>>46030376In a way you're mostly right. If you think about it, a pokemon can be pretty broken and get lots of usage, but in the end that doesn't mean people will instantly like them. I mean, Landorus has Dominated the meta for multiple generations now, yet i've never seen anyone have him in any favorites list. Talonflame was one of the most feared and omnipresent pokemon during Gen VI, but now no one talks about it. Even Incineroar, despite record usage in competitive alongside being playable in Smash, is not particularly popular and is often left behind by the two other starters of its gen.
I actually do think that the main reason certain pokemon become popular is strictly because of their designs, and that accounts for around 80% of their appeal. That being said, i'm pretty sure being promoted in many ways, including competitively to boost usage, actually does help a lot. For example, Cinderace didn't reach Top 5 in Galar back when the Pokemon of the year poll was made, but i'm almost completely sure that if the poll were made after Libero was released, it would be either Top 3 easily.
TL;DR: Unmemorable or controversial designs can become somewhat liked if they are strong and useful in game, but if designs with an already established and broad appeal are also strong, they're bound to become favorites among the fanbase.
