The 9th generation of Pokémon is just around the corner in the form of Scarlet and Violet, but the original 151 species will always hold a special place in the hearts of longtime fans. Many of their simple yet charming designs were instantly memorable throughout the Kanto region games.
Several species have been popularly used in story playthroughs for different reasons, whether it was for optimal team composition or simply playing favorites. There's not really a wrong answer and the likes of Charizard to Nidoking to Jolteon are some of the most common picks.
Snorlax
There are many Pokémon in the franchise that are easily recognizable and Snorlax certainly falls under the category. The big, sleepy lovable oaf has graced countless pieces of franchise merchandise - most famously for massive plush toys - and it's conveniently a solid choice for a playthrough in any of the Kanto region games.
Being a Normal-Type, Snorlax's only weakness is the Fighting Type and has impressive versatility and bulky stats to both deliver and tank hits in battle. It's an excellent, sturdy all-rounder that can reliably fill a spot in a team of six that also benefits from fame.
Charizard
Another member of the franchise's popular club, Charizard is one of the most beloved Fire-Type starter Pokémon. The semi-dragon Pokémon has long since been considered a classic, even though it's statistically not the strongest starter for the Kanto region in Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, or any of the remakes excluding Mega Evolution.
Being able to learn Metal Claw as a Charmeleon starting in FireRed and LeafGreen certainly helps for Brock's Gym, but it will need some immediate backup for Misty. Nonetheless, Charizard is still one of the stronger starters overall and a nostalgic one aesthetically.
Nidoking
Nidoking feels like an underrated species in the sense that it hasn't received a new form in any subsequent Pokémon game. It has one of the more inventive and imposing designs of the region, and he's also a powerhouse in the early goings of the Kanto games.
The Poison/Ground-Type Pokémon can be caught as a Nidoran at the beginning of the game and can be evolved fully into a Nidoking before even reaching the second Gym Leader, Misty. It's thanks to the Moon Stone that can be found in Mt. Moon before Cerulean City, and that kind of power so early in the game is hard to pass up.
Pidgeot
The early-route regional bird Pokémon is one of the warmly-received traditions of the mainline games. There's typically at least one in each region, and Pidgey was the one for Kanto. Because it can be found almost immediately at the start of the games, Pidgey - and eventually Pidgeot - was an easy choice for the team's designated Flying Type, especially if players opted against Charizard.
Similarly, Pidgeot gained a fair amount of nostalgia thanks to its role in the Pokémon anime's earlier seasons. It's not the strongest bird in Kanto, but it's one of the most accessible and nostalgic.
Raticate
The infamous HM moves are a poorly-aged Pokémon trope that Game Freak has thankfully done away with, but back during the days of the Game Boy Advance Kanto games, they were still an unfortunate necessity. That's what made Raticate such a common selection in its own way, though, not particularly for any design or battle-influenced choice.
There's nothing special about Raticate (in its normal form), as it's essentially just a large rat and isn't especially competent in battle. But given the Normal-Type's move versatility, it was an easy pick to be the unfortunate HM mule for Cut, Strength, and Rock Smash.
Venusaur
All of the starter Pokémon from Kanto are fan favorites in their own right, but outside of Charizard, Venusaur is likely the next most popular choice. Another one of the more creative designs taking seeming inspiration from frogs and dinosaurs, Venusaur is also arguably the strongest partner for a Kanto journey.
Thanks to its Grass/Poison-Type, it starts with an immediate advantage over the first two Gyms. It also thankfully got a bigger Poison-Type arsenal once the third generation games onward introduced more attacks for the typing.
Jolteon
The Eeveelutions are also widely beloved Pokémon, and of the original three in the Kanto region, Jolteon is perhaps the most viable in battle. Both it and Raichu are good candidates for players that want to add an Electric-Type to their teams, but Jolteon has a particularly great Speed stat alongside its Special Attack.
It can hit incredibly hard with moves like Thunder and Thunder Bolt, as well as slowing opponents down with the likes of Thunder Wave and Double Team. Jolteon is a fun design aesthetically, too, playing on the electric motif well. It also helps that Thunder Stones can be easily bought in the same town where players are gifted an Eevee.
Lapras
Lapras is one of the most endearing and elegantly designed Pokémon in the Kanto region, and it also benefits from popularity stemming from the early seasons of the anime. It's a Water/Ice-Type, but Lapras has some impressive move versatility by being able to learn moves like Thunder and Psychic.
The plesiosaur/Loch Ness Monster-inspired Pokémon is a warmly regarded species and is no stranger to many longtime fans' in-game teams, which is a further testament to its popularity given how late in the games and low-leveled Lapras is when it's gifted to the player.
Raichu
Though it's admittedly overshadowed by its franchise-mascot predecessor, Raichu is a great Pokémon with its own merits. It was a creative design for being an evolution of Pikachu, and it even received some more attention thanks to its Alolan Electric/Psychic variant in Sun and Moon.
In terms of battle prowess, Raichu holds its own with the Electric typing even if it doesn't match Jolteon's blistering Speed stat. And like some other species, Pikachu can be found very early in the game in Viridian Forest, providing a sure-fire advantage over the aforementioned Water-Type Gym Leader Misty.
Primeape
The Trade Evolution mechanic required for a handful of Pokémon to evolve is another antiquated feature of the games. It seems to be only just now getting phased out with the recent release of Legends: Arceus for the Nintendo Switch, and it made Primeape the go-to Fighting-Type for players that needed a Machamp alternate.
It's no Raticate, though, as even though Primeape can't match the sheer power of Machamp, it provides some respectable damage in battle. Its first form, Mankey, can also be found early before the Viridian Forest and Primeape's baboon-like design has its own "tough-guy" charm to it.