The Five Best Water Pokemon of All-Time

The water is home to a wide range of weird and wonderful species. As a result, it makes sense that there are a lot of Water-type Pokemon that have been released over the course of the long-running species. Some of these Pokemon are very banal. However, others are much more memorable. Here are five of the best Water-type Pokemon ever created:

Dracovish

Dracovish is one of four Fossil Pokemon released in Generation VIII. For those who are unfamiliar, these Fossil Pokemon are not revived using complete fossils. Instead, interested individuals have to piece together two fossils to create a chimera with the help of a “researcher” named Cara Liss, whose name is very much not a coincedence. Dracovish is created using the Fossilized Fish and the Fossilized Drake. The result is an abomination. On top, Dracovish possesses the head of a ferocious-looking fish Pokemon. This is connected to the rear end of a landbound saurian, which looks as though the complete creature should be standing on four legs rather than the two. What makes Dracovish even worse is that the head is connected to the rest of the Pokemon via the saurian’s tail rather than a more sensible location. As such, it should come as no surprise to learn that its existence is suffering. The Pokedex outright states that Dracovish can’t breathe on land even though its legs are well-suited for running on land. As for why Dracovish and its counterparts are this way, the answer is that they are a reference to the careless way in which people sometimes put together fossils in the past. The British earned something of a reputation for this, thus making these Pokemon very well-suited for a British-themed region.

Kingler

Sometimes, the best Pokemon isn’t the fanciest Pokemon. Instead, the best Pokemon is the simplest and most straightforward Pokemon. For proof, look no further than Kingler, which is pretty much a super-sized crab. The most obvious source of inspiration for Kingler would be the fiddler crab. For those who are unfamiliar, fiddler crabs are a wonderful example of sexual dimorphism. This is because female fiddler crabs have two claws of the same size. In contrast, male fiddler crabs have one claw that is much bigger than the other. Something that is particularly noticeable because fiddler crabs are a collection of very small species. Further support for this connection can be found in how male fiddler crabs use their oversized claw for communication purposes, which is true for Kingler as well. Pokemon being Pokemon, it should come as no surprise to learn that Kingler’s oversized claw makes for a formidable weapon. In fact, it is so powerful that it can pry open Shellder and Cloyster shells. However, the sheer size and the sheer weight of the claw makes it very clumsy as well, meaning that it isn’t as reliable as what interested individuals would like. Still, a base Attack of 130 means that the target is going to feel it if the claw manages to hit, which is why a well-trained Kingler has been known to do good work on the battlefield.

Mantine

Mantine evolve from Mantyke under rather unusual circumstances. In short, they don’t evolve by leveling up. Instead, Mantine become Mantine by leveling up while there is a Remoraid in the party. Something that makes this Pokemon’s source of inspiration clear in an instant. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Remoraid is based on remoras. These are a collection of fish species that can be recognized by the dorsal fin that has been converted into a sucker-like organ used to grab on to the skin of bigger marine animals. Candidates range from rays and sharks to turtles and whales. In fact, remoras have even been known to latch on to ships when the chance comes up. Relationship-wise, remoras engage in commensalism. Essentially, this means that they benefit from the relationship. In contrast, the other species is neither benefited nor harmed. Amusingly, it is possible that Mantine was inspired by fighter airplanes as well. This is because they can build up a lot of speed before breaching the surface, thus enabling them to soar for considerable distances. Under these circumstances, it is possible for their Remoraids to start shooting with exceptional accuracy, not least because Remoraids are based on archerfish as much as remoras. As such, one can make the argument that while remoras engage in commensalism, Remoraids engage in mutualism.

Toxapex

Toxapex was apparently a disappointment to a lot of people. This was because its pre-evolution Mareanie was what one might call ugly cute, meaning that said individuals were expecting something more aesthetically-pleasing. Instead, they got Toxapex, which pretty much swerved on the metaphorical road by turning into a very small Pokemon suspended from a collection of huge, spiked tentacles. When people see Toxapex, chances are good that they will think of starfish. This makes sense because it is based on the crown-of-thorns starfish that is infamous for feeding on stony coral polyps. Large populations of crown-of-thorns starfish are sometimes called plagues, which is a term that speaks volumes about how their impact on coral reefs is perceived by humans. Similarly, Toxapex feed on Corsola. Besides that, it is interesting to note that it is a very defense-oriented Pokemon. In part, this is because Toxapex lives up to its name by possessing potent venom. However, its tentacles can form a protective dome at need, thus sheltering it from the elements.

Wishiwashi

Wishiwashi has no evolution. However, a higher-level Wishiwashi can use Schooling to turn from a small, feeble-looking fish into a huge underwater predator formed from numerous smaller fish. Appearance-wise, Wishiwashi resembles nothing so much as sardines, which is a good choice because sardines are one of the better-known species that engage in schooling. That is when fish choose to move together in a coordinated fashion, thus providing themselves with important advantages in everything from foraging to surviving predators. Wishiwashi take this a step further by turning into a ferocious combatant through schooling, though tossing in a touch of fantasy is one of the fun things about the Pokemon series.