Aesthetics of Player Characters

[PS3D]

I don't know why, but it seems to me the quality of player characters (based on official artwork, not sprites) have looked worse and worst.

RBY: Red looked determined, ready to win. Looked sort of like Ash but wasn't an idiot. He was the guy every 10 year old wanted to be.

GS: Gold took everything about Red and made it better. Yeah, he looked a little smug, but he was just as cool, if not cooler, than Red.

C: Kris, the first female player character, was able to take on Pokémon properly. Looked pretty good, too!

That's when things started to get a little weird.

RSE: Brendan looked a little weird. People weren't entirely sure if that white thing was a hat or his hair. May had a bandanna, but she looked pretty good otherwise. It was mostly subjective though.

Then we get to DPP. Lucas and Dawn looked like idiots, but that was still okay, even if both genders had scarves (and before the "cold" redesign of Platinum).

Thankfully, the trend is reversed is FRLG. Red looks like he's trying to attract a new generation of Pokémon fan, while Leaf's hat is silly yet respectable.

However, in HGSS, Kris is replaced with Lyra with a completely ridiculous hat, and Gold is retconned into Ethan, who looks like more of a tool than Lucas ever was.

Hilbert and Hilda are basically opposite-gender clones of each other. Hilbert returns to simplicity: a decent-looking male character who sticks to the basics that made Red and Gold great (if needing a haircut). Hilda, on the other hand, looks like every stereotype of 1990s teenagers adapted into a Pokémon player character.

I don't know, those are more subjective comments. What do you think?

 

[Batbloodx]

The only sprites I really ever had a problem with was Lucas and Lyra, which is why I chose Dawn's sprite in DPPt instead. I didn't like their hats. Especially Lyra, who looked like she could fit Russia under her weird bonnet thing. Other than that, I haven't had a problem with them.

 

[Fennel]

I prefer Lyra's design to Kris', though I don't really have problems with any of them. Lucas and Hilda, they took a little longer to grow on me, but I like them as much as the others now.

Idk, personally, I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder here.

 

[Kutomba]

I don't have a problem with any except for Red's. Red looked demented o.o

 

[FANG-TAN]

^ I hope you don't mean his design from Gen I... because that's the only time he's ever smiled. If you think that looks demented, no wonder he isn't shown smiling anymore. xD Poor Red.

I have no problems with any of the playable characters besides the male characters in Generation IV. While Hikari was super cute-looking, Kouki isn't exactly a character I would want to look like in a fantasy world (fan artists tend to make look more kickass, though). For HGSS, I thought Kotone had a cute design (I liked Kris, but I didn't mind her suspiciously similar replacement either), but Generation II Gold/Hibiki > Generation IV Gold/Hibiki by a mile.

I think the new characters in Generation V looked perfect, to be honest. Touyo's appearance takes in the "cool feeling" that started with Red and ended with Gold, and Touko manages to be a pretty character without looking like such a girly girl at the same time.

I'm indifferent to Yuuki and Generation III Red. Well, for the latter, at least not initially. Red's design in FRLG didn't look kickass to me until HGSS (the pose his sprite does helps A LOT, before that I never really bothered to actually stop and look at his sprite in FRLG - now it looks really cool to me). I guess it's because his official artwork didn't have that determined look he had when he had his Gen I design... his FRLG artwork gave him a facial expression that made him look like he had a fucked up childhood. Yuuki's design is alright - I have no real problems with it, but it did feel like a step down from Gen I Red and Gen II Gold/Hibiki.

Leaf looked like a mixture of the unused female character from Gen I with facial qualities that make her seem like a female clone of Red. I had no problem with that though, it looked cool in the end.

~Nyoro~n

 

[Zenax]

Actually, I think most characters improved with each Generation. Hilbert has the coolest design, followed with Ethan from HGSS.
For me, Hilbert > Gold (HGSS) > Lucas (Pt) > Brendan > Red (FRLG) > Gold (GSC) > Red (RBY) > Lucas (DP)

 

[Torterrius]

Emerald saved May's design. Looks so MUCH better. It did wonders for Brendan as well.

They're both the same color!!! Regardless of version. WHY? And May's hair hooks.

 

[Aur]

The only character designs I have a problem with is Lyra. That is a HUGE hat. I played as Ethan because of that Big hat.

 

[Cyber Jet]

The only one I have ever disliked is Lyra for that huge ass hat.

Because who the hell would wear that thing anyways?!

 

[HexagonStephen]

I only really disliked Hilda and DP Lucas. Hilbert and Ethan/Gold are my favorite boys, and Emerald May and DP Dawn are my favorite girls. Other than that, I wouldn't really say everyone else's designs have gotten worse. They seem to have gotten better. Better clothes, and styles. The only problem I have is that FRLG Red and Leaf look so much older than they are supposed to be. It makes all the other kids, aside from Hilbert and Hilda, look really young, and bad in comparison.

 

[Glitchipedia]

I think all the player characters look just fine. My only Isshu (sorry, couldn't resist) is with Hilbert. He looks like a complete ripoff of Red. Seriously, you don't just go around shamelessly copying the Pokémon Grandmaster!

 

[PS3D]

I think all the player characters look just fine. My only Isshu (sorry, couldn't resist) is with Hilbert. He looks like a complete ripoff of Red. Seriously, you don't just go around shamelessly copying the Pokémon Grandmaster!

Which one, FRLG Red, or RBY Red?

By the way, the Crystal Gold wasn't that bad either, it made Gold look less smug while keeping his other good qualities.

There was some picture on one of the gaming sites (can't find it) comparing Gold to Ethan and what an idiot the latter looked like. I couldn't agree more.

 

[Gligar13]

I mostly disliked Lyra. Not because of nostalga, but because she was annoying.

(You are standing right next to her)

"HI MY POKEMON EVOLVED"

Oh, and her hair was annoying too.

 

[manathief]

I love the designs of all the player characters except....Ethan. I can't quite figure out exactly why, though.

EDIT: wait nevermind, he looks like a tool. The OP gave me the word I was looking for.

 

[double trouble!]

I like all except for Lucas :/
But I don't have Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum anyway.

 

[potatomon]

Oh, and her hair was annoying too.

But her hair wasn't that much different from Kris or May's hair.

 

[HexagonStephen]

I don't get why so many people hate Lyra. I liked her design. It was fun! I liked her big hat and overalls. It made her look outrageous. But, in a good way.

 

[Gligar13]

Because she made annoying PokeGear calls. Same with Joey.

 

[HexagonStephen]

Because she made annoying PokeGear calls. Same with Joey.

So? Wouldn't Ethan do the same thing?

 

[P N N K]

Because she made annoying PokeGear calls. Same with Joey.

Don't forget Hiker Anthony. "Hey, Peter! My Geodude ate some berries. I tried some, but I don't think i should have. Well, that's all bye!"

>_>