>>17752151Gen IV: Piplup was THE starter mascot of Gen IV and is a water type, though Chimchar is clearly the most agile of the three Piplup would likely be chosen for this reason alone. Grotle is practically an Ivysaur clone anyway, so fits the mid-spot very well. On the other hand, Monferno's tricksy monkey business could make it a good unorthodox fighter, albeit one with slightly less weight than the template. Torterra would make the best heavy-weight of the three, while as with Blaziken Infernape may just be chosen anyway thanks to its popularity with da kidz.
>What Sakurai should pick: Piplup, Monferno, Torterra>What he would pick: Piplup, Grotle, InfernapeGen V: Emboar's was made to be a big fat weighty thing, to the point that its signature move is based on how heavy it is. Oshawott is similar to Piplup and could do all sorts of interesting things with its scalchops to move around and attack - while Snivy is faster, Oshawott wins here for similar reasons to Piplup. This leaves Servine, which fits stage 2 as an unorthodox grass-type.
>Oshawott, Servine, EmboarGen VI: Froakie seems the perfect fit for stage 1; it's an agile little ninja with a water-typing. However, Chespin gives it some competition here - it gets Rollout for mobility and has a more expressive face for the cute factor. All three families have reasons to occupy stage 2: Frogadier and Braixen both have unorthodox fighting styles that make them distinct, while Quilladin has the grass-type and the right weight category. Chesnaught is easily the best final form for a hard-hitter - its moves alone (Spiky Shield, Wood Hammer, Hammer Arm) fit the profile, not to mention its obvious bulk.
>Froakie, Braixen, Chesnaught 