Judge a Pokémon Express: Edition One
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Introduction
Welcome to Judge a Pokémon Express! From now on we're doing things a little differently. We'll be releasing a new edition of JAPE twice a month only. This will be at the start and in the middle of the month (and they'll be named by "editions"—fancy!) We're still accepting guest Facebook reviewers, so please do write a review of any of these Pokémon on the Facebook post announcing this edition for the chance to be accepted as a guest panelist! Talking of panelists, here are this edition's panelists: heritage, Codraroll, DHR-107, GatoDelFuego, brightobject, {Pokemon_Vigilante} (otherwise known as Shane from last JAPE—he'll be a regular panelist now!), and Aurora.
| heritage | Codraroll | DHR-107 | ||||
| GatoDelFuego | brightobject | {Pokemon_Vigilante} | Aurora | |||
| Click on the images to read their thoughts! | ||||||
Rockruff
heritage
While both Rockruff and Komala are certainly... uncreative, to say the least, at least Rockruff has a considerable amount of adorableness. Rockruff in particular has one of the cutest designs for what is assumed to be this generation's Route 1 Lillipup or Rattata. The big, shimmering blue eyes stand out from the brown body, and they really capture my attention. All of the Ken Sugimori art is just what I wanted from a puppy Pokémon, with its playful appearance and attempts at looking intimidating. And of course, the big fluffy tail that stood out immediately to most people during the trailer is certainly a defining feature to its level of cuteness. On top of all this, it's not a design that tries to be overcomplicated, with spikes everywhere and wings and horns, which I can appreciate. Just due to the total mediocrity of the other new Pokémon that were revealed recently, Rockruff is certainly my favorite of the bunch. I will admit, pure Rock typing is a bit odd (I don't know, it just doesn't look like a Rock-type in comparison to something like Cranidos or Tyrunt, and those little pebbles on its neck collar aren't doing it for me, even if they are cute), but it's certainly an interesting typing for early on in an adventure. Rock / Normal would have probably been better, but I suppose I can give it some slack. Overall, while not particularly inspired, Rockruff is, at the least, another solid attempt to make a puppy Pokémon, even though I don't think it really matches up to or stands out from Growlithe or anything.
Komala
heritage
I'm not sure how else to put it, but for simplicity's sake... I'm not really interested in Komala. I suppose it's cute in a "cute standard", but as someone who generally dislikes koalas in real life, sticking a log to it and making it sleepy doesn't work for me. In the end, there just isn't a lot that sells it. I would complain about how koalas don't reside in Hawaii, which looks to be the inspiration for the game, but in the end it is an imaginary world, so it's not the biggest issue for me. If there's one thing the design nails down, I have to say that it looks quite "dreamy". It looks like what it's supposed to, a sleeping koala, and it almost looks like something made for a child's book. I'm not sure if this is good for a Pokémon design, but it is amusing to think about this tiny thing trying to fight a legendary Pokémon and failing miserably (I have a twisted mind). There might be a bit of bias against this design, because my overall dislike for Komala might be based off of my dislike for the species in general. Again, I never ask for anything too complicated, especially in early-game or first stage evolutions, but it can't be Komala if it wants to catch my interest. At least Rockruff has a neat typing to go along with its pretty basic design, but Normal type is just that. Normal.
Cutiefly
heritage
Alrighty Game Freak... what's your excuse for this one? I really don't like any of the new Pokémon revealed in the most recent trailer with the exception of maybe Vikavolt. Cutiefly, despite its name... is not cute. It's ugly, frankly. It almost looks like someone took Fletchling's face, changed the color, and copy-pasted it onto a pair of bug wings. I absolutely despise bugs in real life (having a deathly fear of cockroaches while living in Florida sucks by the way), and slapping some giant anime-style eyes on what is clearly a mosquito or bee doesn't help its cause, because bugs generally aren't cute. Bug / Fairy would honestly be a cool typing if Fairy typing as a whole weren't stapled onto a lot of new Pokémon thus far. There was also a good number of new Bug-type Pokémon revealed, and Cutiefly doesn't really do anything to stand out (which honestly isn't a bad thing, since most of the new Bug-types look pretty awful). The name Cutiefly is also about as bland as it gets. Normally I wouldn't have an issue with names but with this, they're trying to shove in your face, "Look! It's a cute bug!" without actually making the Pokémon appeal to me. Maybe if it gets an evolution it'll end up being cuter. Or more badass. Both work.
Charjabug
heritage
I've given Charjabug a lot of nicknames since its release. Submarine bug, Minecraft bug, school bus bug, toaster... and it deserves every one of them. While I admit that it almost looks like it's supposed to, which is assumed to be a battery since it's a Bug / Electric type, that's not exactly an amazing thing to base a Pokémon on. This thing is downright ugly in every fashion. Its colors are bland, its face looks really awkward with its sideways mouth, and... yeah that's about it. There's one redeeming factor about it, though: its typing. Bug / Electric is absolutely awesome, and even I won't deny that. Here's to hoping it gets an Electric-type move early on. There really isn't a lot else to say about Charjabug's design. It just... exists. At least it evolves into what's looking to be a pretty awesome Bug-type.
Vikavolt
heritage
Game Freak has made a lot of disappointing evolutions (looking at you, Aromatisse) and a lot of disappointing Bug-types in the past, but they finally got it right with this one. Vikavolt is the perfect way to make a breathtaking Bug-type. While I'm not sure if it captures the essence of an "Electric-type Pokémon" right off the bat, it certainly looks menacing. That jaw looks like it could tear through any mortal body, nearly reminding me of Pinsir. Its color scheme is spot on for what it's trying to be. It's really funny to imagine a ten-year-old trainer trying to tame this beast. I'll admit, I was pretty worried about its in-game model, but I'm glad to see its wings look decently animated, unlike Mega Scizor, which has really choppy animation. It looks like it can actually fly, which makes sense with its ability. Bug / Electric is, again, an awesome typing, so hopefully Vikavolt has the stats to back that up, instead of having your Route 1 Bug-type stats (I mean, having an Electric-type is cool early on in the game, but I'd really like to see it be viable in the competitive scene). Overall, a really solid design that will probably have a lot of fans. Don't know if I'll be using it on my team, but we'll see.
Salandit
heritage
Salandit, to put it simply... is awesome. The first thing that stood out to me was its assumed-to-be-signature ability, Corrosion. The ability to poison anything (screw Mega Venusaur, screw Amoonguss, screw Skarmory, I hate all of you) is a massive game changer. I'm not sure if Salandit will actually be viable due to its awkward typing or if it will just be niche, but either way it's a really creative ability, certainly above Solgaleo and Lunala levels of creativity. Also, while Fire / Poison isn't amazing defensively, it's a really unique typing that I've been waiting for since I've started playing Pokémon. Onward to the design. To say the least, Salandit looks devious. With its crooked smile and serpent eyes, it looks like it's ready to tear apart your innards. For some reason, it almost reminds me of Kaa, the snake that hypnotizes Mowgli in the Jungle Book, I can't explain why. Salandit is easily my favorite out of the recently released Pokémon, and it will probably be on my Moon team in the end. I'm just praying they don't mess up the evolutions.
Rockruff
Codraroll
I think Rockruff has a quite passable design for a dog-based Pokémon. Big, blue eyes, a fluffy tail, slightly hanging ears, and a pleasant brown color scheme. That little pattern on its legs makes it look like it wears pants. Unlike some other recent canine Pokémon such as Lillipup and Fennekin, Rockruff even has semi-realistic proportions. That makes it a little less stylized than the norm might be for animal-based Pokémon designs, but at least it won't topple over every time it turns its head. Rockruff is cute, but appears to be capable of fighting. And it even has a collar-shaped feature around its neck. Indeed, for a generic Normal-type dog, Rockruff's design is quite fitting.
...wait, this thing is Rock type? That changes everything. Rock-types generally have some clear traits to distinguish them from other types, such as, you know, being made of rock. They also lack some traits found in other types: Rock-types are not fluffy. Rockruff is covered in fur, it has a fluffy tail, and appears to be as flexible as any real-life dog. Contrast the rest of the Rock Pokémon, which range from "literally being a rock" (Nosepass, Roggenrola, Geodude) to "animal covered in rocks and boulders" (Onix, Rhyhorn, Relicanth). Rock-types are usually hewn from stone or have tough hides and rock-hard bodies, and this is especially true of pure Rock-types. Rockruff has some pebbles hidden around its neck, deep in its (*sigh*) tufts of fur. Granted, there's not much rock-like to Archen and Archeops either, but those at least had the excuse of being fossils. Rockruff appears to be a decently designed Normal Pokémon somebody suddenly decided to change into a Rock-type. Had it retained a secondary Normal typing I would have been less crass, but as-is, Rockruff is a pure Rock-type Pokémon that looks nothing like a pure Rock-type Pokémon.
Komala
Codraroll
Komala is a very nice teddy bear somebody decided to give a log and call a Pokémon. Like Rockruff's, Komala's design doesn't stray very far from the animal it is based on. It has larger ears than real koalas, a larger nose, and a proportionally tiny body, but it isn't "Pokémonized" in any remarkable way. It's a Normal-type, very animal-like Pokémon, which makes it a little boring. It's not a koala that shoots fire, or an electric koala, or a poisonous koala (although it will probably be able to use moves of all those types), it's a plain ol' koala whose special trait is that it sleeps a lot. Just like a real koala. They didn't even change its color scheme.
Many of the most successful Pokémon designs take an object or an animal, and turn it into something different yet still recognizable. Magmar is based on a duck, but it is Fire-type. Blitzle is an electric zebra. Sawsbuck is a stag dressed up with foliage. Komala, however, is a Normal koala that does nothing special. Here's hoping it has an interesting evolution, at least. As of now, I find the log more interesting than the Pokémon holding it.
Rockruff
DHR-107
Oh dear. I thought Lillipup was going to solidify its place as the cutest dog-like Pokémon... and then this little guy appears out of nowhere. Bizarrely, however, this time around it's a Rock-type Pokémon. Most would assume a Pokémon like this would be Normal, as it does not have the hallmarks of a Rock-type, apart from the small detailing around its neck. Its light brown color and dark brown detailing are the only other things that immediately tie it to being a Rock-type. Will Rockruff be fast? Let's hope so. The majority of the early-game Rock Pokémon are slow and cumbersome and have decent Attack and excellent Defense but awful Speed. Maybe switching this up slightly will work in Rockruff's favor by giving it something a little more special.
Rockruff may share some similarities with the Poochyena line, in that as it grows it gets "wilder". It is said to leave the trainer's side and come back fully evolved. Does this hint at a new evolution mechanic where it must level up at the daycare? Or maybe it will be a basic trade evolution. Interesting, it is noted that Bite is a good move for Rockruff. I hope this means that it may evolve into a Dark-type or is fast enough to get the flinch chance against many foes. All around an excellent design and one of my favorites so far.
Komala
DHR-107
A koala bear Pokémon in a region outside of Australia... I mean, we have seen Pokémon cross territories before, but this is still an interesting Pokémon to introduce here. The design is fairly basic, although I do really like the idea of him having a little log pillow with which it can nap on at a moment's notice while it can also become a weapon or stay while it fights. Komala is another one of those sort of generic likely early-game Normal-types that pop up every generation, like Audino and Buneary.
What makes Komala stand out against these guys, though, is that it has an incredibly interesting ability. Now, the wording on the website isn't great, but Comatose is implied to keep Komala in a drowsing state that prevents all other status effects. Whether this means it is always asleep (and this ability also allows it to attack while sleeping) is unknown, but it could potentially be a very powerful ability in competitive play, as it can block Scald's secondary effect or moves like Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, assuming it has the stats to back it up. I think Komala will be similar to Pancham in that it will evolve once and may have a small gimmick about how it evolves. I just hope it turns out to be better than Pangoro...
Cutiefly
DHR-107
Well... the name says it all really! A little bundle of fluff with wings has appeared. Cutiefly is based on a real-life animal called the bee fly, which is parasitic in nature. Does this hint at a slightly darker-themed evolution for the little bug? Cutiefly's oddly designed legs look like they could barely hold up its own weight if it were to land. Its huge anime-style eyes are pretty damned creepy too. I am positive this Pokémon is going to evoke sinister connotations when it evolves. It's also said to detect the auras of living things, much like Lucario can.
Its abilities link it to Combee too (as well as it being a bee fly), with Honey Gather being one and Shield Dust being the other. Interestingly, Honey was given the upgrade of causing Hordes to appear, so hopefully that mechanic is back too. Overall, Cutiefly is a Pokémon I would be unlikely to use off the bat but may reconsider when we get news of its possible evolutions.
Charjabug
DHR-107
The evolution of Grubbin! Yes, it looks kinda like a bus, or a square watermelon, but apart from that I think it looks ace. Those huge jaws of Grubbin have turned into batterylike positive and negative connections, which is what Charjabug is really going for. The Battery Pokémon does just that, storing power to run houses or for evolution. Its theme is spot on and exactly what I love about Pokémon. I also like the fact that its eyes look a little bit like a battery display on a phone or device, slowly trickling down until there is nothing left. Its brand new ability allows it to boost the power of allies' special moves. Nothing else is really said here, but this could be a thing in doubles or triples if the boost is large enough.
The interesting thing to note is that we see Charjabug using Spark as an offensive move, and we also see it at Level 29. Will this line be the equivalent of Leavanny and Scolipede instead of the likes of Butterfree and Ledian?
Vikavolt
DHR-107
This is by far my favorite design released so far. Just look at it! That enormous, terrifying set of jaws that look like they could rip a man in half. They also remind me of a fighter jet or even a prototype railgun, which again matches its theme almost perfectly. It is said to fly at high speeds and use its huge jaws to control the electricity it uses in its attacks. It appears that its abdomen is where it generates its power, as it glows with the light yellow electric hue. It can also carry around Charjabug for a boost of energy, increasing its mobility when it drops it off.
Vikavolt gets access to Zap Cannon, which allows it to deal a lot of damage to a Milotic in the trailer. This means it could have pretty decent Special Attack and hopefully decent Speed. Its ability also changes yet again to Levitate, which makes a lot of sense because I really did not want another Beedrill or Venomoth problem where something obviously flies but can be hit by Ground-type moves. There are going to obviously be huge comparisons to the other Electric / Bug type Galvantula. I hope Game Freak make enough differences between the two of them.
Togedemaru
DHR-107
So here is our new Pikaclone. Togedemaru is an interesting one. I'm not sure if its supposed to be a hedgehog or a spiny rat. Both work for its design, having small triangular spikes that can be seen animating out of the body like a pufferfish. Like with most Pikaclones, I am not expecting it to evolve or to have fantastic stats. It'll be reasonable, most likely, but nothing incredible. Sharing a type combo with the Magnemite line is also interesting, as until now it was a unique typing. It gives Togedemaru a whole host of resistances, and it should be fairly easy to get it into battles and to train. However, it will still most likely get overlooked in favor of Vikavolt for an Electric-type slot on your team.
It gets Iron Barbs and Lightning Rod as its abilities, both of which make use of its looks. Iron Barbs is very interesting, as I don't think it will have a high enough defensive stat to use it as well as Ferrothorn does. Lightning Rod on the other hand is the more generic of the two and will be useful in some instances, but it will usually be dead weight.
Bruxish
DHR-107
Alola: Land of the Bizarre Teeth. It seems Bruxish has caught the same genetic throwback as Yungoos causing it to have an enormous set of teeth. In this instance, I am not sure why, as the color scheme alone is enough to make people recoil in fear at the "Gnash Teeth" Pokémon. It seems like a small child knocked over a bunch of paint and someone said "Look at this wonderful art!". I presume the colours are a reflection of the vivid and brightly colored tropical fish that surround the Hawaiian islands, but they do clash pretty badly and it is hard to look at.
The most important thing about Bruxish, though, is its incredibly powerful new ability. Dazzling blocks priority moves against the target. We are not sure, however, if it activates globally or just for Bruxish. We also do not know if it works against ability-boosted priority such as Gale Wings. Being able to block priority in the Speed-infested metagame that is present at the moment is an enormously positive trait. If its stats are good, I can see it being used in VGC or other metagames, as it can really change the flow of battle. It also has a decent typing, sharing it with the Slowpoke line. The only move we have seen it use is Psywave, so no real idea can be garnered from its potential stat alignment. I'm hoping its a decent special attacker that can wield its STABs well.
Drampa
DHR-107
Drampa is an unusual Pokémon. I'm unsure what to make of its design or background. Or even its typing! Normal / Dragon is incredibly diverse. Dragons usually have wide movesets, and Normal-types always do. Drampa's movepool may even rival that of Clefable. It seems that Drampa may be blind due to the odd hue of its eyes, and it would make sense with it coming across as an elderly Pokémon that protects children. Drampa is supposedly incredibly docile until one of the children in its care gets hurt. This ties into its new ability, Berserk, which gives it +1 Special Attack when its HP drops below 50% HP. This should allow it to be of some use assuming its Special Attack is good and it has decent enough bulk. In-game, this ability will be activating all the time after Drampa takes a big hit. Its other ability is Sap Sipper, which may imply it has fairly balanced stats across the board. I'd be happy with that; attacking from both offenses and taking hits is always nice for a Pokémon with a huge movepool.
Salandit
DHR-107
This looks like it may be our first true salamander Pokémon. Salandit's dark colors reflect its typing reasonably well. It seems to squat kind of like a frog, which is interesting because although salamanders are amphibians they are not of the same family. Maybe it will evolve into something akin to Seismitoad, where it oozes toxic sludge from pores on its body. I am kinda put off by the strange facial jaw thing going on, and by the note on the website that the females can give off pheromones that allow it to control other people and Pokémon. I assume there might be an oblique reference to it being used in the perfume trade at some point.
Its new ability, Corrosion, allows it to poison any Pokémon. A lot of people were originally terrified of this ability with good reason. Being able to poison Steel- and other Poison-type Pokémon is a huge mechanic change that we had not expected. There were originally rumors the move Acid Spray would affect Steel-types, but those proved to be unfounded. I'm not sure if being able to poison Steel-types is even a big thing for Salandit considering it can just melt them with its STAB Fire moves...
Rockruff
GatoDelFuego
Rockruff is a dog.
That's it, people. I've heard lots of complaints that "New Pokémon look too much like Digimon!" Well, I'll take that any day to just copying an animal and just calling it done. Rockruff really has next to no qualities that stand out from its art whatsoever. I was pleased to see in the description for it that it would be a Rock Pokémon, which is at least less boring than Normal, but the fact that I can't tell it's a Rock-type from its art is pretty saddening. The paws, the snout, the ears... all carbon copied from a German Shepherd, basically. And the name? "Rock Ruff," just "type plus noise that the animal makes." It's something a five-year-old could have come up with! And I'm pretty sure I was making up Pokémon like this when I was a kid, so I'm not hating on kids here, I'm hating on Game Freak. Check out my new Pokémon everybody, Firehiss.
I feel bad going too hard on Rockruff, because at heart a rocky dog sounds like a fun Pokémon idea. This is just NOT what I think it should be. Show us some obsidian fangs! Some knobby gravel paws! Some hard, boulder plating! Right now all Rockruff is to me is a sketch. Here's hoping it evolves before level 10, because I don't want to look at this any longer.
Komala
GatoDelFuego
Komala is a koala.
That's it, people...... wait, Game Freak did this a SECOND time? I don't know how much more I can complain about this design philosophy... people have lampooned the Pokémon design style of "take an animal, add some spikes and stuff, and call it quits" for long enough, but there's not even anything different in Komala from real koalas! I found almost an identical match on the first row of Google images just by typing "koala cartoon!". All Komala's design is riding on is the "permanent sleep" flavor, but it seems they forgot Snorlax exists! From a competitive standpoint, it's still a mystery... does it use moves while asleep without Sleep Talk? Does it start off awake and just not take any status conditions? Komala just sounds like another cheap gimmick Pokémon that's made every generation to show off some new tech, like Chatot. What's Nintendo got cooked up for us this time? Perhaps they've got a real koala stashed away in Japan, and Komala syncs with the 3DS clock to only awaken when the real koala's awake, too!
And finally...nice try Game Freak, but you're not fooling me: that log is NOT a plushy pillow. Even if it were, the log would be a better Pokémon on its own rather than being attached to this thing.
Cutiefly
GatoDelFuego
Real bee flies are evil parasitoids that invade other insects' nests and eat their offspring. That honestly creeps me out. Why is it that practically all Fairy-types in Pokémon have some dark undertone with their design? I'm just going to pretend bee flies don't exist for the rest of this review.
Cutiefly might have an eyeroll-inducing name, but I think its design is pretty good. Its proportions are surprisingly accurate for a Bug Pokémon, with the wings not being excessively large for its body. I really like the square pupils—I think it's a great way of trying to express insect eye segmentation without looking too bug-like and creepy. I keep imagining it's on roller skates with those circular feet. I don't know where Cutiefly could go in terms of an evolution, but I hope it actually has one, as small and lightweight Pokémon almost never have any use competitively. I don't think Cutiefly's design has any particularly incredible aspects, but when it's all meshed together, it makes a design that just makes sense. Sort of a BLT sandwich feeling rather than a steak and cheese one. I don't think I'll give it much thought in the future, but it's nice to have around.
Charjabug
GatoDelFuego
Lo and behold, my prayers were answered: Grubbin, our lowly Alola squire, will ascend to godly Electric Bug status. I really couldn't care less about Charjabug's actual design aspects, because I'm WAY too hyped about this typing. Electric and Bug blends everything good about Pokémon: the offensive stats Bug- and Electric-types usually carry around, the naturally high Speed of Electric Pokémon, the great Electric movepool (Thunderbolt, Volt Switch, and Thunder Wave), U-turn, the unique natural designs of real insects, and just enough edge and spikes to make the Pokémon look badass.
As far as Charjabug goes, there's some things I like and some things I don't. For a start, it looks like the pre-evolution to Grubbin, not the other way around. I'm all for skipping the standard Round Cocoon Pokémon, but something about Charjabug just looks off to me. Maybe it's the fact that its tusks actually recede in length, or that it seems to have no legs, or that I keep confusing its tusks for eyes. Seriously, are those blue squares supposed to be aviator glasses or something? And finally, I can't get over the fact that Charjabug is...rectangular. But on the other hand, the sideways mouth looks ready to snap off some fingers with its razor-sharp teeth, which I think looks really cool. And I guess it's supposed to be a battery for Vikavolt, so the rectangle shape can be explained? I'm glad that I don't have to live in anxiety that I won't be able to add more electric bugs to my collection, but by showing us Vikavolt Game Freak really made Charjabug the awkward middle child.
Vikavolt
GatoDelFuego
Hey, kids! Go out and catch this little beetle in the forest. If you take care of it enough, it'll grow into a flying electric railgun! Doesn't that sound fun?
Man, did Game Freak hit the jackpot with this Pokémon. Vikavolt is definitely overflowing with edge, but who cares! I want one. Vikavolt definitely has all the qualities to give bug-phobic people nightmares, and that's what makes me love it so much. It seems like every aspect of this Pokémon has been meticulously refined to the highest degree—we're looking at pure Pokémon perfection here. Vikavolt combines positive aspects from a lot of previous Bug Pokémon; Heracross, Galvantula, Pinsir, Scolipede, and Scizor all come to mind. But Vikavolt doesn't just borrow design traits, it improves on them. It's tiny details, like the edges on the carapace, the forward sweep of the wings, and the spikes on the WMD-looking mandibles, that make the design "pop." It would've been easy to make a flying electric beetle and leave it at that, but the designers really went the extra mile to craft this design; this is the Ferrari of Bug Pokémon. As far as I'm concerned, November can't come soon enough. Vikavolt has a guaranteed spot in my party for Sun and Moon, and probably for all future Pokémon games I EVER play. My only regret is that now I have to choose between this and Galvantula as a favorite Pokémon of all time... Oh well. I just hope that Game Freak doesn't shoot themselves in the foot after all this and ruin Vikavolt's stats. Please don't make this another Electivire.
Bruxish
GatoDelFuego
Bruxish is certainly an interesting design. Fish Pokémon are certainly nothing original, but Bruxish breaks the mold with flashy colors, a cool secondary typing, interesting flavor, and some serious eyeliner. The coloration on its side looks like Game Freak grabbed a pack of Play-Doh, mixed it in a blender, and got a monkey to throw it against a wall. I don't think the psychedelic 60s aesthetic really makes it appealing to me, though. And then those puckering lips and the sharpened chompers. All I see is Bucculus. Who thought this would look good? And then finally the Psychic bulb on top of the head. How did this go down? "Ok team, we need something to make this a Pokémon, not just an animal copy... a turkey baster? On its head? Great idea!" However, in the end... the more I look at this design, the more I can appreciate it. In a vacuum, all the design choices make me want to vomit, but together Bruxish reaches a so-bad-it's-good level where I just can't hate it for being so camp. Dazzling looks like it can make a serious impact in competitive play, but something tells me Bruxish is not going to have amazing stats right out of the gate. Perhaps we'll see an evolution down the line? I shudder to think how this design could be made worse... or perhaps made better?
Togedemaru
GatoDelFuego
Oh boy, Pikachu clone time! Actually though... I think this Pokémon has some serious potential. Electric / Steel? That's a dream in-game typing, and it offers a ton of resistances for competitive play. Couple that with some potentially good defensive stats and the revealed Iron Barbs, and we could have a potential tank on our hands. And as for actual design, I think Togedemaru captures an Electric / Steel hedgehog in all the right ways. We've got the cute snout, the cute tiny arms, cute Micky Mouse ears, and cute spikes all along the back. Good thing that the flavor states Togedemaru curls up into a ball to roll around, because those laughably tiny feet aren't moving it anywhere. Honestly, the only thing I don't like about this Pokémon is the name. Togedemaru? Too many syllables for a simple man like myself.
Drampa
GatoDelFuego
As boring as Normal / Dragon is, Drampa actually looks pretty interesting to me. It has some seriously weird features, though. Eyes with no pupils? Yellow eyebrows? Dreadlocks? And the fact that due to the fluffy tail and underside, I really can't tell where Drampa's body ends. But looking past all of that, Drampa is honestly the first eastern-style dragon we've ever seen in Pokémon, and that's really cool! I like the idea of a mountain dweller dragon, descending down to the villages to eat uh... Berries! Some might say it's a little creepy that Drampa hangs around playgrounds and schoolkids, but that's sort of what Tropius does too. What ten-year-old wouldn't want to take a ride on a fluffy dragon? The turquoise and green coloring of Drampa makes it look really inviting, which I suppose goes along with the entire friendly theme Drampa has going on. I really don't have too much else to say about Drampa, but I think it's succeeded at its design niche.
Salandit
GatoDelFuego
Poison / Fire type? NOW we're talking! Volcanoes are cool, so Salandit is cool as well. Even though the red mark on its back looks like a sticky hand toy thing, I'm willing to look behind that, because I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be a lava flow pattern. I can't get enough of the facial expression this Pokémon has. The slanted eyes mixed with its fangs give it a "did I do that?" look. The two flaps on its neck along with the black face make it look like Salandit is wearing a burglar's stocking, ready to break into somebody's house. I wonder why this isn't part of the flavor? Unless I'm going insane and I'm the only one that sees this.
The only Poison / Fire Pokémon we've ever seen on Smogon was our own creation, Mollux, so it's definitely nice to see creativity in the unique type combinations. Corrosion could really shake things up, but Poison has never exactly been a stellar type for Pokémon to have in OU. In any game where I'm not using Litten, Salandit will probably have a spot on my party. It's just the kind of cool Pokémon I love to use in-game. Is it because I'm too much of an edge lord in real life? I hope not, because I've only been loving the evil-looking Pokémon so far!
Rockruff
brightobject
Rockruff is basically a ubiquitous chibi doggo. I don't have any problems about the design, but there's nothing in it that wows me either... and that's an issue. In my opinion there is such a thing as design choices being too safe. And it's interesting that despite all the gambles Game Freak has made designwise this gen that have flopped (in my opinion) spectacularly (Cutiefly, Charjabug, etc), they chose to go for such a boring route for one of the most overused archetypes in 'mons, the dog. Perhaps it will evolve into something more interesting but as for now Rockruff is a pretty boring pup... I'll take Growlithe or even Lillipup over it any day.
Komala
brightobject
We've been waiting for a koala Pokémon for a long time, and I'd say Game Freak did pretty well... except for one. Damn. Thing. The little imp is carrying a motherfucking wooden pillow. Now, in my opinion one of the key elements of successful mon design is balancing the synthetic and organic elements of a Pokémon's design. Here, the organic (simple, clean, koala mon) and the synthetic (perfectly chopped log pillow) are left separately, with no attempts to mesh or even really link the two. It's Gurdurr/Timburr/Conkeldurr 2.0, and that irks me to no end.
Bruxish
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When I first saw Bruxish, I was stunned. Massive protruding lips, garish colors, and heavy-lidded eyes made me think this was one of the ugliest 'mons ever created. However, as with Drampa, Bruxish grew on me due to the sheer brazenness of its design. It's basically Alola's version of Stunfisk—an obnoxiously ugly Pokémon so hideous everyone is forced to love it. I will say, however, that Game Freak's implementation of its psychodildo head protrusion is clumsy and could have been a bit cleaner. Otherwise, Bruxish is a masterful example of how you don't have to be pretty to look good.
Drampa
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Drampa is an interesting case. I love the concept and general aesthetic of the 'mon but feel that certain areas could have been done a bit more effectively. It has a lovely bevy of pastel and sugary colors that draw the eyes, but its flippers are a bit unwieldy and not as fluffy looking as one would like. Its body also ends a bit abruptly in a lump, without any tail or flippers to continue the gestural line of the neck. Otherwise... I'm a fan.
Salandit
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Why Game Freak chose not to have Salandit be in its meerkat-esque position in its official art boggles my mind. An interesting color scheme, typing, and in-game pose save this Pokémon from being condemned as a shabby Sandile knock-off. I can appreciate the incorporation of a thief's bandana and sneaky hand into its body (the hand also being modified to resemble some kind of pyroclastic flow, a nice touch). At the moment I am just hoping it evolves into something cool.
Bruxish
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I have to say, there is no better looking exotic Pokémon that has been released than Bruxish. It has a very unique color scheme, kind of like something that could be found in the oceans today. The exposed teeth give me the vibe that this Pokémon likes to bite things without giving it a second thought. I can't help but say that the name of its ability, Dazzling, suits it quite well. When you consider the usual fish lookalike Pokémon we get, I can only think of one possible reason to have a small level of disappointment with Bruxish, and that is the lips. It looks like it walked up to a Jynx, tail slapped it a few times, bit the lips off, and kept them for itself. But that is easy to let go because of how soothing and smooth-moving this perfectly pink-splashed Pokémon is. I have to say, this is truly a gorgeous and exotic fish!!
Togedemaru
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
Roly-Poly Pokémon? More like static ball of fun!! This little fur ball kind of resembles a soccer ball, minus the black and white color scheme. The bristles make it look even cuter when they stand up than it does normally. I think maybe there could have been more done with the "needle" on its head that acts like a lightning rod, 'cause it screams Pikachu tail to me. For that matter, they may have considered literally putting it on its head where they said it would be, instead of halfway down its back. I can't stay too mad though, because I just want to pick this fur ball up and play with it, and teach it to do that static charge trick to make your hair stand up like you can find in some museums. If nothing else, this Pokémon will draw love and use from all the trainers who enjoy cute Pokémon, and while I'm not normally one of those trainers, I will be when it comes to this little guy. I hear an ad in my head that says something like "Go and get your Togedemaru to start having shocking fun today!!" Truth is, if I could, then I totally would.
Drampa
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
For all that is sacred, why would anyone do this to a Pokémon?? It looks like something that H.R. Pufnstuf spit out years ago and hid under a couch!! I get that he doesn't fit the bill for what the usual Dragon-types look like, but did he have to look like a dust bunny in order to be considered original? The color scheme is ok, and the long neck doesn't bother me too much, but those yellow "eyebrows", if you can call them that, make me wonder how much thought was put into the design of this Pokémon. Then the lack of anything resembling legs throws me off too, mainly because I've never seen or read about a slithering dragon. There likely won't be much love for Drampa, mainly because it's just unattractive all the way around. If there is love for him though, it'll come in the form of being collected simply to fill the Pokédex and then sitting in the box for the rest of the game, because I could never take a Pokémon that looks this bad seriously in battle at all.
Salandit
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
This Pokémon is the definition of AWESOME!! The design and color scheme are flawless, it has great typing, and a cool ability!! I love the fire stream on its back, because for me, it makes it look like something that just crawled out of a volcano, and definitely not something you should make angry. Kind of reminds me of a larger version of Sandile from a size standpoint, but that's easy to overlook when you have very few Pokémon that stand out like this. I would say that a bit more of the fire stream running though the body would have been better, like lines down the legs and out to the toes, but I can let that go for all the upside there is here. Poison / Fire is a great typing, and it makes Salandit so much better for being the first one to carry that typing. This Pokémon will be on my priority list just for how cool it is alone, and if he isn't going to be on yours, then I'd love to hear why not.
Rockruff
Aurora
To be perfectly honest, detractors of Rockruff's design are fully justified when they argue that it really isn't that inspired. I could probably go down to my local dog breeder, who is a really pleasant individual when you get past the subpar smell of canine that wafts from their clothing, and buy an Akita that looks more or less the same as Rockruff. It just doesn't stand out from other dog Pokémon, such as Growlithe and Lillipup, enough for me to wholeheartedly embrace it. In addition, pure Rock typing is, unfortunately, quite bland; adding a secondary typing would have given whoever designed Rockruff more opportunities to spice things up a little bit. However, what Rockruff lacks in originality is made up for relatively well by its sheer adorability. Puppies of any species, even pugs, are often really cute, and Rockruff is no exception. Its expression is quite endearing, the way it has one of its front legs lifted up in such a determined fashion makes me squeal at the thought of a mere puppy standing up for its owner, and its tail reminds me of those as-seen-on-TV GoDuster! products, which made up for their complete inability to actually clean anything by virtue of their ability to act as decent makeshift pillows. That being said, I just cannot get past how derivative Rockruff is, so I'm not particularly fond of it. It's just there because it has to be.
Komala
Aurora
I'm all for more representation of animal species endemic to Australia in the Pokémon franchise. Having only Kangaskhan for 20 years just was not cutting it, and Australia has such a wide range of unique animals to derive from that I'm surprised Komala didn't come along sooner. However, I don't know WHY Game Freak decided to introduce a KOALA Pokémon in a region that's been CLEARLY stated to be based off the American state of Hawaii. I can see the reasoning behind it... sort of... as there's a conservation motif driving this generation's Pokémon, and the koala's population is slowly, but steadily, dwindling. I just fear that, in the grand scheme of things, Komala will look as out of place as Kangaskhan did in Kanto. Of course, this does nothing to undermine the fact that Komala is one of the most adorable depictions of the koala I've ever seen. Game Freak really ensured that Komala's design reflected the koala's enviable sleep schedule with aplomb, giving it an ability revolving around the sleep status condition, a sleepy pose in its artwork, and a log to embrace during its slumber like a child would a cute plush toy. Komala's big head looks kind of funny on its small body, but this is a hallmark of cute things, and cute Pokémon, in general, so I'm not complaining. While Komala's design doesn't really blend anything special with the animal it's based from, most purely Normal-type Pokémon don't as it is, and there's always the possibility that it gets an evolution that completely shakes things up. Unlike Rockruff, where there are countless dog Pokémon to compare it with, Komala being the first koala Pokémon means that it is safe from a similar fate. For now, anyway.
Bruxish
Aurora
This is probably my favorite Pokémon that's been revealed thus far. I simply love Bruxish's color scheme. It looks decidedly tropical and fits in very well with the Alola region's island motif. This isn't all that's good about it, though. Just look at Bruxish's conniving facial expression! Like Salandit, Bruxish is fully aware that its ability, Dazzling, will be a source of frustration for competitive players this generation. Sucker Punch, Extreme Speed, Mach Punch... all will fail to break through Bruxish's pretty scales. Now, I'm operating under the assumption that Bruxish's stats will be half decent, so bear with me here: this makes Bruxish the perfect counter to Deoxys-A that lack Knock Off! It's immune to Extreme Speed and resists Psycho Boost, Superpower, and Ice Beam. After taking any one of those attacks like a champ, Bruxish can—or could...—proceed to OHKO Deoxys-A with any half-powerful STAB attack. Strong Jaw looks as if it'll be a less useful ability, although it does raise the possibility—nay, certainty—that Bruxish could become the first physically oriented Water / Psychic Pokémon. Pokémon like Bruxish are what keep me playing this game.
Togedemaru
Aurora
I was fully aware we would once again get a Pikachu clone. Having played Pokémon for 12 years, I expect nothing less from a new generation. What I did not expect was for it to be this mediocre. Its stats are obviously going to be worse than the landfill currently rotting away in Tempe tip, so to waste a defensive typing as good as Electric / Steel on it is just sad. I also take issue with its name. While not the first five-syllable Pokémon name, "Togedemaru" still feels like much more of a mouthful to pronounce than, say, 'Feraligatr'. They could have given us something like 'Elechog' (excuse my atrociously poor attempt at giving this thing an English name), but of course that would be too convenient. I can't wait to hear dubbed Ash awkwardly scream "GO TOGEDEMARU!!!!" when the Sun / Moon anime series hits the Australian airwaves. As if this weren't already bad enough, Game Freak decided to go way overboard with the "cute" schtick and encumber Togedemaru with limbs that are almost worthless on such a rotund frame. How does this thing eat? Its hands are smaller than my little sister's, and that's saying something. I will certainly not be using this on my in-game team, and I am almost positive it will turn out to be completely worthless in competitive Pokémon.
Drampa
Aurora
I find Drampa oddly cute. Its oblivious facial expression is kind of touching. It almost looks "fatherly", although I assume that the obvious deriving of 84% of Drampa's name from "grampa" has something to do with that. I am more interested in its ability, Berserk, than anything. Is it going to be like Defeatist, where the stat change only applies if the Pokémon's HP is below 50%, or is it going to be like a built-in Petaya Berry? Regardless, I would totally use SubSalac Drampa. I'm not a fan of its typing, especially from an offensive point of view; Normal / Dragon leaves it hopelessly walled by Steel-types, and Normal STAB doesn't really help it all that much (outside of hitting Fairy-types for neutral damage, I guess). At least it is OK defensively, as it gets a Ghost-type move immunity along with Fire-, Electric-, Water-, and Grass-type resistances. Even then, though, Fighting-, Ice-, and Fairy-type weaknesses are somewhat bothersome when all are common offensive typings. Drampa looks like something that doesn't evolve and will be found late-game, so I expect its stats to not be trash. In summary, I quite like Drampa and hope that Game Freak makes it actually competitively viable.
Salandit
Aurora
Salandit is an interesting addition to the game of Pokémon. Its ability makes me wonder exactly where Game Freak is going to draw the line in terms of tinkering with established game mechanics. Assuming its stats, particularly its Speed, are any good, Salandit has the potential to become a right pain in the arse. I find its typing quite interesting, too. Poison / Fire gives Salandit three neat double resistances, to Bug-, Grass-, and Fairy-type attacks, as well as five normal resistances, to Fighting-, Fire-, Ice-, Poison-, and Steel-type attacks, in exchange for an annoying Stealth Rock weakness and a somewhat bothersome double weakness to Ground-type moves. Salandit also comes with an interesting design, having a facial expression that makes it seem fully aware of the havoc it could potentially wreak on competitive Pokémon as we know it, as well as a cool-looking orange marking on its back that, in my eyes, represents an intricate lava flow. Overall, I'm fairly impressed with Salandit. At the very least, it is unique, and at best, it has the chance to really shake things up.
Conclusion
Join us again at the end of the month as we analyze some more Pokémon!
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