>>58270889I think it was definitely supposed to have a similar appeal to Lucario in the same way Zoroark but I doubt it was neither expected to have Lucario-tier popularity nor was it intended to.
For one it wasn't dropped until USUM and even then not until 2018, whereas Lucario and Zoroark were both revealed before their respective generations.
For another, Zeraora's distribution has been absolute cheeks. I think the only Mythical that has been distributed less than Zeraora is Pecharunt and that's because it's only just been released.
Zeraora has only had the initial Fula City/The Power of Us tie-in distribution in Gen 7 and a Shiny that was given away through Home for a limited time.
Most other mythicals that have only had a few appearances usually get a gimme Go distribution as a reward for doing in-game quests, but Zeraora got nothing.
It's hard to consider it a shillmon when it's barely been shilled. It hasn't even appeared in the Adventures manga.
I think there's a better case for Magearna to be the Gen 7 Mythical bipedal shillmon. Zeraora is just furbait.
