Pokémon, like most great franchises, has levels of complexity that only add to a fan's enjoyment of the property. They can be explored or ignored and the series allows you to get as little or as most from it as you'd like. Shiny forms, the rare discolored version of Pokémon, are one of the things that hardcore fans pursue and research, whereas the common Pokémon fan will likely never think twice about or even know the existence of. Let's now take a look at the 10 best Fairy-type Pokémon in the series, through Pokémon Sword & Shield.

11 Azumarill

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Azumarill is typically blue and very much looks like a grown-up version of its previous form, Marill. This holds true to its rumored name before Pokémon Gold & Silver released, which was Pikablue. Kids heard about a Water-type version of Pikachu that happened to be a blue mouse. Azumarill's shiny form seems to be a meta-joke on this playground conspiracy as the once large blue rodent becomes a golden hue similar to that of Pikachu and Raichu. It's odd considering Marill's shiny form is a rich green color.

9 Alolan Ninetales

For years many Pokémon fans considered Ninetales to be one of the most ethereal and majestic creatures the franchise ever created. With Pokémon Sun & Moon, the series introduced the concept of regional variants of previously existing Pokémon. One of the primary Alolan forms was one of Ninetales, which made the Fire-type an Ice/Fairy duel-type. Its base form is a stark icy white, but if found as a rare shiny, trainers are greeted to the flowing beauty of a light violet magical fox.

8 Primarina

Primarina, one of the starter Pokémon's final evolutions found in Pokémon Sun & Moon, is meant to evoke mermaid vibes. Its entire design is meant to fuse the concept of a mermaid with the real-life animals known as seals.

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Primarina's shiny form is a tad off-putting as the blonde hair makes the creature feel a lot more like the human-adjacent mermaids. In the same breath, it also has Primarina's design feels a lot more unique and removes it from the typical blue hues that over-saturate Water-type starter designs.

7 Galarian Rapidash

Rapidash was a Kanto region Pokémon horse girls and boys loved, but the greater fandom simply respected. With the addition of it and Ponyta's Galarian forms in Pokémon Sword & Shield, it seems that the My Little Pony cartoon was a huge influence. That series is super popular, so it only makes sense to bring new life to an evolutionary line by incorporating elements from other successful properties featuring the same animal. Its shiny form in the Galar region is more subtle, but still every bit My Little Pony.

6 Mimikyu

Mimikyu was a neat concept as another Pikachu clone, considering there tends to be a new one with each generation. This trend likely started as a way to recapture the magic, but in years since has turned into a tradition. Normally Mimikyu sports the same colors of Pikachu in its disguise as it tries to hide from the world around it. Shiny Mimikyu, on the contrary, are devoid of all color and tonally match the lack of joy or happiness the creature likely feels as it hides in the dark parts of abandoned buildings and parks.

5 Carbink

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Fairy-type Pokémon that doesn't have some sort of pink in its design. Carbink, the Rock/Fairy dual-type is one of the few examples, and it does it in both its common and shiny forms. One look at its shiny form and without knowing its typing you'd likely never guess it's part Fairy-type.

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It happens to be a creature encased in very hard sediment, so making it black and blue makes it feel like it is comprised of sapphire and obsidian, which is pretty neat for a partial Rock-type.

4 Granbull

Granbull is a Pokémon design that seems to be in a fight with itself. It sports a very cute pink coloring but is never seen without a grimace or scowl on its face. Dog-inspired Pokémon are often some of the most beloved creatures, yet there isn't a large vocal outcry for Granbull. If you're the type of player who appreciates more realistic designs then Granbull's shiny form might intrigue you. Instead of pink fur, shiny Granbull is a metallic brown color that's much closer to the bulldogs its design was based on.

3 Grimmsnarl

Now, we all know that Grimmsnarl is a hideous Pokémon, but that's kind of its appeal. It is inspired by trolls found in fairy tails, while at the same time looks to also be inspired by the likes of the Abominable Snowman and Bigfoot. Grimmsnarl is typically a mix of dark purple and pink with accents of green, which lend to the magical feel of the creature. In its shiny form, it fully embraces its yeti ancestors and dons a full white coat. Somehow Grimmsnarl manages to make ugly look cool and intimidating.

2 Gardevoir

Earlier in this article, it was discussed how hard it is to find a Fairy-type that doesn't feature some sort of pink in its design. Gardevoir happens to be another example of a Pokémon accomplishing this tremendous feat.

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Trainers will typically come across or evolve into a Gardevoir that's mostly white with spots of red and strong green secondary features. All that happens if the Gardevoir is shiny is that it trades in that rustic green for a cool metallic blue that contrasts well with the rest of the design.

1 Sylveon

Sylveon by now is the mascot for the Fairy-type. Not only is it a part of the beloved set of Eevee evolutions often referred to as Eeveelutions, but it made its way into the franchise alongside the Fairy-type itself. This ribbon accented creature is irresistibly adorable in any form and the choice between hunting down a shiny version or not simply comes down to if you prefer pink or blue more. The common form is pink with blue accents and the shiny is the reverse of that, and both look incredibly cute.

NEXT: Pokémon: The Best Fairy-Type Pokémon Of Every Generation, Ranked