Can we talk about what a feminist icon Salazzle is?
A quick Google search for "Salazzle" will quickly (even by Internet standards) turn up results for rule 34/hentai/sexualized art. Discussions of Salazzle on forums, message boards, and other online communities frequently center around threads like "Why did they make Salazzle so sexy?" All in all, the common consensus is that
Salazzle is sexy and
Her sexy design makes non-furry fans uncomfortable
To be clear, I'm not here to debate whether she is or isn't sexy. Still, there is no denying that her design IS intentionally provocative. The crest above her eyes that's made to resemble eyeliner, decorated underbelly that draws attention to her chest, and her decidedly human-like fighting stance to accentuate her curvaceous body...these are not arbitrary choices made by GameFreak. Certainly there's some discomfort coming from the fact that she appears in a children's game series, but what are we really saying when we fall for the opinion that her alluring design is, in and of itself, uncomfortable? Why are we urged by so many in the fandom to feel uncomfortable by her design?
Notably, Salazzle can only be female because they only evolve from female Salandit. In other words, male Salandit never evolve. Consider, too, her Pokedex descriptions: "Salazzle lives deep in caves and forces the Salandit it has attracted with its pheromones to serve it" (Pokemon Ultra Sun); "The winner of competitions between Salazzle is decided by which one has the most male Salandit with it" (Pokemon Shield). What we are left with, then, is an attractive, female character that uses her sexuality to reign over males, males who by definition can never evolve to her ranks.
So is it possible, nay probable, that so many fans (boys and men in particular) are actually threatened by the power dynamic that Salazzle represents?
