Why are the cute Pokemon not more popular?

[BudCharles999]

Why are the cute pokemon not more popular? I mean seriously, just LOOK at the design of Buizel, Quilava or Vulpix! Those pokemon are well-designed enough to be the mascot of their own entire series. No really, Buizel is just as well designed, if not better designed, than the mascots of Yo Kai Watch and Digimon!

Pokemon has so many incredible - and I mean that - INCREDIBLE designs! And yet, GameFreak is just sitting on them and not doing anything with them! Come on guys, promote Quilava and Buizel a bit more, make some plushies, put them on some posters, give them some spinoff anime episodes! I mean really, anyone would start playing Pokemon if you showed them a Buizel, a Quilava, and a Vulpix and said "hey, these are from Pokemon!" XD

It just feels horrible that so many great pokemon are considered nothing more than "number 156", just sitting there in the corner of the pokedex being ignored, while pokemon with frankly boring designs such as Blaziken and Gardevoir are being promoted in an almost religious fashion! WHY?

 

[TheGhzGuy]

Look what happened with Buizel in the Anime, he was really good at first, then Ash never used him, so then he was arguably the second weakest or weakest Pokemon at the end of Diamond and Pearl. I'm not saying Ash had bad Pokemon, but I felt like Buizel was kinda, wasted.

Ah well, that's just me I guess.

 

[Cresselia~~]

Why are the cute pokemon not more popular? I mean seriously, just LOOK at the design of Buizel, Quilava or Vulpix! Those pokemon are well-designed enough to be the mascot of their own entire series. No really, Buizel is just as well designed, if not better designed, than the mascots of Yo Kai Watch and Digimon!

Pokemon has so many incredible - and I mean that - INCREDIBLE designs! And yet, GameFreak is just sitting on them and not doing anything with them! Come on guys, promote Quilava and Buizel a bit more, make some plushies, put them on some posters, give them some spinoff anime episodes! I mean really, anyone would start playing Pokemon if you showed them a Buizel, a Quilava, and a Vulpix and said "hey, these are from Pokemon!" XD

It just feels horrible that so many great pokemon are considered nothing more than "number 156", just sitting there in the corner of the pokedex being ignored, while pokemon with frankly boring designs such as Blaziken and Gardevoir are being promoted in an almost religious fashion! WHY?

In the world of Pokemon, looks clearly are not everything.
People prefer mons with a balance between looks and battle viability.
Gardevoir is the aesthetically prettiest Pokemon, and is viable in VGC 2014 and 2015.
Lucario is handsome and viable in single battles.

The Pokemon you listed are not fully evolved, and are not viable even with eviolite.
Hence they are not going to be popular among the Pokemon fan base.

You are either new to Pokemon, or pay no attention to stuff around you.

 

[Gabe]

Idk, seems like they promote cute Pokemon every generation just not the ones you want.

Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Togepi, Bonsly, Chikorita, Torchic, Piplup, Axew, Pichu, Oshawott, Fennekin, and Totodile off the top of my head.

 

[Lady Vader]

Part of the problem is that for many, cool>cute. Personally, I am swayed by both, so it doesn't affect me.
Second, as Cress said, those are mid-stage evolutions, which typically get the shaft. Most people have fond memories of their starter's base form and their fully evolved form, then forget about the middle. And as Cress also said, there is a balance between good in-game and good designs that has to be struck for those who play the games.

Though if it makes you feel better, I love cute Pokémon. Show me a Mareep and I melt. And the first Pokémon I ever saw is pretty cute, Dragonite, though many dislike it for that reason cause they have no souls.

 

[lucariomaster2]

I'll just rattle off a list of my favourite Pokemon. Lucario, Absol, Suicune, Latios, Grovyle, Froslass, Articuno, Regular Rotom, Weavile, Porygon2. Some of them are good in battle; some aren't. But I like them because of their designs. Most of them are sleek, fast, and agile, with an air of sophistication to them. (Porygon2 is the exception, and I do like it because it's adorable). I can completely understand that everyone has a different idea of what they look for in Pokemon designs: for some people, it's cuteness, and for others it's power and battle viability. For me, it's mainly speed and grace (and, looking back over the list, apparently being blue? I wonder what that says about me.)

So it's not that cute Pokemon are not more popular (I do in fact have a soft spot for the Eeveelutions in particular); it's simply that people have extremely diverse opinions on Pokemon designs. Since this is a competitive battling forum, you'll find that the overall opinion is skewed towards battle prowess (which is not normally associated with cuteness, though there are exceptions). If you were to go elsewhere, you would likely find very different results.

 

[The Avalanches]

I don't know where you've been, but basically 75% of all Pokemon that have been made into plushies are the cutesy Pokemon. From what I remember, in Gen VI alone, Fletchling, Pancham, Dedenne, Sylveon, and Helioptile are just some of many cute Pokemon that Game Freak have heavily promoted and endorsed.

Also, if you were around for Gen IV, you'd have seen Game Freak shove Buizel down everyone's throats.

 

[TheGhzGuy]

I don't know where you've been, but basically 75% of all Pokemon that have been made into plushies are the cutesy Pokemon. From what I remember, in Gen VI alone, Fletchling, Pancham, Dedenne, Sylveon, and Helioptile are just some of many cute Pokemon that Game Freak have heavily promoted and endorsed.

Also, if you were around for Gen IV, you'd have seen Game Freak shove Buizel down everyone's throats.

Ah yes, go on eBay and you see all the Buizel plushes. Anime was kinda like that, then not. (And I'm sure what I'm saying is making very little sense)

I guess it's just a matter of opinion.

 

[TheGhzGuy]

I'll just rattle off a list of my favourite Pokemon. Lucario, Absol, Suicune, Latios, Grovyle, Froslass, Articuno, Regular Rotom, Weavile, Porygon2. Some of them are good in battle; some aren't. But I like them because of their designs. Most of them are sleek, fast, and agile, with an air of sophistication to them. (Porygon2 is the exception, and I do like it because it's adorable). I can completely understand that everyone has a different idea of what they look for in Pokemon designs: for some people, it's cuteness, and for others it's power and battle viability. For me, it's mainly speed and grace (and, looking back over the list, apparently being blue? I wonder what that says about me.)

So it's not that cute Pokemon are not more popular (I do in fact have a soft spot for the Eeveelutions in particular); it's simply that people have extremely diverse opinions on Pokemon designs. Since this is a competitive battling forum, you'll find that the overall opinion is skewed towards battle prowess (which is not normally associated with cuteness, though there are exceptions). If you were to go elsewhere, you would likely find very different results.

It's all a matter of opinion I guess ^^ (nothing against that) I guess there's always LC.

 

[Nokocchi]

You still have a larger chance of getting merch for what you like, I like the mostly Pokemon that nobody cares about. Dunsparce, Unown, Magcargo, Klinklang, Cryogonal, Brongzong, Swalot, Barbaracle, Kingler, Parasect, ect. None of them are even marginally popular and none of them are really all that viable competitively.

Vulpix got some merch back in the 1st gen days(such as being one of the KFC dolls and being the figure packed in with Brock, just to name a few examples) and Buizel was heavily promoted during 4th gen and got plenty of exposure. Can't say much about Quilava, middle stages are rarely focused on.

 

[The_Emperor]

You still have a larger chance of getting merch for what you like, I like the mostly Pokemon that nobody cares about. Dunsparce, Unown, Magcargo, Klinklang, Cryogonal, Brongzong, Swalot, Barbaracle, Kingler, Parasect, ect. None of them are even marginally popular and none of them are really all that viable competitively.

Vulpix got some merch back in the 1st gen days(such as being one of the KFC dolls and being the figure packed in with Brock, just to name a few examples) and Buizel was heavily promoted during 4th gen and got plenty of exposure. Can't say much about Quilava, middle stages are rarely focused on.

They're popular with me!!!

What do we mean by 'popular' though? Used a lot in competitive pokemon or do a lot of people know or like them?

 

[Cresselia~~]

You still have a larger chance of getting merch for what you like, I like the mostly Pokemon that nobody cares about. Dunsparce, Unown, Magcargo, Klinklang, Cryogonal, Brongzong, Swalot, Barbaracle, Kingler, Parasect, ect. None of them are even marginally popular and none of them are really all that viable competitively.

Vulpix got some merch back in the 1st gen days(such as being one of the KFC dolls and being the figure packed in with Brock, just to name a few examples) and Buizel was heavily promoted during 4th gen and got plenty of exposure. Can't say much about Quilava, middle stages are rarely focused on.

Sometimes even unpopular Pokemon can get some love for a year or two.

Jynx had a lot of merchandise back in 2013~2014.
(But Jynx isn't unpopular in Japan.)

 

[Karxrida]

@Thread Question

Eeveelutions. That is all.

 

[Hulavuta]

Unfortunately, when you have a cast of over 700 Pokemon not all of them will be able to get an equal share of attention and merchandise. And especially when you're a middle evolution, because that always carries connotations of temporariness.

BudCharles999 your post is very opinion-based but you are trying to extrapolate that to actual marketing which is rooted in statistics and $$$$$. You cannot objectively say that Buizel has a better design than Blaziken, it is only opinion. And the reason that so called "boring" designs are more popular is because a lot of people have their own opinions which happen to be contrary to yours.

We all have our own favorites but we can't get everyone to agree with us nor should we. Sometimes you just have to accept that your favorite Pokemon is not that popular. Reuniclus is one of my favorite Pokemon but I accept that it's never gonna be made into a lot of merchandise.

But just because someone else doesn't see the Pokemon you love in the same way you do it shouldn't matter anyway. It doesn't make you love that Pokemon any less, does it? And if someone doesn't get enjoyment out of something the same way you can then that's their loss but that's everyone's personal taste and right as a Pokemon fan. Maybe they find enjoyment from a Pokemon you don't like, so imo it's kind of rude and unfair to criticize other Pokemon like there is a right or wrong to it. We all have our own personal favorites and that's what makes Pokemon so great. You just do you man.

 

[PsychicAcademic]

Not that Vulpix. I have personal nightmares. I'll....

Well, at least I do find some cute Pokemon to be popular too though. Say, Nymphia/Sylveon. Very adorable, used in anime (spoilers, although I think it's obvious), and viable in competitive situation, especially Triples. And then Tairenar/Braixen. Second stage Pokemon are often abandoned, but not only she's currently Serena's main Pokemon in anime on top of being the cutest ever in Pokemon Amie, she's now unexpectedly featured in Pokken Tournament.

Oh well, I'd say it just happens that they have too many Pokemon to choose. They can't possibly feature every single Pokemon. Not to mention popularity is subjective matter. A chandelier is actually popular....

 

[Oriolous]

You know, if Nintendo or TPCi or GameFreak opened a store where someone can order a potential plushie of EVERY Pokemon, they'd probably make bank. Like, even the super obscure mons. And if every mon is an option, it gives us a gotta catch em all feeling irl too. XD

 

[Cresselia~~]

You know, if Nintendo or TPCi or GameFreak opened a store where someone can order a potential plushie of EVERY Pokemon, they'd probably make bank. Like, even the super obscure mons. And if every mon is an option, it gives us a gotta catch em all feeling irl too. XD

I bet some people will buy them all in order to have a full set.

 

[Oriolous]

I bet some people will buy them all in order to have a full set.

Exactly! I'd do it... ^^; Of course, I'd have favorites, but I would totally buy all 721 + Formes

 

[Mq]

Well, looks cute to me n_n

 

[Sherkel]

If I could get plushies of them, I'd get these guys. They're the cutest Pokémon to me.

 

[Bice]

I can't really say what hasn't been said in this thread (other than the fact that many people view Chansey as a bitch. partly due to the Safari Zone, and partly due to her being a fatass in competitive), so I'll just leave this post here.

I don't give a fuck that it's a worthless Pikachu clone. It's still my favorite Electric-type. It's friggin adorable, the one thing that made the Unova anime entertaining for me, and it's a flying squirrel. Seriously, who wouldn't wanna give this little cutie a hug?

 

[lucariomaster2]

I can't really say what hasn't been said in this thread (other than the fact that many people view Chansey as a bitch. partly due to the Safari Zone, and partly due to her being a fatass in competitive), so I'll just leave this post here.

I don't give a fuck that it's a worthless Pikachu clone. It's still my favorite Electric-type. It's friggin adorable, the one thing that made the Unova anime entertaining for me, and it's a flying squirrel. Seriously, who wouldn't wanna give this little cutie a hug?

Not to mention how annoying it was to take down Elesa's.

 

[Lady Vader]

I can't really say what hasn't been said in this thread (other than the fact that many people view Chansey as a bitch. partly due to the Safari Zone, and partly due to her being a fatass in competitive), so I'll just leave this post here.

I don't give a fuck that it's a worthless Pikachu clone. It's still my favorite Electric-type. It's friggin adorable, the one thing that made the Unova anime entertaining for me, and it's a flying squirrel. Seriously, who wouldn't wanna give this little cutie a hug?

I actually love Emogla. It is cuter than Pikachu and Game Freak finally did something a little different with their Pikachu clone: made it a dual-type. And not just any dual-type, but Electric/Flying, which is one of my favorite types.

 

[sneaky.]

Most of the time cute=weak and cool=strong. A lot of people value a Pokemon's strength so the cool pokemon are always going to be popular.

Nintendo can't possibly give all 800 pokemon the same amount of attention. Nintendo is a company and their first priority is $$$$. If a Pokemon isn't popular, you cant expect them to promote them. Even so, I'm pretty sure there is some sort of merch for every single pokemon so you're not outta luck.

Not to mention how annoying it was to take down Elesa's.

That bastard is equivalent to Whitney's Milktank to me.

 

[Billy the Uncle]

Cute, cool, adorable, kickass... those are all subjective opinions. You can't quantify them. I find a lot of things cute that others find weirds (e.g. llamas, capibaras.) and vice versa. Heck, my favorite Pokémon is Kingdra and no one cares about it.

Of course, the Pokémon that are more popular overall get more spotlight, and this in turn makes them more popular. You can say the popularity breeds popularity. I don't like Blaziken or Gardevoir myself, but you can't deny they have a much bigger fanbase than say Buizel. That and kids (the main targets of Pokémon) tend to like strong, powerful Pokés more than cute or even well designed ones, and that's were the merchandising heads. Even my sister preferred Blastoise in Blue over something girly like Jigglypuff, because it was strong in battle.

I don't want to be harsh, but given the canons of Pokémon games, wishing for a Pokémon other than a big legendary or a Gen. 1 starter to be a mascot is just fanboying/wishlisting.