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There are more than 900 Pokemon in existence at the moment, but fans will always remember the original 151 as the most iconic and beloved of them all. The first season of the anime was one of the main reasons the franchise got so popular.
Every one of the creatures that appeared in the Indigo League season was special in its own way. However, some of them were rarer than others. This list will rank the 10 rarest Pokemon featured in the original season.
Disclaimer: This list will be based on the author’s opinion and will contain spoilers from the Indigo League season.
Not everyone can claim they have seen these Pokemon
10) Ash’s Pikachu
Pikachu is not a rare Pokemon in the anime or the games. It is found in many regions and we have seen many trainers use it in battle. But Ash’s Pikachu is unlike any other Pikachu.
Ash’s most loyal partner is several times stronger than any other member of its species, able to fight and defeat opponents none of its kind could. Pikachu’s strength was not at its peak during the Indigo League, but there is no doubt it was one of the strongest even back then.
9) Abra/Alakazam
Alakazam's rareness comes from the fact that his first stage is so difficult to catch. Abra is known for its ability to teleport and avoid combat, even in the anime. Abra is a difficult creature to capture, and many trainers lose interest in it after a while.
And even if you are able to catch one, its second stage is not a creature anyone can train. Kadabra has such amazing psychic abilities that it causes headaches for anyone with a weak mind. Obtaining an Alakazam was one of the most difficult feats during the Indigo League.
8) Dragonite
Dragonite is one of the rarest Pokemon in the anime world. Its status as a pseudo-legendary entity comes from the few sightings of this species. Its previous forms, Dratini and Dragonair, are hard to spot and catch as well, adding to the difficulty.
There was only one Dragonite in the entire Indigo League season, a giant member of the species that used to talk to a Lighthouse worker. Although fans would later see many more Dragonite in the series, at the time, it was one of the rarest creatures.
7) Porygon
Porygon is not only one of the rarest Pokemon in the Indigo League but also one of the rarest in the entire anime. Porygon has only been seen twice in the series, both of them in the original Indigo League season.
Porygon was banned from the anime after its episode became infamous for causing seizures in viewers. Porygon never made an appearance in the series again — minus small cameos in the background — until Pokemon Journeys, where fans were able to see this artificial creature again.
6) Aerodactyl
Aerodactyl is one of the most popular fossil creatures in the franchise. Its own nature as a fossil makes it one of the rarest creatures in the anime. Few trainers can come across the amber that can get them this powerful partner and even fewer can revive the Pokemon.
Like most other members on this list, this Pokemon was only seen once during the Indigo League. That said, it was an important part of the series as it battled against Ash’s Charmeleon, allowing it to evolve into Charizard.
5) Omastar
Another prehistoric being that made an appearance in the first season only once, Omastar is ranked above the flying fossil because it is the evolved form of another fossil.
To obtain an Omastar, you need to train Omanyte. This adds another layer of difficulty before you can obtain this iconic prehistoric creature. Needless to say, few trainers will be able to obtain this strong partner.
4) Kabutops
Like the last two entries, Kabutops comes from a fossil, making it difficult to obtain by definition. It is also one of the coolest-looking creatures from the original 151. And like Omastar, it needs to evolve before reaching this form.
Kabutops is the evolved form of Kabuto and needs a lot of training before reaching this stage. Unlike the two previous entries, Kabutops made two appearances in the Indigo League season. It appeared as a Giant Pokemon and in the episode the other two fossil creatures appeared.
3) Team Rocket’s Meowth
As was the case with Pikachu, Meowth is a common creature to find. You can find this cat-like being everywhere you go. But amongst all the Meowths in the world, only Team Rocket’s can speak.
This Meowth wanted to learn to speak to impress a female member of its species. But after that failed, he became part of the iconic trio of villains. He is one of the best characters in the series, with a sarcastic and sassy attitude that fans cannot help but love.
2) Mew
Mew is said to be the ancestor of all Pokemon. Its DNA is found in every creature around the world. Its mythical nature means that it is incredibly hard to find, and it shows. Mew only has one appearance in the entire first season.
Mew was only part of the Indigo league Movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back. Mewtwo comes to life because of its DNA.
Fans later learned that Mew is not a single being but is a member of a species; however, during the Indigo League era, it was so rare that some people even doubted its existence.
1) Mewtwo
There is no rarer Pokemon in the original series than Mewtwo. An artificially-created being, designed and controlled by Team Rocket, it is one of the most powerful creatures in the entire franchise.
Since it was created in a laboratory, it is the only entry on this list that's not a part of a species. There are technically two Mewtwos, but this is mostly due to legal issues. But for many years, especially during the Indigo League, Mewtwo was the most unique creature in the series.
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