Pokémon as a franchise is known and loved for many reasons. Some fans love the games and enjoy making their way through them and finishing the adventure. Others are all about the Pokémon themselves and enjoy finding which creatures speak to them on a personality and aesthetic level.
Others like specific types, such as the Dark-type, and spend hours organizing them into categories based on certain criteria. In that same fashion, let’s now take a look at the 5 cutest and 5 ugliest Dark-type Pokémon, through Pokémon Sword & Shield.
10 Cute: Morpeko
At its base isn’t Morpeko just the latest Pikachu clone to enter the franchise? Yes, that is 100% true, but that doesn’t mean that Morpeko isn’t also one of the cutest Dark-type Pokémon in existence.
It has an interesting mechanic unique to it which has it changing forms in battle every turn. Each has its benefits and requires the oversight of a competent trainer. Morpeko is a tiny little rotund rodent who’s always looking to stuff its belly with food. There’s no reason you shouldn’t adore it as it is built to cuddle with its trainer.
9 Ugly: Mightyena
It’s hard to make a canine ugly in the world of cartoons and animation, but in that respect, Mightyena breaks the mold. In a franchise with so many adorable puppy and dog-like creatures, it’s unfortunate when one of them is clearly lesser.
Mightyena isn’t only ugly, it also lacks any sort of spice or mystery when it comes to its design whatsoever. Fans often argue about which Pokémon have the best designs and which read as generic, and unfortunately for Mightyena, it lands easily in the camp of the latter.
8 Cute: Zorua
Zorua is cute simply because it happens to be a tiny little fox. It stands at roughly two feet tall and weighs around 28 pounds on average. You can tell by looking at it that it sports a coat of thick fur that’s also likely pretty soft for anyone trying to get their hands on one.
It’s pretty mischievous and enjoys tricking people, and this only gets worse and more active once it evolves. Trainers should be warned that the cute face is just a facade and they should understand what they’re getting themselves into with Zorua.
7 Ugly: Spiritomb
Imagine if your face was comprised of 108 different people. This is the reality for Spiritomb as it is a Pokémon made up of 108 different spirits, which results in the weird amalgamation it calls a face and body.
Most ghosts and spirits need a tie to the physical realm and often use real-world objects. For Spiritomb it focuses on a rock called a keystone that you can see at the bottom of its face. Another reason it’s so off-putting is that the color combination of lime green and purple isn’t the easiest thing to pull off.
6 Cute: Umbreon
Would it truly be a list of cute Pokémon if an evolution of Eevee didn’t make the cut? Umbreon is Eevee’s Dark-type path and this little critter is just as adorable as its fluffy base form. Just like a certain selection of people loves black cats, Umbreon’s vibe isn’t necessarily for everyone.
This Pokémon is intrinsically tied to the moon and fits best with trainers who have just as much mystery surrounding them as Umbreon does. Umbreon may not be for you, but you can’t deny that this black and golden feline is super cute.
5 Ugly: Drapion
Nothing that’s labeled as the Ogre Scorp Pokémon can possibly be cute or adorable. Drapion is what happens when designers lean into the more foreboding themes behind Dark-type Pokémon.
Not only does this giant hideous scorpion stand at four feet tall and weigh close to 140 pounds, but it also comes equipped with claws. Part of why Drapion is so ugly is that its face is discomforting to look at, which is only aided by the fact that Drapion doesn’t have a neck of any sort. It seems like the type of Pokémon that eats children if given the opportunity.
4 Cute: Scraggy
Scraggy, otherwise known as the Shedding Pokémon, is a Dark-type that only gets cuter the longer you look at it. At first, it simply looks like some sort of desert reptile, but upon closer inspection, its design is meant to have it look like Scraggy’s pants are too big. It’s perpetually in a state where it has to hold its pants up.
Pair this with a facial expression featuring two large eyes and anxiety flowing through every inch and you end up with arguably the cutest reptile in the entire Pokémon franchise.
3 Ugly: Morgrem
Almost everyone has an awkward teenage phase where their body is changing due to hormones brought upon via puberty. At the same time, this is often where people struggle with identity and look to change their appearance.
Morgrem is the living embodiment of both of those things and is the emo teen we all were or knew. Along with its funny-looking hair, Morgrem also has long lanky arms and a giant nose. It may not get any cuter when it evolves, but at least it earns some points for becoming intimidating.
2 Cute: Inkay
When looking through all of the Dark-type Pokémon in the franchise it’s safe to say that Inkay is clearly top-tier in terms of pure cuteness. This tiny little squid, known as the Revolving Pokémon, is a jam-packed tiny serving of adorable that trainers want to protect and train.
Designers managed to make the normally terrifying squid mouth cute and paired that with large round eyes. The flashing lights on its head can tame angry opponents and make them lose the will to fight, so Inkay is also a warrior of peace.
1 Ugly: Carvanha
Carvanha is the Pokémon epitome of having a face only a mother can love. This Water and Dark-type fish scours the sea with an under-bite that could win awards. It has sunken eyes and a spiky mandible that help in making this thing arguably the least approachable Pokémon in existence.
Its colors are quite nice, but that can’t do much when it comes to making Carvanha a desirable creature for those looking for endearing and adorable Pokémon. Thankfully it evolves into something much cooler at level 30.
NEXT: Pokémon: The Best Ground-Type Pokémon Of Every Generation, Ranked
