regional early-route rodent. However, artist Artsy Axolotl shows how a capybara Pokemon could have different forms for the basic elemental types, making for a really cool 'mon.
7 Platypus
The real world has some creatures roaming around in it that are honestly stranger than Pokemon. One of these is the famous duck-billed platypus, one of only two mammals that lay eggs.
Early researchers thought the platypus was some type of hoax since it seems to be a weird mish-mash of other animals, with a beaver's tail, a duck's bill, the body of an otter, and even venomous capabilities. These animals as a Pokemon would be an obvious choice for a Water-type, but they could also be Poison-type. Artist Alleycatirony shows their idea with this Water-type design.
6 Blobfish
One of the most maligned animals on earth that has been mocked mercilessly is the blobfish. Residing in the darkest depths of the ocean, these gelatinous-looking fish are found around Australia and New Zealand. Their ugly appearance has actually been attributed to how they look out of the water, with their regular appearance in their habitat being much less awful.
That ugliness has become iconic, however, and would make for a great Pokemon. InProgressPokemon shows us how a Psychic-type one could look, but Water, Ghost, and even Dragon could also work.
5 Scotoplanes
Sticking in the deep oceans for a minute after finding a blobfish might bring one a sighting of a sea pig, or scotoplane. These weird creatures are a type of sea cucumber that comes in a few different varieties, but they all look very strange.
It's an obvious choice for a Water-type, of course, but why not go with something a little more exciting? Their ability to bulldoze the seafloor could make them a Ground-type, or they could be Fairy-types as artist fauxlens shows.
4 Dingoes
There is no shortage of Pokemon based on dogs and other dog-like animals, from Growlithe to Mightyena to Snubbull, Lillipup, and Houndour (plus many more). However, there is still no Pokemon based on Australia's famous canine, the dingo.
Somewhat resembling wolves or domesticated dogs, dingoes are pretty cute — in theory. The only Pokemon that looks somewhat like a dingo is Midday Lycanroc, but that Rock-type from Generation 7 is probably more closely based on the extinct Hokkaido wolf. Artist Fakemanss shows us how some Ground-type dingoes could look.
3 Hummingbirds
Like dogs, there are a ton of Pokemon based on birds, from toucans to parrots to chickens. But, hummingbirds have never seen a clear Pokemon design inspired by them.
Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures, able to beat their wings at truly incredible speeds and zip around faster than your eyes could track them. This could make for a very interesting Pokemon with an incredible Speed stat. Artist PrismKnight shows us how a Fairy/Flying hummingbird could look, but Electric could be a good choice too, due to their lightning-quick speed.
2 Wolverine
We really appreciate griffsnuff over on deviantArt for illustrating the possibilities of a wolverine Pokemon better than we could have hoped for. Honestly, this entry was just going to mention the creature, note that we're not talking about the famous Marvel superhero, allow for the possibility of Game Freak going that route as well someday because crossovers are constant hotness, and leave it at that.
Instead, this intrepid Fakemon creator shows us a sharp-clawed Fire-type starter for a super-popular animal without a Pokemon to its name.
1 Cheetah
Something strange tends to happen whenever cheetahs are mentioned as a major candidate for a Pokemon adaptation. Someone, somewhere, somehow, decides to reply by pointing out that Liepard exists. Yes, this is undeniable. There is, in fact, a Pokemon called Liepard. We even included a pic of it rather than sampling from the terrific set of fandom cheetah ideas on the internet.
Liepard is a purple-and-yellow Pokemon with slashes of pink around its eyes. It is, in fact, based on a leopard. Leopards, though wonderful creatures are not cheetahs. Many people love leopards. Many enjoy cheetahs. Plenty of us love both. But cheetahs are the fastest land animals on earth. It's a mystery among mysteries that this fact hasn't been seized yet for at least one Pokemon design. Goodness.