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because of its mascot status, they distorted it over time to become more cute and marketable to the point where it doesn't even resemble what it is supposed to be
also in terms of gameplay, it just isnt a pokemon even worth using in-game unless you plan on evolving it (which is why you should ditch it asap in yellow). its signature move, light ball, special z-crystals, or all of the attention it gets in later installments couldn't salvage it from being bad. you couldn't get a viable surfing pikachu until USUM, either.
