Dustin: welcome to Part 7 of the Pokemon Generations list series we're nearing the end of our adventure as we're heading toward the end of the 3DS era and the start of the Switch era now Generation 6 for the most part still was very forgetful mostly due to the fact the story in X & Y was barebones and didn't have a third version like previous generations had not to mention a certain cocktease Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire had where they didn't bring back the Battle Frontier due to no DLC it's possible this was because of the new Worldwide distribution thing previously when Pokemon games release they release in Japan first and then release in America months later nowadays a new Pokemon game is pumped out worldwide for an autumn release mostly in mid November before Thanksgiving and Christmas since those are the Holiday buying seasons especially Black Friday this is considered a high or a low depending who you ask

Ken: I will give Gen 7 credit. These games were at least an attempt at something different from the previous eras. It was a good effort to change up the formula, but it kinda went overboard with the tutorializing.

Dustin: right and this generation was so weird and off the wall we had to play it twice... yeah you heard me... TWICE! we'll explain this is Generation 7!

Pokemon Generations List Part 7: Alola

Dustin: now to be fair the new region we were given is honestly pretty cool obviously it's based on Hawaii and there are four islands with different Pokemon some of them even being totally different forms of what came before in fact this happens to be the first generation to include regional forms and they've been mainstays ever since but since we talked about some of them in the Gen 1 list we won't talk about them again here another thing there were no gyms this generation not counting Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee since they were once again remakes of Gen 1 more specifically Pokemon Yellow but with a Pokemon GO mechanic instead we go through trials and battle various Kahunas which are KINDA like gym leaders and they're pretty decent however as great as Alola is it still doesn't save it for how it was treated... [shows the Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon cases] these aren't third versions BTW nor are they sequels like Black 2 and White 2 were these are the EXACT SAME GAME but with little to no new additions making the original Sun and Moon games feel like Betas...

Ken: Kind of a weird choice. Other weird choices included a lack of traditional gyms, in favor of taking on different challenges involving Totem Pokemon and Kahunas and such. This also served as introductions to a strange new kind of Pokemon. The Ultra Beasts.

Dustin: indeed these look pretty epic also the anime was given quite a makeover while the art style on Ash is... questionable it is a pretty good series and the first and only Pokemon Anime series to air on Disney XD after leaving Cartoon Network by the end of the Gen 6 anime's run instead of taking on gyms... which there were none instead Ash goes to a Pokemon school and hangs out with friends here some of them given more development than in the games Lillie especially but he does take on trails and Totem Pokemon and enters the Pokemon League still but we won't linger too much on that so instead let's talk about the native Pokemon we meet here that aren't Alolan forms

Number 10: Mimikyu [Ghost/Fairy]

Ken: Never before have I seen something that mixes cute and unsettling. Well, that's a lie, but you know what I mean. We don't know what this Pokemon looks like under the sheet, but only that it's trying to be as loved as Pikachu. There's even a whole Japanese song about it.

Dustin: indeed now when you think of Mimikyu a few things come to mind first is it's Pikachu cosplay basically it uses this so it can basically... be Pikachu it sounds kinda stalker-ish but i find it pretty nice and it's real eyes under the head are kinda cute in a weird way it's also got some very good potential in battles trust me i've seen people use it in Gen 7 and it was a monster especially with it's own personal Z-Move [oh yeah BTW Z-Moves were the gimmick of Gen 7 similar to Mega Evolutions] and of course in the anime we got a Mimikyu there as well... only this one is different... and is a Team Rocket Pokemon

Ken: Unlike what we mentioned, Jessie's Mimkyu just seems enraged by Pikachu's existence, and will only really fight him when called. Also, Meowth might be the only one to see what's under the rag.... and it's scarred him for life.

Dustin: oh yeah Mimikyu is definitely a force to be reckoned with it may have wanted Pikachu's popularity but it got more than that in all honesty when you really think about it [at least until Gen 8 nerfed it]

Number 9: Buzzwole [Bug/Fighting]

Dustin: it's Ultra Beast time! and sad to say this is the only Ultra Beast in the list don't get me wrong the others are pretty cool in their own rights and Ash even had an Ultra Beast as a team member for a while but i just find Buzzwole the best of the group it's a strong Bug Type that can up it's attack after beating other Pokemon it's that awesome think Heracross but... beefier

Ken: Well... kind of. It's more of a mosquito than a beetle. Thankfully, it absorbs energy instead of blood, stored in those sacks all over it's body, which give the impression of it having huge muscles. Also, it's known to strike poses a lot, which is apparently a form of communication.

Dustin: yeah imagine this thing flexing to a Pheromosa the only other Bug/Fighting Ultra Beast in this generation Buzzwole definitely is an awesome Ultra Beast i wish i could use one on a team if i didn't have this rule on using legends on my teams and these are TECHNICALLY legends kinda also it's shiny form makes it look radioactive like maybe it's related to the radioactive spider that created Spiderman

Ken: Never thought we'd ever see a Bug-type that looked so beefy, but still, it's impressive.

Number 8: Primarina [Water/Fairy]

Ken: The first of the Alolan starters that we'll talk about. It's amazing that Popplio when from sea lion clown to some kind of mermaid. Actually, it's more like a Selkie. If you aren't aware of what that is, I suggest watching Song of the Sea.

Dustin: this also happens to be the first starter in all the lineups to be a Fairy Type since the creation of the type in the last gen and i gotta say it's very impressive it's awesome, it's got a cool exclusive move and i love how beautiful it looks! makes me wish that stupid 87.5% Male to 12.5% female would swap for feminine looking Pokemon... [realizes Sprigatito might get that too] i got a lot of resets ahead of me... -_-

Ken: In addition to a good variety of Water moves, she has a fair number of song based moves, including Sparkling Aria, which makes sense given its origins, as mermaids, sirens, and selkies are commonly associated with water and singing.

Dustin: oh yes and it's shiny form love that additional blond hair especially since most mermaids in pop culture have blond hair not counting Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid and of course we have Lana's Primarina in the anime took a long time to fully evolve but it became amazing really love how English Dub gave it a beautiful singing voice

Ken: And she's a decent mix of playful and responsible. Far different from her prank-loving trainer. Well, at least Lana's not malicious about her trolling.

Dustin: indeed Primarina is beautiful maybe if it should come along again in the future maybe i can use one

Number 7: Meltan and Melmetal [Steel]

Dustin: a tie because both Pokemon mostly the former brought something that Pokemon hasn't done in a long time a fun and mysterious mystery [Mysterious Mysteries from Invader Zim shows] not what i meant! before we talk about the Pokemon we need to briefly talk about it's discovery back in Pokemon GO!

Ken: What this was could be called a mystery for a long time. It really got everyone excited, and while the way you got one was... insane... it was well worth it.

Dustin: basically this mysterious Pokemon which looked like a silver Ditto with a screw on it's head got everyone talking but when you try to catch it in Pokemon GO it would turn into a Ditto a bit of a troll move like it was a glitch in the veins of Vanelope from Wreck-It Ralph but then we started to get official videos and lore about this Pokemon and then we got the name Meltan and then we got it's evolution a little bit later Melmetal which looks totally awesome and epic! i gotta say introducing a new Mythical that's NOT in the 3DS games is very impressive

Ken: And we got a chance to use it in the main games with the Let's Go games. Also, it's one of the few Mythicals with the ability to evolve. Give it 400 Meltan candies in GO, which is very much not an easy feat, it evolves to the hulking liquid metal titan known as Melmetal.

Dustin: oh yeah now i've used one that a friend sent me cause i wanted to use a Melmetal in my Isle of Armor team and it was a great Pokemon to use! yeah it's banned since it's a mythical and unfortunately it can't eat the Gigantamax soup for some reason [yeah the Gigantamax Melmetal is event only...] but i still love it and i gotta love it's Double Iron Bash too! also this happens to be Ash's very first Mythical Pokemon too

Ken: And Melmetal is such a goof, always showing off its physique. It also seems to be Rowlet's closest friend. Though it's got this issue where it'll often attack without Ash's input.

Dustin: gotta love this thing it sparked a mystery we've been longing for for years and it became the best Pokemon we've gotten but it's still not the top spot we'll get there soon don't worry but speaking of mysterious Pokemon...

Number 6: Silvally [Normal]

Ken: Can we really call Silvally an evolution? It's still basically Type: Null, only with the headgear no longer holding it back. For context, Type: Null is basically a Pokemon chimera, created by the Aether Foundation as a weapon against the Ultra Beasts, and later becoming the main partner of Gladion, who holds more right as the rival character than Hau does.

Dustin: now how can i describe Silvally? well it's like an Arceus but smaller and manmade similar to Mewtwo the reason why it's like an Arceus as it uses various items to change it's type but while Arceus uses stone plates Silvally uses discs known as Memories

Ken: It also has by far the most balanced stats of any Pokemon at default... as all its base stats are the same. It's Multi-Attack move is very unique, as its type depends on the Memory its holding at the time. That's an interesting addition. And its kinda appropriate that it evolves with high friendship. Also says a lot more about Gladion.

Dustin: indeed it's a cool Pokemon to use i wanted to use Type: Null in my Sun team originally but then i learned it's apparently picked up somewhere late game and gave up on it for Alolan Geodude but it's still a great Pokemon i even got the shiny version through a GameStop event later on it's awesome :) as for Gladion's in the anime while it's mostly the same as in the games there are a couple differences

Ken: Mostly for plot reasons, since Lusamine's anime incarnation isn't near Ragyo Kiryuin levels of "Bad Mother" like in the games. It's still shown to be a bit anxious, but thankfully it improves, and become quite sociable. Almost like a rescue dog. Appropriate.

Dustin: indeed it's awesome :)

Number 5: Lycanroc [Rock]

Dustin: speaking of dogs here we have a Pokemon so unique it has three forms depending on the time of day you play kinda like a spiritual relative to Umbreon and Espeon one of the Pokemon you can catch this generation was a cute Rock type pup called Rockruff and compared to most Rock types we know that are mostly made of rock like Onix or Geodude this one's a dog but again it evolves during a specific time if you evolve one in the day it becomes a Midday Lycanroc which looks like a normal evolution to the former if you evolve one at night it'll become a Midnight Lycanroc which stands on it's hind legs and looks like a werewolf with menacing red eyes but then when the Ultra games came around Lycanroc got the Dusk form which is basically a mix of both Midday and Midnight forms and only one specific Rockruff can get it if it has Own Tempo as it's ability

Ken: And the forms aren't just for show. Midday has high speed, Midnight has higher defenses and HP, and Dusk has a mix of speed and power. Pretty cool when Formes have their own stats. Not only that, but their moves aren't all note for note the same as one another.

Dustin: indeed they all look cool but my favorite is the Dusk form i breeded for a shiny Own Tempo Rockruff in my 3DS Alola games and when i got one i sent it over to Pokemon Sword to be a team member in the Isle of Armor and i really loved it all three have a shade of blue on the shiny forms but the Dusk one is just as great even Ash got the Dusk form Lycanroc since Olivia has the Midday form and Gladion has the Midnight form

Ken: There's also Cross' Midnight Lycanroc from the I Choose You movie, but that's another timeline altogether. Speaking of...

Number 4: Incineroar [Fire/Dark]

Ken: The second Alolan starter, Incineroar is a real beast. He's built like a pro wrestler, and fights like one too. Don't let the lower Speed fool you. He can hit hard, especially with physical moves.

Dustin: indeed but also don't let it's looks fool you it's not a Fighting type even though it looks like one but it's clearly not the case here it's still an awesome Pokemon kinda like if Bagheera from Disney's The Jungle Book got a job as a wrestler in Talespin

Ken: And its moves are mostly based around wrestling moves, including its signature move, Darkest Lariat. It was amazing, but not unexpected, that he was the Gen 7 rep for Smash Ultimate. And of course, we see a few in the anime as well.

Dustin: indeed the most notable being the Masked Royal's main Pokemon as well as the main rival to Ash's own Incineroar and by the way the whole story of that one... best in the anime by far :')

Ken: To recap, it started as a street Litten, raised by a rather old Stoutland. After one of the saddest episodes in the whole series, he joins up with Ash, and goes from being a stubborn loner to protective and close to pretty much everyone.

Dustin: indeed and it totally grew up from a Litten to a Torracat to finally an Incineroar during the Pokemon League defeating Kukui's own Incineroar and the win and evolution was so epic it stood on this one pose after evolving unable to move after the battle was over and the judge Kahuna Hala declared it unable to battle any longer WHAT. A. CHAD!

Ken: Hmm... kinda reminds me of someone. Eh. Probably my imagination.

Number 3: Tsareena [Grass]

Dustin: hehehe you know me by now Tsareena is by far one of my favorite Grass Pokemon especially since i would use it next generation as part of my Pokemon Sword team named after Madame Crystelle from Dr. Crafty how interesting to know that this Pokemon went from a cute sweet smelling berry to a sexy leggy babe! :P

Yakko and Wakko: HELLOOOOOOOOO NURSE! :P :P

Ken: Interesting how this one evolves after learning Stomp. And her design really is quite regal, I'll admit. Though, some of her moves bring to mind a... different kind of queen.

Dustin: yeah while my own is cool in the anime we got one Mallow had that grew up from a Bounsweet to Tsareena and it's just as beautiful ^///^

Ken: And thankfully, her friendly personality is retained in her evolution. She comes off as very mature, but can also show a good amount of determination. I can see why you like this one so much, Dustin.

Dustin: indeed while i didn't use one in Sun and Moon in favor of Lurantis i was able to get a second chance when Gen 8 came around and it became one of my best team members but another Pokemon of the same typing got better than Tsareena you'll see who soon :)

Number 2: Tapu Koko [Electric/Fairy]

Ken: One of the four guardians of Alola, and the one with the most plot importance in both the games and the anime. All four are themed after an animal totem pole, with Koko being a rooster. It's Speed, Attack, and variety of moves help show how fierce this rooster god really is.

Dustin: Tapu Koko is the Guardian of Melemele Island and believe me when i say it's pretty awesome some may like the other Tapu's like Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu or Tapu Fini but Tapu Koko really is the best of all of them especially since it feels like the leader of the group

Ken: He's not exactly the most responsible leader though, coming off as more curious and playful than anything else. Also, on a hilarious note, it has an explosive temper, but tends to forget what made him made almost instantly. No need for time in the angry dome.

[shot of Professor Farnsworth in the angry dome]

Dustin: anyways in the anime it always challenged Pikachu for a battle on occasion then when it came time for the Pokemon League when Ash was battling Professor Kukui after the finals Tapu Koko stepped in to be Kukui's last Pokemon

Ken: It's a good callback to the games, where you have to battle him before they roll credits.

Dustin: yeah... BTW not being able to save before you face him? bullshit! i had to use a Master Ball on it so i could catch it like with Deoxys in ORAS still Tapu Koko is an awesome Pokemon who knows what Gen 9 will bring to the table? but now it's time for the honorable mentions

Honorable Mention #1: Minior [Rock/Flying]

Dustin: another gimmick Pokemon similar to Vivillon and Furfrou and i really like it basically it's a meteor but if you shatter the outer shell it shows it's core showing a different color and it varies depending on what you find the shiny on ANY color is black too i got interested in this one due to one of the commercials for Sun and Moon where two friends have a falling out then one remembered giving a Minior to his friend and he gives one back both of them learning the words "Shooting Star" in both Japanese and Hawaiian it's pretty sweet i named my teammate Lightyear and this was before we got the movie Lightyear

Ken: Also, that movie's better than SOME people have said, but that's not the point.

Honorable Mention #2: Necrozma [Psychic]

Ken: This is an... interesting Legendary. Essentially representing an Eclipse more than anything else. Not too tough to face him in the originals, but in the Ultra games, he gets more forms, including his Ultra form, one of the toughest boss fights in the whole franchise.

Dustin: oh yeah... no doubt about it that thing was strong... why didn't we get Pokemon Stars? it would have been great but instead Necrozma had to be part of the cheapest rebuys ever but let's not get into that again

Number 1: Decidueye [Grass/Ghost, Grass/Fighting]

Dustin: another starter gets the top spot and it's possibly one of my favorites! yes i did use Incineroar twice and this was before i decided to properly build teams rather than always start with a Fire Starter all the time but this one is quite possibly the best in Alola it's basically a Robin Hood Ghostly Barn Owl and that's totally epic

Ken: Very cool design, and has the moveset to match, even throwing in a few close range moves like Leaf Blade. It also seems to have the most balance among Alola's starters. And it's Hisui variant is a little less Robin Hood, and a little more samurai in it's design. Which fits for the setting, if I'm being honest.

Dustin: i've used the Hisuian form in Legends Arceus naming it Dexter and it's an awesome team member possibly one of my favorites it's an epic fighter and compared to Chesnaught it's epic looking :D while Ash's Rowlet didn't evolve since it swallowed an Everstone for some reason... don't ask why i didn't write the anime Rowlet did get a rivalry for Hau's Decidueye and... it made an outfit to look like a miniature Decidueye... i don't know whether to laugh or be amazed it could do that...

Ken: Really wish Rowlet could have fully evolved, but... it had to swallow that Everstone. Still, Decidueye is impressive. It may have missed out on Smash, but at least you got him in Pokken Tournament DX.

Dustin: indeed i wish i could've picked it back in Sun and Moon but it's passed now and i was able to use the Hisuian one in Arceus so a win's a win :) but we're almost done tune in next time as we go into the last generation before we go into Gen 9! Generation 8! and... it's quite a mouthful i can tell you that see you next time guys!

~skullz and Ken out