No. 923: Pawmot

Pawmot Patrol

Speaking of throwback elements to older gens, Pawmot carries the tradition of being an ambiguous creature instead of a twist on a specific real-life animal. It's kind of a teddy bear, but listed as the "Mouse Pokemon", and also resembles a hamster? With Popeye arms and Iron Man repulsors blasts? I'm not sure why it's part Fighting-type, but... hey. hold the phone.

This is an evolution of Pawmo? Are we sure it evolved? Or did it just step closer to the camera? Wait, it changed its fur color back to Pawmi's. Why is Pawmo desaturated, then? And what's the difference between Pawmo and Pawmot, larger hair tufts???

Probably the worst case of "it just gets bigger" evolutions, except it still doesn't even look fully-evolved. Maybe just skip from Pawmi straight to this thing, then. But I'm not gonna give it a good review cuz I already spent that goodwill on Pawmo.

I think they maybe planned a proper evolution, but accidentally copied the model for Pawmo over the space where Pawmot was supposed to go, and couldn't figure out how to restore the intended version so they just made Pawmot bigger and called it a day.

Overall: 2/10

No. 922: Pawmo

Pawmo Patrol

Speaking of throwback elements to older gens, Pawmo carries the tradition of being an ambiguous creature instead of a twist on a specific real-life animal. It's kind of a teddy bear, but listed as the "Mouse Pokemon", and also resembles a hamster? With Popeye arms and Iron Man repulsors blasts? I'm not sure why it's part Fighting-type, but Fighting/Electric is a dope typing so hey. It all kinda sorta works.

Also I wanna give it props for actually evolving, all the Pika-clones have just been meaningless single-stage losers but Gen 9 shakes it up. You can say it's a blatant Pikachu ripoff, but I'd say it's an artful homage to the buckwild design ethos of Gen 1.

Overall: 8/10

No. 921: Pawmi

2X PIMPY 3X BAPE

Pawmi looks like one of those intensely inbred pit bulls, or maybe an over-inflated Pikachu. Every aspect of it looks puffed up. Bro is the size of a jelly donut and likely to be squished like one.

I'll give it props for bringing back that type of glossy eyes, though. Feels like a throwback design element to the older gens, which is appropriate for a Pika-clone.

Overall: 4/10

No. 920: Lokix

Jack be Loquick

Lokix looks cool as hell and kicks the shit out of anybody who disagrees. Kamen Rider Black was the clear inspiration, which is fine because that also rocks. Lokix benefits from animations, with the way its back legs unfold to scythe at the opponent. I kinda wish it was Steel-type, so that those legs could be chainsaws. But as Bug/Dark, this thing is a Psychic-type's worst nightmare.

And everyone in Paldea knows this thing is awesome, they even made bike helmets using its likeness. Lokix was a core part of my team from the moment it evolved, embarrassing the shit out of Spidops.

Overall: 10/10

No. 919: Nymble

Jack be Nymble

The worst thing about Nymble is that it's so Goddamn tiny that I keep running into it in the wild by accident.

The second worst thing about Nymble is that its eyes look like it's constantly on the verge of tears, eyes blurring and about to cry.

The third worst thing about Nymble is that... well, maybe there isn't one. But I can't think of a "best thing" about Nymble, either. Those wings are kinda weird? Cuz they're actually legs? Is that worth any points?

Overall: 3/10

No. 918: Spidops

Call of Duty: Spidops

If this is how the early-game bug and rodent Pokemon are looking, then damn we're in good hands this generation! Spidops is great, he looks like a Mega Man X boss and moves like Agent 47. I love the animation where he draws the web-garrote taut, ready to choke a bitch. Spidops moves with such purpose and personality, it's hard to believe he's only the 2nd stage in this line. I wonder what sort of badass assassin spider he'll evolve into?

Hm? what's what? I've been passed a paper just now... It seems that Spidops doesn't evolve. This is it. Surely that can't be right, we call this bug "Not Found" because his base stat total is 404. His whole setup revolves around forcing the opponent to switch out, and punishing that with Sticky Web and Stakeout. Except Spidops isn't threatening to anything because it's so weak.

A damn shame, because I really like the design and concept going on here, but I had to bench my Spidops because being SO SLOW made it simply unfun to use in the main game. Especially with a much better Bug-type right around the corner. I know I don't tend to grade on stats, just designs, but sometimes I can't help but be influenced by the way the Pokemon performs in-game, you know?

Overall: 9/10

No. 917: Tarountula

round boi

We've had a couple of bagworm Pokemon before, like Pineco and Burmy. Tarountula fills that niche in a new way, and I think for the better. It's just more interesting to have a spider hanging around than a dumb ol' cocoon.

With that said, it's not like Tarountula is anything special. It's the first spider Pokemon that actually has 8 legs, but the legs aren't emphasized in the design so honestly it could have gotten away with just 6 without an issue. I think it looks like a silly bug who got stuck in a big ball of spaghetti, and sometimes that's okay.

Overall: 5/10

No. 916: Oinkologne

Colognac - drink it. or wear it. we really don't give a care.

Pigs are often associated with filth and ugliness, so it's a neat change of pace to see one that's explicitly "pretty". Some Pig, indeed! Oinkologne's ears resemble bishounen bangs, and he flips them with panache. This suave porker looks like the handsome leader of the Student Council who has his own fan club.  

The female of the species operates similarly, and while they say you can't put lipstick on a pig I think maybe we just haven't found a pretty enough pig. Until now. Oinkologne could absolutely rock some lipstick, she's already got the eyeshadow on point, and anything else she wants. Not since Miss Piggy has there been a more glamorous swine.

Overall: 8/10

No. 915: Lechonk

 no match for Guybrush Threepwood, mighty pirate!

Every route, we get a boring ass Normal type rodent in the early routes. Nobody likes them, nobody uses them, and yet they persist. Of course, last time it was a sheep - not a rodent, not even by the loosest approximation. Neither is a pig, and perhaps it's no coincidence that both Wooloo and Lechonk have been better than the usual fare.

I mean, it's still nothing great, let's be honest. I used to throw these suckers into the ocean in Wind Waker by the bushel. But at least it's not another groundhog-adjacent vermin. 

Overall: 4/10