Which is the most forgettable Gen 1 Pokemon?

[garzog]

Ditto

[martin]

Mew - Having been exposed mainly to TCG and no games as a kid, I still forget it’s a Gen 1 Pokémon.

[pfm]

We can do this systematically.

First take out anything that is obviously not the answer (red). And anything that is probably not the answer - typically because of a reappearing role in the original anime so it will stick in people’s mind. I will included Ditto here (despite it being mentioned a couple times) because I really don’t think it’s forgettable - it’s still used in every single game for breeding and I think a lot of people have a strong association to it’s transform ability.

That leaves this

Personally, I think anything with 3 stages of evolution is going to be hard to forget, if you remember one you will remember the others. It’s a package deal.

I feel ok dropping all the above. The exception my be this line which is easier to forget. I’ll leave it in for now. Maybe this is my own bias.

There are certain pairs that are a bit too iconic to just forget.

Like these guys might not be the first to come to mind when you’re trying to recall all 151 but definitely you’ll feel dumb for forgetting them.

That takes us down to this.

I still feel like some don’t belong here, like the Diglett line, Magnemite line, probably Krabby line, Horsea specifically, Tentacool specifically, Scyther, Electabuzz/Magmar and Porygon. But I do feel pretty confident the answer is in here. What do you think so far?

[thsigma]

Seaking

[wisewailmer]

I have a hard time remembering the fire starter line. Thankfully Pokemon does a good job reminding me every other set

[lyleberr]

Several of these made appearances in the first few seasons of the anime and are a bit more known because of it. Krabby was an ash pokemon, victreebel was a james pokemon, diglett has a whole cave relating to it.

[pfm]

I’m starting off conservative

[lyleberr]

Thats fair, you reminded me golduck exists.

[fourthstartcg]

Wigglytuff is it. Completely overshadowed by its pre-evolution, has not gotten anything to make it interesting (e.g. regional form, mega evolution, gimmick) in the video games, competitively irrelevant, boring and useless in the TCG, boring shiny form. If you can show me someone on E4 who collects only Wigglytuff cards, I’ll show you a liar.

I didn’t even remember it was a gen 1 Pokemon until you posted it here.

[ddk]

Seaking, Dewgong or Seadra.

Forgettable water types outclassed by so many other things.

[caughtatpoint]

151 Original Pokémon

If everyone did this quiz we could see which pokemon people forget the most

[pfm]

I would also like to put into evidence this quiz

Original 151 Pokémon - Stats

This quiz has been taken 669,486 times

#	Pokemon	Named
25	Pikachu	94%
4	Charmander	92%
1	Bulbasaur	91%
6	Charizard	90%
7	Squirtle	89%
5	Charmeleon	84%
9	Blastoise	82%
151	Mew	81%
26	Raichu	81%
2	Ivysaur	80%
150	Mewtwo	77%
8	Wartortle	77%
12	Butterfree	72%
3	Venusaur	72%
10	Caterpie	70%
18	Pidgeot	70%
16	Pidgey	70%
11	Metapod	68%
15	Beedrill	67%
13	Weedle	67%
17	Pidgeotto	65%
19	Rattata	64%
74	Geodude	63%
14	Kakuna	63%
144	Articuno	62%
95	Onix	62%
145	Zapdos	62%
133	Eevee	61%
129	Magikarp	60%
146	Moltres	60%
149	Dragonite	58%
92	Gastly	58%
20	Raticate	57%
63	Abra	56%
23	Ekans	56%
94	Gengar	55%
93	Haunter	55%
39	Jigglypuff	55%
65	Alakazam	54%
24	Arbok	54%
76	Golem	54%
64	Kadabra	54%
148	Dragonair	53%
147	Dratini	53%
75	Graveler	53%
21	Spearow	53%
136	Flareon	52%
52	Meowth	52%
134	Vaporeon	52%
22	Fearow	51%
135	Jolteon	51%
34	Nidoking	51%
31	Nidoqueen	51%
32	Nidoran♂	51%
29	Nidoran♀	51%
68	Machamp	49%
66	Machop	48%
30	Nidorina	48%
143	Snorlax	48%
33	Nidorino	47%
120	Staryu	47%
37	Vulpix	47%
41	Zubat	47%
50	Diglett	46%
51	Dugtrio	46%
67	Machoke	46%
43	Oddish	46%
121	Starmie	46%
59	Arcanine	45%
44	Gloom	45%
35	Clefairy	44%
58	Growlithe	44%
130	Gyarados	44%
40	Wigglytuff	44%
42	Golbat	43%
124	Jynx	43%
109	Koffing	43%
53	Persian	43%
77	Ponyta	43%
100	Voltorb	43%
106	Hitmonlee	42%
78	Rapidash	42%
110	Weezing	42%
69	Bellsprout	41%
101	Electrode	41%
118	Goldeen	41%
107	Hitmonchan	41%
126	Magmar	41%
89	Muk	41%
38	Ninetales	41%
36	Clefable	40%
131	Lapras	40%
81	Magnemite	40%
122	Mr. Mime	40%
54	Psyduck	40%
45	Vileplume	40%
125	Electabuzz	38%
27	Sandshrew	38%
132	Ditto	37%
82	Magneton	37%
28	Sandslash	37%
123	Scyther	37%
88	Grimer	36%
56	Mankey	36%
119	Seaking	36%
55	Golduck	35%
70	Weepinbell	35%
113	Chansey	34%
140	Kabuto	34%
86	Seel	34%
72	Tentacool	34%
73	Tentacruel	33%
49	Venomoth	33%
141	Kabutops	32%
112	Rhydon	32%
128	Tauros	32%
48	Venonat	32%
71	Victreebel	32%
87	Dewgong	31%
116	Horsea	31%
97	Hypno	31%
115	Kangaskhan	31%
60	Poliwag	31%
61	Poliwhirl	31%
57	Primeape	31%
111	Rhyhorn	31%
79	Slowpoke	31%
142	Aerodactyl	30%
104	Cubone	30%
84	Doduo	30%
96	Drowzee	29%
46	Paras	29%
62	Poliwrath	29%
80	Slowbro	29%
138	Omanyte	28%
139	Omastar	28%
117	Seadra	28%
83	Farfetch’d	27%
47	Parasect	27%
85	Dodrio	26%
105	Marowak	26%
91	Cloyster	25%
98	Krabby	25%
137	Porygon	25%
114	Tangela	25%
127	Pinsir	24%
99	Kingler	23%
90	Shellder	23%
108	Lickitung	22%
102	Exeggcute	20%
103	Exeggutor	20%

Some things to note. Spelling matters - Exeggcute, Exeggcutor and Lickitung are some of the hardest names to spell. The way this quiz is run also favors brain connections. For example, Wigglytuff is pretty forgotten on it’s own but if you remember Jigglypuff, you will remember the evolution (and even if you don’t, there will be an empty slot on the quiz that reminds you the evolution exists. So Pokemon without evolutions will also have a large disadvantage. Another thing is that this is probably mostly done by super normies.

Notably, Krabby and Kingler also rank low The one I was too eager to cross out was Marowak it seems, but I assumed the Cubone/Marowak part of Lavender tower was hard to forget.

Also a lot depends on the definition of “forgettable”. Does forgettable mean not notable? or does it mean your brain can’t spawn the name without a prompt? They are correlated but not the same. For example, Omanyte ranks low but I think a lot of people would associate it with Twitch Plays Pokemon where the helix fossil became a God. That’s definitely notable.

[banks]

Nice sources! I think it’s tangela. Zero notable appearances. No evolutions. Shows up as a rare encounter in a single patch of grass below pallet town in the first games. Has ~20 card arts total.

[pfm]

@banks

No evolutions

do i mean nothing to you

[banks]

That’s a digimon, easy mistake to make

I sincerely forgot tangela had an evolution

[Will]

Was surprised at some I forgot! 129/151 is 85%, but feels like an F

[Dyl]

@Dyl

These would be my votes.

I think I’m sticking with Seaking.

[Quuador]

The website linked by @caughtatpoint had a similar result percentage list with 8.5 million plays: 151 Original Pokémon Quiz Stats

#	Pokémon	Percentage
004	Charmander	95.3%
001	Bulbasaur	94.9%
006	Charizard	93.5%
007	Squirtle	93.1%
025	Pikachu	92.3%
005	Charmeleon	91%
002	Ivysaur	90.8%
009	Blastoise	90.5%
151	Mew	89.3%
008	Wartortle	87.3%
026	Raichu	87.2%
150	Mewtwo	86.6%
003	Venusaur	86%
010	Caterpie	85.5%
016	Pidgey	85.4%
012	Butterfree	85.3%
011	Metapod	84.6%
018	Pidgeot	84.5%
013	Weedle	84.1%
015	Beedrill	83.3%
014	Kakuna	83%
017	Pidgeotto	82.7%
145	Zapdos	80.1%
019	Rattata	79.9%
144	Articuno	79.6%
146	Moltres	78.9%
074	Geodude	77.9%
149	Dragonite	77.6%
020	Raticate	77.2%
133	Eevee	76.5%
023	Ekans	75.4%
147	Dratini	75.3%
148	Dragonair	75.2%
021	Spearow	75.1%
024	Arbok	74.4%
022	Fearow	74.4%
095	Onix	73.9%
063	Abra	73.8%
029	Nidoran♀	73.6%
032	Nidoran♂	73.6%
129	Magikarp	73.5%
092	Gastly	73.4%
136	Flareon	73.3%
034	Nidoking	73.3%
134	Vaporeon	73.3%
031	Nidoqueen	73.1%
093	Haunter	73%
076	Golem	72.9%
135	Jolteon	72.8%
094	Gengar	72.6%
064	Kadabra	72.5%
075	Graveler	72.3%
065	Alakazam	72.1%
030	Nidorina	71.9%
033	Nidorino	71.6%
039	Jigglypuff	70%
143	Snorlax	69.4%
043	Oddish	69.1%
052	Meowth	68.9%
068	Machamp	68.7%
066	Machop	68.5%
044	Gloom	68.1%
037	Vulpix	67.8%
067	Machoke	67.8%
059	Arcanine	67.4%
038	Ninetales	67.4%
041	Zubat	67.2%
058	Growlithe	66.3%
130	Gyarados	66.1%
120	Staryu	66%
053	Persian	65.7%
050	Diglett	65.6%
035	Clefairy	65.4%
051	Dugtrio	65.4%
042	Golbat	65.3%
121	Starmie	65.2%
040	Wigglytuff	64.7%
131	Lapras	64.7%
045	Vileplume	64.3%
069	Bellsprout	64.3%
126	Magmar	64.1%
077	Ponyta	63.4%
036	Clefable	63.2%
100	Voltorb	63%
124	Jynx	62.8%
106	Hitmonlee	62.8%
118	Goldeen	62.6%
109	Koffing	62.4%
078	Rapidash	62.3%
107	Hitmonchan	62%
028	Sandslash	61.8%
027	Sandshrew	61.8%
125	Electabuzz	61.5%
101	Electrode	61.5%
110	Weezing	61.4%
140	Kabuto	61.3%
122	Mr. Mime	61%
081	Magnemite	60.4%
123	Scyther	60%
141	Kabutops	59.8%
119	Seaking	59.8%
089	Muk	59.6%
070	Weepinbell	59.6%
082	Magneton	59%
132	Ditto	58.8%
054	Psyduck	58.3%
056	Mankey	58.1%
086	Seel	57.5%
088	Grimer	57.4%
071	Victreebel	57.2%
142	Aerodactyl	56.8%
048	Venonat	56.7%
049	Venomoth	56.3%
128	Tauros	56.3%
113	Chansey	56.3%
055	Golduck	56.2%
060	Poliwag	55.7%
138	Omanyte	55.4%
139	Omastar	55.3%
061	Poliwhirl	55.2%
057	Primeape	54.8%
072	Tentacool	54.6%
087	Dewgong	54.3%
073	Tentacruel	54.3%
116	Horsea	54%
046	Paras	53.8%
062	Poliwrath	53.7%
112	Rhydon	53.7%
084	Doduo	53.5%
111	Rhyhorn	53.1%
097	Hypno	53%
047	Parasect	52.2%
115	Kangaskhan	52%
079	Slowpoke	51.8%
117	Seadra	51.8%
137	Porygon	51.6%
096	Drowzee	51.6%
104	Cubone	51.4%
080	Slowbro	50.9%
085	Dodrio	50.5%
127	Pinsir	50.3%
083	Farfetch’d	50.1%
105	Marowak	48.9%
114	Tangela	48.4%
091	Cloyster	48.4%
090	Shellder	46.9%
098	Krabby	45.8%
099	Kingler	44.6%
102	Exeggcute	44.3%
103	Exeggutor	44%
108	Lickitung	41.3%

The percentages may be a bit higher overall, but the order is fairly similar.

And I agree with the Exeggcute and Exeggutor. I had the spelling on those wrong all the time when I did these tests five years ago.

PS: Mew and Pidgeot being above Mewtwo and Pidgeotto is also because someone might have typed Mewtwo but it already triggered on the first three letters. Not that any of those are forgettable, but just an FYI that you don’t have to manually commit them (e.g. by pressing enter). As soon as the correct spelling is in the input-box, it’ll accept it.

Greetz,
Quuador

[POKEBEAST]

i disagree strongly with that analysis

mr. mime is actually a meme, its very memorable. magneton and hitmonchan are actually holos in the base set, this makes them very memorable by default. If you pulled packs at all there is a good chance you pulled one of those… and it surely stood out to you like a sore thumb as they were holos and as kids most of us didnt buy full blown booster boxes we were lucky if our parents bought us a single pack or two at a time… so every holo we had we focused on

Magmar had one of the most famous battles ever in the anime vs charizard. It was literally the original Blaine’s. Taurus is one of the strongest pokemon ever in the video game. It dominated gen 1 pvp. Dugrio is one of the most recognizable arts for pokemon 1st gen and stands out to ppl who literally though, wtf? a pile of mud? and is actually marketed quite a bit by pokemon over the years

[lyleberr]

@POKEBEAST

stands out to ppl who literally thought, wtf? a pile of mud?

Literally have never even heard this. So who would you suggest is most forgotten?