>>43162750It's the style, for me.
What
>>43162788 said is right that it inevitably changes over time but I can still see the same elements each gen even if I see different ones as well.
Examples:
Gens 1-3 all look like Pokemon off the top.
Gen 4 started veering off.
Dialga, Palkia, and Arceus had strange structures and faces. Gliscor and Yanmega had strange eyes, especially given their prevos didn't start with such eyes. I don't know how to collectively describe it except maybe complex or alien. But alien in a different way, since Deoxys and the Beeheyem line strike me as Pokemon just fine.
Gen 5 veered off more with more westernized-looking designs and wacky proportions like the big head little body combo.
Darmanitan struck me as a non-Pokemon cartoon coming from western influence.
Klinklang's line just seemed like there was way too much emphasis on making the gears mesh than making it look like a Pokemon -- ironically Hagurumon would look more like a Pokemon (with maybe a slight touch-up to the eyes).
Keldeo has the big head and little body but this was taken for granted because it was a mythical and pony.
Meloetta is just a girl.
I'm pretty sure since the region was based on the US/the west since there was design influence reflecting that, but Pokemon like Braviary seemed totally fine.
Gen 6 had more of the wacky proportions like Fennekin infamously with a big head and small body. At least it was only a Stage 1 thing.
Gen 7 had Incineroar and Lycanroc-Midnight with thin arms and large hands, introducing a different kind of body proportion warping.
There's probably something to also say about Primarina not looking more gender-neutral as a starter but that seems like a separate discussion.
Gen 8 has Inteleon following in Incineroar's footsteps with its thin arms and large hands. Then there's jarring stuff like Eiscue.
There's a lot I missed out on I'm sure but the longer this grew the more I wanted to finish. But it definitely started around Gen 4.
