Who was the first Pokémon created?

Since the release of the original Pokémon games in the late ’90s, Pokémon has grown into one of the biggest franchises in gaming. And even today, after hundreds and hundreds of new Pokémon have been added to the games, trading card, and anime series, some of the most iconic Pokémon in the game are still those from the first generation, the original 151.

The original starters and their evolutions are some of the most popular creations to ever emerge from the Pokémon series, with players grinding through games and packs of cards to get their Charizard or Blastoise. And that’s before we talk about Pikachu, the most famous Pokémon of all time. The first generation is full of classic designs and powerful creatures that players could train and partner with on their own journeys.

With so many classic Pokémon in the first generation of games, many players might be wondering which Pokémon was the first one created. Was it Pikachu, the Pokémon that became so iconic thanks to the anime and subsequently becoming the mascot for Pokémon Yellow? Maybe it was one of the starters, like Squirtle, Charmander, or Bulbasaur. Even Eevee seems like a good candidate, with how popular its evolutions became and its status as the starter Pokémon of the player’s rival in Pokémon Yellow.

Which one came first?

The first Pokémon ever created

It may come as a surprise to some fans, but the first Pokémon wasn’t Pikachu, according to interviews with Pokémon designer Ken Sugimori. It wasn’t any of the starter Pokémon or their evolutions, and it wasn’t even a Legendary. 

Instead, the very first Pokémon ever created was Rhydon. 

Sugimori revealed that originally, Pokémon were all supposed to be modeled after dinosaurs, hence Rhydon’s dinosaur-like appearance, as well as several other early Pokémon designs, like Lapras. Eventually, the decision was made to make Pokémon into all sort of animals, as well as some inanimate objects.

The answer to the question of the first Pokémon is also teased in the earliest games. Ever wondered what those statues are whenever you enter a gym in one of the early Pokémon games, or the statues littered throughout other locations, like the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island, or the statues in the Ruins of Alph from Pokémon Silver and Gold? Those are all Rhydon statues, and the monuments to Rock and Ground type serve both as warnings to players for the tough battles to come, and to commemorate the first Pokémon ever created.