>>53662100Better / interesting posing and a pleasing art style. This died with Gen 3 when Game Freak decided to stop mimicking the styles of DQ / Toriyama. In terms of pokemon design, this has shifted the spread towards a few high highs and some abysmal lows. Overall design cohesion took a hit, as well. It’s a meme to say “this doesn’t look like a pokemon”, but there is some truth to that statement.
This is likely a non-issue for younger fans who didn’t grow up with a perception of the series informed by pokemania, and even as an oldfag, I can admit that a few newer Gens have solid design lineups. It’s just that the gradual changes in monster design approach, art style, and tone have resulted in a series that is very different from its roots, especially if you consider conceptual ideas from before Gen 1. Up for debate as to how good or bad these changes have been.
