Pokémon is renowned for its family-friendly appeal, with its mainline games consistently earning an E for Everyone rating, inviting even the youngest players into its vibrant universe. While beloved characters like Pikachu and Eevee often take center stage, some Pokémon carry surprisingly dark narratives. Hidden within their Pokédex entries are tales of abductions and even gruesome murders, adding a chilling layer to the franchise's otherwise cheerful façade. These darker stories extend beyond the games into other media, like the Pokémon children's cartoon, which has featured unsettling plots involving Pokémon like Hypno hypnotizing and kidnapping children to feast on their dreams.
IGN has compiled a list of what we consider the five creepiest Pokédex entries, though this is just the tip of the iceberg. Notable mentions include Mimikyu, who, disguised as Pikachu to attract friends, harbors sinister intentions toward the franchise's mascot; Haunter, known for stalking humans in dark alleys and causing death with a mere lick; and Hypno, whose dark storyline in the animated series involves the abduction of children.
AnswerSee ResultsDrifloon --------
It was finally Friday, and the young girl from Floaroma Town couldn't contain her excitement. She eagerly ate her breakfast, eager to start the weekend's flower picking, her favorite pastime. The end of the school week couldn't come soon enough, as she looked forward to spending time with her parents, filled with laughter and joy. She dashed towards the Valley Windworks, known for its unique flowers, despite knowing it was risky to venture there without a Pokémon. Yet, she considered it the safest, most serene spot in Sinnoh.
Upon arrival, she was greeted by a sea of vibrant flowers in pink, yellow, and red. However, her attention was quickly captured by a mesmerizing sight: a shimmering purple balloon gently swaying in the breeze. Enchanted, she rushed over and grabbed its string, only to be met by the balloon's gaze—a large, yellow cross and two hollow black eyes. The balloon tugged gently, and the girl, amused, followed. It pulled her a bit further and higher each time, the string winding around her wrist. The balloon, finding her neither too heavy nor too unruly, continued to ascend, and the girl was never seen again.
Drifloon, known as the Balloon Pokémon, brings a chilling twist to the innocent image of a child's plaything. While some of its Pokédex entries are relatively benign, mentioning it as a "Pokémon formed by the spirits of people and Pokémon," others delve into darker territory. Entries describe it as a creature that "tugs on the hands of children to steal them away," and warn that "any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing." Another chilling entry notes, "Its round body is stuffed with souls and expands each time it leads someone away." Drifloon's appearances in the games, limited to Fridays at the Valley Windworks in Diamond and Pearl, add an element of mystery, but its increasingly eerie Pokédex entries transform that mystery into a sinister tale.
Banette
The boy's parents were increasingly alarmed as his fever spiked, his skin turned grey, and his speech became unintelligible. Despite the efforts of the best doctors from Mauville and Slateport, his condition deteriorated. In a moment of hope, the boy weakly whispered, "My doll." Desperate, his parents presented him with various toys from his collection—Pikachu, Lotad, Skitty, and Treecko—but he rejected them all with what little strength he had left.
Confused, his parents searched their home, rummaging through drawers and shelves until they discovered a faded, ragged doll with glowing red eyes and a golden zipper for a mouth under the bed. The mother recognized it immediately; it was a doll they had discarded years ago when they bought him the latest Poké Dolls from Lilycove's department store. Damp, damaged, and adorned with sharp pins, the doll seemed malevolent. As the boy reached for it, the mother gasped, and the doll, seemingly alive, leaped from her hands and out the window. To their relief, the boy's condition appeared to improve slightly.
Even in the family-friendly world of Pokémon, horror tropes find a place. Banette, the Marionette Pokémon, is the franchise's answer to Annabelle or Chucky, embodying the vengeful spirit of a discarded doll. Its Pokédex entries reveal its origins and intentions: "A doll that became a Pokémon over its grudge from being junked. It seeks the child that disowned it." Another entry states, "This Pokémon developed from an abandoned doll that amassed a grudge. It is seen in dark alleys." The more direct entry warns, "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 acting as an effigy, sticking pins in itself to cause pain to the child it seeks. Only by unzipping its wide smile or showing it affection again can its negative energy be dispelled.
Sandygast
On a picturesque summer day, the residents of Melemele Island enjoyed Big Wave Beach. Some surfed, others sunbathed, and children built sandcastles. As the sun set, the other kids headed home, but one boy remained, determined to complete his grand sandcastle. The beach grew quiet, yet the boy's focus never wavered, oblivious to the shifting sandcastles around him.
The shadows of these sandcastles elongated against the sunset, enveloping the boy as he turned to see a Pokémon resembling a sandcastle with a gaping mouth and soulless eyes. Mistaking it for a friendly creature, he reached for a red spade embedded in its head. In a horrifying twist, the Pokémon engulfed his hand, and like quicksand, it slowly consumed his entire body as he screamed in vain.
Sandygast, the sandcastle-themed Pokémon, belies its seemingly innocent appearance with its sinister nature. Its Pokédex entries caution, "If you build sand mounds when you’re playing, destroy them before you go home, or they may get possessed and become Sandygast." Another entry ominously 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, known as the "Beach Nightmare," which "pulls its prey down into the sand by controlling the sand itself, and then it sucks out their souls." Additional entries reveal that "Buried beneath the castle are masses of dried-up bones from those whose vitality it has drained," confirming that Sandygast and Palossand consume their victims to grow stronger.
Frillish
The busy season had ended, and the elderly woman relished her morning swim in the now tranquil waters of Undella Town. She preferred the quieter times, even if the water was cooler. Having swum from these shores for 70 years, she wasn't about to stop now. The waves were choppy that day, but she swam with renewed vigor, unaware that the current had carried her further out. She finally noticed the distant shore and felt a slight panic, realizing how far she had drifted.
Struggling to return, she paused frequently to catch her breath, each stop allowing the current to pull her further away. It was then that a Pokémon emerged from the water, inches from her face. Initially cautious, she assumed it wanted to help and reached out to it. The Pokémon wrapped its arms around her, allowing her to rest without drifting. After thanking the creature, she tried to swim back, but found herself unable to move. Paralyzed, she watched in horror as the Pokémon began to submerge, dragging her into the depths.
Frillish, the Floating Pokémon, conceals a deadly nature behind its simple appearance. Its Pokédex entries evoke fears of the unknown depths of the ocean. "With its thin, veil-like arms wrapped around the body of its opponent, it sinks to the ocean floor," reads one description. Another chilling entry 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." The victims of Frillish remain conscious as they are pulled under, aware of their impending doom as they drown.
Froslass
He knew he shouldn't have ventured out. The mountain was treacherous at night, and the blizzard made visibility impossible. Yet, he had heard a woman's cry and a knock at his door. Living alone at the mountain's peak, he felt compelled to help. Bundled up, he stepped into the storm but quickly lost his bearings.
Relief washed over him when he spotted a cave entrance, a potential refuge from the storm. Inside, the cold was intense, almost otherworldly, but it was better than facing the blizzard. As he lit his lantern, he saw the cave walls coated in thick ice. Puzzled by the persistent cold, he examined the ice more closely, only to recoil in horror at the sight of another man's face frozen within it. His eyes darted around, revealing more bodies encased in the ice. As he turned to flee, an icy Pokémon floated before him. It advanced, forcing him back until he was pressed against the icy wall. The Pokémon exhaled a frosty breath, and as it enveloped him, he realized he was becoming another frozen decoration in its lair.
Froslass embodies elements of the Japanese Yōkai Yuki-onna and the Greek Medusa. Its Pokédex entries describe it as "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." Another entry chillingly states, "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." Further entries reveal that Froslass lures its victims during blizzards, dragging them to its den where "they become decorations," neatly lined up for display. The tales of Froslass are indeed chilling.
