The Pokemon art style is deceptively simple and hard to pin down. It's a truth that fan artists have had to discover the hard way - the round shapes and simple shading are an art that has to be perfected. That's why it's so impressive that so many people have worked on the series, the consistency of over a thousand Pokemon has got to be hard to nail.
In 2010, James Turner made history as the first Westerner to officially design for Pokemon! During his tenure at Game Freak, he contributed Pokemon designs for Pokemon X & Y, Pokemon Sun & Moon, Pokemon Sword & Shield, and character designs for the most recent game, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Since then, Turner has announced his departure from Game Freak in order to found his own studio, 'All Possible Futures'.
8 Trevenant - Elder Tree Pokemon
Trevenant is a Gen VI Ghost/Grass-Type that evolves from Phantump when traded. It's one of only a handful of Ghost/Grass-types in the series, the others being Decidueye, Phantump, Gourgeist, and Pumpkaboo. Trevenant protects the forest fiercely, so much so that lumberjacks often bring Fire-type Pokemon to scare them off.
It appears to be based on a Kodama, a spirit in Japanese folklore that can inhabit old trees (hence the 'Elder Tree Pokemon' category). They also bear a resemblance to Ents, a species of anthropomorphic living tree creatures created by J.R.R. Tolkien for The Lord of the Rings.
7 Obstagoon - Blocking Pokemon
Obstagoon is the evolution of Galarian Zigzagoon and Linoone, a regional form introduced in Pokemon Sword & Shield. Starting at Level 35, the player must evolve Galarian Linoone at night in order to obtain an Obstagoon.
It gets its 'Blocking Pokemon' moniker from the way it fights, as it taunts a Pokemon into attacking first and then uses the signature move 'Obstruct', a defensive stance with a staggering yell that blows the opponent away. This is reflected in its relatively low Attack stats compared to its high Defense.
6 Poipole - Poison Pin Pokemon
Poiple is a small, purple, pure Poison-type and one of the Ultra Beasts from Pokemon Sun & Moon. Like all Ultra Beasts, it comes from Ultra Space, and wreak havoc on Alola when released through the Ultra Wormhole.
Poiple is also the only Ultra Beast with an evolution, evolving into Nagandel (also designed by James Turner) when evolved while knowing the move 'Dragon Pulse'. It resembles an early-stage bee larvae, which ties into the Sun & Moon meta-narrative on invasive species. The pins on its head resemble syringe plungers, a reference to its Poison-typing.
5 Golurk - Automaton Pokemon
Introduced in Gen V, Golurk is a gentle giant of a Pokemon based on a golem. Golems are an element of Jewish mythology, and many elements of Golurk's design correlate with the Jewish story 'The Golem of Prague', most notably the crack in its chest. The fact that it can fly at high speeds may also be a reference to giant robots common in mecha anime.
As well as an interesting design, Golurk has interesting lore, too. Its Pokemon Shield dex entry states that 'There's a theory that inside Golurk is a perpetual motion machine that produces limitless energy, but this belief hasn't been proven'.
4 Buzzwole - Swollen Pokemon
Buzzwole is another Ultra Beast, this time a dual-type Bug/Fighting Pokemon. Exclusive to Pokemon Sun, this gnarly bug Pokemon draws inspiration from a number of places. The design juxtaposes the image of a skinny, frail mosquito with the strong, muscular physique of a bodybuilder.
It has the highest base HP stat of any Bug-type Pokemon, an area that Bug-types tend to lack in. It’s also the heaviest Bug-type Pokemon by a long shot, which makes sense, given that most Bug-types far more resemble bugs than bodybuilders.
3 Vanilluxe - Snowstorm Pokemon
Controversial though they may be, Turner excelled at creating food and object-themed Pokemon. Vanilluxe is one such Pokemon, as well as its entire evolutionary line, based on varying forms of ice cream. A pure Ice-type, Vanilluxe struggles in competitive play due to a bad defensive typing, lack of HP bulk, and poor moveset. Despite that, it’s still a beloved Pokemon.
According to a tweet by Turner himself, Vanilluxe is based on beloved food mascots like the Pillsbury Doughboy, and the ‘Stay-Puft’ Marshmallow Man from the movie franchise Ghostbusters.
2 Centiskorch - Radiator Pokemon
Centiskorch is another Gen VIII Pokemon designed by Turner, who also designed the pre-evolution Sizzlipede, and the Gigantamax form. The Pokemon is based on a centipede and radiator coils.
The Centiskorch line is also known to have problems with a similar line, that of Scolipede line. Both Sizzlipede and Venipede’s Pokemon Sword & Shield dex entries reference the rivalry the species have: ‘Scolipede engage in fierce territorial battles with Centiskorch. At the end of one of these battles, the victor makes a meal of the loser’.
1 Polteageist - Black Tea Pokemon
Polteageist is a Gen VIII Pokemon based on a teapot, fitting for its British-inspired home region of Galar. For such a friendly-looking creature, Polteageist has some quite sinister lore. Its Pokemon Scarlet dex entry states that ‘The tea that composes Polteageist’s body has a distinct and enjoyable flavor. Drinking too much, however, can be fatal'.
Polteageist comes in two forms – phony, and antique. The antique version has a stamp of authenticity on the base, though these are significantly rarer than their fraudulent counterparts.