Mother of--

366: Clamperl

Another Pokemon you could say is a re-tread of a Gen 1 concept, being a clam just like Shellder. But Clamperl here is almost entirely its own beast, both in terms of what it evolves into and what it is. This bivalve has an interestingly designed ribbed shell, which is nice. But also its most distinguishing feature is how its pearl is actually its face. Which, if you consider Spoink is part of this generation too, implies Clamperls regularly get decapitated for Spoink to be able to do its business. Which isn't as morbid as it sounds, since it's said that Clamperl sheds and replaces its pearls all the time. Imagine getting your head ripped off by some swine, and being like "no biggie, I'll just grow a new one." That is how the Clamperl do.

Clamperl is a deep sea creature too, technically, as in its native generation you'll only find it by using Dive. And they use this to have it evolve in two strange directions.

Hehe

367: Huntail

Instead of becoming a bigger bivalve, or even any kind of mollusk, Clamperl turns into a gulper eel??? Okay then! Huntail is a design we're kinda torn on though. We know we said we missed the fact that Lanturn was going to be a gulper eel, and that Huntail here is practically the spitting image of that proto-Lanturn. And we like Huntail of course! It's a neat 'mon. But it does sadly have us feeling a little wanting. Like, a gulper eel aught to be one of our favorite Pokemon ever.

Huntail's overall vibe just feels more on the goofy side than menacing. And sure, gulper eels are kinda goofy looking, but still. The huge flappy jaw should be huger and flappier, and maybe a less vibrant color scheme would do this design more justice. We appreciate Huntail for being there, but it could've been cooler.

Imagine you told someone not that into Pokemon that there was one called "Gore Abyss" and then showed them this picture

368: Gorebyss

Which is why we end up liking its other evolution just a wee bit more, Gorebyss. An odd pink eel thing with a clamshell bikini top, at least tying it a BIT back to Clamperl, and a long proboscis-looking appendage. It's apparently well known for its beauty, but a little less so for the fact that it sticks that snoot into prey and sucks their innards out with it! Any design is made better with a little innards-sucking.

Gorebyss seems to be another deep sea fish, the chimaera, a deep-sea relative of sharks and rays. And the creature really does just look like one of those creepy, overly realistic interpretations of Pokemon, doesn't it? It makes Gorebyss a bit cooler all-around, given it has a clear animal basis but is a little more detached from it, so we feel inclined to give it just a bit more leeway in it maybe not ENTIRELY looking as wicked as a long-nosed chimaera. And it's funny one of the more blunty "feminine" Pokemon in the game sucks your guts out with a proboscis.