- Primary Subject: Pokémon Mainline Franchise (Generation 9 Landscape / Version 2.0.1)
- Key Update: A critique of character designs explores how several creatures from recent generations break traditional aesthetics, looking more like characters from Digimon, Sonic, or Mega Man than traditional Pokémon.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 2, 2026
- Quick Answer: Pokémon like Zygarde Complete Form, Hoopa, and Sigilyph look out of place because their humanoid mecha designs, dimensional rings, and abstract geometric shapes mimic competing franchises.
The Pokemon franchise has given us many monsters throughout the years. There are more than a thousand of them that exist, and whether you like them or hate them, you cannot deny they’re all unique. This is especially true when it comes to their individual design, as each has qualities that distinguish it clearly from the others.
However, there is one problem concerning their appearance. Some Pokemon may look a little too different, so much so that it feels as if they don’t belong in the game and should be in a completely different franchise. As someone who has played every mainline entry, here are some that I think are suited for this category.
1. Landorus, Tornadus, Thundurus, and Enamorus
Credit: Nintendo
Considering that they are all part of the same Legendary Pokemon group, it would only make sense to put them together as one entry. While their Therian forms make them considerably unique and something you’d see from the franchise, their Genie forms are another story.
When maintaining a humanoid-like shape and on their clouds, they seem like monsters you’d find and fight in games such as the Monster Rancher or even the Shin Megami Tensei series. There’s nothing wrong with their designs, but they clearly do not give off the look of creatures that belong in the Pokemon universe.
2. Sigilyph
Credit: Nintendo
Hailing from Pokemon Black and White, Sigilyph came and made many trainers confused as to what it’s supposed to be. This fighting and flying type was made to represent the famous Nazca Hummingbird geoglyph of Peru, with its bird-like and totem pole-like appearance meant to mimic it.
Cool as that sounds, it doesn’t change the fact that many were likely taken aback when they discovered Sigilyph, as it really looks like it doesn’t belong. In fact, the Pokemon wouldn’t look too out of place if it were in the Yu-Gi-Oh universe, given that franchise’s love for weird and over-the-top-looking monsters with historical representation.
3. Zygarde Complete Form
Credit: Nintendo
Whether it’s in Pokemon GO, X and Y, or Legends: Z-A, Zygarde’s complete form will always stand out as something that looks like it shouldn’t belong in the franchise. In its initial stages, it actually looks like something you’d expect from Pokemon. Although that doesn’t hold up too well when it achieved 50% of its cells, with its weird serpent-like appearance, it still doesn’t look too out of place.
However, it feels like the design went completely off the rails when it changes to its complete form and establishes the look of a towering humanoid mecha. You’d think it’s something plucked from Digimon, given how it would fit very well in that franchise, but alas, it exists in Pokemon, out of place or not.
4. Hoopa
Credit: Nintendo
When you first see Hoopa, regardless of whether it’s in its Confined or Unbound form, you’d be well within your rights to think that it shouldn’t be in Pokemon. There is a very curious case in its design, as it seems like a character meant for the Sonic franchise.
I say this given what the monster does with rings and dimensional traveling powers, something that the blue Hedgehog’s games are all too familiar with. Also, its Confined form looks like something that would banter well with Sonic, while its Unbound form looks like a boss that he would definitely duke it out with, further strengthening the case that it doesn’t belong in Pokemon at all.
5. Falinks
Credit: Nintendo
Pokemon Sword and Shield introduced something unquestionably unique with Falinks, given that it’s six identical creatures that make up one entity. It looks cute and kinda tough at the same time, and while that’s all well and good, it still feels like it doesn’t belong in the franchise.
When you look carefully at the creature’s design, it seems like something that Mega Man would take care of occasionally, whether it be in the mainline games or in spin-offs like the Battle Network series. Falinks is fine enough as it is in Pokemon, but it definitely has a design that screams that it would be better off with the Blue Bomber and pals.
6. Cryogonal
Credit: Nintendo
Pokemon is no stranger when it comes to turning inanimate objects into battling monsters that fit well with the series, just take a good look at Sinistea, Honedge, or even Klefki if you want good examples. However, when it comes to Cryogonal, that’s where I believe the franchise took a wrong turn.
It was made to represent a snowflake, and while it really does look like one, there’s nothing about its appearance that screams Pokemon. Cryogonal seems like a type of monster you’d encounter in platformers or your standard RPGs, essentially a generic enemy you can take on in the snowy regions of a game. It doesn’t have a terrible design, and in fact looks cool, but it has no place in Pokemon.
There may be other examples that you could put on this list, but I believe these are the ones that stand out the most. Hopefully, Pokemon keeps to its own tracks design-wise, as having creatures that look like they belong to another franchise could ruin its identity, confusing as it can already get at times.
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