When Pokémon Sword and Shield released, it added a slew of new regional variants with certain Pokémon getting a Galarian makeover. One of those Pokémon was Meowth, which was surprising to many fans as Meowth had already received an Alolan regional variant in the previous titles, Pokémon Sun and Moon.
The original Kantonian Meowth from generation one is very different from the newer Galarian Meowth, leaving fans with the question of - which is better? Check out the different points below that weigh up the pros and cons of each Pokémon and, ultimately, which version is the better of the two.
10 Kanto: Iconic
Kanto Meowth is best known for being part of the Team Rocket trio, alongside Jessie and James, in the Pokémon anime. This is the only Meowth that is known to speak English and this feature makes this particular Meowth one of the best characters of the entire franchise.
It's hard not to fall in love with the sassy little cat Pokémon and his snarky personality. Meowth has become synonymous with Team Rocket and is one of the most immediately recognizable Pokémon due to this.
9 Galar: Better Shiny
Galarian Meowth arguably has the better shiny, not just out of the Kantonian and Galarian regional forms, but extending to the Alolan Meowth too. Both Alolan and Kantonian Meowth shinies are just a shade darker than their normal forms, which makes them harder to distinguish and overall less impressive.
However, Galarian Meowth breaks the Meowth mold and becomes lighter in color when it is a shiny variant; in fact, it takes on the shade of the Kanto Meowth, which is a nice touch.
8 Kanto: Evolves into Persian
Kantonian Meowth evolves into Persian starting at level 28, and Persian is best known for being one of Giovanni's Pokémon in the Pokémon anime series. Persian is often seen with Giovanni as a lap pet and is only ever once seen being used in battle.
Rather amusingly, Meowth considers this Persian to be a rival and hopes to one day replace it as Giovanni's favorite Pokémon and the "top cat". Persian is a pretty awesome Pokémon and the single time it is seen battling in the anime, it proves it is more than a capable fighter.
7 Galar: Has a Brand New Evolution
Though Persian is admittedly a pretty cool Pokémon, Sword and Shield decided to mix things up by not having Galarian Meowth evolve into Galarian Persian, but instead evolve into a whole new Pokémon called Perrserker.
Fans were surprised by this move, as Meowth's previous regional variant had also received a regional evolution of Persian in Alola. However, it was a welcome and refreshing surprise to players when they evolved their new Meowth and discovered a new Pokémon had been added.
6 Kanto: Lucky Cat
Meowth's design appears to be based on the Maneki-Neko, the "Lucky Cat" from Japan. These figurines are lucky charms in Japan that are thought to bring good fortune. These cats are generally depicted holding a Konban coin, which is also the same item that adorns the top of Meowth's head.
Considering that Meowth has the unique ability called "Pay Day", which scatters coins across the battlefield, as well as dealing damage, Meowth truly does seem to bring good fortune. However, to be fair, Galarian Meowth also has this signature move.
5 Galar: Viking
Kantonian Meowth may be based on the Japanese Lucky Cat of legend, but Galarian Meowth and Perrserker both have strong Viking influences, which is arguably a lot cooler. When you're talking Pokémon battles, taking a fearsome Viking with you seems more helpful than a lucky charm.
These influences are clear from the shaggy beard-like appearances, as well as both having horn-like appendages on their heads, which are reminiscent of Viking helmets. Additionally, Perrserker's claws appear sword-like in design, as if it were a Viking warrior dual-wielding two swords into battle.
4 Kanto: Siamese Cat
Both Kantonian Meowth and Persian appear to be physically based on the Siamese Cat breed due to their colorings and dark ear patterns, as well as their curved tails being reminiscent of the kinked tail trait that Siamese cats used to have before it was eliminated through breeding.
These cats were once believed to be kept by Siam royalty, which also lends itself to the idea of Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket, keeping them, as if he were the "king" of the organization.
3 Galar: Norwegian Forest Cat
Though Meowth and Persian may be the cats of kings, Galarian Meowth and Perrserker appear to be based on a different cat breed - the Norwegian Forest Cat. Norwegian Forest Cats are large, fluffy, and sport beard-like manes with large ear tufts, very similar to the appearance of the Galarian cats.
Furthermore, Norwegian Forest Cats are believed to be descendants of cats that used to travel aboard Viking ships, which is also in keeping with the Galarian Meowth's design. You have to admit, Viking cats are pretty awesome.
2 Kanto: Can Gigantamax
Kantonian Meowth definitely has one strong advantage over the Galarian form, and that's the fact that it can Gigantamax. Fans fell in love with this particular G-Max form as it is reminiscent of the Long Cat meme.
Initially, G-Max Meowth was reserved as a Mystery Gift distribution on release, as well as a limited time Max Raid battle at a later date. However, with the release of the Isle of Armor DLC and the introduction of Max Soup, players are now able to make any Kantonian Meowth into a G-Max capable Pokémon.
1 Galar: Steel-type
Meowth and Persian from the Kanto region are the Normal-type, which although often features many adorable Pokémon, is generally considered to be the most boring Pokémon type.
However, Galarian Meowth and Perrserker both share the Steel-type, a far more interesting Pokémon type that also ties into their Viking theme, with the Vikings being known for their use of iron weaponry.
Conclusion: So who is the winner? While Galarian Meowth introduces some fresh new elements to the series, it'll never be able to overshadow the original Kanto Meowth as it's just far too iconic due to its role in the Pokémon anime. Kantonian Meowth is the undisputed winner.