Feature: From Z To A — Honouring My Favourite Pokémon, One Letter At A Time

Z: Zorua

Zorua is the rare Pokémon that’s never felt like a commodity. True to its nature as an elusive master of illusions, this sly fox has remained difficult to obtain in most games it's appeared in, making it still feel special a decade and a half since its debut.

If I could have one Pokémon as a pet, Zorua would be the one, if only for the mischief that would ensue.

Y: Yamask

Pokémon has plenty of monsters that become quite disturbing once you learn their nature, but Yamask just about takes the cake.

It’s quite literally a human soul that carries around a mask of its former face. This begs some questions, such as why every human that turned into a Yamask looked the same, but my spine is tingling enough without going there.

X: Xerneas

I never had a chance to catch Xerneas as Generation VI is the only mainline entry that I didn’t play through to completion (I’ll carry that great shame). However, that doesn’t stop me from adoring its handsome majesty.

Many people have drawn the comparison between it and the Forest Spirit in Princess Mononoke, and as I see it, Game Freak was doing something right if it’s getting comparisons to Studio Ghibli.

W: Wiglett

Do I like Wiglett because it’s an absolutely ridiculous pseudo-variant-but-not-actually of Diglett? You bet.

Do I take Wiglett seriously? Absolutely not, but that’s also why I love this notoriously long white eel and its clown nose (mouth?). They knew what they were doing here.

V: Vikavolt

When you catch an unassuming Grubbin at the start of Sun & Moon, you don’t expect to wait through a majority of the game for it to evolve to its final form.

However, Vikavolt is all the more special for the love and time investment. It became a powerful force in my first playthrough’s Elite 4 team, the only time I can recall a bug-type Pokémon making that cut.

U: Umbreon

When Gold & Silver released, I was at a point in my boyhood where the rule of cool reigned supreme. This meant I loved dark types, and chief among these was Umbreon.

Turns out I never grew out of that phase, as this Eeveelution still has that same impact on me to this day. It exudes a cool, collected mystique and slight threat of brutality that pairs perfectly with just how adorable it is. Maybe I’d take an Umbreon as a pet over a Zorua, actually.

T: Typhlosion

I feel like Typhlosion’s goofy 3D model with its flame collar retracted makes you either love it more or feel like it lost its edge. That unintentional duality makes me fall squarely in the former camp.

This lanky bipedal badger keeps it chill when it’s not turning up the heat, making it the perfect companion to start your Johto journey with. (Though, as a self-proclaimed water trainer back in the day, it was regrettably not my pick. Speaking of which…)

S: Squirtle

The 'S' category is unbelievably stacked for me, yet Squirtle still clears with ease. The turtle was my #1 from the moment Pokémon came to North America. I’ll never forget lugging a gargantuan Squirtle pillow with me everywhere for a good year in the late 1990s. There’s no beating a core memory like that.

This is why some of us will never entirely grow past Generation 1.

R: Rattata

I don’t think Rattata is the 'R' Pokémon most people would even consider singling out, and definitely not the one I expected to pick coming into this list. But, core memories once again kicked in, this time regarding my cul-de-sac adventures where neighbourhood kids would call me “Rattatray.”

I hated it then, but it’s only made me grow more affectionate to the little guy over the years. We know the same mockery.

Q: Quagsire

The selection of 'Q' Pokémon is admittedly lacking, but don’t let that fool you into thinking Quagsire hasn’t earned its spot on this list. This unassuming, friendly doofus loafs about without a care in the world. At this moment in history, I have to admit I’m envious.

P: Pikachu

I don’t think you’ll find many people who dislike Pikachu, but I wonder how many dedicated fans would actually consider it a favourite. I guess you can count me as one.

Its mascot status has afforded it an amount of personality and depictional variety that is unmatched among its over 1,000 peers. I’ll never get sick of its overpowered anime antics, or its many costumes (Business Pikachu forever), or actors in bouncy Pikachu costumes swarming the streets of Japanese cities in unison. It’s iconic for a reason.

O: Ogerpon

I wish detractors of Scarlet & Violet would experience its first DLC expansion, The Teal Mask, as a stand-alone story since Ogerpon’s plight is genuinely heart-wrenching. It hit me hard enough that I couldn’t bring myself to box this humanoid creature after unshackling it from ire. A Pokémon that can do that surely has similarly earned its place on this list.

It helps that its mask-swapping mechanic is one of my favourites in the series, as it allows Ogerpon to fit into whatever typing niche I need to fill.

N: Ninetales

Most people are aware of the importance of kitsune in Japanese folklore, but did you know the most powerful among them have nine tails? That makes Ninetales’ existence pretty on-the-nose, but also standard fare when it comes to depictions of the folkloric creature.

Yet it has a simple majesty to it that still hits hard all these years later. Plus, its wispy Alolan variant may just be the best regional variant to date, and one of the more unique kitsune on the market.

And we're halfway through! Turn the page to find out whether Tim picked Machamp or Mawile or Mew or Meowth or Magby or Mr. Mime or Mudkip or Murkrow or Moltres or Miltank or...