As we approach the potential TikTok ban on January 19, Pokémon fans are taking the opportunity to celebrate their favorite pocket monsters and proving that every Pokémon, no matter how seemingly unpopular, is somebody’s most beloved partner. Yup, even Croagunk.
Even in the Pokémon community, you don’t often see a lot of love for lesser-known monsters. Of course, we all know and love Pikachu, Charizard, Eevee, its equally adorable evolutions, and Lucario, but it warms the heart to know Wishiwashi is somebody’s number-one. The recent TikTok trend, set to the song “Would You Fall in Love with Me Again” from EPIC: The Musical, showcases just how much this teary-eyed Water-type and other Pokémon mean to their trainers, who vow to love their faves through generations to come.
One of the hottest debates among Pokémon fans revolves around whether the best Pokémon are well-designed or competitively viable, with the secret third option being neither but you love them anyway for some reason. It’s a broad and varied spectrum, which seems unfair when you actually try to categorize monsters like Eelektross, Carnivine, and Wingull, no matter how neatly you think each might fit into a box. If the only evidence to prove a Pokémon is good is that you love it, then hey, that’s a valid case. (And that’s coming from someone who still impulsively collects Spinda with spiral patterns I’ve never seen.)
Karen of Johto’s Elite Four said it best: “Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favorites.” And you know what? My Dark-type specialist queen is right. Even Feebas, which is canonically deemed the “ugliest” Pokémon around and parallels Magikarp in strength, has someone so enamored they’re willing to beat the abysmal encounter odds and catch it over and over again. That’s love. Hypno surprised me, though.
Over 1,000 critters strong today, the Pokémon franchise has amassed millions of fans across the globe, spanning nine generations and counting. Depending on how old you were when you were first introduced to the video game series, anime, or trading card game, some of your favorite partners probably belonged to whichever generation was big at the time. A ’90s kid myself, I got to play the original Red & Blue titles, as well as Yellow, Gold, Silver, and Crystal. However, it wasn’t until I visited Gen III’s Hoenn region in Ruby & Sapphire that I met my favorite starter and all-time best bud, Swampert. Thankfully, there’s an edit for my decades-old partner, too.
The trend seems fitting, given it may be goodbye for TikTok, but the Switch 2’s announcement promises new adventures elsewhere. Here’s to the next journey alongside our favorite Pokémon, new and old!
Published: Jan 18, 2025 06:53 am