What is the cutest Pokémon, really? This question has stumped scholars for millennia. Okay, that’s not true, but it has been the subject of heated debate ever since the first Pokémon card made its way onto the primordial playgrounds of the mid-90s. Those first-graders are in their 30s now, but their question has remained unanswered – until this guide, which answers it unequivocally, once and for all, with utter certainty.
Lol, JK. In truth, there are as many ‘cutest Pokémon’ as there are ways to measure cuteness. So we’re going to embrace that diversity – we’ll rank our top 10 cutest Pokémon, each one shining in their own category of adorability. We’ve also included store links to lovely, lovely plushies where possible, because, well, we like happiness, joy, and being paid a little tiny bit of money when you buy them.
For more info to fill your Pokédex, we’ve guides explaining all the Pokémon types (and the slightly different system of Pokémon card types) – as well as the most up-to-date answer to the big question: how many Pokémon are there? We also track the most expensive rare Pokémon cards, if that’s your bag. For now, though…
The cutest Pokémon are:
- Purrloin – cutest Pokémon by Pokédex entry
- Alolan Vulpix – cutest regional variant Pokémon
- Cutiefly – littlest guy
- Greavard – cutest new Pokémon
- Pop Star Pikachu – cuteness contest master
- Gigantamax Alcremie – cutest alternate form Pokémon
- Eevee – cutest Pokémon by fan vote
- Ash’s Muk – cutest Pokémon in the anime
- Mew – Pokémon with greatest potential cuteness
- Your favorite Pokémon – because you said so
Purrloin
Cutest by Pokédex entry
Purrloin is the ultimate cat. Its Pokédex entries assert that, despite this chaos-monger’s common knowledge record of causing trouble on purpose, their owners “can’t help but forgive them” – its deception is too perfect, its doe eyes too practiced. Your cat is cute, but would you forgive it for smashing a priceless vase just to see the look on your face?
It takes a lot to make stealing my financial information cute, but Purrloin manages it, so it’s well earned its place as the cutest in the Pokédex. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to figure out where my phone went so I can report my credit card missing and dispute all these charges for catnip.
Alolan Vulpix
Cutest regional variant Pokémon
While the original Vulpix was a strong contender for cutest of the OG 151, Gen 7 Pokémon Alolan Vulpix dropped in 2016, and blew it out of the water. Everything cute about the original design has been amplified. Its head is bigger, its eyes softer and more soulful, its fur rounder and fluffier.
As a species, it moved to the mountains some time ago to get some peace and quiet from what I can only presume is its adoring fan club. So on top of everything else, it also has that “friend’s introvert cat” appeal where, if it likes you, you get to feel special. Marvelous.
Cutiefly
Littlest guy
Just narrowly beating out the lightweight contender Joltik, the fairy and bug type Cutiefly cinches the category by having cute in the name. Literally in the name, guys. This one’s kind of a home run.
While Cutiefly is indeed a little guy and just a lad on its appearances alone, fewer are aware of its ability to see the emotional auras of others, often confusing auras with the flowers they collect nectar and pollen from. Cutiefly will buzz above the heads of those experiencing strong emotions, like young lovers – aw!
Greavard
Cutest new Pokémon
Greavard was introduced in the latest installment of the series, Scarlet and Violet. You may not have seen its teaser trailer, but I’ll sum it up for you – Greavard just wants to play, loves people, and – oh yeah – it may or may not slowly drain the life force out of you by accident. While unfortunate for the recipients of its affection, that sort of dimwitted bumbling ghostliness only serves to make it more endearing.
A Greavard will follow a person forever if paid attention to, fulfilling a lifelong dream of getting to be a good dog and walking right into our hearts as the cutest new addition to the Pokémon roster. Who’s a good dog? Who’s a little buddy? Oh, I feel woozy…
Pop Star Pikachu
Cuteness contest master
Taking a rest from species-wide highlights, this one is an individual Pokémon who stands out among the crowd. While Pikachu itself is an obvious choice among the cute ‘mons, Pop Star Pikachu is /the/ cutest – lookit her little outfit! She even matches the femme trainer’s contest outfit! What a star.
Introduced for Contests in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, this Pikachu packs a pretty punch in the in-game cuteness royales. She’s guaranteed a roaring applause in the appeal section for her effort costuming, making her appeal not only useful, but downright canonical. Her returning appearances in other games like Pokémon GO only reinforce that in the arena of cutest Pokémon, she’s here to stay.
Gigantamax Alcremie
Cutest alternate form Pokémon
On its own, Alcremie is cute. You know? It’s undeniable. It’s whipped cream with little candy buttons. But have you ever been so cute you turned into a cake? Alcremie has.
When exposed to the same kind of mysterious otherworldly energies that prompt most Pokémon to do their best Godzilla (or in the case of Butterfree, Mothra) impression, Alcremie becomes a humongous cake. Power move.
There are many aspects of Gigantamax Alcremie that lend its domination here. Its signature Max Move, G-Max Finale, heals teammates while burying the opponent in icing.
It’s ideal for themed wedding photography. And perhaps most importantly of all, its cuteness increases exponentially when nicknamed after a dessert. A giant cake named Sugar Cookie is brain-meltingly cute, actually. And that… just takes the cake.
Eevee
Cutest Pokémon by fan vote
Eevee is a long-runner. While it doesn’t always get number one, it’s so frequently in the top three in fan polls and ratings for cute Pokémon characters that we’re going to hand this one to the adaptable fox…dog…thing that’s been around since the very beginning, charming our hearts. If one were to count all of its evolutions, Eevee and the Eeveelutions would easily crush the competition. Cutely. We’d coo for them.
Game Freak seems to agree, with the 2018 release of Let’s Go Eevee for the Switch adding two central and crucial gameplay improvements: having Eevee on screen at nearly all times; and allowing the player to give it little hats.
Ash’s Muk
Cutest Pokémon in the anime
Has there ever been a Pokémon that wants love as much as Ash’s Muk? For those whom this was before their time, Ash Ketchum caught a Muk in the early seasons of the anime and sent it to Professor Oak for safekeeping. While Muk is a poison Pokémon that seeps out slimy toxins by nature, it does not know this. It only wants to give the world’s very best hugs and see its trainer on the Zoom call.
The fact that this often results in poor Samuel Oak getting borderline crushed is absolutely not the point. The point is Muk’s huge heart. For this unbridled need to connect with others, we award Ash’s Muk this greatest of honours.
Mew
Pokémon with greatest potential cuteness
Mew is a mythical Pokémon, and brings with it its own formidable arsenal of endearing traits. Designed after the theme of a baby AND a kitten, Mew boasts both a soft, pink exterior with wide and innocent blue eyes, and a playful, naive disposition. Could you look that cute while locked in a battle of the fates with your genetically engineered clone? I don’t think so.
This is just the beginning, though. Getting more technical, Mew can learn every move available by Technical Machine (TM), giving it unparalleled access to moves like Charm, Disarming Voice, Rest… And, even more importantly, its naturally-learned Transform allows it to ape the appearance of every other Pokémon on this list! Talk about legendary cuteness.
Your favorite Pokémon
Because you said so
Think back to the beginning. That slap-fight on the playground, that chance encounter in the tall grass, or that first moment that you saw someone being wrong on the internet. You know the cutest Pokémon. You’ve always known. It’s your favorite.
No, seriously. It’s true. Pokémon are all cute; the franchise constantly goes out of its way to remind us of this. Whether it’s being able to pet your iron-crested death grasshopper in Pokémon Amie; the canonical fact that any Pokémon can have its Cuteness maxed out for contests; the special art cards; or plushies of Feebas being made for the one whose heart yearns for them the most – the intrinsic appeal of Pokémon is that you have a chance to create a bond with, or make your own judgements on, each and every design.
Perhaps, because of that, that burning question of what is the cutest Pokémon ever will forever go unanswered. It is, after all, in the eye of the beholder. But, if there is one takeaway from this list, let it be that there are a lot of ways to be the Cutest Pokémon. Happy training!
If you’ve made it to the end of this shameless swim through a river of effervescent Pokéfun and Pokégames, chances are you’d enjoy playing Pokémon cards.
Budding Pokémon TCG players should check out our guides on the best Pokémon cards, the current meta’s best Pokémon decks, and how to build a Pokémon deck of your own.