Drifloon and Drifblim

It's the fourth gen's first ghost type! And what a darling weirdo it is, a ghost/flying balloon. Infamously, this cutie has one of the most unsettling pokedex entries in almost the entire franchise up to this point: supposedly, Drifloon attempt drag human children to the underworld, but they're just too lightweight to get the job done.

We're not told if Drifblim continues Drifloon's creepy habits, but we're told it can carry humans or other pokemon into the air. Unfortunately, it doesn't really steer itself, but goes wherever the wind takes it, and doesn't make the most effective transportation mechanism.

I actually always thought this was one of the fourth generation's nicest new designs; though clearly based on a hot air balloon, it's easy to accept as a natural organism, like some sort of gas-filled aerial jellyfish. Did you know those were an actual theory at one time? They never gained a whole lot of traction, but there were certainly those within the "paranormal research" community who posited the existence of spooky, floating sky-monsters high up in our atmosphere.

My favorite design detail of these two is the x-shaped "patch" on their face, which is just adorable and SO much better than just slapping a more traditional mouth on them, though the actual mouth opening is a tiny, round pore at the center of the x. It's a little odd, and I'd have probably chosen their mouths to be their undersides - like a jellyfish! - but I'm just so thankful they don't just have an anime face. They really don't look or feel like any other pokemon, and to me, that's nearly always a good thing.

A highly unique idea with a lovable design.

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