Every Pokémon gets a Pokédex entry. These entries provide the Pokémon’s stats and move-set. They also give a very brief description of the Pokémon. Most of these descriptions are innocuous, some are a little creepy, and others are just really, really odd.
These super odd entries are likely good indicators that the developers were running out of ideas, and in an effort to make an entry stand apart from the hundreds of others they went a little “off the map.” Being “odd” is admittedly subjective, but most would probably agree there’s something a little “off” about these entries when compared to most of the other Pokémon.
10 Tyranitar – Sword Version
"Its body can’t be harmed by any sort of attack, so it is very eager to make challenges against enemies.”
The entry is a bit odd because of the choice in wording. First off, “can’t be harmed by any sort of attack” is not even close to a true statement – any Pokémon with Fighting or Water moves can bring Tyranitar down quickly. Also, with a description like this one would expect Tyranitar’s Defense and Special Defense ratings would be higher; they’re good, but certainly not “can’t be harmed by any sort of attack” good.
9 Ditto – Shield Version
"When it encounters another Ditto, it will move faster than normal to duplicate that opponent exactly.”
Why… exactly? Ditto only learns one move – Transform. If a Ditto duplicates another Ditto, it won’t get anything it didn’t already have. It will not get any new moves, and gains no resistances or other attributes. Two Ditto fighting each other can literally do nothing to hurt each other. Is this how Ditto say hello to each other? Seriously, why do Ditto do this when encountering each other?
8 Shuckle – Shield Version
"The berries stored in its vaselike [sic] shell eventually become a thick, pulpy juice.”
The subject matter of this Pokédex entry is most definitely odd. Again, the developers chose to forgo providing any useful or interesting details about the Pokémon and instead gave players the most random information possible. A better entry might have informed players about Shuckle's high defense rating, or that it's tied for the slowest Pokémon in the game, or that its attack and HPs are among the lowest in the game. The Sword version’s Pokédex entry reads, “It stores berries inside its shell. To avoid attacks, it hides beneath rocks and remains completely still.” This entry at least gives players a little insight into how weak Shuckle is in a fight.
7 Feebas – Sword And Shield Version
"It is a shabby and ugly Pokémon. However, it is very hardy and can survive on little water.” This is the Shield version. The Sword version begins with, “Although unattractive and unpopular…” Clearly the developers did not want players using this Pokémon.
While other Pokédex entries talk about how a Pokémon can tear mountains down with a glance, this one lets players know that the Feebas is very unappealing. The developers could have described its history, its habitat, and/or moves it can learn; instead, they felt it was more important to let players know that the Feebas is very unappealing. By about Gen 15 of Pokémon this entry will simply read, “Don’t bother.”
6 Shellos – Sword And Shield Version
This entry is for the East Sea form, but applies to the Pokédex entries for the West Sea form as well as they are very similar. “There’s speculation that its appearance is determined by what it eats, but the truth remains elusive.” This is the Sword version. The Shield version is, “Its appearance changes depending on the environment. One theory suggests that living in cold seas causes Shellos to take on this form.”
The Shield version is truthful and helpful; the Sword version throws the player a red herring about it eating something to change its appearance.
5 Gyarados – Shield Version
"Once it begins to rampage, a Gyarados will burn everything down, even in a harsh storm.”
This Pokédex entry is odd for one specific reason; or rather, one specific word. “Gyarados will burn everything…” is odd, mainly because Gyarados is a Water/Flying type Pokémon that does not naturally (via leveling-up) learn any Fire moves. It can learn a couple of Fire moves via TR in Sword & Shield, but that doesn’t make this entry any less odd. It doesn’t even have limbs with which to use a box of matches or lighter. So where is this all-consuming fire that even a “harsh storm” is incapable of stopping coming from?
4 Jirachi – Sword Version
"Once every 1,000 years, the singing of a pure voice will rouse this Pokémon from its near-perpetual slumber. It wakes for only seven days.”
If this rarely seen Pokémon is only awake for seven days every 1,000 years doesn’t that severely limit its usefulness as a Pokémon? The chance of encountering and catching Jirachi is very low. So even if a trainer manages to catch one, the chances that seven-day window will occur during that trainer’s lifetime must be extremely long odds – like winning the lottery twice in a row kind of odds.
3 Throh – Sword Version
"It performs throwing moves with first-rate skill. Over the course of many battles, Throh’s belt grows darker as it absorbs its wearer’s sweat.” That second sentence is quite useful. Well, alright, it’s actually not… and it's a little gross. The developers could have used that second sentence to tell players how far Throh can throw something heavy.
Alternatively, they could have revealed the origin of this Pokémon. Nope. The developers felt letting players know how much sweat a Throh’s belt absorbs was more important. This is not only one of the oddest Pokédex entries, but possibly the most random.
2 Seismitoad – Shield Version
"This Pokémon is popular among the elderly, who say the vibrations of its lumps are great for massages.”
I’m sure we can all agree that knowing the vibrations come from a Seismitoad’s “lumps” was entirely unnecessary. A massage from one of these things doesn’t sound very safe considering previous Pokédex entries for Seismitoad tell how these vibrations can “turn a boulder into rubble.” Imagine going to visit an elderly relative and having to wait until a bright blue, 5’ tall, bipedal toad finishes giving him/her a massage. The Pokémon universe is a strange place.
1 Drifblim – Shield Version
"It grabs people and Pokémon and carries them off somewhere. Where do they go? Nobody knows.”
How does nobody know where Drifblim takes the people and Pokémon it carries off? The Pokédex entry in Pokémon: Ultra Mooon for Drifblim starts with, “The raw material for the gas inside its body is souls.” Taking this into account a very clear picture of “where they go” comes into view. Also, are the people in the Pokémon universe really that apathetic towards a loved one being carried off by a wild Pokémon? Presumably to have its soul devoured, no less.