5 most popular Pokemon of all time

Pokemon is the highest-grossing media franchise ever, with hundreds of monsters to befriend, battle, and love.

Pokemon has been around for almost two and a half decades. Since then, it has introduced 898 different species, with each one being unique and having a special place in someone's heart.

There are a handful, though, that remain the most popular. When it comes to cuteness, power, marketability, or rarity, some Pokemon just overshadow the remaining species. Note that this list is slightly subjective and the popularity of Pokemon can change at any time.

Top 5 most popular Pokemon of all time

#5 - Umbreon

Something about Umbreon just resonates with Pokemon fans. The Dark Type Eveelution is actually pretty tanky in battle and just plain looks cool. It has a really high defense, special defense, and HP. From the base Pokemon entries to the mobile giant Pokemon GO, Umbreon is a popular pick to take on just about any team.

#4 - Greninja

The Pokemon Company conducted its own research to determine the most popular creatures within its ranks. A Pokemon of the year contest was held in February 2020, where Greninja came out on top. Greninja's popularity rose due to the anime, where its bond with Ash grows incredibly strong. It is also an incredibly competitive Pokemon in the games.

#3 - Gengar

The original roster of 151 will always hold a special place in the hearts of Pokemon fans. It will be incredibly difficult to see another Pocket Monster become more popular than one from the nostalgic first generation. Gengar has become more popular as the years have gone by. Pokemon fans realize how good it was and give respect to the original powerhouse of ghost types.

#2 - Charizard

A case could be made for Charizard to take the number one spot. Lately, Charizard has seen an even larger increase in popularity due to the rising interest in collecting Pokemon cards. He is the personal favorite of so many, due to being the final evolution of many players' first starter ever. Nowadays, his cards, in perfect condition, are selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Charizard rules.

#1 - Pikachu

There will never be a more popular Pokemon than Pikachu. The cute little electric rodent is the face of the franchise. In parades, on merchandise, and in commercials, Pikachu is what sells the product. The first creature that comes to mind when someone mentions the franchise is Pikachu. Even if a person has no idea what this franchise is, they probably know Pikachu. A wise decision was made to make Pikachu the forefront. It worked out well.