The only rule is that the Pokémon has to have blue in its shiny form in some capacity. Whether that be a result of the color change or not is a matter of opinion. As a shiny hunter, your time is important (probably) so let’s get to it.
20. Dragapult
Am I cheating so that I can flex on you all with my brand new shiny Dragapult? Yes. Yes, I am. While Dragapult is definitely blue, its shiny sprite has nothing to do with it. That being said, the color change from red to yellow works with the blue very well. It’s a minimal change that makes shiny Dragapult look rare, without it being jarringly in your face. It’s also the first shiny I’ve hatched on SW/SH, so I’m going to put it on whatever lists I can. Solely so I can relish in my own achievements. As a footnote on Dragapult, is no one going to question the fact that it fires its literal children as torpedoes in battle? That’s not even speculation; it’s actually confirmed in the Pokédex. If there were a Pokémon CPS, Dragapult would be at the top of their list (along with every mother that let their 10-year-old child run around the country unsupervised battling monsters capable of mauling them to death).
19. Zangoose
Dragapult is actually a much nicer looking shiny than Zangoose. However, it’s technically not a blue shiny (I don’t care, I don’t want to hear about it). Zangoose, on the other hand, is a blue shiny. The red stripes across its belly get replaced by a light, almost cyan blue. Aside from having a shiny Zangoose as a primary False Swiper, there isn’t much of a reason to hunt this one. However, hunting shinies with a shiny has a certain level of drip to it that you can’t ignore.
18. Miltank
We all hate Miltank. If you don’t, then you never played the OG Johto games. Whitney’s Miltank is still fresh in the minds of survivors to this day. I still get the occasional nightmare about that big pink beast rolling over my helpless corpse. Shiny Miltank is even worse, though. It’s blue, hence being on this list. But it’s not just blue, though; it’s blue blue. As in, everything but a part of its belly becomes this sickly color that makes it look full of outdated milk. If there’s anything worse than being beaten to a pulp by Miltank, it’s being beaten to a pulp by a Miltank that’s past its expiration date.
17. Alolan Sandslash
Alolan Sandslash is a massive waste of potential. It’s one of the best looking regional Pokémon we’ve seen thus far, and has a design that’s just asking to be recolored. We didn’t get that, though. Instead, shiny Alolan Sandslash is just more blue than white compared to its regular counterpart. What earns it this spot is the fact that it still looks awesome. You would be hard-pressed to notice a difference between the two sprites if you were operating on low sleep. But that’s a testament to how strong the Pokémon’s design is.
16. Venomoth
Venomoth sucks, and that sucks. Venomoth was always one of my favorite OG Pokémon (for whatever reason). It was nearly useless in battle, though. Which may be why I never bothered hunting a shiny one. That’s a shame, too. Because shiny Venomoth is really pretty to look at. The change of the translucent purple wings and head to a light blue is a type of recoloring that wouldn’t feel out of place as a gender difference. As a shiny, though, the palette swap still works well. It’s not exceptional. But it’s not unexceptional, either—a bit like Venomoth itself.
15. Braviary
There’s a thing with Pokémon shinies when a little bit of a change can make a massive difference. This is the case with Braviary. Braviary is my favorite of generation flying types. The eagle design looks more intense than a pigeon or a crow. It’s the type of design that screams freedom and power. I respect that. The red accents on Braviary are replaced with blue. It’s a miniscule change that keeps within the American theme, which I always appreciate. It’s a “blink and you’ll miss it” shiny. But sometimes that’s a good thing.
14. Bisharp
Prior to writing this list, I had actually never seen a shiny Bisharp. I stumbled across it while doing research, and I’m so glad I did. Bisharp has a tasteful shiny sprite, with the red being replaced by the blue. I’m no art major (well, I am, but not that kind of art). But I know next to nothing about color theory. Yet something about the blue, black, and yellow works so well on Bisharp. It’s like a big blue humanoid Beyblade. And what’s not to love about that mental image?
13. Shaymin
If you have a shiny Shaymin, then how many organs do I need to sell to get you to trade it to me? Shaymin alone is one of the rarest Pokémon there is at the minute, making the shiny version considerably scarcer. In this version the green bush on top of Shaymin becomes this whimsical, clear sky blue. It’s the type of color that I’d paint my ceiling if my landlord would let me. The best part is that the color change continues on to Shaymin’s Sky Form, where it looks even better if that’s somehow possible.
12. Electrode
Electrode is very much the OG blue shiny on this list. This Pokéball turned living IED is a prime example of how a conscious color change on Game Freak’s part can make all the difference with the shiny. That’s because shiny Electrode is so simple. Instead of being red for a Pokéball, it’s blue for a Great Ball. That alone is worthy of a spot on my very prestigious list here.
11. Tyrantrum
I’ve never used a Tyrantrum before. And looking at it; I need to ask what the hell is wrong with me? This dino looks like it should be in Monster Hunter, not a happy go luck Pokémon game. In fact, I’m pretty sure I have seen Tyrantrum in Monster Hunter…. The blue version of this behemoth is darker, and therefore instantly cooler than its regular counterpart. It feels rare, and it looks like it could tear me limb from limb with one tiny arm tied behind its back. I’ve never felt physically threatened by a Pokémon before, but here we are.
10. Zorua
I really wish I could put Zoroark on this list. But I can’t. I get the idea behind maturing the baby blue into a nightmarish purple, and I love it. But the blue looks so much better. With regular Zorua, the red color accents blend into the overall design. When it’s shiny, those color splashes stand out from a mile away. It’s the type of color that I would imagine makes a great high-vis vest. It’s a shame that you lose it once you evolve Zorua. But that doesn’t discredit how nice the design is.
9. Cresselia
I’m going to say something here, and you’re not going to understand it. But that’s okay. Shiny Cresselia reminds me of Pizza Planet. Yes, from Toy Story. No, I don’t know why. The color schemes are nothing alike. But the neon blue and purple just conjure up that image. And if a Pokémon’s design encourages me go and watch Toy Story One in the middle of writing a list, then it deserves a spot on that list. Logic be damned.
8. Gigalith
The fact that Gigalith is on this list should come as no surprise to anyone that’s ever seen a shiny one. The fact that it’s this far from the top is debatable, but the top-tier of blue shinies is particularly elite. If the whole point of a shiny is to look rare, then Gigalith has the best of it. It literally looks like a precious mineral ore vein. It turns the rocks that it has on its normal sprite into gems. And it’s one of the only sprites that I can think of that actually feels like a design change, rather than just a color change.
7. Umbreon
Umbreon is another example of less is more. I’m sure you’re familiar with the typical design that Umbreon has with the black coat and yellow stripes and circles here and there. Well when it’s shiny, those yellow parts of Umbreon become blue. Not only does this make it look rarer(as it should) but it plays into the moonlight theme so much better than yellow. I get that it’s meant to be stars versus the moon. But the darkness of the blue suits Umbreon so much that I wouldn’t have batted an eye if the blue version was Umbreon’s regular form.
6. Mew
These next two entries feel like a cop-out, but c’mon they deserve it. Mew might just be the single simplest shiny sprite out there. It’s just a full blue reskin. That’s all there is to it. It’s a really nice shade of blue, though. And trust me when I say that the shade makes all the difference. So many shiny sprites feature more washed-out color palettes. So when the change features colors that pop more, it naturally grabs your attention. Plus, shiny Mew is also super rare. It’s not as hard to come across as Shaymin, but you’re still going to have to sell a kidney or two to get your hands on a legit one.
5. Ditto
Remember what I said about a cop-out? This is it. If you know your Pokémon lore, then you know that Ditto is hinted to be a failed result at an attempt to clone Mew. It’s the step between Mew and Mewtwo. As a result, the shiny form of Ditto is the exact same as Mew. It just so happens that the blue color Game Freak picked is really goddamn pretty looking. Ditto would be at the top of this list if it could transform into the shiny versions of other Pokémon, but it can’t. Which honestly feels like a massive waste of potential.
4. Emboar
Despite picking Tepig on my first run through Gen V (that soon changed to Snivy, the sophisticated choice), I really don’t like Emboar. The dimensions of the thing look too unrealistic. I know what you’re saying; this is Pokémon, where children can enslave literal intergalactic gods capable of destroying every known universe. What’s unrealistic? But hear me out. Look at Emboar’s legs. They’re so far apart, and it has no knees! My personal grudges aside, shiny Emboar is a baller of a Pokémon. I have a very particular fondness for blue fire shinies, as you’ll realize with the number one spot. So when Emboar doesn’t just feature blue flames, but an overall blue redesign, you know I’m going to be salivating. Knees or no knees.
3. Giratina
The release of Crown Tundra has meant getting your hands on a shiny Giratina is now easier than ever. And that is cause for celebration. It’s one of those rare scenarios where every part of the Pokémon is changed for the shiny, and it’s not just a recolor. If the execution were slightly less well done, then Giratina would look jarring. The cream, blue, silver combination shouldn’t work… but it does here. It’s hard to put into words what makes Giratina such a good looking shiny. And I suspect it’s a bit of a marmite Pokémon. So I implore you to have a look at the devil for yourself and let me know what you think.
2. Zacian
I’m going to preface this by saying that Zacian would very easily be number one on this list, if it weren’t for one little thing. That little thing? It’s unobtainable. Both Sword and Shield shinies are shiny locked, making them currently unobtainable. If you’re reading this in a time when you can get your hands on them, stop wasting time and do it. It’s soul-crushing that the shinies are locked in the generation that easily has the best-looking shiny legendaries. And yes, I’m including gen 3 and that gorgeous black Rayquaza. I don’t know the pleasure that is owning a shiny Zacian. But you might, and for that…. I hate you.
1. Ponyta
Boom! I bet you didn’t see this one coming. The case of a shiny Ponyta is enough to reduce me to tears. So, you remember when I said I love blue flames? That’s all that shiny Ponyta is. Its flaming mane is blue. And it’s an incredible looking blue that makes Ponyta the best looking, and simplest, shiny of the early generations by a country mile. What’s more, Rapidash used to have blue flames. Yes. Used to. But Game Freak, in all its big brain glory, changed Rapidash to have black flames. These black flames are cool, but they don’t come close to the blue flames that it used to have. This shiny change broke my heart. And it’s why Ponyta is here instead of Rapidash. I can’t even recommend that you go out and catch a shiny Ponyta, because you definitely shouldn’t evolve it. It’s the biggest tragedy that the Pokémon franchise has ever experienced, and you can’t convince me otherwise.
