The first Pokemon designed for the original Pokemon games isn’t who you think it is. The Pokemon franchise easily became one of the biggest names in the industry since the late 90s. Today, there are also hundreds of new Pokemon added to the recent games. Yet, some of the most iconic ones are still from the first generation.
However, the first Pokemon ever designed by Ken Sugimori isn’t the most iconic in the game, anime, and trading cards. No, the first Pokemon designed by him was not Pikachu. Undoubtedly, when we think of the very first, we often look at the popular ones from Gen 1.
Could it be Eevee? After all, Eevee’s design is simple and cute. Yet, could it be the first three starter Pokemon: Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander? After all, even the starter Pokemon became iconic in the anime and even more in the games.
You can guess from the original 151 Pokemon in Gen 1 but it’s not who you think it is. There are tons from the First Gen that are powerful, well-designed, and unique. However, the first Pokemon made for the entire franchise stands out.
What is the First Pokemon Designed for the Franchise?
The very first Pokemon designed by Ken Sugimori was Rhydon. It wasn’t a Legendary Pokemon or any of the iconic evolutions we saw from Gen 1. Sugimori also revealed that they originally wanted to model Pokemon after dinosaurs. Which is why Rhydon has a dinosaur-like appearance. Later on, they decided to design Pokemon from all sorts of animals and objects.
Yet, there were teasers in the earliest Pokemon games about the first Pokemon designed. You can notice the statues all around the first games, like the Pokemon Mansion on Cinnabar Island. There are also statues in the Ruins of Alph from Pokemon Gold and Silver. If you look closely, you will also notice that those are all Rhydons.
As a fun fact, the statues also commemorate that Rhydon is a Rock and Ground-type Pokemon. It also indicates the tough battles you will encounter with Rhydon in the game. You can also understand why the first Pokemon designed included Lapras and Clefairy.
Although Clefairy doesn’t look like a dinosaur, Lapras definitely looks like one. Yet, there are other indicators for the dinosaur-like design of the first Pokemon. We have other dinosaur-like Pokemon, like Omanyte, Omastar, Aerodactyl, Kabuto, and Kabutops.
Who do you think are the other first Pokemon? Let us know in the comments! If you liked this article, you can check out more fun reads on our website. We talk about everything and anything Pokemon to help gamers worldwide. You can also follow us on our social media to stay updated on the latest gaming news.
