Gotta Release Them All
The goal of Pokémon trainers might be to catch every creature out there, but if these pocket monsters were ever real, the best idea would be to make a run for it. Sure, Pikachu and Squirtle might make fantastic pets (sans, well, the lightning bit maybe), but having to share the world with hundreds of fantastical beasts that have the ability to do more damage than a natural earthquake? Pass, please. Here are 20 Pokémon that are probably best kept as fictional.
1. Drifloon
At first glance, Drifloon looks harmless enough, which, really, only makes its Pokédex lore worse. Known for carrying children away by the hands to the afterlife, if it were to exist in real life, you probably would be pretty wary about a balloon-shaped creature hovering nearby.
2. Hypno
Hypno doesn't need claws or enormous teeth to scare you; its psychic abilities are disturbing enough. Having the ability to hypnotize others with the movement of its pendulum, it's also been associated with making people fall asleep before taking them away. If you were to run into one, watch out—you never know where you'd end up.
3. Mimikyu
Mimikyu's Pikachu disguise might make it endearing, but wait until you look underneath it. According to the Pokédex, seeing its true form can cause serious illness or prove fatal. Just imagine accidentally knocking its disguise aside and realizing that could be your last mistake.
4. Banette
Just the thought of an abandoned doll with a grudge is disturbing enough, but that's exactly what this Pokémon is. Banette, said to have come from a discarded puppet filled with resentment, has one goal: to find who threw it away. If you've ever thrown away an old toy, you might start wondering if it might suddenly come looking for you.
5. Charizard
Charizard might be one of the most popular Pokémon ever created, but you still wouldn't want to see one in real life. At over five feet tall, this creature can fly and unleash flames hot enough to melt many types of material. Plus, an angry or injured Charizard could prove even more dangerous.
6. Palossand
This Pokémon can drag other creatures into its body, drain their life, and canon the bones of previous victims from its arms. Talk about terrifying! If Palossand were to ever exist in reality, you'd probably never look at sand the same way again.
7. Shedinja
Shedinja's scariest feature is the hollow opening on its back: its Pokédex lore claims that anyone who looks directly inside will have their spirit stolen. And, considering that Shedinja looks kinda like a bug that just floats around, you'd probably have more than enough reasons to avoid getting close.
8. Houndoom
A large canine that can breathe fire sounds frightening enough, but Houndoom's flames are especially unpleasant: the pain caused by its burns never goes away. Even if you survived, you'd still have to deal with the consequences forever.
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9. Darkrai
Have trouble sleeping? Well, then you'd hate for Darkrai to be real. This Pokémon can put people into deep sleep and cause horrific nightmares, while its Bad Dreams Ability damages sleeping opponents. A Pokémon that could invade your dreams honestly sounds worse than sleep paralysis.
10. Tyranitar
Tyranitar doesn't rely on creepy supernatural behavior, but it does have supernatural strength. The Pokédex says it has enough power to make the ground shake, crumble mountains, and even alter entire landscapes. Earthquakes and avalanches probably wouldn't be the only natural disasters to be afraid of if this dinosaur-looking Pokémon existed.
11. Parasect
This crab-looking Pokémon's ultimate weapon is the mushroom on its back. The fungus grows larger after Paras evolves, leaving the insect underneath with its famously blank eyes. If you saw that process in real life, it would be one of the most unnerving examples of parasitism imaginable.
12. Malamar
Because Malamar is known for controlling other creatures, you probably wouldn't know you were under its spell. Its hypnotic powers are exceptionally strong, allowing it to manipulate opponents freely. If Malamar existed, you'd never be sure whether your strange behavior was actually your own.
13. Araquanid
Spooked about spiders? Then you probably wouldn't like a near six-foot one to exist. Resembling a water bug with six legs (yes, not eight), Araquanid can trap opponents inside its sticky water bubbles before it attacks them with its powerful jaws, much like a regular spider might with a captured bug.
14. Gyarados
As an enormous, aggressive sea serpent, Gyarados isn't a Pokémon you'd want to mess with. Its rampages are capable of pure destruction, and its Pokédex lore is centered around its ability to devastate entire communities. It'd be game over if Gyarados headed toward the shore!
15. Lampent
A floating streetlamp seems tame, but don't jump to conclusions. Lampent appears around the time someone dies and absorbs their departing spirit to fuel itself. It may even visit hospitals to feed. Either way, spotting one outside your window would be a grim omen.
16. Trevenant
Getting lost in the woods would probably be 10 times more terrifying if the trees could actually stop you from leaving. And because Trevenant can connect its roots to surrounding trees and use curses against intruders, you'd always have to watch your back on a hike.
17. Cacturne
Cacturne is the kind of Pokémon you wouldn't want following you through an empty desert. After all, it's known for waiting until travelers are too exhausted to move before closing in. You would have more reason to panic if you ever ended up in the middle of nowhere.
18. Spiritomb
Spiritomb is a collection of 108 spirits bound together. Its lore says it was sealed into the Odd Keystone centuries ago as punishment for its misdeeds, so you can only imagine what would happen if that seal ever stopped working. Don't look into its swirling vortex, either; you might get possessed.
19. Dusknoir
There are a few scary things about Dusknoir, but the antenna on its head probably takes the cake. Said to receive mysterious transmissions from the spirit world telling it who to take there, it can even mistakenly take away living souls, too. The monster's massive mouth-like opening and single glowing eye wouldn't make things any better, either.
20. Bewear
Beware of Bewear: not all Pokémon need horrifying supernatural lore to be dangerous. While it's known for showing affection through embraces (and its cute face), its strength can crush you. If you ever see a seven-foot bear-like creature approaching you, the best thing to do is run.
