Overdesigned:
>fucked-up, nonsensical proportions
>too detailed
>too colorful
That add nothing to the character.
Sometimes it's necessary, mostly not.
Pokemon have evolved their variety is greater than ever. It's good because anyone will like at least few of'em.
Some still look like monsters, some like cartoon characters.
Is it bad? Not necessarily, because it can be executed well enough, but most of the times it's nonsensical and too commercial.
If you look at Garchomp, you have bright colors and an X on its forehead. Why? It's random, of course it looks shitty to many.
If you look at "Gen 1" Garchomp, it's white and blue, no X on it. Because there is no need to, it's already a dragon-shark fusion. It's a monster, it gets the point across. It doesn't look outright scary because Pokemon aren't that, but they look like monsters. They are JRPG creatures after all.
Now, Pokemon evolved and their designs as well, but only some benefit from looking like cartoon monsters. They're still catering to kids, just that it's more obvious cuz of the disproportions and the like. It can be seen for some as trying too hard. And they're not that wrong.
Why would Garchomp need those horrible colors? To make it look more like a cartoon dragon. It's, again, trying too hard to appeal to an audience.
Some work with such a design, e.g. the psycho-fish because of its bright colors and the like. It adds to its design cuz of its personality (grin, etc, making it look goof by nature, but as a cartoon even goofier).
Something like Aloan Exeggutor is okay, but they never take a big step and experiment. It's just an ugly palm tree. It looks weird, because it looks unnatural. A little stupid. Why not add to the stupidity instead, bend it a little and add clouds around its long neck, with straws coming out of the palms as if they were drinking something. Maybe wearing sunglasses for all I care.
Instead, it's half-assed because Gamefreak is far from perfect. It -is- a lazy company.
