Pokémon is celebrated for its family-friendly appeal, with all mainline games earning an "E for Everyone" rating, inviting children of all ages to immerse themselves in a vibrant universe filled with charming characters. While beloved icons like Pikachu and Eevee often take the spotlight, some Pokémon possess surprisingly dark backstories. Tales of abductions and even gruesome murders are woven into the lore of certain eerie Pokémon, adding a layer of horror to what is typically seen as a lighthearted franchise.
IGN has gathered what we believe to be the five most unsettling Pokédex entries, though this list is far from exhaustive. Notable mentions include Mimikyu, a Pokémon so ghastly it disguises itself as Pikachu to gain friends while secretly plotting the downfall of the franchise's mascot; Haunter, which lurks in dark alleys, waiting to approach and lick humans, causing them to convulse fatally; and Hypno, who in the Pokémon children's cartoon, hypnotizes and kidnaps children to feed on their dreams.
AnswerSee ResultsDrifloon --------
It was a delightful Friday, and the young girl from Floaroma Town couldn't contain her excitement. Eager to start the weekend, she quickly finished her breakfast and rushed out to pick flowers, her favorite pastime. She knew the Valley Windworks offered the most beautiful blooms not found in town, though it was risky to venture there without a Pokémon. Yet, the allure of the tranquil spot in Sinnoh was too strong to resist.
Upon arriving, she was greeted by a sea of pink, yellow, and red flowers. However, her attention was soon captured by something even more enchanting—a shimmering purple balloon floating gently in the breeze. Mesmerized, she grabbed its string, only to be startled when the balloon turned to face her with a large yellow cross and two empty black eyes. As it tugged playfully, she followed with laughter. The balloon pulled her higher and further, its string wrapping around her wrist. The girl, neither too heavy nor too rough, was effortlessly lifted away, never to be seen again.
Drifloon, known as the Balloon Pokémon, introduces a chilling twist to the innocent imagery of children's balloons. While some of its Pokédex entries suggest it's formed from the spirits of people and Pokémon, others delve into darker territory. "It tugs on the hands of children to steal them away," one entry warns. Another chillingly states, "Any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing." A third entry notes, "Its round body is stuffed with souls and expands each time it leads someone away." Drifloon's eerie appearances in the games, particularly on Fridays at the Valley Windworks, combined with these haunting descriptions, elevate it from mere curiosity to a subject of a macabre mystery.
Banette
The boy's parents were consumed with worry as his condition deteriorated. His fever spiked, his skin turned grey, and his speech became incoherent. Despite the efforts of the best doctors in Mauville and Slateport, his health only worsened. In his agony, he managed to whisper, "My doll." Desperate to help, his parents presented him with various toys from his collection—Pikachu, Lotad, Skitty, Treecko—but he weakly pushed them away.
Confused, his parents searched their home, eventually finding a faded, ragged doll with glowing red eyes and a golden zipper for a mouth under the bed. The mother recognized it as a doll they had discarded when they bought new Poké Dolls from Lilycove. Now, it was damp, damaged, and adorned with sharp pins. As the boy reached for it, the doll stared menacingly at the mother, causing her to scream and drop it. The doll then leaped out the window, and to their surprise, the boy's condition seemed to improve slightly.
Even Pokémon taps into classic horror themes. Banette, the Marionette Pokémon, echoes the terror of Annabelle or Chucky, embodying a vengeful spirit akin to Jessie from Toy Story 2 if she sought retribution. "A doll that became a Pokémon over its grudge from being junked. It seeks the child that disowned it," one Pokédex entry reads. Another notes, "This Pokémon developed from an abandoned doll that amassed a grudge. It is seen in dark alleys." A later entry is more explicit: "It’s a stuffed toy that was thrown away and became possessed, ever searching for the one who threw it away so it can exact its revenge." Banette inflicts harm by using itself as an effigy, sticking pins into its body to cause pain to the child it seeks. Only by unzipping its wide smile or showing it love again can its malevolence be quelled.
Sandygast
On a picturesque summer day, the residents of Melemele Island enjoyed Big Wave Beach. As the sun began to set, children built sandcastles while others surfed and sunbathed. A determined boy continued working on his sandcastle, determined to outdo his peers. Despite the beach emptying, he remained engrossed, oblivious to the shifting sandcastles behind him.
Their shadows grew against the setting sun, enveloping the boy as he turned to see a Pokémon resembling a sandcastle with a gaping mouth and soulless eyes. Assuming it was friendly, he reached for a red spade stuck in its head, but the Pokémon engulfed his hand. His scream echoed as his entire arm was consumed, and like quicksand, his body was slowly absorbed.
Contrary to the joyful image of sandcastles, Sandygast's Pokédex entries reveal a sinister nature. "If you build sand mounds when you’re playing, destroy them before you go home, or they may get possessed and become Sandygast," one entry warns. Another chillingly states, "Sandygast mainly inhabits beaches. It takes control of anyone who puts their hand into its mouth, forcing them to make its body bigger." The true horror unfolds when Sandygast evolves into Palossand, whose entries describe it as the "Beach Nightmare," pulling prey into the sand and draining their souls. "Buried beneath the castle are masses of dried-up bones from those whose vitality it has drained," another entry confirms, painting a grim picture of Sandygast and Palossand's deadly growth.
Frillish
The busy season had ended, and the old woman relished her peaceful morning swims in Undella Town. Preferring the quieter times without tourists, she swam daily despite the cooler water. One morning, the waves were choppy, but she swam with renewed vigor. Caught in the current, she found herself farther from shore than intended, yet she continued, relishing her solitude.
As she tried to return, the current pulled her further out with each pause for breath. Suddenly, a Pokémon emerged from the water, inches from her face. Initially cautious, she thought it might help her. As she wrapped her hands around it, the Pokémon did the same, allowing her to rest without drifting further. Grateful, she attempted to swim the remaining distance but found herself unable to move. Paralyzed, she realized the Pokémon's true intent as it began to submerge, dragging her to the ocean's depths.
Frillish, the Floating Pokémon, belies its simple appearance with a deadly purpose. Tapping into the fear of the unknown depths, Frillish hunts from its underwater lair. "With its thin, veil-like arms wrapped around the body of its opponent, it sinks to the ocean floor," one Pokédex entry describes. Another reveals, "Its thin, veil-like arms have tens of thousands of poisonous stingers. They paralyze prey with poison, then drag them down to their lairs, five miles below the surface." Frillish's victims remain conscious as they are pulled to their watery graves, fully aware of their impending doom.
Froslass
He knew he shouldn't have ventured out during the blizzard, but the sound of a woman's cry and a knock at his door compelled him to search the mountain. Despite the blinding snow, he donned his gear and stepped into the storm, soon disoriented and unable to navigate.
Finding a small cave, he sought refuge from the relentless blizzard. Inside, the cold was intense, but it was safer than the storm outside. Lighting his lantern, he discovered the cave walls coated in thick ice. As he examined them, he realized the ice preserved not just the cold but also the bodies of men, frozen in time. Before he could flee, an icy Pokémon, Froslass, appeared. As it exhaled a chilling breath, he found himself encased in ice, becoming another decoration in its eerie lair.
Froslass merges the chilling tales of the Japanese Yōkai Yuki-onna and the Greek myth of Medusa. "The soul of a woman lost on a snowy mountain possessed an icicle, becoming this Pokémon. The food it most relishes is the souls of men," one Pokédex entry reads. Another chillingly notes, "It freezes hikers who have come to climb snowy mountains and carries them back to its home. It only goes after men it thinks are handsome." Froslass lures or drags its victims to its den during blizzards, meticulously arranging them as "decorations" in its icy lair, creating a haunting tableau of frozen souls.
