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Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew versus Pokemon
« on: June 04, 2018, 07:51:19 AM »
Cacnea: I stopped last night because honestly, I don't know what to make of Cacnea. I think I actually like him. More spines would be superior to the green diamonds, but everything else... works pretty well. He's a stubby little cactus dude. 4/5
Cacturne: I like the head and face, but that's kinda it. The body isn't bad, but it is very... plain, especially given how much of it there is. So yeah, the scarecrow thing is cool, but he just ends up feeling massively underdesigned. 3/5
Swablu: You are one doofy looking bird. Like, the body shape really is a bit odd, being Hershey kiss like. I dunno, maybe I'm just generous today, but the cloud winged bird idea just works for me, and despite being kinda eh built, the concept delivers. 3/5
Altaria: Looks a lot better if you don't really see the 3D model. I guess I never really considered the design implications, but the fact that it has cloud wings + breast and then a bare back is... really lame. I think the clouds at least wrapping the whole of its torso would be superior, but here we are. It's feet sticking out are a bit goofy too. I do like the head (though I'm undecided on the cheek pads) with the crest. Blah. I want to give 3/5 on the Sugimori art alone, but I can't unsee the model. So 2/5 it is.
Zangoose: 3edgy5me. He's fine. I actually thought I disliked him more, but it turns out I don't. The red designs end up looking better than I remember. Him having thumbs is a bit weird to me, though. I never noticed that before. I guess I'd rather see a quadraped moongoose thing though. I dunno. I've been nice tonight, so let's round down. 2/5
Seviper: My go to example for some of my issues with later Pokemon design where there is just too much going on. Like, what are all these weird yellow knob, emblem, scale things that are a hexagon with a circle inside them? Why the random purple designs on top of that? Why is his body super scrunched on top of all that? Why a TAIL BLADE? Why the two spots of pure red? Like, I like the basic outline of Seviper, and I think the individual designs elements (those weird knobbly bits aside) are fine, but taken together they just feel overwhelming. That said, all bitching aside, Seviper at least has a decent shape so it can escape the worst score. 2/5
Trapinch: So, random fact of the day: mousers were one of my favorite parts of TMNT. I just love the chomper jaw design. So... yeah, I like Trapinch. I'm not fond of his colors scheme (that orange is just a bit ugly to me), but it works conceptually for the idea of a desert dweller. Also, his eyes are cool. He can see victory. Also, I must say, the fact that he has wing shells on his back is nice for his evolution direction. 5/5
Vibrava: A pretty decent dragonfly pokemon. I really like the wings on this one, as well as the eye shields and the tail. I don't too much like the wing sockets or legs, but eh. Also, like so many pokemon evolutions, the color change is pretty dramatic. I like Vibrava's overall scheme, but it is a pretty dramatic departure (for all that it represents reality as well). Still, I don't quite love it quite as much as Trapinch. 4/5
Flygon: Is fucking awesome. I am a little disappointed in the color shift. I think Vibrava's black and green looks better than the red and green, plus I think it would work better than the fact that the dark green is absent from most of its torso. Probably could have fixed it up a bit by adding some additional stripes to the body or the wings, but hey. Can't have everything. Also the tail fan is cool. 5/5
Spoink: Well, it is certainly unique, I'll give it that. Like, it is dumb, but it's trying? 2/5
Grumpig: Arguably less dumb, but also not trying. Kinda Drowzee 2.0. I kinda like the baggy sleeve arms? The ears are weird though, as is the choice to differently color the front of the snout and the tail. The black and purple was fine, why this random fleshy pink? It is gross. 2/5
Spinda: Is fine. The gimmick is cute. The colors are fine. The drawn on look for the spirals is a bit weird but not crazy by Pokemon standards. Sure. 3/5
Numel: Huh. I... don't dislike this design as much as I remember. That's weird. While the body is not as cute as something like, say, Skitty, because of the slightly bulkier build, it still features a lot of the characteristics that make the Skitty build so cute (small, combat, simple). The color scheme is fine (though green on the back is a little unusual for its typing, even if you're going unexploded volcano design). About the only thing I really don't like are the rings around its eyes. It doesn't quite edge into that perfect score spot, but it is enough to justify a high 4/5.
Camerupt: Oh. Maybe this is why I remember hating Numel. Because I strongly dislike Camerupt. I mean, the idea is solid, but it just doesn't work either for me independently or as an evolution of Numel. As an evolution, it really carries nothing forward outside the "hole in back" thing. Independently, the design just looks like two volcano tops glued on the back of an otherwise decent looking quadraped thing. There's just not a good sense of blending or cohesiveness, further enhanced by the fact that it looks like someone spraypainted 000 on the side. I mean, as far as designs I hate go, this one isn't the worst by any margin, I just wish it blended better. Still, I can't really go below 3/5 in my heart of hearts.
Torkoal: Right next to each other in the pokedex, eh? Torkoal really wishes it had Camerupt's volcano back gimmick, because, as is, Torkoal is super boring. Fine. But boring. Color communicates what it is okay, the shell with the lava pocks works, etc. The bands on its body are a bit weird but they at least break up the mono-color. The weirdest and most objectionable thing about Torkoal is the weird friar cap it has got going on on its head. And being boring. And after Camerupt that is making me more cranky. 2/5
Wailmer: ...why don't you have a tail? 2/5
Wailord: Well. At least you've got a tail? A teeny, tiny one, but one nevertheless. His body shape is a bit weird and bulky, but it gets the idea of a gargantuan creature across pretty well. It just ends up looking a bit like a blimp. I dunno. He's boring, but I don't hate him. 3/5
Plusle: Allow me to give this review exactly the amount of effort it deserves. 2/5
Minun: Honestly these deserve lower scores on principle, but they aren't really ugly enough to justify it, unfortunately. But they are really lazy. Like, they are Pikachu, but rabbits. Well, more Pichu, but you get the idea. 2/5
Volbeat: Popped collar bug with swag. Volbeat is dumb. Like, what the fuck are those antennae? Or the human bug face with a nose. And being so fat. And the stubby useless wings. and the little arm and leg rings. I really am hating this thing the longer I look at it. And seriously, those antennae. 1/5
Illumise: I hate it a little less than Volbeat, but that's because it ain't popping its collar at me. This thing can also go in the trash. 1/5
Roselia: Uninspired. I dunno. This design is just boring and doesn't do anything for me. Well, that's not true. Not having a large leaf on the back for symmetry offends me. Otherwise... like, I feel like this thing would look better without the rose hands. They just seem doofy. The way the head spikes are presented isn't a lot better, but it is something. I dunno. Like, you compare this to something like the Tsareena line in S/M and it just feels lacking. That's what I'm looking for. it isn't a cohesive design. It is thing with rose hands and some head spikes. It does not convey "rose pokemon" to me. Still better than Volbeat. 2/5
Gulpin: :3/5
Swalot: While Gulpin is kinda cute and derpy, Swalot is just meh. The design carries at least (though why mustache instead of head feather?) outside the GIANT COLOR SHIFT THAT SO MANY POKEMON DO, but it is less cute and honestly way more ungainly looking because of height. 2/5
Carvanha: This gets a bit into some of my problems with later gen designs: mostly I feel they're kinda overdone. Like, does Carvannah need to be that many different colors on different part of its body like a paint by number? Does it need all three up and down fins and to be so jagged everywhere? Like, there's a decent design here, but it is just buried under too much that's all sorta glued together. The face deserves some credit, though. 3/5
Sharpedo: What is with water types and saying "fuck it, new animal" on evolution. Sharpedo is fine. I think it being so stubby is a bit dumb. Why not a long torpedo shark? The eye slits are a bit weird too. Also, why less toothy looking than Carvanha? Still, I can't really find the energy to hate this design. Its fine. Whatever. 3/5
Electrike: His head is fucking stupid. The spikes on his ass are stupid too. Like, no matter what nice things I say about anything else on this design, it comes back to the fucking triple dildo head setup. 2/5
Manectric: His head and tail are all stupid, but for entirely different reasons. I think the stupid crooked tail actually offends me more here. Not that the head spikes don't look dumb, particularly with their ear holes. And honestly the color scheme just doesn't look good. Nor do the hip flares. Elerctrike at least sorta looked okay if you ignored the head dildos, but this thing is a mess everywhere. 2/5
Meditite: Diaper-onion-monkey. I got nothing. I'm hard-pressed to defend why I don't hate this design as much as like, Mr. Mime or Magmar or Jynx or something. 2/5
Medicham: If it weren't for those stupid lips, I'd like this better than Meditite. Much like the flowing for Gardevoir works to be distinct from "clothing", Medicham's pants work well enough when combined with the head thing to just look like natural colorized bits of its body. And given its emphasis on kicks to a degree, it functions pretty well. The head halibut is a bit doofy though. And seriously, those lips are fucking awful. Also. Again. Color changes. Why? 2/5
Aron: Seriously, the small body types with the stubby legs are super adorable in Pokemon. While his head being a fully enclosed metal thing is a bit weird, honestly, I don't have much to complain about here. I guess the Rock-type part doesn't come through well? But otherwise, he looks great and carries his theme well. Little armored critter. The pitting (spots? It is actually super hard to tell, but official art seems to put them as pitting) break up his bodly nicely and the belly segmentation is a bit more forgivable here given he looks armored. I guess maybe his legs would look a bit better if they were plated and not solid metal? 5/5
Lairon: I think the biggest issue here is that Lairon ends up feeling less armored than its predecessor, and that's a bit weird. I'd much rather have seen the steel plating down his side rather than the... bands holding his leg thingies on? I actually like his face profile, though I'm a bit undecided on the "beard." The leg rings are super weird though. Still, I like this guy. Landshark design follows nicely for grown-up Aron. 3/5
Aggron: And then you become Rhydon. Quadrapeds stop becoming bipeds. Aggron basically amplifies all my complaints about Lairon multi-fold. Less armor. More weird "straps." The tail, in particular, looks really stupid with the black rings on it. The horns look awkward coming out of the armor. Etc. I do think the metal jaw looks tight though. That's about the biggest saving grace here. 2/5
Mawile: Oh Mawile. I love you so much and you are super adorable and conceptually cool and I can just never quite square away your humanoid half with the rest of your design. I'm not sure what I'd want you to be otherwise, or even really what doesn't work about you (the coloration, while simple, is appealing and nicely distributed, the skirt/frayed pants gives some nice additional affectation). Maybe it is the beak? Or maybe it is just that the whole thing ends up looking really off-balance because one one side if a giant murder jaw and on the other side is a little goblin. Still, I like Mawile and think there's a lot of cool stuff here, I just can't justify giving it the score I wish I could. 4/5.
Azurill: Looks to be in pain, likely because its existence is misery. I dunno. Seriously, I actually can't be too mean here as nothing really offends me. It is a bit weird that its body is shaped to a point where its tail connects, but that's the only thing. 3/5
Nosepass: The magnetic arms are a cute touch, but I personally really hate this thing. The nose looks stupid. I mean, it isn't the worst idea and it carries though well, but really with that nose? Also the typing only being rock is a bit bothersome. I dunno, I really think it'd look better without the nose as a sort of golem thing. As is... 2/5.
Skitty: Oh Skitty. I love you. I just wish you looked a little less goofy. Color is pretty good, body is actually a really great minimalist quadraped, the ears are good, but the expression is good. The flat face is a demerit, the half-moon color break is eh (I wish it were a bit rougher, but I guess it partially conveys Moon Stone connection) and that tail is... a thing. Seriously, I dunno what that tail is. At all. Little rat tail condom balloon with pins things. The fuck? Still. 4/5
Delcatty: Worse than Skitty. Also seriously evolutions stop randomly changing colors for no discernable reason. The ears are kinda neat and the stupid pincushion thing looks better around its neck and the tail isn't as stupid anymore, but overall the extra body space just ends up looking a bit boring despite being another nice quadraped build. Also I guess the longer I stare at them, the face fluffs look really goofy, like its face is being pulled out. 3/5
Sableye: Severely underrated little gremlin. Good structure, creepy posture, the gems are nice ways to break up its body, and the little flares like its elbows and ears give it a good silhouette. Really excellent. 5/5
Makuhita: The original trash bag pokemon. I mean, look at him! He's even go the little tie on top of his head! Seriously though, he's fine. I'm not overly fond of him, but like Gardevoir, he kinda fits in that category of what I want humanoid looking Pokemon to look like: something humanoid but clearly distinct from humans. And he gets the idea of fight across well without really having the problems of the Machop line or Hitmonchan in really going too far with clothes. Not really underdesigned, not really overdesigned, he just functions. 3/5
Hariyama: More pokemon really need smoother evolutions. More involved color/shape maintenance. That sort of thing. Independently the design is... fine. The coloration on the hands is a bit goofy, the massive earholes look stupid, and the coloration (hands & belly not matching skirt but being close) is irritation, but the rest more or less works? Leaning positive meh, I guess. 3/5
Nincada: A pretty cute take on a horrifying insect. Big eyes and all. And look, segmentation that MAKES SENSE. The green is a nice little touch and I agree that there needed to be something else to break up the grey, but I'm not sure how much I like just those front claws being brown. Drawing that coloration back a bit more I think would be nicer? Still, it's a good bug. 4/5
Ninjask: I feel like I shouldn't like this one, but I do. Basically, while it borders on over detailed, I think it manages to come in just under that point, as well as communicating the idea of cicada + ninja well with the face "mask." 4/5
Shedinja: Is amazing. Like, great concept and great realization of the design. Like, super cool the approach they take and how well they communicate a sort of uncanny dead imagery with the exploded back of the cicada husk forming wings. Just a great design. 5/5
Whismur: *sighs* The FUCK is wrong with your eyes? I mean, I'll actually yield that this design is kinda cute? It works better than something like I Jigglypuff I guess? Having a hard time placing why, though. Also the hole under the ears is something I've never noticed before. 3/5
Loudred: Well that went downhill fast. I mean, I guess it makes a bit more sense than Golbat thematically, but this gaping mouthed motherfucker is still ugly. Especially those stupid plug teeth and nails. 1/5
Exploud: I... guess you're better than Loudred but... not enough to really justify any higher ranking. You're made of fucking ugly ass tubes. You're basically a speaker with a bunch of fucking exhaust pipes. 1/5
Slakoth: Sloth. Is a sloth. It has a stupid face. 2/5
Vigoroth: Honestly, this is a pretty cool evo. You can tell that it comes from its previous evo, it maintains most of the defining features, and it makes changes that reflect the altered characterization. The color change is a bit odd, but I think it reflects the pumped nature pretty decently. The red hair thing is a bit goofy though. Would look better more scruffy. 4/5
Slaking: Insert your own jokes here. The loss of the claws are a shame and I think reduce this design a bit, but it at least continues through its theme and evo line. Also really ugly. 2/5
Shroomish: Literally Grefter. I like this cranky little fucker, but I think ultimately his design ends up not quite working for me. Cranky waddling mushroom? Good. He just... doesn't look very mushroomy. He looks more flowery, less mushroom. Same for the green body spots, creating the illusion that he just has an odd skirt draped over him. Still, I like it a little better than something like Oddish, and since I can't remember what I scored that, I'll score this one 3/5
Breloom: Oh you. I like you. Mushroom dinosaur is cool. You share some neat stuff with your pre-evo, but you just... change so much so as to look like a totally different thing. Like... arms! And stuff. I'm also not too fond of how the green and beige are kept pretty indepdent of each other instead of being allowed to mingle. Also the way his head expands into the mushroom freaks me out a little. Agh. Still wish he and Shroomish had a bit more relation. 4/5
Taillow: Nothing too fancy. It is an okay bird. I was gonna ding its stupid face, but the sprites look decent enough for me to forgive it. The colors are nice, but I wish it had some Pidgey-esque texturing or something more interesting than the tail split or wing tips. 3/5
Swellow: Uh... basically a better looking Taillow. The head still looks worse in the official art then anywhere else (too flat), but everything else is fine. Nice sharp build for a predatory bird, the coloration is even better with the fancier red, and the head feathers are pretty great. Tail is distinct too. I dunno, the more I look, the more I like this bird. 4/5
Wingull: This bird, on the other hand... mmmmm. Have I gone soft? I want to hate this thing, but looking at it, it does kind of achieve "cute" decently. A lot like clefairy from way back when, it is how relatively simplified the design is. The beak is the biggest problem I think, not really looking like it fits with the otherwise kinda cute and compact body vs the long wings. And the color scheme is pleasant and stands out. 3/5
Pelipper: This on the other hand. Pelicans look stupid to begin with, this doesn't help. The anchor shape on the body is sorta neat, but the body/mouth split is honestly kinda grotesque. The little glued on feet are stupid and it'd probably be better to lose them. Those wing fingers are worse than Lugia's. And I have no idea what's going with your fucking eye, mate. 1/5
Ralts: Ralts is great and a lot of what human shape Pokemon to be. It suggests the idea of a humanoid without falling deep into the uncanny valley like Hitmonchan does. I'm kinda hard pressed to focus in on what I like about Ralts. The colors are, again, nice (I might be failing to remember things, but is there more white in this generation?), and the looks good together. The bowl cut hair looks a bit doofy, but otherwise the body has a really nice flow (thin to wide, with the circle head being conveniently disrupted by the hair) and is simple enough to just be super cute. It really suggest a child wearing clothes too big for it (that it will eventually grow into) without getting too close. 5/5
Kirilia: Hello awkward teen years. You are here, looking awkward. So, again, it at least does the looking humanoid without looking too human thing, but I really dislike a lot of the design. Primarily the body, which trades a really nice, smooth flow for the super poofed out skirt into comically narrow legs. Also like half the sprites have its butt sticking out, which is weird. I go back and forth on the head. The twin-tail idea (with the shards standing in for bows or something) is neat and the "beak" helps create a nice, unique shape, but the way it all falls again messes with the nice smooth flow Ralts had. Looking close, I hate it less than I thought I did, but eh... 3/5
Gardevoir: A pretty logical endpoint for Ralts, really. Really... *sigh* Shut up Grefter, Zenny, Sopko, whoever else... the curves on Gardevoir are super nice and carry through the entire body, giving it a really elegant look that again captures the idea while looking rather fae-like. The stronger white/green blending is a nice touch. The pointy ears help break up the round head stuff and go well with the beak and swooped hair. About the biggest complaint is the red pick thing which ends up in a weird place given the previous two evolutions. I like the final placement, but it is odd to go from head to chest like that. 5/5
Surskit: I wish I could like you more. You're cute and a cool idea, but when I really look at you, I'm hard-pressed to actually justify liking you. The blue and yellow is ugly together, IMO (fuck your complementary color BS) and the stem is just... goofy. The extra lines make it look like a dumb hairdo. I kinda suspect I'd have liked it better if it just had a round top. I also think the little marks under its eyes would be a bit nicer if they were less pronounced. Blah. 3/5
Masquerain: The first pokemon this topic has really hurt in my view. I actually used to like Masquerain a lot, but when I look close... ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh. So the front of the design IS cool with the fake eye wings and a very clean, clear evolution from Surskit (colors aside). The single eyelashes are a big weird, but otherwise everything continues nicely. Then I realzed it has some weird tiny body with wings behind all that (I originally thought the wings were attached to the main body) and it just sort of ruins it for me. Like, it just looks so awkward and gross. The reference sheet with the "body" below it and using the little wings as legs looks okay, but ultimately I think the extra torso with horizontal flight is just eeeergh. Still, there is a lot of cool here. 2/5