>>55406010It's funny. Gens 1-4 all had really solid starter trios, where even the least good design was still really good. Charmander is my least favourite Kanto starter but he isn't bad, just a bit weak next to Squirtle and Bulbasaur. Same with Totodile, Treecko and Chimchar. The 3rd place award is still 3rd place from 3 top-tier designs.
Then Gen 5 comes along and completely shits the bed with starters.
>Snivy is OK I guess but far from a knockout>Tepig isn't too bad, but still pretty weak>Oshawott and Dewott are actually alright but Samurott completely drops the ball, looking nothing like his predecessors and frankly being an eyesore (and not even having the Blastoise excuse of being designed as part of a separate line first).And ever since Gen 5 there's always been a "loser" out of the starters. Gen 6 had Greninja with its grotesque tongue scarf. Gen 7 had Incineroar, which embodies every problem people have with anthromons. Gen 8 had Rillaboom, who to be fair isn't horrendous but is forgettable. And Gen 9...well, frankly Gen 9's starters were terrible all around (Meowscarada is cute but is trying too hard for the furry audience) but Quaquaval is the absolute nadir of starter design, possibly beating Samurott and Greninja for the worst ever.
It's an issue specific to starters too; overall 'dex quality has remained mostly consistent (5 had some stinkers but also really cool designs like Galvantula) but starters have absolutely nosedived in quality since Unova.
