These amazing pocket monsters were the greatest thing I had seen at the time, but discovering the existence of Ghost-type Pokémon 10x'd my obsession. If you're into Pokémon then you know Ghastly, Haunter, and Gengar. They will forever be my absolute favorite Pokémon—the true OGs. For this month’s blog, I wanted to pay tribute to these spectral creatures as they appeared in multiple forms of media over the decades.
1. The Trick or Trade Pokémon Cards
Back in the day, my younger siblings and I were Pokémon trading card fanatics—just like everyone else. But as time passed, I lost interest. Then, in 2022, something magical happened: special Halloween-themed booster packs materialized! Not only that but In 2023, they made a triumphant return, featuring 30 cards with more spooky Pokémon from recent expansions.
These booster packs are THE THING to hand out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. I can speak from experience, kids went absolutely bananas when they saw what was in our bowl of Halloween treats. And last year, a mom dubbed us ‘The Pokémon House.’ I plan to hold onto that title as long as they keep selling these Trick or Trade BOOster Bundles! Now where can I buy a full body Gengar costume?
2. “The Ghost of Maiden’s Peak” (S1: EP 20)
In the Pokémon anime, Episode 20 titled “The Ghost of Maiden’s Peak” Ash and his friends venture to a small port town celebrating a summer festival. Brock and James fall under the spell of the infamous Ghost of Maiden’s Peak, who steals the spirit of young men.
The ghost is none other than Gastly, masquerading as a beautiful maiden. So First, this is my favorite episode of the series. My siblings and I had taped this episode off TV on VHS and watched in on a daily basis. We quoted this episode as much as we watched it. Second, it features Gastly. If Gastly is involved, I'm ALL IN! If you haven't seen it, I can't recommend it enough. It's a nice bridge between the summer months and spooky season.
3. Lavender Town and the Haunting of Cubone
Lavender Town, a spooky location in the Pokémon world, is home to the Pokémon Tower, a resting place for departed Pokémon. Here, you'll find restless spirits and grieving trainers mourning their lost companions.
One of the most haunting stories involves "Cubone". According to the Pokédex, Cubone wears the skull of its deceased mother as a helmet. The skull serves as a reminder of its tragic past, and Cubone's cries are said to resemble the wails of its departed parent.
The eerie atmosphere of Lavender Town and the connection between Cubone and its mother is really disturbing. Here you are playing your Pokémon game, happily catching Pokémon, battling other trainers and then you get to Lavender Town and you're instantly transported into a horror movie!
BONUS: Drifloon
Wow ... okay. So I wasn't in the loop on Drifloon until I started playing Pokémon Go in 2020. It was only recently that I did a deep dive to learn more about it. If you thought Cubone deserves its own horror movie, wait'll you get a load of Drifloon.
This Pokémon looks like a floating balloon and has a dark and unsettling backstory. According to legend, Drifloon appears near children who wander too close to cliffs or bodies of water. It tempts them to grab hold of its string, only to carry them away to the underworld.ARE YOU SERIOUS? It's like Pennywise luring poor Georgie into the sewer! How is this not terrifying?
I hope you enjoyed this tribute to Ghost-type Pokémon. There are so many nowadays, this blog post could absolutely have multiple sequels. Do you have a favorite Ghost-type? Share your thoughts on social—I’m always eager to wax poetic about these mysterious creatures!
Stay Spooky
Jeremy
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