What Was the First Pokémon? a Look Back at Lore and Design

When you think of Pokémon, there are a few names that likely come to mind. Pikachu, Charizard, Bulbasaur, and Mewtwo are just a handful of names that define the first Generation of the series and still remain propped up in the franchise to this day. But there are so many additions in the Pokédex now that it can be easy to forget which Pokémon came first.

As of now, there are 923 entries in the total Pokédex. Scarlet and Violet are just around the corner and will almost certainly bring that total to over 1,000. There’s never been a better time to look back at the beginnings of the Pokédex, but the answer to the first Pokémon is more complicated than you might think.

Whether it’s through lore, development, or the Pokédex itself, we’ll go over which Pokémon is truly the first in the Legendary Nintendo franchise.

Can the Pokédex answer the question of the original?

While the Pokédex might be on its way to 1,000 entries, that doesn’t mean we can’t look back toward the original additions. The Kanto region is the first area that was ever released and was the set location of both Pokémon Red and Blue. Yellow and Green versions were also released and contained the same original Kanto Region along with the original Pokédex.

Every fan of the series remembers that the first game had 151 entries with many names that are cemented classics. But there aren’t many names that can beat the popularity of the first nine entries, aside from a select few like Snorlax or Pikachu. Of those nine though, which Kanto starter is the first ever?

Though Charmander is clearly one of the most popular starters of all time, it’s Bulbasaur that takes the spot as the first Pokédex entry ever. With the 001 spot, the Grass-type and its subsequent evolutions could technically be called the first Pokémon based on how Game Freak listed them in their games. Even now, they are still listed as the first.

However, being the first in the Pokédex may not necessarily equate to being the first in lore or development. The concepts that Game Freak originally tackled can change the way we look at the first pocket monsters

Game Freak Creates Their First Pokémon Concept

Game Freak was working on the first games in the 90s, and with a clean slate ahead of them, they were able to conceptualize some incredibly simple and unique designs for their Pokémon. It’s no coincidence that so many of the Kanto entries have basic names with easy-to-recognize features. They needed to create an enticing lineup of pocket monsters to capture the world within Kanto.

There had to be a starting point though, and sure enough, we know exactly what Game Freak created first. Ken Sugimori, one of the original character designers for the Pokémon franchise, confirmed what the first design truly was. Rhydon is where everything began, despite being entry #112 in the Pokédex, and it even set the tone for the game overall.

Most of the Kanto Region designs were originally supposed to be modeled after dinosaurs. This includes Lapras and Clefairy who were both early concepts as well and were meant to follow the same trend as Rhydon. So in a way, Rhydon is technically the first Pokémon ever when you look at it from a development standpoint and that fact also bleeds into the first game.

Many of the representations of Pokémon, like badges or statues, were simply symbols modeled after Rhydon. This seemingly impactless dinosaur can be found all over the game files and now we know why. But that doesn’t tell us who the first Pokémon is in terms of lore.