2. Gengar

Full disclosure: Gengar doesn’t do a lot for me, but it’s impossible to talk about ghost-type Pokémon and not give the original its flowers. Gengar and its evolutionary line held Pokémon’s paranormal layer on their backs for two generations, and while it’s mostly been characterized as a trickster over the years, the mere implication of ghosts existing in the Pokémon world is what paved the way for all of the spooky shit above. The OG (original ghost) has gotten a lot of love over the years both from fans and The Pokémon Company itself. It gets Gigantamax and Mega forms, it’s a Unite character, Ash finally got one with a heartbreaking backstory in his final stretch of the anime. It might not be on the cover of any of the games, but Gengar’s arguably one of the most iconic Pokémon in the series’ long history. Gengar’s stories lack the terrifying implications of the ghosts that would come after, but it is the blueprint on which all ghost-type Pokémon are made.