>>51186218Like
>>51186224 said It isn't really hated. The only hate it really gets is from people who hate Gen 2 in general but those people tend to target the babies, single stagers, and even the starters more than Noctowl.
Part of the issue is that it was robbed of the spotlight during Gen II by the pidgey line, and later gens continued to neglect it and give it nothing well while every other bird kept showing up in stuff, getting buffs or special snowflake forms. Though Noctowl at least managed to survive SwSh's Dexit so there hope.
But even ignoring that, Noctowl's design was never going to have broad appeal. I like Noctowl a lot and think it's a great design for what it is, but but its too "natural". It's partly based on a Grandfather clock but the design communicates it so subtly that it just looks like a stylized owl. most people wouldn't even know the clock connection unless they happened to read the dex on it keeping prefect time. Also, it lacks the "cool" factor most early game birds have due to being a owl instead of a edgy sleek falcon/eagle, Toucannon would have this problem too but its constant anger and the absurdity of a Woodpecker becoming a Toucan keeps it memorable. Even Hoothoot has the standing on one leg gimmick. Noctowl ends up blending into the background as a result.
