In 1999, Pokemon fans were treated to two brand new types when they booted up Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver for the first time. Introduced as a way to balance types, Dark and Steel-type Pokemon provided players with new strategies and builds for their teams while refreshing the Pokemon franchise in between generations.
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Since their implementation in the games, Dark-type Pokemon usually consists of designs that lend to hostile Pokemon with cruel intentions and troubled pasts. And with that comes a host of inventive designs, leading to some of the most recognizable Pokemon of the entire series - whether their nature is inherently bad or good.
Foxes are often described as sly and cunning creatures, and Thievul certainly works off this trope. However, if the nature of the red fox wasn't enough, the Zorro-like mask, stereotypical villain mustache, and sweeping tail give it away. That and the combination of "thief" and "vulpes" in its name.
Nickit, Thievul's pre-evolution, is described as "cunning and cautious" in Pokemon Shield, covering its tracks "with swipes of its tail as it makes off with its plunder." Thievul's tail is designed similarly, providing more of an opportunity to swipe away evidence from the scene of a crime.
Despite its pre-evolution being obtainable early on in Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire, Mightyena is a formidable creature to have on players' teams.
Its large, pointed ears and shaggy fur give the impression that Mightyena's design is based on the brown hyena, while its build and coloring fits more with a dog or wolf. Either way, Mightyena's design showcases its canine tendencies and behavior with its sharp claws and snarling mouth. While the muted black and gray design is pretty straightforward, the pops of red and yellow in its eyes show that this is a Pokemon not to be messed with.
Galarian Moltres maintains the flaming body of its Kantonian predecessor but adapts to its Dark-type with varying shades of crimson. This "sinister, flame-like aura" described in Pokemon Sword's Pokedex says this regional variant of Moltres "will consume the spirit of any creature it hits" and that its "victims become burned-out shadows of themselves."
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Both Kantonian and Galarian Moltres are based on legendary firebirds like the phoenix and Slavic Firebird. But it draws the majority of its design from the Vermilion Bird - one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations.
Zoroark may be yet another Pokemon based on the Kitsune of Japanese folklore. But unlike Ninetales, Zoroark embodies the illusionary capabilities of this mythical fox. According to Sakuraco, Kitsune are often regarded as "shape-shifting tricksters," which is Zoroark's main power. There are seven types of Kitsune, with Zoroark's design taking influence from the Yako mixed with the Kurogitsune or Genko Kitsune, a "black furred fox that incarnated into the Big Dipper."
The dark crimson and black coloring of its fur not only lend to Zoroark's dark typing, but the possibility that it's related to the Kukan, also known as the void Kitsune, which are "notorious for draining life at an alarming rate, vanishing into shadows, and absorbing light into their bodies."
Dragons are always a popular design choice for Pokemon, but Hydreigon hits a little differently. Rather than focusing on the power and velocity of its Dragon-type, Hydreigon's design gives off a creepier vibe thanks to its arms - two heads that aren't sentient. However, as its Pokedex entry describes, it will use "all three heads to consume and destroy everything." This, coupled with the thin, straggly wings and atrophied feet, make Hydreigon feel more ghostly than dark.
Hydreigon's design is based on Japanese folklore, bringing the myth of the Yamata no Orochi to life. While this mythical creature has eight heads and tails, it shares a similar coloration of red eyes and a red belly with its Pokemon counterpart.
Sharpedo's design is on the nose (literally), morphing the fearsome aquatic creature with a torpedo. A formidable-looking Pokemon despite its size, Sharpedo has garnered the nickname of "the bully of the sea" in Pokemon Ruby's Pokedex and is "widely feared" among trainers and other Pokemon. With its sharp teeth and the notches on its fears suggesting many battles, it's not hard to believe this description.
Mega Sharpedo ramps its destructive nature further, with its fangs now merged into its jaw and protruding from its nose. Mega Sharpedo has even more scarring from battle due to the process of Mega Evolution, which has caused "its combative instincts" to explode, as noted in its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Moon.
Zigzagoon was first introduced in Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire, but its Galarian form is said to be its original form. In Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, Galarian Zigzagoon resembles a European badger, an abundant animal throughout the United Kingdom, on which Galar is based.
Galarian Zigzagoon also seems to be partly inspired by glam rock make-up, particularly that of the band Kiss. While Kiss isn't from the UK, they were a major part of the glam rock/metal scene, which was also prevalent in the country thanks to bands like Def Leppard and Wrathchild. This theme carries on in its new final evolution Obstagoon, who is a member of a group called The Maximizers.
Liepard's sleek design lends itself to being one of the most beautiful cat Pokemon in the franchise, despite its tenacity. It is a Dark-type, after all. Trainers in the Pokemon world are often drawn to Liepard's "beautiful form and fur," according to its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Black. But as its entry in Pokemon Sword details, Liepard is a "moody and vicious Pokemon."
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Like Thievul, Liepard's design is also reminiscent of a thief due to its mask-like pattern on the eyes and its questioning, scythe-like tail.
Known as the Disaster Pokemon, Absol is mistakenly regarded by trainers as a bringer of misfortune rather than a protector. As its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Moon describes, "in actuality, this Pokemon possesses a calm disposition that warns people of any crisis that looms." This is subtly shown through the design of its head, which looks remarkably like the Taijitu symbol, an ancient philosophy that "reflects the inescapably intertwined duality of all things in nature."
In both its normal and Mega Evolved form, Absol seems to be partly inspired by the Bai Ze - a legendary beast from Chinese mythology that can communicate with humans and knows "how to dispel, exorcize, and/or protect against evil creatures."
Having evolved from Eevee during the night with high friendship, Umbreon is regarded as the Moonlight Pokemon. According to Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire, this Pokemon "evolved as a result of exposure to the moon's waves," which make the yellow rings and circles on its body glow once darkness falls.
The simplicity of Umbreon's design makes it one of the most effective for its Dark-typing. While it's not clear precisely what Umbreon is based on, there's a possibility that its design draws inspiration from Texcatilipoca - an Aztec god with the ability to shapeshift into a jaguar "with spotted skin of which was compared to the starry sky."
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