The Pokédex is often overlooked by Pokémon players. Pokémon trainers receive their Pokédex at the start of each game, and it slowly gets filled with entries after each new Pokémon encounter, but it's easy to ignore this helpful information tool. It doesn't seem to hold the same reverence as a Gym Badge or Poké Ball, but there's a whole world of knowledge to discover in these entries.
The Pokédex contains a treasure trove of fascinating lore, some of which is truly surprising when applied to certain creatures. Pokédex knowledge makes it easy to view creatures in a new light, but these details aren't always positive. In fact, some Pokédex entries are downright depressing and can put a significant damper on the monster-catching experience.
Updated December 8th, 2022 by Daniel Kurland: There's a whole world of woeful Pokémon details that come to light through their Pokédex entries, which is now even bigger after the release of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. These bleak descriptions don't make for particularly fun reads, but it never hurts to know which Pokémon have experienced the most pain and are in the greatest need of a hug.
20 A Ghostly Canine Creature That Knows Nothing But Abandonment
Greavard
Some of the most beloved Pokémon designs are the ones that are inspired by dogs, but Geavard is a new Ghost-type addition from Scarlet & Violet that mines the potential emotional horrors of a Pokémon with canine association.
Greavard is a hybrid of a shaggy dog and a ghostly candle, but the creature's Pokédex entry reveals that a Greavard is a Dog Pokémon that perishes in the wild without ever making any human contact. This explains the lonely, codependent behavior that's typical for Greavard. It's heartbreaking that such a cute creature is the supernatural byproduct of neglect.
19 A Lowly Insect Pokémon That Lives To Serve
Rellor
Bug-type Pokémon are some of the least glamorous creatures in the franchise, but just like real-life insects, they play an important role in nature. Rellor is a new Generation IX Bug-type that's based on a dung beetle. Rellor evolves into Rabsca after it's walked 1000 steps outside of its Poké Ball.
Rabsca is a decent Pokémon, but Rellor feels like a means to an end that endures a life of pure selfless torture for the sake of its evolved form. Rellor's Pokédex entries claim that it exists purely for the purpose of moving its ball around and that it even values this accessory more than its own life.
18 A Pokémon That's The Byproduct Of Garbage & Lost Souls
Bramblin
Bramblin is a rather innocuous Pokémon that's the Grass-type counterpart to Rellor. A Grass/Ghost-type hybrid is fairly rare, but Bramblin's Pokédex entry provides some truly disturbing context for its typing. Bramblin's Pokédex from Pokémon Scarlet informs audiences that this Pokémon is a lost soul that's unable to properly move on to the afterlife.
During this purgatory period of confusion, this soul gets caught up in dried grass and debris, to form the foreboding tumbleweed-like nature of Bramblin. It’s quite sad to consider that this Pokémon, which is used as a weapon in battle, is just some confused spirit that seeks closure.
17 An Undying Grudge Fuels This Ghostly Pokémon & Its Blade
Ceruledge
Ceruledge and Armarouge are two sides of the same supernatural coin. Ceruledge is the Ghost/Fire-Type combination that's the result of exposing Charcadet to the Malicious Armor. Ceruledge is true to its armor's name and the creature's Pokédex entries highlight why it's such a dangerous and sad entity.
The collective entries between Scarlet & Violet reveal that Ceruledge is the embodiment of a fallen soldier's eternal grudge, as he never received satisfaction in life. To make matters worse, a cut by Ceruledge's signature blade burns long after it's been extinguished, courtesy of this spirit's undying, fiery resentment. It's a Pokémon that's more like a J-horror villain.
16 Unbridled Rage Takes On A Life Of Its Own
Annihilape
Mankey and Primeape are original Kanto region Pokémon that are extremely aggressive creatures. In fact, Primeape's rage grows so immense that it leads to the Pokémon's death. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet finally add a new evolved form to the mix, which actively builds upon Primeape's uncontrollable anger.
Annihilape is formed once Primeape uses Rage Fist 20 times. The Pokémon's Pokédex entry states that Annihilape is pure rage that transcends the nature of its user's physical body. The Ghost-type nature of the Pokémon indicates that Annihilape is the lingering anger that exists after Primeape's physical form expires.
15 This Pokémon's Blade Is Responsible For Its Own Spirit's Demise
Honedge
Honedge is a Steel/Ghost-type Pokémon that's first introduced in Generation VI's Unova region. It goes on to acquire two further evolutions: Doublade and Aegislash. Like many Ghost-type Pokémon, Honedge is created from a spirit that's stuck inhabiting an object, which past Pokédex entries have alluded towards.
However, what stands Honedge apart is that this Pokémon is both perpetrator and victim of a grisly series of events. Honedge's Pokédex indicates that the Pokémon's prominent sword is the tool responsible for the death of the person whose spirit goes on to inhabit this Pokémon. It's one of the saddest symbiotic relationships in the series.
14 A Caring Pokémon Parent Considers Their Child's Fate
Mega Kangaskhan
Kangaskhan has a reputation for carrying its baby in its pouch, much like its real-like kangaroo counterpart. However, Kangaskhan's bold Mega Evolution from Generation VI pushes the classic creature to a bittersweet place. Mega Kangaskhan's baby leaves the safety of its pouch to fight alongside its parent, which isn't always a positive development according to the Pokédex.
Mega Kangaskhan's Pokédex entry indicates that this baby gets put on a path where all that they care about is combat. Accordingly, the baby's mother contemplates if this is what's best for their offspring. It's an emotional level of malaise that's quite rare for most Pokémon.
13 This Pokémon's Signature Hugs Can End The Lives Of Those It Loves
Bewear
There are several Pokédex entries that demonstrate how Pokémon can be a burden to their trainers. Audiences like to think that there's a communal relationship of respect between trainer and Pokémon, but several morbid Pokédex reports chronicle creatures that are prone to eat their owners, feast upon their dreams, or even steal their souls.
Bewear is a Bear Pokémon who just wants to spread love, but its Pokédex entry details that this creature doesn't know its own strength. Bewear's bear hugs are so intense that they've "squashed the spines" of their recipients and unintentionally ended lives.
12 A Dying Breed That's Close To Extinction
Muk
Muk isn't a particularly lovable Pokémon. As a disgusting pile of slime, Muk sprouts from pollution, as almost a real-world reminder to its players to pick up after themselves. The original Muk is a gross eyesore, but the creature becomes a depressing anomaly when its Alolan variant is considered. Alolan Muk might look prettier than its Kanto counterpart, but this look comes at a toxic price.
Alolan Muk are the last of their kind, according to their Pokédex entries. Heavy efforts to clean up the world have slowly eradicated this Pokémon and pushed it towards extinction. Trainers need to specifically create sludge ponds to preserve this gnarly Pokémon from completely disappearing.
11 This Monster's Magnetic Nature Resigns It To A Lonely Life
Nosepass
Nosepass is probably no one's favorite Pokémon. The Pokémon's weird metal/rock aesthetic combined with its huge nose just makes an oddity on every level. It's easy to dismiss this Rock-type Pokémon based off of its physical features, but its Pokédex entry reveals a creature that is very much a victim.
The magnetic nature of Nosepass means that the Pokémon's prominent nose needs to always point north. This isn't much of an inconvenience for a solo Nosepass, but it means that two of these Pokémon together are forced to never face each other. Nosepass' magnetic pole repels more of its own kind, which results in a lonely existence.
10 This Innocent Pokémon Needs To Constantly Worry About Becoming Someone's Snack
Appletun
Appletun is a new Pokémon in Generation VIII's Pokémon Sword & Shield. Appletun evolves from Applin and is one of two possible evolutions based on which item it's given. Appletun is Pokémon Shield exclusive whereas Flapple is Pokémon Sword's counterpart. Both of these food-based Pokémon have difficult lives, but Appletun is more vulnerable according to its Pokédex entry.
Appletun's Pokédex entry emphasizes the creature's sweet nectar coating. This detail makes it a clear target to predatory Pokémon, but apparently, humans are also prone to eat Appletun. The Pokédex claims that Appletun is a popular children's snack, which is a grim fate for this living creature.
9 A Pokémon So Utilitarian That It's Been Worked To Endangerment
Lapras
As witnessed with Muk, multiple Pokédex entries demonstrate how Pokémon can be poached to the point of extinction. Lapras, which has some association as a whale-like Pokémon, is sadly subjected to the real-world dangers accompanying this kind of aquatic creature. Lapras is a big Pokémon, but it's not aggressive, so it's a useful Pokémon to ferry trainers between islands.
Like many good things in life, the help that Lapras provides has been gratuitously exploited. Lapras' Pokédex makes for a depressing read since it chronicles how the Pokémon has been excessively hunted and lingers on the brink of extinction. Generation X may not feature any more of this Pokémon.
8 A Lost Soul Finds An Unlikely Home In Antique Crockery
Sinistea
The newer Pokémon releases feature more creatures that resemble objects instead of animals or nature. Out of these Pokémon, Sinistea is a popular Generation VIII addition from the Galar region. Sinistea is designed to look like a fancy teacup filled with murky liquid. It might look harmless, but its Pokédex entry reveals a sad existence for Sword & Shield's new Ghost-type Pokémon.
Sinistea is apparently a neglected cup of tea possessed by a lost spirit. Out of anything that a ghost could possess, a teacup isn't exactly frightening. Appearances are everything in Pokémon and Sinistea has a sad past that doesn't amount to a very entertaining present.
7 A Sinister Spirit That's Born From Deception & Death
Phantump
Ghost Pokémon tend to be among the most depressing and tragic creatures in the series. These ghoulish figures often represent loss in ways that are quite disturbing for adolescent audiences who routinely play these video games. Ghost Pokémon are meditations on misery, but Phantump reveals an extra sad backstory that comes from a past as a human.
Phantump's Pokédex is about as bleak as it gets. It claims that Phantump are tree stumps that gain sentience from the spirits of children who perish in the forest. This detail is disturbing, but Phantump also lure unsuspecting individuals to meet their ends in the woods and become the new generation of Phantump by imitating the voice of children pretending to need help.
6 A Forlorn Figure That's Constantly Reminded Of What Once Was
Yamask
Yamask is another Ghost Pokémon with a tragic, human-based origin story. Yamask lets out a perpetually pained wail that becomes the Pokémon's norm. Yamask's later evolution is feared because they have the power to turn people into mummies as a cure for its loneliness. This aggressive behavior is a lot easier to understand when Yamask's Pokédex entry is observed.
Yamask always cries because it's crestfallen that its odd mask-like appearance is actually a human's former face. Some Ghost-type Pokémon have no knowledge over their pasts, but Yamask is a creature who can't help but forget what it used to be and what it's since become.
5 The Ultimate Pokémon Outlier That Thrives Through Camouflage Confusion
Mimikyu
Pikachu's popularity and prominence are undeniable, which has led to Pokémon turning to some adorable imitators from the same line of creatures. Some of these Pokémon, like Emolga, have genuine ties to Pikachu, but Mimikyu sports superficial connections that are meant to deceive audiences.
A Pokémon who desperately wants to be seen as another Pokémon is inherently sad, but Mimikyu's Pokédex entry paints a picture of a perpetually sad creature. Mimikyu might be beautiful underneath its disguise, but it's convinced that its true form is reprehensible. Subsequent Pokédex entries even indicate that those who get close enough to Mimikyu will hear it sobbing.
4 This Pokémon's Cute Means Of Mobility Comes At A Horrifying Cost
Spoink
Spoink is relatively infamous for being cursed with a heartbreaking anatomy problem. Most players look at Spoink and see an odd hybrid between a pig and a spring. That being said, those who dig deeper and look into the creature's Pokédex entry will learn that this adorable creature is always a moment away from its last breath.
A spring-based Pokémon seems fun, but Spoink's heart beats based on the movement of its spring appendage. In other words, an immobile Spoink is as good as gone. The movement of Spoink is so cute that it makes the severity behind this condition even harder to enjoy. The logistics behind how this Pokémon sleeps are still a mystery.
3 A Neglected Toy Wills Itself Into Becoming A Dark Pokémon Through Sheer Pain
Banette
Thanks to Toy Story, audiences can't help but imbue personalities and feelings to abandoned toys and possessions that get left behind. To feel sadness over a discarded entity is what it means to be human. However, one of the darker Pokémon in the franchise is actually a manifestation of this lingering sadness over lost things.
Banette is a Pokémon that sports a creepy look, but the creature's Pokédex entry insists that it's the creation of abandonment and pain. Banette used to be a plush stuffed toy that experienced such sadness that it was willed to life. This backstory is sad, but Banette's larger goal is to find the children who threw it away to enact its revenge.
2 An Uncomfortable Creature That's Disappeared Through Climate Changes
Galarian Corsola
It's always exciting when a neglected Pokémon from the past can receive a rejuvenating makeover courtesy of a new regional variant. Corsola is one of several creatures who received a Galarian version in Generation VIII's Pokémon Sword & Shield. Audiences are used to Corsola as a coral Pokémon, but its Galarian variant transforms it into a Ghost-type.
This new regional Corsola's Pokédex entry presents a rather ominous warning about environmental climate change, which forces players to consider the world's struggling coral reefs and the sad state of the environment. Galarian Corsola's Pokédex doesn't sugarcoat the world's fragile nature and attests that this creature is a rarity because of problematic climate changes.
1 A Pokémon's Signature Detail Becomes A Tragic Reminder Of Loss
Cubone
Cubone is a serviceable Pokémon that's been around since the start of the series. Cubone frequently pops up in the wild and has had its share of showcases in the anime series. However, it's only those that consult the Kanto creature's Pokédex entry who know the tragic depths of this Pokémon's existence.
Cubone is known for the skull that it wears on its head and the bone that it wields for combat. The creature's Pokédex reveals that this skull actually belongs to Cubone's mother. This is sad enough, but subsequent entries elaborate on this tragedy with the melancholy melody that echoes inside a Cubone's skull, or the tear stains that adorn the head-wear.