To be a true Pokémon master, you need to be decked with not only the toughest of monsters, but also the best looking ones. Sure, legendary Pokémon are technically “legendary,” but they aren’t all that hard to find or catch. No, real fans know there is one batch of pocket monsters that will take your swag to the next level: shiny Pokémon. The beautiful glisten in the light, the shimmering aura when they come out of the Poké Balls, the nice little star next to the name indicating its uniqueness — all so majestic. They are also much more difficult to get a hold of, rendering them the rarest of the rare.

So, how difficult is it to run into one of these creatures organically? Well, the official number is 1 in 8192, or 0.0122%. Those numbers are definitely not on your side.

In celebration of these majestic creatures that are almost impossible to find, I have compiled a list of the top 8 shiny Pokemon. A few caveats before we continue; first, cutting it down to 8 means there will be plenty of fantastic selections left off, and second, no legendary Pokemon will be included because some are shiny locked–making them literally impossible to get a hold of without some sketchy rigs. Style is the name of the game here.

Now, let’s stop beating around the bush and get to the main attraction. Here are the top 8 best looking shiny Pokémon:

8) Ampharos– Shockingly Adorable

This one is quite simple, the shiny version turned an almost forgettable electric type into the most adorable creature in its element type — I’m calling you out Pikachu. The original yellow with black stripes just made Ampharos look like a silly giraffe, when we already have one of those in the Pokédex. Plus, it evolved from a sheep creature so it is just confusing. The pink with the blue orb on the end of its tail is a perfect combo and makes Ampharos look like something straight out of a fairytale. I want one in my life.

[HT: Image courtesy of deviantArt // artist purplekecleon]

7) Luxray– Don’t Rub Your Pokémon On The Rug

Let me make one thing clear: Luxray needed no help looking exquisite. The lion-looking monster had the black and blue going for it and it works. But, all yellow with black looks even more threatening and menacing than ever before. It isn’t a bright yellow that would be inviting; it is more of a mustard-of-death yellow. The anime hairstyle on its head also still looks great.

[HT:  Image courtesy of deviantArt // artist: WinterTheDragoness]

6) Umbreon– Tron Cat

Shiny Umbreon is straight out of Tron. Seriously, look at this creature. Originally boasting the black coat with yellow markings, this shiny version of an Eeveelution outright beats every other Eevee shiny outcome in the cool department. Neon blue marking with the yellow eyes make this creature pretty fierce.

[HT: Image courtesy of deviantArt // artist: Goophou]

5) Braviary– Subtle Yet Brave

This bird is simply one of the best Pokémon to join the cast in recent years. It is fly and it can fly; enough said. This is a simple color change, turning the blue into the main color on its back is simple yet elegant. Sometimes shiny versions are very bright and bombastic, turning a good thing into something not so fantastic. Braviary is cool, there is no need to completely change his style for the sake of making it blatantly obvious it is a shiny version. The subtlety is appreciated.

[HT: Image courtesy of deviantArt // artist: Etherspear]

4) Ninetails– Naruto Has Nothing On These Tails

It is hard to think of Ninetails and not think about Naruto, but this foxy, almost ambivalent creature is no slouch compared to the ninja of the leaf village. Based on design alone, this fox almost has no competition. Coming from the first generation in the franchise, Ninetails has it all, a glorious fur coat with nine tails tipped off in a nice accent of orange to represent the burning flame within this majestic creature. It’s like a ’90s boy band hair style minus the cheesiness. The shiny version doesn’t stray too far away from the original color choices and that is what is perfect. Choosing to only change the orange tips on the tails to a blue tint gives a more ghostly vibe. Beat that, wannabe Hokage.

[HT: Image courtesy of deviantArt // artist: SilverAruka]

3) Lucario– Lone Wolverine

Starting off the top 3 is the oh-so mysterious Lucario. Everything about his design evokes mystery and the pocket monster is an enigma. The original sprite is no chump, boasting a blue and black coat that is plenty fly. The shiny verision, though, turns Lucario into a wolverine- or scorpion-looking fighter. The yellow with the blue and black look excellent and stands out. It isn’t bright to the point that it doesn’t make sense for the brawler. It strikes the perfect balance of sports car yellow with the dark tone.

[HT: Image courtesy of deviantArt // artist: Elsdrake]

2) Greninja– Go Ninja! Go!

The new kid on the block has definitely made a splash (pun intended). This amphibian-like creature is all sorts of slick, with the sweet poses and even the tongue wrapping around like a scarf looking fresh. He has quickly become a fan favorite from the newest batch of starters, even making an appearance in the most recent Super Smash Bros. title on Wii U. A lot of his popularity is thanks to his design. The variant version just takes that cool level over the top, with the same sort of color palette used on shiny Charizard. The difference here is that, of course Charizard looks stylish in all black, but the winged dragon lizard is already intimidating. Greninja, on the other hand, goes full ninja in black, while the normal blue threads don’t do that.

[HT:  Image courtesy of deviantArt // artist: All0412]

1) Metagross– Frank The Tank

At the top of our list is this tank of a monster, Metagross. This monster means business. Not only will this addition to your team bolster the squad in toughness, but, if you are lucky enough to get a shiny version, you will strike fear along with admiration. According to the Pokémon manga, Metagross has four brains. It is intimidating to say the least. Its original blue color with silver cross doesn’t have the same amount of gravitas that the silver with gold has. The only thing that may eventually force this choice to be dethroned is the fact that a shiny version was being given away as a mystery gift not too long ago, making it more readily available. Still, the simple yet elegant design makes Metagross the best of all the shiny Pokémon.

[HT: Image courtesy of deviantArt // artist: Macuarrorro]

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That is the end of the list. Make sure to let us know in the comments section below how you would rank your top 8 shiny Pokémon and which are in your personal collection. Remember, there are plenty of ways to increase the odds in catching one of these for yourself. Good luck collecting em’ all. Shout out to my personal favorite shiny variant of Togekiss which I named Taco.

[HT: Featured image courtesy of deviantArt // artist: Matsuyama-Takeshi ]