The First-Ever Pokemon Of The Year Has Been Revealed

Earlier this month, The Pokemon Company and Google collaborated to let fans vote on their favorite monster in the "Pokemon of the Year" competition. The vote counted up players' picks from all eight regions, and to celebrate Pokemon Day, we have a winner: Greninja.

The amphibious ninja Pokemon took home the top prize, likely for its strange appearance and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate prowess as much as its usefulness in the Pokemon games themselves. We aren't sure why Totodile was disrespected like this, but we're thinking our own votes may have been thrown out due to some technicality.

The Pokemon YouTube channel also revealed the other top contenders for the prize, and it's a mix of classic and newer Pokemon.

Top Pokemon of the Year For 2020

• Gengar
• Gardevoir
• Rayquaza
• Garchomp
• Sylveon
• Umbreo
• Charizard
• Mimikyu
• Lucario
• Greninja

Absent from the top 10 are famous legendary Pokemon like Mewtwo and Groudon, as well as classic first-generation Pokemon Pikachu, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. Big Greninja lobbyists may have played a role in the outcome.

If the vote is done again next year, new mythical Pokemon Zarude could be a contender. Just revealed today, the Pokemon is a Dark and Grass type, and it's coming to Pokemon Sword and Shield.

Alongside the Pokemon of the Year announcement, Pokemon Go is also celebrating with special party hats on wild Pikachu and Eevee through March 2. The film Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes Back--Evolution is also out today on Netflix, and is a retelling of Pokemon: The First Movie with CG visuals.