>>52451823Because Paldea actually distributed its Pokémon and the old Pokémon fairly well between trainers and there’s not a lot of overlap between major trainers.
I’d also argue the new Pokémon they could use don’t fit their team’s theme all that well.
>Rika uses a team of serious looking Pokémon, with the dopey Clodsire revealing she has a soft centre >Poppy is very similar, but Tinkaton represents her girliness and youth >Larry is given a ridiculously colourful and quirky team contrasted by Staraptor, the only Pokémon he also uses in his Gym battle (and his preferred type)>Hassel plays is straight and uses serious looking Dragons with Flapple as a throwaway to the fact he’s an art teacher Rika could’ve used Toedscruel, true. I think she should’ve over one of Donphan or Dugtrio, it’d give her FWG coverage.
Poppy’s other choices are: Orthrorm, which looks goofy and lessens the Tinkaton reveal; Revavroom, who’s already all over the Team Star plot line; Gholdengo, who’s also a bit goofy; or Kingambit, who’d mog Tink as an ace and already appears with Giacomo and Geeta.
Larry could’ve used Bombirdier (already a Titan), Squawkabilly but he already has Staraptor, or Kilowattrel but Iono has one and it isn’t as colourful as Oricorio.
Hassel could have Tatsugiri or Cyclizar, and neither are very fierce looking. I don’t think either would look out of place compared to Flapple though.
In all fairness, Paldea’s GLs already did a fairly good job of having mostly Paldea ‘Mons. IIRC, only Brassius, Ryme, and Grusha only had 1.
Also why the fuck was Kofu not the doubles gym leader with Tatsugiri and Dondozo, it’d fit him so well. Just make the last Titan Palafin for the dramatic reveal lol.
