>>34695065>designed "comic relief" STARTERAlmost every starter is designed to be cute. There is no such thing as a purposefully designed comedy relief Pokemon.
In fact take oshawott and Torchic as an example.
In the beginning of gen 5 oshawott was seen how popplio was seen from the beginning of Gen 7. It was seen ugly and unloved. until it's anime counterpart saved it with its comedic tones. But from the beginning of BW everyone was expecting for the ugly otter to fully evolve.
Torchic was the cutest starter of the Gen 3 starters. In fact it was the most comedic out of the three. Both mudkid and Treecko had either a serious or adult like side to them. But Torchic was just that. Comedic cute bird who was on Mays arms or shoulders all the time. And that has actually been promoted too, I think there was a figure of it last year. But despite that it fully evolved. Torchic even tho it was extremely popular; Blaziken was almost if not equally as popular as it.
And then today we have Rowlet. Who's undeniably cute and popular. But it's final form is extremely cool and just if not more popular.