Stantler’s most distinctive features are its strange antlers. The shape of the antlers, and the black orbs within them, make them look like eyes. Stantler can distort reality and create illusions with these antlers by subtly changing the flow of air around them.
Arcanine is bigger, fluffier, and more wild-looking than Growlithe, conveying the idea that, whereas its pre-evolved form is commonly kept as a pet in the Pokémon world, Arcanine is truly a creature of the wilderness.
Growlithe is a cute, hard-working little pup and it is commonly seen as a pet and police dog. But its mane-like tufts of fur and tiger-like stripes hint at more interesting inspirations.
Upon evolving into Gengar, this Pokémon finally stops levitating all the time. Has it finally finished forming out of gas? Or maybe it has fully transitioned from the spiritual plane to the physical one? Even if that’s the case, Gengar can still revert to a non-physical form if it wishes.
When Gastly evolves and becomes Haunter. it starts to lose its gaseous form. However, its body still isn’t all there and its hands aren’t physically connected to the rest of its form.
Gastly’s favourite method of attack is to simply envelop its victim’s body with its own and suffocate them with poison gas until they pass out. Folklore states that the poisonous gas comprises 95 per cent of Gastly’s body; the remaining 5 per cent is made up of the souls who have died from the gas.
Raichu’s design is effective because it looks more powerful than Pikachu, but it hasn’t sacrificed too much cuteness. In fact, unlike many Pokémon evolutions, Raichu doesn’t look any meaner than its previous form, thanks to its friendly face and short, stubby, almost vestigial arms.
Pikachu is cute, easy to recognise, and highly marketable. It still holds a special place in our hearts, over 25 years after it made its debut. But, perhaps surprisingly, Pikachu wasn’t always going to be Pokémon’s mascot…