I almost feel sorry for Brout and Gekua. How are the angry leafy bird and the dank blue gecko going to compete with the picture cards shown off by Pom-Bon in the Pokémon Wind and Waves reveal trailer? A small, smiley Pomeranian with eyes that can melt hearts as easily as the fire he spews, I’m afraid I already know I’d die for him.
The problem is, I’m not even traditionally a fire type guy when it comes to starter Pokemon. I still maintain that there is no cooler Pokémon than Blastoise, which uses a hydro pump and is equipped with a water cannon. So, naturally, my choice in the first generation was always Squirtle. I’m not going to sit here and make Block Jim or Mount Moon any harder than they need to be. That preference for water was directly reflected in Gold and Silver, and Crocodile was often chosen as my first Pokémon. Look at his little fanged face. Adorable.
So I spent the next few decades switching between elemental types, making tactical choices and thinking about what would make my upcoming journey the most fun and smooth. I usually use an analytical approach to these things and don’t rush into making decisions. So when today’s Pokémon 30th Anniversary stream ended with the 10th generation reveal trailer and the first peek at the Winds and Waves starter hidden within it, I frankly felt embarrassed that I immediately decided that Pombon was sitting right in my first Pokeball. I’m not saying it’s easy to flash an adorable little smile to win me over, but in this case, the Pomeranian just did it.
Of course, we don’t yet know what these three starters will evolve into. I think it’s safe to assume it’s a larger bird, dog, gecko, but already I don’t even care. Sure, Pokemon has had fire dogs over the years, perhaps the most famous being Growlithe and Arcanine from Cinnabar Island, but Ponbon is a ferocious new species, and I’ll probably arm him with quick attacks, bites, and embers until he’s a big enough boy to incinerate any flammable fool foolish enough to get in his way. Yes, if even your tiny little bloat decides for some reason that he is the right person for you in 2027.
of Pokemon official website describes Bloult as “an energetic but clumsy bean chick Pokémon.” Why do you want to date a pimp? Gecko is listed as a “smart water gecko Pokemon”. The brain is overrated. Manners are everything. That’s why I actually make the wise decision and use Bonbon, the “friendly puppy Pokemon”.
Follow me, boy, I’ll protect you. Fire, come for a walk.
Simon Cardy is a senior editor at IGN, where he mostly spends his time wandering around open-world games, indulging in Korean movies, and despairing over the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky. @cardy.bsky.social.