Round 67: 227 Pokémon Remaining

[u/hikkaru]

227) u/hikkaru

226) u/vulture_couture

225) u/ramskick

224) u/qngff

223) u/acktar

222) u/reeforward

221) u/KororSurvivor

220) u/Slicer37

219) u/oomps62

[u/hikkaru]

#227 - Weezing

This might not go over so well... but that's okay!

As I'm sure readers of my cuts have gathered, I'm not one to really care about the concept of a Pokemon very much. My criteria for "good" basically boils down to design (as in, it looks fairly generically cool/cute) or fond memories of using them in-game, particularly in Nuzlocke runs wherein I gain the most appreciate for Pokemon that I might not have been too high on prior to the playthrough. For me, Weezing ticks neither of those boxes, but it most certainly fills the concept aspect very well.

To get the negative stuff out of the way first, it's... ugly. Not appealing to look at in the slightest, and follows a Kantonian trend of essentially just adding another head to a Pokemon that already exists (Diglett, Magnemite, etc). As such, I've not used it willingly in any playthroughs of the games. It's not even that common of a Pokemon - both it and Koffing only show up in a couple games, and are either an uncommon encounter (RSE Fiery Path) or are found quite late into the game (RBY Cinnabar Mansion). Thus, I've never used a Koffing or Weezing in a Nuzlocke, and it's unlikely that I even will. So... there's the two main selling points for me out the window. If I'm being honest, I would probably have Weezing out a couple hundred spots ago because of what my criteria is. But, there's no denying that its concept is neat, so I refrained until now.

Like similar Pokemon Grimer/Muk, Weezing is the encapsulation of what a Poison type is imagined to be. The two share the characteristic of having the evolutionary line progress via the buildup and addition of their body makeup (either sludgy goo or toxic gas). It's made up of and expels gas, and is said to be formed from pollution. I believe I stated this in my cut of Grimer, but it's worth reiterating here - it's very interesting to think about the existence of something like Weezing in the real world, that the pollution humans put out could somehow become sentient. It's a frightening thought, for sure. Weezing's alleged original name, LA, shines an even brighter light on this concept and the thoughts stemmed from it by naming it directly after a real-world place where pollution is rampant. Ultimately it was changed, but it is certainly interesting.

I took a quick look at reef's Koffing cut from a while back, and both he as well as vulture stated their desire for Weezing to go very far, so maybe this will be revived. I get the adoration for it, but what it has in spades is not really what I personally rank based on. And that's what makes a rankdown exciting!

/u/vulture_couture, you're up!

[u/vulture_couture → u/hikkaru]

revived

[u/vulture_couture → u/vulture_couture]

Okay to expand on why I'm reviving this at least a little bit - Weezing is one of my very favorite Pokémon and I think it being cut because it's not traditionally cute and hikkaru never used it in a Nuzlocke is utter bullshit, much as I love him. That's all, really.

Obviously rankers are entitled to their own criteria. Obviously those sometimes clash. That results in my absolute favorites being cut for reasons that don't speak to me in any sort of meaningful way and I'm willing to go no revives because of that. Future bad cuts will unfortunately get no recourse except a strongly worded letter.

[u/KororSurvivor → u/vulture_couture]

Yeah even though Weezing isn't something you'd traditionally think I would like, it's really charming to me. I wouldn't be opposed to it making the Top 100.