Pokémon 20th Anniversary: Ranking the Top 30

Dewgongs look like sea lions crossed with narwhals, and their perpetual grins make them look approachable and friendly, but definitely not weak. In the animated series, they were the crowning mascots of Cerulean Gym (though they first appeared as a Seel holding the badge on his tongue, because that… made sense?), and they went on to be one of the first Pokémon in the games who could handle water- and ice-type moves to great effect. —Shirley Li

Check out EW’s ranking of the other original 151 Pokémon here.

Diglett’s gonna dig, dig dig, but whatever nuisance that is for humans is easy to forget when you hear their adorable voices. Diglett’s are as endearing for their sweet nature as they are for their enduring mysteries — what do their feet look like, how does it speak when it has no mouth?  — but even those with backgrounds ruined by a fresh patch of Diglett holes are powerless against the innocent charms of this common grounder.—Jonathon Dornbush

It’s not the stoic expression, or the years of boxing training, or the fact that Hitmonchan rocked ‘the Groot’ before it was ever popular—no, Hitmonchan’s popularity rests solely on the fact that no other Pokemon has ever demonstrated the keen fashion sense to match a periwinkle skirt with such cute shoes.—Marc Snetiker

Dratini is too slight. Dragonite is too out of place. Dragonair is just the right mix of oddity and grace, its snakelike form not at all suitable to a dragon yet its pearls and burgeoning horn suggesting austerity few other pocket monsters can match.—Jonathon Dornbush

Also known as the closest we get to unicorns in the Poké-verse. Still, Rapidash is more than just a horned, fiery horse (with a flaming tail!). They’re able to gallop at speeds of up to 150 mph and can use killer fire-type moves. Perfect for, you know, arsonist trainers!—Shirley Li

Ninetales knows it’s better than you and most of its fellow Pokémon. Just look at that smirk permanently etched onto the face. But remain loyal to one of these foxes and you’ve got one deceptively powerful comrade on your side.—Jonathon Dornbush

If you can get past the idea that Poliwhirl makes no anatomical sense, you perhaps see a hidden layer of compassion in those big, bulbous eyes. Poliwag is largely useless and Poliwrath needs to take it down like 10 notches, but Poliwhirl will take care of you like a silent boyfriend who knows when to give you your own space, but also knows when you need that Bubble Beam.—Marc Snetiker

Beneath the blank, unfocused eyes of a Slowpoke rests… well, probably not much. But these dimwitted, endearing creatures are an endless source of comedy — and mesmerizing gifs. —Jonathon Dornbush

You don’t hear enough about Scyther these days. Whereas other Pokemon rest on laurels of ‘cute’ or ‘cool’ or ‘Porygon,’ Scyther’s appearance gives off certifiably violent vibes. You don’t touch Scyther. You don’t even want to get near a Scyther. The great unjustice of Scyther is that it’s classified as a bug, not a dragon — because that’s the difference between a likable Pokemon and a legendary one.—Marc Snetiker

Lapras is Surf personified, which alone earns a spot high on the list. Sure there are many other water Pokémon, but few are actual dinosaurs/mini islands that are ideal for long jaunts on the open seas. Plus Lapras may very well be the only memorable aspect of the animated series when it took a detour to the Orange Islands.—Jonathon Dornbush

All three legendary birds have their strengths, but only one of them has a tail made of fire. The eternal flame of Moltres’ tail and wings heats up any battle (and offers a loyal portable space heater once captured), and the bird also earns points for being the easiest of the three to find in the game (just have Strength, no silly puzzles required). While any true Pokémon Master enjoys a good challenge, it doesn’t hurt to have a legendary by your side with as little pain as possible.—Jonathon Dornbush

Yes, Abra was the Zubat-in-caves of Tall Grass in many Pokémon games, but they’re also the coolest mind-reading, armored Pokémon of all, thanks to a penchant for napping (pocket monsters, they’re just like us!) and teleporting away from danger (pocket monsters, they’re better than us!). And besides, remember gym leader Sabrina’s Abra? These creatures might be small, but they’ve got hidden powers.—Shirley Li

Misty’s Psyduck could have ruined the reputation of the whole species, much like certain politicians are threatening to ruin humanity’s, but the logically-challenged duckling is actually a great asset in battle (water + psychic is a potent combination) and an even better one in social, duck-based situations.—Marc Snetiker

Snorlax is the chilliest of the pocket monsters. Not concerned with the rat(tata) race of Poké-battles, trading, and more, Snorlax is content to just catch a few Zs any time of day. Sure, it makes for a frustrating roadblock, but it’s hard to stay mad at this face.—Jonathon Dornbush

Okay, so, first things first: Cubone wears its deceased mother’s skull on its head and “cries mournfully in the moonlight.” So if the other 150 Pokemon are a mix of Nickelodeon, Disney, and Logo (hello, Jynx), Cubone is gritty HBO. Yet even with that tragic backstory and oedipal Pokedex entry, Cubone’s also surprisingly cute — dead relative body parts notwithstanding. —Marc Snetiker

In the game, Butterfree was the final form of one of the game’s earliest possible Pokémon to capture, an important process for any trainer. But in the animated series, the adorable butterfly delivered one of the first truly emotional moments of the anime that left many a kid (and now nostalgic adults) with tears of their own.—Jonathon Dornbush

The mid-level evolution of the infamous bird line is, by and large, the only Pidge you need. With the compact swiftness of Pidgey and the grandiose stature of Pidgeot, the suave Pidgeotto is a perfect flying amalgamation who gets it done with double the chill and half the arrogance. Plus, when Pidgeotto uses Pink-Orange Weave, it’s super effective.—Marc Snetiker

Majestic, powerful, and the evolutionary form of the cop dog Growlithes, Arcanine represents some of the best of late-stage original Pokémon design. They may not be the most multifaceted, but Arcanine are large-scale cool, the regal 600-pound dog you wish you could have.—Jonathon Dornbush

For many, Geodude (whose name does NOT make him gender binary) is often the first rock Pokémon players may ever encounter, and lucky us: The Geodude is small but sturdy and showing of great promise. Geodude offers a punch of power despite a lack of legs. To wit, the species has made the most of a life spent being just a head — but all things considered, for a Pokémon made entirely of arms, the biceps could use some work.—Marc Snetiker

Out of all the legendary ice birds in the original Pokemon series, Articuno is the only one.—Marc Snetiker

For a Pokémon whose name is the sound a newborn kitten makes, the legendary Mew packed quite a punch — when it was seen out in the open, anyway. Beyond its impressive abilities (they have the DNA of every Pokémon in their bodies and can learn any move), Mew is also remarkable and memorable for being the playful star of the first movie. It’s also the only Pokémon of the original 151 not to be included in the original version of the Pokérap — but Mew probably doesn’t mind. The clone, Mewtwo, however…—Shirley Li

The siren song of the wannabe pop star, Jigglypuff may put other Pokémon to sleep, but it became one of the most important running gags of the original animated series. Seemingly soft and cuddly, Jigglypuff runs so hot and cold its inner anger is only moments away from being unleashed in battle. Just look at all the foes Jigglypuff can decimate as a surprisingly great Super Smash Bros. fighter.—Jonathon Dornbush

This rare water dragon is perseverance personified — or rather, Poké-fied. With enough patience and hard work, trainers could evolve a flailing, weak Magikarp into the violent Gyarados at level 20. From there, game-players could teach Gyarados fire-, electric-, water-, rock-, dark-, ground-, normal-, and ice-type moves. Not bad for a Pokémon that used to be a bumbling red fish.—Shirley Li

It takes a lot of pressure to be Pokemon #001 — quite literally, the guinea saur of the entire series—but Bulbasaur handles the burden with verdant aplomb. Forget the misleading cuteness of its gravel voice and stirring presence in the anime; Bulbasaur, like the other starters, is one of those rare creatures that could remain unevolved its entire life and still out-power, out-whip, and out-cool foes of much higher pedigree. Bulbsaur made grass cool before it ever got legalized.—Marc Snetiker

Ignoring this obese Pokemon’s very obvious motion problems, Blastoise stands his ground — and he stands, hard. There’s something both cuddly and intimidating about a Blastoise, and that admirable blend is no doubt exacerbated once this beefy amphibian learns the masterful ways of Hydro Pump. You have to respect any Pokemon that can synthesize metal cannons during puberty.—Marc Snetiker

Eevee may not look threatening — they’re kind of like a perky-eared fox wearing a fluffy scarf — but Eevee’s essential to understanding the importance of Pokémon evolution. After all, its irregular genetic code makes it basically the X-Men of Pokémon, a mutant that, given the right stone, will develop even cooler powers depending on type. Want the water-based Vaporeon? Use a water stone. The flame-throwing Flareon? Go with Fire. Jolteon? Thunder stone! Eevee’s a second chance at choosing a starter Pokémon, making it worthy and unique enough to land in our top five.—Shirley Li

Charizard stomped and scorched its way into the animated series, forcing an evolution that made it one of Ash’s most belligerent Pokémon. But this dragon’s power is undeniable: As the final stage of starter Pokémon Charmander, it was able to carry out fire-, dragon-, and flying-based moved, including Flare Blitz and Inferno.—Shirley Li

Picking your starter Pokémon is a right of passage any Pokémon master has to undergo, and while perhaps none can live up to the cool of a shades-wearing Squirtle, Charmander packs a tremendously powerful punch behind a sweet nature. And, let’s be real, fire Pokémon were rare to come by in the early days of the franchise, so having a sure thing from the start just made good long-term planning sense.—Jonathon Dornbush

The world (both Poké- and real) wouldn’t be nearly as fun without Pikachu. The adorable electric mouse has become a benchmark for what makes a great Pokémon, combining the design of the weird-looking pet you never knew you wanted but just have to have and the surprising wallop of a shockingly strong fighter. Through spin-offs good and bad, a hideous Nintendo 64 console, and a stint as a detective, Pikachu has, and likely always will be, one of the most flat-out adorable, lovable mascots around.—Jonathon Dornbush

Forget Taylor Swift: Squirtle created the original squad — called the “Squirtle Squad,” natch — and had enough charisma and heroic talent to prank Ash and become one of his most trusted Pokémon on the show. (Squirtle’s remaining squad members also became firefighters — another point for this lil’ guy.) And though Pikachu is the franchise’s mascot, the electric mouse was never available as a starter Pokémon in the games. Squirtle was, and proved the best option of the three, with starting abilities like water gun and tail whip (appealing moves with 100 percent accuracy!), giving it a closer, more personal connection to players and fans. Its character design also receives full marks. As a “tiny turtle Pokémon,” it had a durable defense mechanism with its shell and a powerful blast, which, in its final evolutionary state (Blastoise) becomes simply badass. Every Pokémon should have #SquirtleGoals.—Shirley Li