Pokémon has done an excellent job of adding new types that help flesh out the franchise and have retroactively updated older Pokémon's typing to reflect the changes.
One of the newer types that were added this decade was the Fairy-type which serves as a hard counter to the popular Dragon-typing but also helps make a ton of Normal-type creatures from earlier generations a lot more unique. Let's now take the time to look at the 5 ugliest and 5 cutest Fairy-type Pokémon through Pokémon Sword & Shield.
10 Cute: Jigglypuff
You may be asking yourself why Jigglypuff is coming in so low on this list despite being a pink ball of cuteness.
The truth of the matter is that Jigglypuff generally tends to be sweet creatures but can sour in an instant and become quite annoying. When they start pouting and throwing a tantrum they lose a lot of what makes them adorable. A lot of fans were surprised to find out that Jigglypuff's pink coloring is fur that covers its entire balloon-like body from head to toe.
9 Ugly: Snubbull
Snubbull is undoubtedly ugly, but it comes in lower on the list because it manages to walk a fine line in which it is sort of endearing. Some creatures in nature happen to be ugly in a certain way where it ends up reading as sort of cute for a good number of humans.
It's hard to explain but is certainly a thing considering the number of people who own ugly dogs and cats. Snubbull may be ugly, but at the end of the day it's a dog-inspired Pokémon and that's always a win in and of itself.
8 Cute: Ralts
Designers will tell you it's very hard to create something that comes across as cute without utilizing aspects of the face such as a jovial smile or larger than life eyes that attract empathy. Ralts manages to do the impossible as this adorable little psychically powered fairy has an overflowing abundance of cuteness.
On top of being rather small, it matches that with a little mouth and arms and a body that looks like it's wearing the comfiest pajamas known to Pokémon. Most fans would describe Ralts as a certified cutie.
7 Ugly: Mr. Mime
Pokémon who tend to air on the more human-like side when it comes to anatomy tend to feel the most discomforting to look at. Mr. Mime has always come across as a creep and a weirdo despite being super helpful to Ash Ketchum's mom in the anime.
His design becomes even weirder after seeing the film Detective Pikachu in which it is revealed that the pink ball sections of his design have a similar texture to that of the prototypical dodgeball found in high schools across the United States.
6 Cute: Marill
Most lifelong Pokémon fans will remember that in the days leading up to the release of Pokémon Gold & Silver fans heard rumblings of a Pokémon named Pikablue. This was in reference to Marill, a tiny blue mouse who was solely Water-type upon release until the introduction of the Fairy-type retroactively made it a dual-typed Pokémon.
Marill is so bulbous and perfectly round that it quickly stole the hearts of fans across the globe despite having zero connections to Pikachu and sporting an entirely different name.
5 Ugly: Mawile
If you simply gazed upon Mawile from the front you'd simply assume it was a canine-like creature with a sweet personality. The moment you get a glance at what many perceive to be its actual head that disguises itself as its hair, your heart will likely stop in its place.
Numerous creatures in the wild have anatomical decoys that allow them to hide their true form from their prey. Mawile is no different in this instance and its head looks like the world's most terrifying venus fly trap.
4 Cute: Togepi
Outside of Pikachu, most Pokémon fans consider Togepi to be one of the cutest critters in the entire franchise. It did a good job of winning people over as Misty's partner in the anime.
Togepi, much like Misty, can have some anger issues at times and throw tantrums, but it's hard to stay mad at a tiny creature still stuck in its egg. It doesn't hurt that its egg also has symbols on it that are very reminiscent of the 90s wallpaper and graphic design aesthetic is seen in shows like Saved by the Bell and Rocko's Modern Life.
3 Ugly: Aromatisse
It's common knowledge at this point that perfumes and colognes are designed and sold for the singular purpose of attracting a romantic partner. You'd then assume that a Pokémon labeled as the Fragrance Pokémon would be aesthetically pleasing to some extent.
Well, Aromatisse likely didn't have to evolve to be physically attractive if its aroma released hormones that made it attractive regardless of how it looked. This weird perfume troll bird may not be the cutest creature, but it's found its workaround.
2 Cute: Sylveon
Fans of Pokémon waiting years for the introduction of more Eevee evolutions and thankfully they didn't have to wait too long to see its Fairy-type form after the type itself was introduced. Sylveon was introduced alongside the new type and showed off just how adorable Pokémon of the Fairy-typing could be.
With the ribbons flowing and pastel coloring, you'd have a hard time not finding Sylveon to be the cutest Fairy-type in the entire franchise. It also doesn't have to fall back on the crutch of being a pre-evolution.
1 Ugly: Grimmsnarl
You can't talk about ugly Fairy-type Pokémon without taking a gander at Grimmsnarl, the Bulk Up Pokémon, native to the Galar region. This giant bundle of hair and mischief is intentionally designed to be off-putting and discomforting to look at.
It is based on the numerous fairy tales in the United Kingdom related to trolls and things that go bump in the night. Anyone of the members of its evolutionary line could have taken this top spot, but it seems only fitting to select the biggest and baddest of the bunch.