Pokémon has long been celebrated for its family-friendly appeal, with all its mainline games earning an E for Everyone rating. This means children of any age can dive into its vibrant world and interact with its charming characters. While beloved figures like Pikachu and Eevee often take center stage, some of the franchise's creatures delve into darker themes. Certain Pokédex entries recount tales of kidnappings and even brutal murders, adding a surprising layer of horror to the otherwise cheerful universe. IGN has compiled a list of the five creepiest Pokédex entries, though many other Pokémon also boast unsettling lore. For example, Mimikyu, which disguises itself as Pikachu to make friends, harbors sinister intentions towards the franchise mascot. Haunter stalks humans in dark alleys, ultimately causing death with a mere lick, and Hypno's narrative in the children's cartoon involves hypnotizing and abducting children to consume their dreams.
AnswerSee ResultsDrifloon --------
It was a joyous Friday in Floaroma Town, and a young girl was brimming with excitement. She hurriedly ate her breakfast, eager to kick off her weekend with her favorite activity: flower picking. With school finally over, she looked forward to spending quality time with her parents, filled with laughter and smiles. She dashed towards the Valley Windworks, known for its unique flowers, despite knowing it was risky without her own Pokémon. Yet, the spot was reputed as the gentlest in Sinnoh.
Upon arriving, the girl was surrounded by vibrant blooms in shades of pink, yellow, and red. However, her attention was quickly captured by a shimmering purple balloon swaying in the breeze. Enchanted, she reached for its string, only to be met with the balloon's eerie face—a yellow cross and two hollow, black eyes. It gently tugged, and the girl followed, giggling with delight. As it pulled her higher and further, the balloon's string wrapped around her wrist. The girl, light and compliant, was led away, never to be seen again.
Drifloon, known as the Balloon Pokémon, infuses the innocence of a child's toy with a chilling horror reminiscent of the IT franchise. While some Pokédex entries describe it as a mere amalgamation of spirits, others paint a darker picture. "It tugs on the hands of children to steal them away," one entry warns. Another chillingly notes, "Any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing." And a third states, "Its round body is stuffed with souls and expands each time it leads someone away." Drifloon's appearances in Diamond and Pearl on Fridays at the Valley Windworks add an element of mystery, but its Pokédex entries transform that curiosity into a haunting narrative.
Banette
As the boy's condition worsened, his parents' concern grew. His fever spiked, his skin turned grey, and his speech became slurred. Despite the best efforts of doctors from Mauville and Slateport, his health declined daily. In a moment of clarity, he whispered, "My doll." Desperate, his parents offered him various toys from his collection—a Pikachu, a Lotad, a Skitty, and a Treecko—but he rejected each one weakly.
Confused yet determined, his parents searched everywhere, 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 the doll they had discarded years ago in favor of newer Poké Dolls from Lilycove. It was damp, damaged, and adorned with sharp pins. As the boy reached for it, the doll seemed to stare directly at the mother, who screamed as it leapt from her hands and out the window. To their relief, the boy's condition appeared to improve slightly.
Even Pokémon incorporates classic horror elements into its family-friendly games. Banette, the Marionette Pokémon, is a chilling take on dolls like Annabelle or Chucky, driven by a vengeful spirit akin to Jessie from Toy Story 2. "A doll that became a Pokémon over its grudge from being junked. It seeks the child that disowned it," one Pokédex entry reads. Another states, "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 sticking pins into itself, affecting the child it seeks. Only by unzipping its smile or showing it love again can its negative energy be dispelled.
Sandygast
On a picturesque summer day at Big Wave Beach on Melemele Island, locals enjoyed various activities. As the sun set, children began to leave, but one boy remained, determined to finish his grand sandcastle. Engrossed in his work, he failed to notice the shifting sandcastles around him. Their shadows lengthened with the setting sun, enveloping him as he turned to see a Pokémon resembling a sandcastle with a gaping mouth and soulless eyes. Believing Pokémon to be friendly, he didn't retreat as it approached. He reached for a red spade in its head, thinking it was a friendly gesture, only to have his hand swallowed by the creature. As he screamed and tried to pull away, his entire arm was consumed, and like quicksand, his body was slowly absorbed.
Contrary to the playful nature of real sandcastles, Sandygast embodies a darker theme. "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 horror escalates when Sandygast evolves into Palossand, described as the "Beach Nightmare" that "pulls its prey down into the sand by controlling the sand itself, and then it sucks out their souls." Further entries confirm its sinister nature: "Buried beneath the castle are masses of dried-up bones from those whose vitality it has drained."
Frillish
After a hectic season, an elderly woman relished her peaceful morning swim in Undella Town. She preferred the town without tourists, even if the water was cooler. Having swum there nearly every day for 70 years, she wasn't deterred by the choppy waves. She found herself further out than usual, but her focus on solitude kept her from noticing. Realizing she was far from shore, her heart rate quickened. She tried to swim back but was soon exhausted, lamenting her aging body.
As she paused to catch her breath, the current pulled her further out. Then, a Pokémon appeared inches from her face. Initially cautious, she thought it might help her, so she wrapped her hands around it. The Pokémon seemed to keep her in place, allowing her to rest. Grateful, she thanked it and tried to swim the remaining distance, but found herself unable to move. Paralyzed, she stared at the Pokémon's distant eyes as it submerged, dragging her to the depths.
Frillish, the Floating Pokémon, belies its simple appearance with a deadly nature. Its design taps into the common fear 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," its original Pokédex entry reads. Another chilling entry states, "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." Thus, Frillish's victims are likely conscious as they are dragged to their watery graves.
Froslass
A man ventured out into a blizzard on a mountain, driven by the sound of a woman's cries and a knock at his door. Despite the near-impossible visibility, he felt compelled to help. Soon lost in the storm, he stumbled upon a cave entrance, seeking refuge. Inside, the cave was unnaturally cold, with walls encased in thick ice. As he lit his lantern, he was startled to see not his reflection but that of another man, frozen within the ice. Realizing he was surrounded by bodies encased in the icy walls, he turned to flee, only to face a floating Pokémon. It exhaled a freezing breath, and as he backed away, his body stiffened and froze, becoming another decoration in the creature's lair.
Froslass draws inspiration from the Japanese Yōkai Yuki-onna and the Greek 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 entry reads. Another 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 or drags victims to its den during blizzards, where they are neatly lined up as "decorations."
