Starter Pokemon Will Never Be the Same
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- čas přidán 14. 04. 2024
- Over the course of 9 generations, starter Pokémon have "evolved" in the way that they're designed. In Pokemon Red and Blue, they started out as basic animals with elemental powers, with Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise. Over time, it became normal for the final stages to have a gimmick, such as being a wrestler, singer, etc. With each generation of Pokemon giving us more and more outlandish starter designs, as we can see from the starters of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, I wanted to take a look back at that progression from simplicity to increasingly more gimmicky starters. If you enjoyed this Pokemon Video Essay, make sure to like and subscribe for more Pokemon Content!
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Wanted to echo what I said in the video that starters becoming more humanoid and more like characters is NOT necessarily a bad thing, I’m just making the point that we may never see starters that don’t have that trait again which makes me a tad sad. I love some starters of newer generations, especially Decidueye, Greninja, and Rillaboom and think they are amazingly designed Pokémon.
If you’re new here and like Pokémon though feel free to subscribe and check out the channel! I’ve got a nuzlocke on the way that I can’t wait for everyone to see! And be sure to like the video if you did enjoy it!!
Really wish gamefreak actually gave a fucc
I personally think Fuecoco is the best designed Fire starter since Charmander. Skeledirge is also one of the few final forms (other than Charizard and some of the grass starters) that is not humanoid in any way.
Turd gen of Pokémon are fugly
It is.
And it's all Blaziken's fault
Fuck Blaziken
I like the themes of the modern starters designs but I just wish that gamefreak would stop giving them humanoid appearances and make them look like larger creatures or animals like the older starters.
I’ve had these exact thoughts for years now. Ever since Gen 6, starters have stopped feeling like species and started feeling like characters. I agree that it would be great to see them go back to something that feels more like a believable species of animal, and that yeah the starters with the best balance between species and character is definitely Gen 4.
At least Skeledirge is the only “new” starter Pokémon that keeps its animal traits (ie quadrupedal instead of bipedal/furry)
I think the Gen 7 starters were good
@TylerChou230 What's with Pokémon fans thinking pidedal=fury. If you see a pidepal Pokémon and think fury, it says more about you than anything else.
@@hailthequeenFMwho the fuck thinks that?
@hailthequeenFM WAY too many people think bipedal animal=furry. That's why people call certain pokemon "furry bait", even though it's a kid's game, why would they try to bait furries.
Remember when squirtle was just a cute turtle but the anime decided to turn him into a delinquent in charge of a group that terrorised a community?
You could do that “because” there wasn’t a pre established character.
They quite literally did this with scorbunny in journeys with him leading a gang stealing from trainers to give out food to poorer pokemon that literally has no ties to his football character trait
@@sagenido yeah but you’re missing the point. Squirtle was an asshole, everything he did was for selfish reasons, a scorbunny fulfilling the Robin Hood stereotype isn’t the same as taking the risk to portray your characters with negative traits.
Now had they portrayed Scotbunny as a football hooligan, where every time their team lost they would rampage through town that would be hilarious, even has an easy hook, Scorbunny gets shown what it’s like if it’s team does nothing but win. It gets bored.
Seriously though the gen 1 starters had such cool stories
Bulbasaur was this cool big bro figure to the pokemon in the garden
Squirtle was this gang leader
Charmander was this pokemon who was abandoned and taken in by ash (why had this happen 3 times?)
@@sagenido genwunners don’t like to hear facts. They just like to complain lol
I personally don’t mind the second role they have to fulfill. I just really hate the fact that most of them are becoming humanoid less animal like.
I find it too unrealistic. Bear with me. Pokémons are "monsters". They live in nature, and they don't act like humans. They are not building buildings, they are not cooking difficult dishes, they are not elaborating. They are animal like. Which means it's aberrant to have some of dance use arrows or dance salsa.
The reason why the bird is with skeledirge is due to it being excess energy from the starter line itself. In crocalor it's an egg.
Some birds have a co dependency on crocs in real life to get food from their teeth and by doing so clean the crocs teeth in the process.
Same thing here
good to know! thank you!
@@FargusPhil Skeledirge is best boi of gen 9.
If I had to choose favorites, it'd go Squirtel, Chickorita, Torchic, Turtwig, Snivy, Froakie, Rowlett, Sobble, and of course Fuecoco.
@@rockowlgamer631 I agree with everything except Chikorita, but well it's your opinion and I respect it
people just don't read the Pokedex entry and then start assuming why does it have this in it design.
@@FargusPhilPokémon aren't beating the illiterate allegations.
Just popping in to say as always be said a million times before:
*The Gen 3 starter trio is as absolutely perfect as you can get.*
Blaziken is too digimon looking
@@SingTingz31mods, inflict Circumcision 2
Blaziken looks dumb. Like it's wearing bell bottoms with a stupid hairdo (feathers)
Gen 4 is best in my opinion
Nah, gen 4
Emboar is meant to be a Chinese warlord, not a wrestler.
I miss the starters being chunky. These skinny starters don’t do it for me
Inteleon actually isn't based on "guns." Its based on James Bond and super spy films in general. XD
Honestly, the starters in gen 8 were amazing at representing Britain, better than any series
@@degreeskelvin3025 exactly! I think gen 8 and 9 are trying to give respect to the cultures they are drawing inspiration from. And the bird on Skeledirge’s head is a reference to the Nile crocodile which is a pretty bomb design
To be completely fair, Blastoise is the one that's actually based on guns.
Yup 100%
@@uvmaexactly this!!
Gen two failed mostly because they had awful movesets
Arguably among the best base forms though, and pretty solid middle forms.
its a crime that feraligatr didnt get a dark type in later gens
@@applepeel1662 it’s a crime he didn’t get it in gen 2 it’s not like he got ice typing either plus dark type debuted in gen 2 so it would have been perfect
Meganium needs to be a Fairy type so bad.
Gen 2 was one of the best stop caping
I appreciate gen 5 starters for basing their designs on different cultures as Unova is based in America and America is a melting pit of cultures.
Pot*
great point!
I’m happy gen 5 went Back to gen 1 routes in terms of designs. Gen 5 starters being actual animals was cool to see after gen 3’s humaniods. Gen 5 has emboar sure but it STILL looks like a Pig unlike Gen 3’s Blaziken being a literal man and not a chicken anymore.
America is not a melting pot. Some jew wrote that in 1908 so they are less likely kicked from here due to their scams
America has absolutely no shit culture
I don't like the humanification, at what point do we have to give them the right to vote
It’s like gorilla it’s human like but at the end of the day it’s just a gorilla
@@chadgosier4999 thank you for explaining pokemon to me chad
Starters are better when they resemble monsters not humans.
They're animals, fake animals also.
@@thezemag Nope WRONG cuz when Gamefreak DID do that y’all HATED the Unova starters A Snake 🐍 & a water starter on all fours 🦭 & emboar that’s literally pig Blaziken. Y’all get what you asked for from hating gen 5 being the last beast/animal trio to now furry starters we’ve been getting since gen 6😂
While I don't necessarily hate the new approach taken for starter Pokémon I'd like to see less humanoid designs. I remember someone interpreting these design as the Pokémon taking traits from it's trainer upon evolving, but I prefer my starter to just be a pet that becomes cooler looking upon getting stronger. There are some animals with which the antropomorphic design works like frogs, which have a similar anatomy to humans, or birds which are bipedal by default but you know, a goat that for one is just a goat that happens to spit fire just works. It also helps convey more than one single personality rather than the one you're going to assume from a design like that of more recent starters.
And before someone accuses me of disliking the new generations' starters know Emboar was my first starter and I love all of the Alola trio
1:06 that was back when the lore was basic
The more they expanded the lore and worldbuilding the more they got creative with character concepts
All these things tie in together
Emboar is sick far better than Blaziken in terms of design. Gen 5 starters are a top notch for being actual animals. A snake & water starter on all fours being overhated bc of emboar being the 3rd fire fighting and bipedal is dumb. Emboar looks cool & still looks like a pig compared to gen 3s humaniods.
Your point it legit. Look all gen 3 starter , they're bipedal.
The problem I have when the pokemon become character or job is what happen when you have 2 more in a environment. Do they have the same like and traits
I think Blaziken was the start of weird humanoid starters.
decidueye's the only starter i've really clicked with in the entire 3D era, aside from Hisui's variations of old favorites. it's not so much the simplicity vs complexity (i love the johto trio) as it is how intensely humanized they are - galar doesn't have a starter trio, it has a panel at ConFuzzled.
You never got to know them and gave them more of a chance u just dismiss them
U need to use them more and spend more time with them
The point of the franchise is that they are partners and friends not pets
Maybe ur just prejudice
Then they're not pocket monster that you got catch them all
@@madnessarcade7447A pet can be a partner. Wtf are u on
Emboar is based off of the Pig demon Zhu Baije that Sun Wu Kong encounters along his journey and a chinese general Zhang fei from the romance of the 3 kingdoms. Unova's starters were supposed to be melting pot of eastern and western designs as seen with their designs which makes me like them alot compared to the other gens.
You know something always bothered me about the starters the past few years and after watching this, your thoughts perfectly explained what I was feeling. They feel overly complicated while being too simple as well. Makes sense why Bulbasaur/Venasaur are still my favorite.
the water type starters have been wack as hell last couple of years
Ong gen 7 had the last good water design imo
They haven't been good since Greninja tbh
@@DrJones0801 i agree
@@DrJones0801primarina is not a bad pick though
@@MetalXZ12 It has good typing but I don't like the design
i don’t care what anyone says, i love the gen 7 and gen 9 starters to bits.
I find it easier to bond with my starter when their design isn't telling my what their personality and traits are supposed to be like. The design doesn't have to be simple, but it does have to feel neutral, to give space for its identity to grow as our journey together progresses. I want a pet that feels like a creature, rather than a humanoid with animal features (and a profession for some reason). Then again, I am pretty much a boomer when it comes to this topic, and I guess the good folks at the Pokemon Company know what the kids want, and what will sell the most lunchboxes.
I think if there wasn't such a nostalgia bias towards gen 1 that gen 3 would be the most popular trio. That or gen 4. Just pure perfection. They all look sooo badass.
IMO the only generation where all 3 are straight up S tier, peak pokemon
I disagree hard. Blaziken and Sceptile really ruin gen 3 starters imo. Swampert is perfect, it just looks like a monster. But a big humanoid martial art chicken is no different from a humanoid ninja frog to me.
@@GamenessViejo That's all cool and everything, doesn't change the fact it proves this all started with the gen 3 starters in Blaziken.
@@GamenessViejo I prefer Sinnoh and Kanto, but Johto has my favorite starter in Feraligatr, unfortunately is has a bad stat spread.
@@FargusPhilthat’s every gen imo
They basically became less animalistic and more human like
The Chickorita line’s simplicity is why it’s my favorite line, with the Sprigatito and rowlet line close behind
The bird on Skeledirge is supposed to represent a Plover. It's a kind of bird that will stand on an Alligator's snout. They create a symbiotic relationship, the bird eats leftover food from the alligator's teeth and acts like bait for the alligator to get food.
Does it count as another pokemon tho? That's what really make me confused
@@geogreyepa7674 no, I'd say it's more like a feature. I always looked at it like the bird was fire. I may be wrong but I don't think it actually attacks.
@@RenegadeGamer89 so the bird is control by skeledirge?
@@geogreyepa7674A bit late but no the bird is it’s own entity, it came about when the egg fireball on crocalor’s head gained a soul and thus explains why skeledirge is part ghost type. So essentially it’s a multiple in one Pokémon like magneton or tandemaus.
@@D3viant517 i see, interesting..
Erm actually the first 3 starters are based on pets you have lizard,turtle and frog🤓
I don’t care what people say about meowscarada I love it
fax
You should check out Lockstin and Gnoggin. He does a deep dive into each starter
need to check those videos out! I used to watch him a lot a few years ago
Sports, Acting, & Music, that's what the Gen 8 Starters Represent, basically things you'd see at a Theater/Stadium >.> Y'know like all the Gyms in the Region?
Also the Magician, Singer, and Dancer Themes all Work into Celebration!
My issue with gen 8 starters is how shallow their movepools were. I like how the starters over old had diverse move sets as it allowed them to be that ol’reliable
Tbh, while I definitely do want more traditional starter Pokémon that aren’t humanoid, I don’t really mind the humanoid designs (inteleon and meowscrada are my favorite mons as of recently) but having an actual cat starter (water type ofc) that doesn’t stand on two feet would definitely be cool.
Because they become less monster collection and more rpg party member
9:57 i always forget how large Venusaur is
The gen 9 slander is so mind boggling. They are some of if not the most creative Pokemon has gotten in a while. Way better than the rest of the gen 9 dex too. Maybe we should have more boring designs for people to be satisfied with (coming from someone who’s first game was red and loves the original games)
in my opinion, i feel like the starters nowadays have more personality. i never really connected with the older startes because they just felt like blank slates. idk something just feels incomplete whenever i look at them.
My problem with them is at the end of the day Pokemon are wild animals, and I cannot imagine coming across a herd of Meowscarada. That being said they are way more believable than some previous gens
@@Ben-zp6ge can you imagine coming across a herd of hitmonchan, jynx, alakazam, machamp, or any of the many humanoid pokemon? (Either way I think meowscarada would be a solitary animal like a cheetah or leopard) I get what you mean but at the end of the day they’ve always existed and it’s ingrained into the Pokémon universe so deeply, it feels natural. Hell, blastoise has fingers to grab things and stands upright. He has human like eyes and facial features. Turtles dont do that irl and he’s an OG starter
@@milkmilk1489 A lot of those yes, because I’d imagine Mons like hitmonchan being more of a tribe, or jynx being an isolated myth like being in a cave like Ogrepon. Meowscarada I just can’t picture in nature 🤷♂️ it’s seems more like a pet/human raised Pokemon which makes sense but I don’t like it.
@@Ben-zp6ge i disagree but youre 100% valid for not liking it. we all have different tastes
9:15 delphox is a mage
That’s different than a. Magician
Meowscarada is based on stage magicians which is just smoke and mirrors it’s not real magic it’s a deciever
Also skeledirge being a funeral singer is very unique imo
Also quaquaval is a samba dancer not salsa
It’s based on Brazilian culture
Emboar and Incineroar are also slightly different, Emboar is more of a sumo wrestler, while Incineroar is more like a wwe wrestler
I mean, the gen 1 starters all kind of look prehistoric.
They are monsters
Looks at turtle 😐: Yup this heres a pachycephilasuarous jr or white turtle for short
@@TheReZisTLust what are you on about
prehistoric canons?
They're pet.
Also you missed several details and design inspirations like the fact meowscarada is based on ouss and boots or skelederges bird is based on the fact crocodiles have symbiotic relationships to birds in the whiled to name a few
Like I said in the video, I am aware that there is a reason for that aspect of the design but I think it looks clunky and isn't as easy to understand that inspiration for casual viewers
@@FargusPhil ah I see
@@FargusPhilI think that forces them to do research and dive deeper into the lore
1:06 that was back when the lore was basic
The more they expanded the lore and worldbuilding the more they got creative with character concepts
All these things tie in together
The thing about pokemon designs, in my opinion, is that no matter if a pokemon has the most intriguing concept or mythological/folkloric inspiration, if the execution is bad then the design fails as a whole.
Most people, especially casuals, are also not gonna bother looking up why Skeledirge has a random bird on it´s head.
@@HimekoIzayoi true I suppose but execution is still subjective I think vanilux is stupid but stuff like real world inspiration adds actual measurable sorta aspects to it
This video is so great love your channel
Imo Gens 1-3 were the best ever. All the pokemon from starters to the legendaries were the best looking etc. Gens 4 and 5 were alright tbh, I liked them too but just not as much as 1-3. Gens 6 onwards not so much. Still played those as well but honestly nothing beats 1-3.
Oversaturation is what's killing Pokemon.
Later generations still had some good Pokemon designs, but you're right, you had to look outside the starters and legendaries by necessity in order to find them. The beginning and end of regional Dexes has just plummeted straight into the toilet.
This video made me remember/realize what I loved about pokemon gen1-4
And I'm thankful for that.
So from my understanding the design choice for the bird on skeledirge is due to crocs often having birds rest on their backs or noses while they skim the top of the water as well as functioning as a will o wisp/phoenix representing the death aspect further
Did the gen 5 starters actually get signature moves? What were those moves? And how was the introduction of hidden abilities a knock on those three? It was a mechanic widely distributed amongst most Pokemon, and included all of the previous starters
Emboar got Heat Crash, Serperior got leaf tornado, and Samurott got razor shell! It wasn't a knock at all, I just meant that the hidden abilities they got weren't special to them like the gen 6 starters
@@FargusPhil oh yeah, heat crash for sure, but those other two moves weren’t exclusive. I don’t believe they count as signature moves
@@FargusPhil I must admit tho, based on the short list of Pokemon that learned leaf tornado and razor shell that the moves were probably designed with the starters in mind. Probably what happened in gen 6 too so that’s honestly totally fair
I love watching Pokémon finally start to use more Digimon looking designs .. Digimon always had the designs on lock 🔥
I really don't like humanoid pokémon, and they keep getting more and more humanoid. I'm 33, and I've followed pokémon since gen 1, so I've felt they're differentiation through the years. Since gen 6, my favorite starter is Skeledirge, probably because since then it's the least humanoid, but I'm still bothered by the exaggeration in his details. I like simple, rustic pokémon. From new generations, I like Pokémon like Glimora, which looks like and early gen pokémon. I much much prefer older starters. But really I'm just commenting to help grow the channel. ;)
I'm kinda the opposite the simple designs are boring to me but I dont like hyper humanoid mons then can be human like just not straight up a human in a fursuit (lopunny)
@@vernessawashington9007 I can excuse lopunny because of the playboy reference.
Glimmora is super cool, honestly. I don't mind the overall more detailed designs, but what does bother me is that (especially for Litten and Sprigatito), you're often going from a cute animal that I'd love to pet to something that's so human it feels weird to even think about it.
I don't dislike humanoid designs, Lucario and Floragato are very cool. But some just feel TOO human.
Ok but then you have the machamp line which is just buff dude essentially. Or even jynx is humanoid. Then there is hitmonlee and hitmonchan. Those are the main humanoid pokemon i can think of from gen 1, but the point is that there has always been these humanoid designs they are just more talked about now because of the starter pokemon being more humanoid.
@@giantenemycrab1192 Most likely, it's because they're starters, you use Machamp exclusively if you want, but many people want to keep their starters until the end of the game for tons of reasons, so they end up feeling forced to use a Pokémon they dislike it.
The bird is a reference to real live birds that sit on crocodiles and eat bugs that tend to gather around their eyes.
Honestly, it doesn’t bother me that we’re going down this route of starters being identified by their other role instead of just being an animal for two reasons.
A. These roles help make them stick out compared to other Pokemon, and in a good way. Gives them an identity that isn’t just “fire fox”, “water penguin”, or “grass owl”.
B. The formula has proven to work , at least for me, as it gave me plenty of personal bangers. For example, Cinderace is one of my favorite pokemon ever, in my Top 4. It’s a rabbit with soccer player elements blended together. It takes things I really like of both the animal and role and fuses them into a Pokemon I enjoy a ton. Like how can you not love it igniting pebbles into fireballs? That’s incredible!
That being said, I get why people would love the starters being just animals. Hell, I like some of them too. But the idea that these identities are ruining starters now I think is wrong. It’s moreso they can give more or take away from the starter that I can understand
Exactly I totally agree, decidueye is a fantastic Pokémon and it has that extra element too. So I don’t think it’s ruining them at all, that’s why I said it’s not necessarily a bad thing! Just wanted to take a look at that evolution and how it’s impacted starters in both a good and bad way
It seems like you can also see how together the three tie to their region. For example, the sinnoh trio relates to myth and history, and sinnoh is tied deeply to that, or how the galar trio is based on British entertainment because of how the gym challenge is such a big deal in Galar especially
I don't mind the starters feeling like characters, I just wish they weren't _always_ like that. Wish we could have more animalistic ones every so often.
Out of all "character starters" Cinderace is the one I feel the most mixed on. Sure, a fire rabbit that is also a football player is a good idea, but the execution and design I find lacking compared to other fire types and character starter and for me he especially suffers from comparisons to a certain series' main fire foward, its flame striker if you will.
The starter Pokemon design have definitely got more interesting over the years
I would argue less interesting.
@@skaylingop9673 to each there own
@@skaylingop9673 quqaval would like to talk
You mean more furry
@DarioCorselli dude there animals,how could they possibly be categorized as furries
Something I think a lot of fans feel conflicted about is that Pokémon aren’t animals, or rather, game freak doesn’t really see them all as just “animals” they are monsters, almost humans. And a bunch of fans don’t want that.
Personally I think ever since gen 5, the starters never seemed like pokemon that fit in with the rest of the cast. So much so that I end up benching them most of the time
You’re crazy a snake 🐍 & seal lion on all fours and a better Blaziken (aka emboar) is what you’re calling bad? Be fr Hoenn has ALL 3 looking humanoid 😂
8:47 that movement is wild😅😂😂
I literally just realized it but i think skeledurges bird is because there is a type of bird that has a sybiotic relationship with crocs, and they also used it to be the microphone. This realization made me like skeledurge a bit more.
I think a lot of folks are more drawn to the first gen starters because of the nostalgia factor. If these starters were to appear in gen 9, they wouldn’t get the same respect that they would today and the Pokémon community would call them lazy designs
I mean obviously designs arent gonna be complex when a company is literally making the first game of the franchise, but also thats not the point of the video, the point is that they are making starters too human and giving them roles, when in a lot of our opinion more generalized with broader roles work a lot better
@@NH-st2uh I think a preference towards “more broader roles” is still imbued with some nostalgia, especially if it’s about going back to the simplicity of past gens. I do understand and wish starter Pokémon were less character based design, and more creature-like. However Pokémon is trying to go with the theme/inspiration of a region, so I get why the starters turned into characters.
@@uvma I get what ur saying, in the end its just preference, but I really dont like how humanoid almost every starter has become. It feels like the starters are becoming more and more childish. I get the target audience are children but previous gens didnt feel as childish
@@NH-st2uh yeah for sure! It’s funny because the diehard Pokémon fans are mostly not kids and we keep getting cartoon characters lol
@@uvma yeah exactly lol
I literally played through scarlet without using my starter lol 💀
LMAO fair honestly
You should give them a chance that’s on u
The point of the franchise is that they are partners and friends not pets
Maybe ur just prejudice
Me too (but Violet). My partners were Clodsire, Houndoom, and later Lokix. The starters designs didn't speak to me. I like the basics, but their evolutions were meh...especially Fuecola. It is so awful to look at for me.
Which starter did you choose? Sprigatito Fuecoco or Quaxly
I feel like the first 3 gen starters were more like wonder of nature.. and that's what make pokemon charming in my opinion. Their branding as whole still about that tho. But starter wise : NOPE. They were more like *"what if- homo sapiens like this"*
I am biased with Gen 7 and I think they’re all really cool(decidueye is my favorite) but I don’t mind Gen 8 either
Decidueye is easily one of the best starters ever
@@FargusPhil fr
I heard the reason Meowscarada is a magician/jester is because Spain had famous Jesters from a local from Spain who used frequent a toy shop i worked at in a mall, i dunno if its true or not but there was a famous jester named Calabazas, who was a jester in the court of King Philip IV of Spain depicted in a famous painting.
Decidueye’s ghost typing is also because it’s based off of the stilted owl, an extinct owl species
It makes me tear up not even about the quality of any of the Pokemon but the fact that they're all obtainable across 7 generations of games. Even the most forgettable of Pokemon are not forgotten and are even updated. Classic handheld main series Pokemon is my favorite rpg series for this reason.
I think the gen 8 starters are so good because they tie in to the region so well
Blazekin kinda looks like a Digimon character like Fladramon.
My biggest thing with Pokémon is, I’d like to imagine what it would be like to have them irl, if you get a pet cat and then it ends up being like basically a grown man with fur, walking around with that thing would make you look so weird bruh 😂
@ItsjustHydra
gen 1 did this too, with literally a mime.
They tried a reset with gen 5 and people hated it, and for some reason they took that to heart with not only their game style but their starter designs.
To be clear, the general public only began dickriding gen 5 later on, at first it wasn’t as well received, just like every other pokemon game. It isn’t to say that gen 5 isn’t good, they’re among the best of the series, but yea. Greninja was the beginning of the end
Thank you! I been saying for years how Gen 2 starters big problem is that they're too plain and man Mega forms would've combatted that so hard.
I think people are forgetting they're Pocket Monsters and not actual animals, meaning ofc the starters are based on real life species but will always have a monster form of twist to them
You can only make some many animals before it just becomes Neopets and I think that's what they wanted to avoid by giving them themes and a more humanoid appearance which in the world's lore makes sense obviously Pokémon would evolve to become more human like that's kind of the whole premise of Pokémon to begin with.
Also newer starters are truly fitting for the region now.
I never want to see them go back to the old design philosophies, because that's too boring for your partner Pokémon. The first one you get should be special, not just element + animal.
I feel very strongly about the lorigins™.
Let’s get to the root of the problem then…. Who’s designing and approving of these Pokemon designs ?
I have mixed thoughts on modern starters too. Personally, I like the idea of Galar's starters, being pretty simple with real world inspiration, but execution wise they dropped the ball a bit
Also, this video was very well constructed. You earned a sub, keep it up Bruv 🔥💯
That’s a great way of putting it, the execution was definitely off (except Grookey & rillaboom, I actually really love them). And thank you! Much more to come soon
I personally love Inteleon, and don't really see why people don't like it. It looks like a Basilisk lizard
Heliolisk is actually one of my all time favorite pokemon! Not to knock inteleon but heliolisk is a much better basilisk pokemon in my opinion. Gmax inteleon though is honestly kinda cool
@@FargusPhil Heliolisk is a frilled lizard though isn't it? I also love Heliolisk though, but Inteleon is such a cool lizard Pokemon to me. Mixing lizard traits with spy traits was top tier imo
Nah it was unique tying in the British culture specifically
I don’t like how starters final evolutions have now turned into digimon
I recall someone saying that Skeledirge’s head a stage. The bird is a singer and the flames on it’s head are pyrotechnics
The Gen 8 starters do have a bit of a deeper theme than what you seem to be interpreting. Specifically, they reference important British cultural icons as seen through the mirror of the Pokemon world--the Super Spy, the Rock Star, and the Soccer Star.
Inteleon is James Bond the super spy (or any of the spy characters derived from Bond) if he was a water lizard. Rillaboom's rock drummer is a reference to all the Rock musicians that came out of England and the influence that Britain had on the genre and vice versa. Cinderace being THE soccer star is, again, reflective of the importance of soccer in British culture and the various soccer icons that the country is obsessed with.
The starters being these modern British cultural icons fits well with the Galar pokemon league being a take on Britain's modern sports leagues (Pokemon was always as much a sports/game series as it was an adventure series but it's never been as clear as in Galar) and also serves as a nice contrast to the box art legendaries being drawn from Arthurian myth. A sort of "heroes of the past meet the heroes of the future" kind of thing.
I think the paldea starter trio is million times better than galar starters
When starters become your companion...
Like what you did with the music❤
He has a bird because crocodiles are known to befriend birds so they “clean” their teeth
Gen 1 will forever be my favourite
The OG
I find funny that the lastest Pokémon Gen are more designed to be their own characters instead of being their own species and still no new Mystery Dungeon have arrived to exploit that. Personally I don't like them to be characters but I don't like them to be just an animal with an elemental detail either, I prefer a perfect balance, but good enought for people to add them any kind of personality, I have read a webcomic of a naughty Abra, it was hilarious how it caused a lot of trouble to the trainer 😄.
I think people miss the point when it comes to the starters and why they are the way they are. It is not like pokemon never used roles for mons since the very beginning, in fact all mons have some connection to some myth or legend or some animal design that is based on the area that the region is from. For example, Nintales is well the ninetailed fox. That said they was not as strong in those points in the first few gens given that pokemon was a newer company without the reputation and prestige that it has today. As time goes on the starters especially are used to promote the highlights of each region basically becoming mascots for the culture of which the region is based on such as in Paldea and their ties to magicians, singing, and traditional dance. Just as much as the pokemon are animals they also are creatures heavily pushed to feel like they belong in the region they are in often taking on roles and appearances that one would expect a fantasy based game to take them. It is like having the digimon togemon in the desert because it is a cactus. It would make sense given what it is and the environment. One also has to point out that in a video game having the creatures just be animals is a good way to go bankrupt. While animals with powers is a fun idea if they was only that they would be less unique as over time similar mons would blend in with each other to the point that they would feel more like a clone of one another than a new mon. A good way to point that out is noctowl and decyidue. If you would remove the archer robin hood theme it would be just another owl as the typing would not matter as just the same mon with a different typing would make it digimon given how many of them literally is just the same mon with a different look.
i will say though, for gen1 in particular
alot of people are forgetting that pokemon quite literally copied dragon quest but "made it cuter"
while you could argue some of the more animal-like pokemon could be up for debate
stuff like gastly, koffing, geodude looks like an exact replica (you can't even use "there's only so much interpretation one can derive from folklore", well... its gen1, their first game and that doesn't hold up)
@@namo2403 Gen 1 I feel was them just making mons and see what happens. Some was a bit more thought out while other was simple. Something you would expect from a first game of any monster making company. That said it was not that they did not make some mons with more myth and legend thought in mind just that given it was the first game and that they was low on time they fit them where they could and improved the ideas later as time went on.
If they made the similar concepts over and over again then we will get tired of it. Charizard is a just a dragon nothing unique about it and blastoise is a big turtle the new designs are actually more creative then that
I personally wanna see a different type trio for gen 10, like fairy, fighting, steel. It would be a nice change of pace imo
7:47 Decidueye is ghost type because it is based on the extinct Stilt Owl of Hawaii
In other words, modern pokemon tend to feel more like a Digimon instead of being a Pokemon.
Look at Hoenn starters they’re all humanoids 😂
If you think Gen II’s starters are simple, you should see the Gold and Silver Space World 1997 build’s starters. Only Chikorita made it to the final build, although it’s middle form was different
I think something between the gen 4 and 6 would be ideal!
Another problem would also be the latest starters being way too extra, lanky, and humanoid without their gimmicks being cool enough to compensate for it
Like they thought infernape and greninja are popular due them having these traits forgetting the fact that both of these mons have gimmicks that are actually badass, it's hard to top frog ninja and monkey king inspired mons if your gimmicks in comparison are dancing, football, magic, etc....
Although they are regressing in terms of design, they sure make them competitively much more viable which I love to see
definitely, if only they stayed viable for vgc after they reintroduced all the legendary threats. Incineroar obviously gets past all that though lol
It’s not regression they have gotten more creative because they put a bigger emphasis on lore
It is a regression, they‘ve gotten more and more ridiculous. I wish I had never seen this disgusting freak called "Primarena". Why, just why? 😖
If they put out the gen 1 starters now, I don’t think people would like them as much as they do.
Pokemon designs these days are actually way better and more creative than before.
I personally tend to like more of the newer starters because of how they tend to go a little extra. I mean it’s not like you can capture them in normal gameplay so giving them that extra touch seems warranted. Also I do feel the gen 8 starters should have been dual typed so they can get more aspects to them, and probably be better received by most players ( I want my water/ghost inteleon).
I Personally think that most gens did a great job because even when the implemented a trait it made sense for the Animal they chose about Gen 4 Torterra does a pretty great job because it honestly it shows it's concept and is totally believable to exist in the Pokémon World Infernape when you think about it a simple fire monkey like simisear or Darmanitan they are Fire monkeys but luck any sort of greatness so adding the mythological Monkey King really does the Difference because now more than that is your Guardian has a design to prove it and Empoleon is an Emperor Penguin what better concept could they think than have an influence from a real Emperor and one that traveled the sea is just nice implementation Gen 5 Serperior did well a regal flower snake is a good concept because both snakes and plants are symbolism that we see through out the history in royalties Emboar design is a bit weird but instead of Ground they went with Fighting the concept of fighter tries to implement a Warrior most likely western design in my opinion did a good job but the fighting type was what ruined it Samurott honestly it's hisuian version does a much better job on its design
Gen 6 7 8 9 is we're the design were the ones than went with concept first but worked great with Chesnaught Grenninja representing Knights and Ninjas but Delphox went overboard with an idea that Braixen did way much with of Dark Magician girl vibes Decideye was a very amazing concept because not only it did Robinhood but also got inspiration from Greek Mythology as well with Athena using a bow and Owls being her Signature animal Incineroar is just perfect he might be wrestler but it shows also its dark type by following the concept of countering the previous starters is their answer to their trope Primarina wrong doing is that it looks too feminine which kinda kills it and like Delphox is over designed Gen 8 I think giving items to Pokémon is a little ridiculous like Rilaboom is useless without its drums or what if they Break and it's kinda ugly and simplistic unlike infernape which is very good Rillaboom is boring without its drums Cinderace is good Simplistic but gives nice bugs bunny vibes and the concept of football it might be weird but at least is something that is acceptable to say is possible since honestly football is something that any Person or animal is going to play with just give a ball to a dog or a Dolphin and they will play around with it Cinderace shorts in my opinion add to the design and without the current starter trope it is quite an interesting Pokémon as for Inteleon a slick Lizard is nice the concept of Spy it is farfetched but I still okay because a lot of lizards shoot their tongue at incredible speeds the gun fingers are the exaggeration but is really to personal opinion here I think Inteleon needs to be in a Pokémon Movie we're a Galarian Spy and his Inteleon try to take down an evil syndicate would be awesome and the only that would Inteleon justice and finally as for generation 9 Quaquaval is the only one that does fit with its concept o because is a peacock and they use dancing to mate or fight so being a capoeira dancer is very good and clever but it's the current starter trope that kills it Skelliderge is very nice designed if the changed its flames and not have the bird change into a mic it would be awesome and it's the first instance we're the design doesn't allude to any trope rather is the move that creates its problem and Meawscarada is like braixen goes fully the Dark Magician girl way and that is because honestly we live in a date and age we're Waifus sell and also people who Braixen or Meawscarada like Pokémon so the Pokémon company follow what today's world likes the tried with Primarina Delphox but they were not successful I honestly I strongly believe that these kind of Pokémon ( Braixen Delphox Primarina and Meawscarada are the ones that do the greatest offense to the current starter trope and ruin the other two members of their respective region) Inteleon could fit there too but the Difference is that its concept looks Gender Neutral and is clever but really needs to fulfill its concept that is inspired by Spy films to have its own film to show the Pokémon true Potential as for the ones that say Incineroar I say that it's cartoon like look would really loved if the five Pokémon I mentioned didn't exist and might be the only one that is also Great Competitive which can really help a Pokémon. So Chesnaught Grenninja Decideye Incineroar Cinderace Skelliderge and Inteleon are great showcase of their trope and all would really be more loved if Delphox Primarina Inteleon and Meawscarada went for animalistic appearance and Rillaboom didn't had its stupid drums. Gen 4 and 5 really were animals first and concept as an addition and the first three Gens did a good job but they also are locked to the fact that they cannot move too much away from their concept exception to this is Charizard and the Gen 2 starters which are really versatile in their designs Charizard can get 50 different forms and still look amazing proof of an amazing Pokémon no wonder Charizard is loved by everyone ❤
Gen 8 was the first pokemon game I actually took my starter out of my team and that hurt my soul
That's the reason why I didn't evolve my starters since Gen 4 :D
I have questions Why every starter is ambhibian reptile bird mammal not fish or insect
0:42 been a thing since gen four arguably gen one if you count there cryptid theming
Venasaur is a living dinosaur cryptid
Charizard is a fire salamander
Squrtle is based on a minogami
Gen 2 has the theme of the past totodile literally evolves into a caveman crocodile
Gen 3 is nature
Of course you all know the rest
Ps. The reason charizard isn’t dragon type is because its not one in the fire salamander myth there mistaken for dragons so charizard is that brought to a cartoony pokemon style
Feels like this started happening in Gen 3 to me
how many pokemon come and go. the connections Ash had with Squirtle, Bulbersaur and charmander where on another level.
Delphox is actually based on Delphic origins which explains why it can see into the future.
Gen 1,3, and 4 had PERFECT starters.
Tbh a "Pokemon Zero" where they reboot the game in all aspects is probably long overdue. Take the evolution of Final Fantasy as an example. I don't exactly like those games, and if I'm being honest I like the standard turn based combat a lot... But Nintendo could definitely get away with ONE single mainline entry where they just toss every single old idea in the trash and remake the whole concept, then try to sell that new idea entirely on its own merit as a new idea and not as the next gen in the series
I get your point and do agree. Sometimes the designs get too convoluted when they add themes in and sometimes when nothing special is added or it's kept too basic it's kinda....bleh. I don't mind themes, I actually kinda like them, however I think gens 3 & 4 nailed it with nailing each of the designs for every starter. If I had to rank the gens based on how all their starter designs (final evo) are I'd go; Toss up between gens 3/4 (4 was the best of the theming gens, 3 was best of non theming imo), gen 1, gen 6, gen 9, gen 7, gen 8, gen 2, gen 5 (last 3 hard for me to order).
A good mix of both is the way to go. Diamond & Peral/XYZ did it great.
The themes of Gen 8 starters was based on Britain.
Water - 007
Fire - Soccer
Grass - 70's Rock and Roll/Beatles
If your saying theme: (just my opinion)
Gen 1 could be fantasy style with lizard with wings, a walking flower and turtle with canon.
Gen 2 could be realistic with crocodile on water, weasel torn as fire, sauropod ate leaf.
Gen 3 seems like a martial art to me with fire as karate, water as sumo and grass as kung fu nunchuck.
Gen 4 historical icon
Gen 5 mix of jpn chs history and martial art with fire zhang fei, water samurai, grass as an emperor that uses grappling judo
Gen 6 more like a kingdom theme where u choose knight, ninja or wizard kingdom
Gen 7 obviously circus where there’s stuntman wrestler, clown and the archer that shoot apple on top of head.
Gen 8 more like rare occupation
Gen 9 entertainer