With a second trailer released recently for the highly anticipated Pokémon Violet & Scarlet, fans are more enthusiastic than ever about the new region and Pokémon designs to come. With over 900 Pokémon in total, numerous designs have impressed fans over the years, and many designs have been water Pokémon. Water Pokémon usually come in cool and icy shades of color, such as blue, turquoise, and white, and often resemble a form of aquatic creatures.
Unfortunately, not every water-type Pokémon has been so lucky - many have dull color palettes, disproportionate shapes, goofy, wacky facial features, and other unsettling design aspects that fans have dubbed ugly. With the release date for Pokémon Violet & Scarlet set for late 2022, fans can only hope the Pokémon design team has learned from the mistakes made in previous generations.
Magikarp
Magikarp is well-known in the Pokémon franchise as one of the most useless creatures in the games with its splash ability that has zero effect in and out of battle. Fortunately, Magikarp makes more of a statement when it evolves into Gyarados, but until then the fish Pokémon is not only useless but also visually unappealing to look at.
Magikarp's large eyes paired with the fact that its mouth is consistently open give this water type a rather wacky appearance. Not only that, but Magikarp can commonly be seen flailing around, struggling to make any real impact or threat to its opponents.
Qwilfish
Qwilfish is a Water-type Pokémon resembling a puffer fish introduced in Generation 2's Johto region. While Qwilfish has an interesting idea behind its concept (it inflates itself with the water it drinks to shoot out its poison spikes at opponents) Qwilfish also has a somewhat unsettling appearance.
This circular fish Pokémon features an intense, cross-eyed gaze and large, pink lips, giving it a rather aggressive image. Unfortunately, while having these aggressive facial features, Qwilfish lacks any other design elements of power and remains a rather forgettable Water-type Pokémon as far as design memorability goes.
Simipour
Simipour has made a name for itself alongside the other two of the elemental monkey trio as one of the most hated Pokémon designs throughout the entire franchise. Upon reveal, fans could not get over the cartoonish, generic design of this Pokémon, and many pretend it does not exist at all.
Fan disappointment was voiced in the decision to use the same concept across all three Unova monkey Pokémon, not only to replicate the same concept as a starter Pokémon with fire, water, and grass typings but also to give these Pokémon such a lackluster appearance. With its strange humanoid-like long hair and dress-like design - not to mention its empty white eyes - Simipour was a Pokémon concept that well and truly failed.
Relicanth
Relicanth is a dual-type water/rock Pokémon introduced in Generation 3's Hoenn region. Relicanth is known as the longevity Pokémon, and unfortunately for this Pokémon, this fact is shown prominently in its design.
With a color palette consisting of dulled shades of brown and tans, Relicanth misses out compared to some of the more brightly-colored fish Pokémon. Not only this, but Relicanth's face is constructed with lines to resemble the wrinkles of an elderly person and tired-looking closed eyes. With no pre-evolution or evolution line to add to its design, Relicanth falls flat for many.
Whiscash
Whiscash is another dual-type Pokémon introduced in the Hoenn region. Whiscash is a water/ground type Pokémon that uses vicious tremors to repel foes from its territory. While many fans found its pre-evolution, Barboach, to have a cute charm to its design, that charm did not carry over to Whiscash at all.
Whiscash gives off an incredibly goofy look with its long whiskers, its blank-looking toon eyes, and its large blue lips angled in a smile. Unfortunately for this Pokémon, whose Pokédex entry makes a point of how territorial it can be, its design does not resemble this temperament at all.
Binacle
Binacle, introduced in generation 6's Kalos region, is one of the oddest water Pokémon in existence by far. Known as the 'two-handed' Pokémon, Binacle is just that - two strange creature-like hands sticking out from a rock. Though its name hints at taking inspiration from sea barnacles, many fans agree it doesn't seem to fit the Water typing.
Binacle is a bizarre creation with its two twin-like clawed arms, both featuring cartoonish facial features. With what can be compared to googly eyes surrounded by frown lines, and pouch-like cheeks that give it a very grumpy look, this Pokémon is one of the more unattractive water types.
Huntail
Huntail, known as the deep-sea Pokémon, is a water type introduced in generation 3's Hoenn region. Huntail has an interesting trait in the form of its tail, which is shaped like a small fish. Huntail uses its tail to attract unsuspecting prey within the deep waters it lives in.
Unfortunately for Huntail, that is where the positively interesting design aspects stop. The rest of this eel-like Pokémon’s design features a large, opened jaw with asymmetrical teeth and unusual fins located on the chin and a singular oversized fin on the top of its head resembling some strange mohawk-like hairdo.
Bruxish
Bruxish is a brightly colored fish Pokémon introduced in Generation 7's bright and beachy Alola region. From the moment Bruxish debuted, fans quickly voiced their negative thoughts on the design. Though Bruxish's Pokédex entry has an interesting concept detailing its use of psychokinetic abilities to stun opponents before gnashing them with its sharp teeth, visually, this Pokémon is a lot for trainers to look at.
Bruxish's bright clash of colors already makes this Pokémon a lot to look at, but in addition, the monstrous-looking teeth, the large, exaggerated lips, and dramatic eyelashes do absolutely nothing to improve the appearance of this fish. Rather, Bruxish looks as if it belongs to a children's coloring book of nightmares.
Dracovish
Dracovish is one of four fossil Pokémon introduced in Generation 8's Galar region. These fossil Pokémon are unique to previous generations in that players can combine Fossilised Drake or Fossilised Bird with Fossilised Fish, or Fossilised Dino to restore a new 'Pokémon.' Dracovish is the Water/Dragon-type fossil combination of Drake and Fish, and is, unfortunately, a sore sight to look at.
This poor Pokémon has a large fish-like head attached to the end of a long tail. Though some fans find Dracovish's mannerisms somewhat cute and endearing, there is no denying that Dracovish looks completely unnatural - resembling a 'Frankenstein' of the Pokémon world, which is an unsettling thought.
Feebas
Feebas, who was introduced to fans in Generation 3's Hoenn region, is notoriously known for being rare and hard to find. Though Feebas doesn't appear all that appealing at first glance, much like Magikarp, trainers seek after this fish Pokémon in hopes of evolving it into its final form - the beautiful Milotic.
While its evolved form may be a Pokémon of beauty, the same cannot be said for Feebas. Feebas's design features a dull tan/brown body, deep, sunken eyes, and a sad-looking mouth. It's no wonder many fans consider this fish one of the most unappealing Water types of the franchise.
