There are few properties that are able to remain as relevant and with as passionate of a fan base as the Pokémon series. It’s impressive how Pokémon has taken some tremendous leaps over the years and gone in some unexpected directions, but despite these changes, the core of Pokémon remains untarnished.

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One of the foundational aspects that surrounds Pokémon is the concept of evolution, which allows Pokémon to change in exciting ways. Some Pokémon don’t properly come into their own until they evolve into their final forms, but there are also many Pokémon that have a traditional three-stage evolutionary chain. Unfortunately, some of the middle evolutions in this process can get lost in the shuffle and are much less memorable than their pre- and post-evolution counterparts.

10 Sliggoo Is The Awkward Step Between A Problem And Perfection

Sliggoo in a cave in the Pokemon anime

Some of the most fascinating Pokémon are Dragon-Types, but as the franchise has gone on, it’s taken progressive liberties with its approach to these creatures. Generation VI’s Kalos region introduces a number of Pokémon that fail to stand out among the crowd. Goodra is an exception, and it’s a more playful and whimsical take on a Dragon-Type Pokémon.

Goodra’s first form, Goomy, is also memorable for its amorphous nature and how it’s hard to believe that it transforms into something so special. However, between these two extremes is Sliggoo, a middling Dragon-Type Pokémon that feels like an unnecessary extra step.

9 Carkol Seems More Like Set Dressing Than A Pokémon

Pokemon Carkol About To Evolve

The latest generation of Pokémon games features some of the most creative interpretations of what qualifies as a Pokémon, which opens up even more possibilities for future Pokémon titles. There are a number of Rock-Type Pokémon that have forgettable middle evolutionary stages or designs that merely feel like they’re a means to an end.

This is definitely the case with Carkol, a Rock- and Fire-Type Pokémon that’s the middle Pokémon between Rolycoly and Coalossal. Carkol’s furnace design isn’t an awful idea, but it plays like a gag that’s resolved by the time it evolves into Coalossal.

8 Dottler Feels Like The Transitory Stage Of Metamorphosis Rather Than A Full Pokémon

Games Pokemon Dottler Battle

A lot of people are quick to dismiss Bug-Type Pokémon. Admittedly, there are a lot of disposable and annoying versions of these creatures that bombard trainers early on in each Pokémon adventure. However, there are some select Bug-Type Pokémon that stand out, and often the final evolutionary form amounts to something substantial.

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Bug-Type Pokémon often lean into the cocoon and metamorphic nature that real bugs experience. Dottler suffers in this situation, and the boxy Pokémon doesn’t have much of a personality even though it’s also a Psychic-Type. Blipbug and Orbeetle make much more lasting impressions.

7 Duosion Doesn’t Add Enough To This Pokémon Science Experiment

Anime Pokemon Duosion Attack

Psychic-Type Pokémon can be serious threats due to their mental abilities against not only Pokémon, but also humans. Some of these Pokémon also have highly creative designs, and Generation V’s Unova region creates some truly mad science with Reuniclus, an amoeba-like Pokémon that’s one of the more unique creatures to come out of Unova.

Reuniclus has a great design, but it’s the final form of Solosis and Duosion. Solosis is a singular cell that makes sense, but Duosion has barely any discernible differences. There’s such growth between Solosis and Reuniclus that Duosion could be a lot more complex.

6 Klang Is A Wasted Pokémon That Could Push This Steel-Type To Bolder Places

Anime Pokemon Klang

It’s usually a lot of fun when a Pokémon resembles an inanimate object rather than an animal, and a lot of Steel-Type Pokémon play into this idea due to their connection to things like machinery. Generation V brings forward some Pokémon that resemble gears, which isn’t a bad idea.

Klink starts this trend, and Klinklang is its final form, which involves multiple gears working together. The middle stage, Klang, is just a bigger version of Klink, and it’s not nearly distinct enough. Klang should have Klinklang’s design, and the final Pokémon should have something even more extravagant.

5 Trumbeak Is For The Birds And Pales In Comparison To Its Other Forms

Anime Pokemon Trumbeak Flight

Bird Pokémon represent some of the most prevalent creatures in the franchise, and just like in real life, there is an endless variety of Flying-Type Bird Pokémon that pull from actual aviary as well as original ideas. By the time that the Alola region is visited in Generation VII, there are already tons of disposable Bird Pokémon.

RELATED: 10 Amazing Pokémon With Terrible Evolutions

Pikipek resembles a woodpecker, and its final form, Toucannon, resembles a toucan, both of which fulfill original niches in the franchise. Unfortunately, the middle form, Trumbeak, feels more like a hallucination. It’s a strange hybrid of a woodpecker and a toucan.

4 Whirlipede Should Remain Under A Rock And Stay Forgotten

Anime Pokemon Whirlipede Attack

Some of the Pokémon with the most vicious and intimidating designs are some of the more advanced Bug-Type Pokémon, which is a natural response to the defensive nature of real-life insects. Whirlipede is not just a Bug-Type Pokémon, but also a Poison-Type hybrid, which only amplifies its frightening nature.

This is rampant in Scolipede, the final form of this Unova region Pokémon, which is absolutely not something a trainer wants to find under their bed. Venipede, its first form, also has a distinct and aggressive nature. Whirlipede is the odd member of the family and doesn’t land its concept.

3 Vanillish Lacks Fresh Ingredients

Anime Pokemon Vanillash Angry

Audiences need to keep an open mind when it comes to new Pokémon designs, and even some questionable designs can go on to inspire something more rewarding in a future installment.

One of the strangest Pokémon to come around is an Ice-Type creature from Unova that looks nearly identical to a banana split ice cream sundae. This immediately makes this Pokémon one that’s impossible to forget, but it’s the final form, Vanilluxe, and its first stage, Vanillite, that receive the most representation. Vanillish is another case where the evolution is just too similar to its predecessor.

2 Lampent Burns The Candle And Both Ends And Still Gets Nowhere

A stray Lampent floats around in Pokemon

One of the most fascinating ideas behind Pokémon has always been the Ghost-Type creatures, which speaks to the existence of a spirit realm and afterlife as far as Pokémon are concerned. Ghost-Type Pokémon really push the boundaries of conventional spirits and even embrace certain objects that are prone to being haunted or prevalent in frightening environments.

Chandelure is a Ghost- and Fire-Type from Unova that looks like a haunted chandelier, and this great idea begins with Litwick, a tiny candle. Between these two is Lampent, a serviceable Pokémon, but one that fails to receive as much attention as the others.

1 Shelgon Regresses Rather Than Adding More To The Formula

Anime Pokemon Shelgon Dazed

Plenty of Pokémon already begin in a substantial place before they experience their first evolution, but certain types, like Dragon-Type Pokémon, often get the most out of the transformative process where something dainty will become a gargantuan creature. The Hoenn region contains some interesting new Pokémon, and Salamence is a strong Dragon addition that remains relevant in current games.

Salamence’s first form is Bagon, which then evolves into Shelgon. The problem is that Shelgon feels like a step backwards from Bagon, and like it should kick off Salamence’s evolutionary chain. It’s highly uneventful as a result.

NEXT: 10 Pokémon That Gained A Pre-Evolution In A Later Generation