8. Articuno
Articuno is the first legendary Pokémon that I properly fell in love with. Cold, serene and elegantly beautiful it captured my imagination from the first, and was the only legendary that I actively made an effort to catch in the first generation of games. Articuno is a dual ice-flying type, and so it makes sense that it conveys a certain impression of cold. It does this very successfully and certainly looks like its suited to more artic climates. Its plumage looks thick, fully suited for standing against cold weather. Its colour scheme also carries across this impression all in shades of blue, often verging towards the lighter end of the spectrum. It looks almost like its made up of ice, let alone fit to live in it. As a result it looks somewhat serene, but in a tough way. Articuno, for me, has always conveyed a certain air of calm. It looks fit to be a creature of legend, not great and hulking but instead honed and carefully above it all. It is because of this that Articuno also looks like a Pokémon fully suited to battle. It looks above it all, but in a slightly judgemental way. The claws on its feet look capable of doing damage, and pay homage to this impression of dangerous superiority. This dangerous superiority leads to an elegant kind of beauty, however. I have always found Articuno to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing Pokémon around. Lean, prettily coloured and taking all the best aspects from birds. It is a creature of grace and beauty one that looks fit for the artic, but also fit for soaring through the air. It is a Pokémon of unparalleled elegance, a creature that looks legendary in the most elegant way possible. And it is because of all these things that I like Articuno so much. It looks like it could survive in freezing temperatures, looks perfectly suited to being a legendary and looks absolutely beautiful besides that. It is a Pokémon of grace, beauty and an elegant sort of charm.