>>48456056I don't remember the exact wording, but the director of this series asked Sugimori for an androgynous design so people wouldn't be turned off by his rough start in the series.
He starts thinking he knows everything but has zero field experience so Ash has to teach him basic trainer skills. A cocky cute boy is easier to digest than a cocky tough-looking one, as the second is more appropriate for a rival character rather than a protagonist.