And my axe(s)!

900: Kleavor

Man, its' so weird to think there's a very real possibility that the next generation is gonna break 1000 Pokemon.

But here's yet another pleasant surprise: Scyther getting a split-evolution! And even if the Scyther family keeps running into the problem of not really looking like mantises, it's neat how they've more or less created a new Pokemon "genus" with this, which features bipedal mantis-like creatures with weapons and tools for arms. Even if they're all still directly related.

Kleavor is probably the best of the Scyther family for us, this new Bug/Rock type featuring a more earthy palette and even a loss of its wings, which you can see the remains of on its back. Some insects actually do begin with wings in their life cycle but later lose them, most famously virgin queen ants.

Instead, is has obsidian peppered on its body and two huge axes. Obsidian is a volcanic glass that creates sharp edges when fractured, so it makes a surprising fit with the Scyther line. These obsidian bits are pretty good at highlighting its key features too, namely its huge arms and framing its face, even giving it a stony beard.

There's also something so "Gen 1" about its design that we appreciate. Maybe it's mostly the muted colors with a face featuring triangular anime eyes, maybe it's the fact that it's so far detached from being a mantis at this point that it kinda just becomes its own cool, vaguely mantis-inspired creature. Maybe it's literally just because it's a new evolved form of Scyther. Something about it just reads as convincingly old-school in a way even Scizor didn't do.

One thing that put us off for the longest time about it is that it looked like there wasn't a ton of depth to its face, but turns out there is. It's just been drawn from a weird angle that doesn't show it off and it's otherwise mostly been seen from the direct front. Nice to see it hangs onto a snout!

We're still having to hold out for a Pokemon that both looks like a mantis and actually is a mantis but at least Kleavor here has made Scyther a bit cooler! Certainly a neater evolution than Scizor.

...Though, with this being the only new Bug type here, this does unfortunately perpetuate Gen 8's cursed trend of "No new arthropods allowed" ):