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Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew vs Pokemon - DAILY UPDATES!
« on: July 22, 2019, 09:10:12 AM »
Carnivine: Man. Grass really has some of the like, super forgettable pokemon. It isn't like, the worst or anything. It just feels really uninspired for such a cool plant. The colors are good (nice little red vines), the body is kinda weird and reminds me of the issues I had with Mismagius though, where they just sorta put a bulky shape there for... reasons? It at least makes a bit more sense with a plant since it looks like it is sprouting out of a seed, but that kinda makes it a waste as a one-stager. And those eyes are really googly. Which I usually don't have a problem with but for some reason it just kinda sits poorly with me here. 2/5
Finneon: It is fish. But I like it. The colors are relaxing, the body shape is nice (better than the slightly misshapen Goldeen), and the butterfly tail is cute. And the little triangle by its eye makes it look so happy! And its got anime girl bangs on its head as top fins! Its cute. But also really generic and continuing this post's theme of "pokemon no one really remembers." 3/5
Lumineon: Reminiscent of an angelfish, but less good. Like what is that horrible tail it has? And why are the butterfly fins attached on like, the top of its body? And why does it look smug/stoned? Colors remain nice, but yeah. Its the negative side of generic and boring. 2/5
Drapion: Its been a month and I still don't know what to do with this fucker. Its a man scorpion made of slinky pops with its arms coming out of its head. And the fang/mandibles became, like, tissue paper. There is just a lot of stuff going on here, and literally none of it is good. I hate this thing so much. 1/5
Croagunk: Also not fond of this thing. The design just doesn't... really evoke anything for me. Purple gets you poison I guess and like... the wraps get you fighting? I don't know. The colors don't super compliment each other well. Its just uninspiring without being so hideous that I absolutely loathe it. Without knowing anything about it, the orange middle finger is super goofy (and doesn't really communicate what reading the dex tells you). 2/5
Toxicroak: I made a mistake coming back to this. The froggy throat pouch looks like a tumor. The upper lip(?) line looks stupid. The white wraps have movede down to look like a diaper. There's a lump on its back that looks like another tumor. I guess the stabby finger at least better communicates what it does. Except they then add a random orange toe that looks pointless. Just... every individual element here is kinda stupid, and they do not add up to be more than the individual pieces. Or maybe they do, but they just are all worth negative numbers. 1/5
Skorupi: Accordion scorpion. Also the return of purple. I feel like the weirdest thing about this design (eyes popping off the head aside) are the fact that its "claws" are just single balls attached to its head. Like, I have no idea what to do with that. I think the core body looks decent (if a little weird), but those arms really mess with the whole design. Beyond that, something about the aesthetic here really makes me think Gen 3 for some reason, but I can't place it. 2/5.
Hippopotas: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR EYES? They have like, skin tags on them and it is freaking me out. Otherwise its a fairly cartoony looking hippo. The sand spraying holes are things and the color is some decent camo on both the male and female versions. Its... fine. I don't actually have a lot to tall out here besides those weird eyes that look weirder the more I look at them. 3/5.
Hippowdon: And this is the more serious take on it. Not to say there aren't other pokemon that do cute pre-evo into more serious evo, this one just really jumps out at me because they just feel like two different takes on the same idea. Not a lot of feature overlap outside the back holes expanding, not really sharing a color pallate, etc. I mean, I didn't super like Hippopotas' eyes, but completely losing the periscope look seems like a shame. The loss of the patterning kinda sucks too. I do like the extra nose holes though. I dunno. I don't think this is decidedly worse than its pre-evo for all that bitching, I just am somewhat disappointed at how the transition goes. 3/5.
Rilou: Everyone else's favorite furry friend. Almost. Uh. He's... okay, I guess? I dunno. He does an okay job of not being like, just an anthro puppy? The colors are okay, though I'm not really sure what to do with the lumps on the forearms. And not that I've been staring at his torso I see that it kinda looks like a dick and balls so I'm not sure what to do anymore. That aside the ways his legs connect are kinda weird, as are the... secondary ears? Whichever ones the ones attached to his mask are. Actually this is getting actively worse the more I put it together and am starting to think this really needed one more draft to smooth it out. There's just a LOT of disjointed stuff going on. That tail is kind of stupid and glued on.
Lucario: Everyone else's actual favorite furry friend. Well he fucking looks better than Riolu. The hand and chest spikes are weird and frankly I will never understand why he ends up steel stype off that. The head is good and the ear things being pushed back more like dreads looks WAY better. Still goofy if you get it from behind, but eh. The neck ruffle is cool, though I dislike the arm bands. I legit never noticed how much it looks like he's wearing shorts though. Don't like that. Tail also remains a bit goofy looking. Like, come off the spine, not the ass. That said, I can see the reason people like Lucario? He manages the martial artist look way better than a lot of other pokemon with the visual clothing cues being built more into his body naturalistic than a lot of other fighting pokemon. And that's a good fierce dog head. And they even let the yellow be patchy in some places, which is a design element I feel you see a little less in later pokemon gens (really repping the fur). Sure, I'll give him the 4/5.
Muchlax: Pretty decent baby, overall. I think the head patterning could have been better to match Snorlax, since otherwise the idea of Muchlax growing up and out kinda explains a lot of the remaining coloration and patterning. The fur skirt is a little weird but it actually works pretty well with the aforesaid qualities of growing up and out of it later. The biggest problem is really just that hard divide of color on its face. Ultimately it is as good as a Snorlax, so I guess I'll score them the same. 3/5.
Gible: What an adorably pudgy little landshark. I actually kinda like him. The hammerhead portion feels pointless and kinda ugly though. The rest of it really is shockingly cute as you think about him tearing stuff up. He's so tiny and angry! Colors and head-fin are pretty okay. It really is that hammerhead that ruins him. Also he could probably use more teeth. Still, I'm feeling positive. 4/5
Gabite: The stupid hammerheads are still there and still suck. He also loses the cool headfin. And concentrates all his weight into his belly area. The little arm claws are okay as are the arm fins. He just looks a bit too awkward. Which sort of works for the transition between the chubby and goofy Gible and the more ferocious and athletic Garchomp. But it doesn't do Gabite's design any good. 2/5
Garchomp: And suddenly yellow. Honestly the coloring remains pretty decent. The single claws look better. The spikes are kinda stupid, but the overall shape is more sleek and speaks better to the super fast landshark. The hammerhead stuff is still dumb, but the head is better shaped to complement it. And while the headfin did not return, the flatter, broader shape of the head works fine without it, unlike Gabite. And the nicked backfin is decently fitting. I also think it might have been better looking without the tail having three points and looking more authentically shark-like. So, in honor of that... 3/5
Chatot: Is not happy about this bullshit. Kind of an incoherent design. I mean the sound idea is there and present, but I think it is sort of overdone with just like. You know. The musical note head and the metronome tail that don't really do anything else at all. The bird body is... fine? The colors are all over the place, but I guess that happens with birds. I do wish the body were more feathery looking stuff outside the ruffled collar? I dunno. Like I said, the design is sort of incoherent with nothing really combining or going together well. 2/5
Spiritomb: You know, I always kind of assumed his ghostly body was spherical, not flat. That's weird. Otherwise this is... okay? His facial design is a bit goofy, but it works for weird spoopy dark ghost I guess. I dunno. He's fine. Emerging from the rock is kind of cool? 3/5
Happiny: I think the problem with this gen's baby pokemon is that they really went in on looking childish. Happiny's little pony tail here, for example. And the diaper/pouch. That said, I kinda actually like Happiny? Like, it does capture a younger Chansey pretty well, and the idea of the pouch shrinking is kind of neat. Though it is way redder than its evo, but hey. Pokemon evolution color plot. I dunno. I kinda like the pony tail, but then I look at it and go "this is just a 4-5 year old girl's hair except made of fleshy tendrils" and then I'm not sure what I'm doing with my life. 3/5
Mime Jr.: Well. He's better than Mr. Mime because he is way less creepy pedophile looking? Though the kinda balding look is still pretty bad. The cupcake body is kinda interesting though. I don't know why they are doing that but hey, I'm not gonna complain about anything that looks less terrible than Mr. Mime. Clown noses are terrible. Overall it just really ends up with too much of a human look for me. Whereas something like Gardevoir at least ends up looking like a weird fey thing, Mime Jr... doesn't. So for all that it is less abysmal than its evo... it still sucks. 1/5
Bonsly: Is a pretty decent baby pokemon. Carries most of the design through well, is fairly cute on his own, and I actually like him better than his evo. I dislike the pot/diaper design, though. It probably deserves some credit for being cute, but it is one step over for me. I also wish there was maybe a bit more texturing down on its lower half to break up the sea of dull brown? Still. 3/5, maybe bordering on the next rank?
Bronzor: I don't have a lot to go here with. Bronzor is fine. The color is nice. Patterning is fine without being overwhelming. But he's pretty boring. The design on the back is a bit weird too. *SHRUG* 3/5
Bronzong: I really feel like I should have more to say considering my lazy lately, but... yeah. I don't have a lot here either. I think the darker shade looks better than the lighter shade, so losing so much of that kind of sucks. The tooth/mouth pattern is goofy. Not sure why the eyes changed color. I dunno. He's just TOO bell like. Like, remove the eyes and that's what I'm pretty sure he is. Patterns are all fine and everything but it just doesn't ring (heh heh) to me as a pokemon. Not the most awful, though. 2/5
Stunky: It's face is a butt. 1/5
Skuntank: They really went cat-like with the design here. Uh. Colors are fine. It is mostly just boring, with a pretty simple round body, no real ornamentation, and a tail draped over most of it. Say what you will about Stunky's doorstop body design, it is at least interesting-ish looking? This is just another mostly ugly cat design. And it still has a butt for a face, it is just less obvious. 2/5 
Chingling: This is high on the list of pokemon I never remember existing. Why the fuck would you make a pre-evo to Chimecho of all things? Like, the existence of this thing is way weirder than anything else. That said, this is pretty high on that meh object scale. And it is made a bit worse by the fact that is is basically just a bell with tiny hands and feet instead of at least being some weird psychic floating bell thing. The mouth is kinda cute with the bell elements though. Like, I actually don't hate this design. But still. I think we can afford a downgrade for being what it is. 2/5
Glameow: As far as kitties go, I like a lot of what this one has going for it. Its a pretty decent cat shape that manages to be distinct. The way the fluffs on it are kinda bulbous are weird though (especially the ones near the neck and the tail). The colors are good, but I wish the white was on its body somewhere instead of just the adorable little boots. The eyelids being pink is really weird. And kinda gross. That tail though. I have no idea what is going on with that tail. Like, none. I dunno. There's some decent stuff here, but the weird and bad is weird and bad. 2/5
Purugly: Sure. 1/5
Honchkrow: Pimphat bird, reporting in. What's with the little feather bends on some of these? They look so stupid when the bird is otherwise being hella bird-like. The white chest floof is pretty cool, honestly, and I like the overall puffed up look. The tail feels a bit anemic given how big the rest of the bird is? And the broom aesthetic loses a bit without the more witchy look of Murkrow. Colors are nice though. Honestly, I kinda wish the hat was played up more? It is almost underwhelming given how big Honchkrow's body is. Still, I like this birb overall. 4/5
Mismagius: Man, Misdreavus had really good art.
Buneary: I don't really like rabbits. It's fine. Honestly the most interesting thing is the asymmetrical ear design. I dunno. Its face looks kind of smushed, honestly. Colors are fine if a bit dull. I actually like the choice to make the feet white as well since it makes the fluff look less like a diaper or something. It is fine. 3/5
Lopunny: Looks a lot better when it isn't sticking its ass out. The floof collection moving to the arms is a bit weird? I do like the look of it on the ears though (with the added addition of looking distinct thanks to the flop). The face is also a bit less flat which is nice. The eyes on Lopunny are a bit weird though, looking like sunken red demon eyes in black abysses. And those eyebrows are kinda nuts. Not sure why the legs/feet avoided the floof. I dunno. Honestly I expected to hate it more, but it honestly seems to be more the posture in the official art that is the annoying bit. It looks better in other pieces with more dynamic poses. *shrugs* 4/5
Drifloon: I kinda like Drifloon. I mean, it is basically a balloon, but it has just enough going on with the little feelers and the little bandage on its face. I think the biggest weakness is the weird little head cloud which kinda looks a bit like a bad toupee. Purple ghost, too. Never seen that in pokemon. Still, all that said, I actually find myself still liking him even if I struggle to justify it. I think it is mostly just that it hearkans back a bit to Gen 1 design, with a fairly simple structure overall. Whatever. 4/5
Drifblim: Ashley is gonna be mad about that name. It's even dumber than Drifloon, if you ask me. Well, he's definitely an evolution that comes from his previous form. The ideal is solid and the overall shape is good. The hot air balloon lines are good too. I think the colors here are a bit intense though, with dark purple, light purple, red, white, and yellow all competing. Just all too much. Just ends up going down a notch from Drifloon. 3/5
Ambipom: It is Aipom but worse in literally every way. The tail hands look horribly diseased and swollen (not helped by the red), the Moe cuts on its bangs is awful, that nose is just what even. It looks like its face is just some horrible mask covering purple. The oval shape for the eyes is less cute and welcoming. The stupid hair antennae are a lot worse than the little frill. I was about to say the only improvement was the little fluffy fur by its tail which looked neat, but it turns out those are just vestigial horror tails as well so no. Fuck this thing forever. 1/5
Shellos: Oh my god why so many forms in this gen. Uh... they are both okay designs, honestly. I think the smiley face is a little too much? I like the rest of the look on both of them, but thick lips like that just do not do it for me. I slightly favor the east design since the little wings are really cool (and the highlighting looks great) but west isn't bad. I just wish the spikes had a little more going on. Really the worst part on both of them is just their goofy head ornamentation, neither of which features nodules I particularly like. Good colors and comp though. 3/5
Gastrodon: See? No lips looks better. I do with they'd both kept their back features more true to their pre-evo, as the new stuff is just boring. The head ornamentation looks better though. Colors are still nice. Souless slug faces are cute in a weird way. I like them better than their pre-evos, but not enough to bump the score I think. 3/5
Cherubi: Colors are pleasant and look how happy and content they both are. I kinda question the like... feet? though. This thing looks immobile as fuck despite those. Honestly its a simple design without much going on that generally effectively communicates what they are going for, which is a generic fruit. What'd I rate Oddish? This is probably around that. 3/5? Sure. I do kinda dislike the dark red line on its face, just because it really stands out as an obvious attempt to break up the plain-ness, but it doesn't really add anything.
Cherrim: Okay, gonna violate the way I normally do multi-form because I have to address these two together. Individually both designs are kinda cute and their own neat little things with decent color and shape (though uh... poor Cherubi part two apparently gets absorbed in this form). I think the Sunshine form looks a bit worse being more generically fey plant, but it isn't really an awful design or anything. But taken together, they kinda suck because they do not really follow from each other effectively. Like, try to map the two forms. The parts just don't line up well. You can sorta see how the bloom works, but it should not be sort of see. When the gimmick is "you are a blooming flower" you should actually take care to map them super well onto each other. So despite finding both forms to be decent, I feel obligated to smack these down a bit with a 2/5 score for Cherrim in general.