Starter Favouritism

[Rainbow-Rain]

Anyone else dislike how, Game Freak has forced the concept that One of the Three Starters in every generation is the "Best" one that deserves the most attention?

Obviously there's always been some sort of favoritism in the franchise (Hi Charizard ), but ever since X and Y it feels more a lot more in-your-face? Especially with things like Ash-Greninja or Charizard having 2 Mega Evos.

I have No hate towards Pokémon like Greninja and Charizard but a lot of their pushing feels really.... Unbalanced (?) for a lack of a better term?

It makes one Question "Well what's even the point of having 3 Starters to choose from if they're going to put care into only ONE?"

Not to mention there's also always gonna be the underlying paranoia that the Starter you liked may end being the one who gets shafted/screwed over HARD (Like Poor Chespin...)

Perhaps maybe it's just me, but what do you guys think?

Do you think all 3 Starters Should be treated more equally?
Or are you fine with the way things are?

 

[DesolatedDiancie]

Cinderace the most rigged starter in the entire franchise coreserries ever made its speed and attack is even higher than most legendaries. And its insta faints like 80% of all the pokemons in game...And of course the unstable part called Libero same as Gregninja...Its only weakness is neutralizing gas or hitting it with extremespeed or suckerpunch or when it finally manages and using intimmedate or babydoll eyes to miss most of its powerfull moves are 90 accuracy. I see them like this...Pyroball, Bounch/Gunkshot, Highjumpkick/Ironhead and suckerpunch or zenheadbut in the last move slot. Hence the Name Striker pokemon.

 

[ToogsToogsToogsToogs]

The thing with living in the Pokémon World is that you can choose only one starter Pokémon from your native region. Well, Ash Ketchum's wasn't any of the real starters from his homeland, but he caught all of them in the wild when he was in Johto. (Same is true for when he was in Kanto and Unova, except for the Fire-types, which he got from trainers who neglected them.) If I find a starter Pokémon attractive, I'd want it to fully evolve when it's in my team. All of them from every region except for Kalos and Alola are interesting to keep, but if I'm from Kalos I won't choose Fennekin or Froakie because Fennekin gets a Psychic type upon becoming Delphox and Froakie gets a Dark type upon becoming Greninja. And if I'm from Alola I won't pick Rowlet or Litten because Rowlet gets a Ghost type when it becomes Decidueye and Litten gets a Dark type when it becomes Incineroar. I can't have pure or partial Psychic-, Ghost-, or Dark-types because I'm a Christian and anything involving those elements is against my belief.

 

[Puddle]

I'm not particularly keen on starter favouritism either. It's up to us fans to decide who our favourites are, not the game developers!

The starters are always treated equally in games where they actually are the starters, though, and I think that's what matters most. Starter favouritism only tends to occur when those Pokemon are being treated more like regular Pokemon. For example...

• Torchic got a special PC wallpaper in Diamond and Pearl, and was allowed in Amity Square. But it has never received special treatment in a Hoenn game (not unless you count the animation of it chasing after its trainer in Emerald's opening).
• Blaziken received a Mega before its counterparts. But in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, all three had Megas.
• Charizard received an extra Mega, but the Kanto starters haven't actually been the starters since their Megas were introduced. Even in Let's Go, which is set in their native region, all three can be obtained and they even appear in the wild.
• Greninja received a new form in Sun and Moon, but it didn't exist in X and Y (not outside of the anime, anyway).
• Charizard received a Gigantamax form before its counterparts, and appeared in the Galar Pokedex. But again, Charizard wasn't a starter at this time. The Isle of Armor gave Venusaur and Blastoise their Gigantamax forms and some time in the spotlight.

In the case of the Hoenn Megas, and Kanto Gigantamax forms, it could actually be argued that the Grass and Water starters were favoured for a time. In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Sceptile and Swampert received brand new Megas while Blaziken kept its existing one (I've never understood why they didn't just save Blaziken's Mega for ORAS to begin with). And in The Isle of Armor, Venusaur and Blastoise overshadowed Charizard for a while with their brand new Gigantamax forms. The player is even asked to choose between a Bulbasaur and Squirtle, and there isn't a Charmander to be seen!

If it's any consolation, I have always liked Delphox and Chesnaught more than Greninja, and no amount of Greninja favouritism in official media will ever change my mind. I do like Greninja, just not as much as the other two.

 

[ToogsToogsToogsToogs]

Is starter favoritism defined as putting starter Pokémon on a pedestal? And does making these kinds of graphics express that?

 

[Yami-no-Game]

I don't like how Charizard gets so much love from Gamefreak/Nintendo. The fact that it got two Mega forms and a G-Max form too on top of it being so popular already leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

 

[colours]

isn't starter favouritism more blatant in the anime? i'm not saying it doesn't happen in the games (hello, leon having a g-max charizard in swsh), but maybe there's more favouritism in the anime than the games? i don't keep tabs on the anime at all, so maybe someone can say if that really is the case o:

 

[Daren]

isn't starter favouritism more blatant in the anime? i'm not saying it doesn't happen in the games (hello, leon having a g-max charizard in swsh), but maybe there's more favouritism in the anime than the games? i don't keep tabs on the anime at all, so maybe someone can say if that really is the case o:

I'd say there's some truth to that; the anime often has an "ace" Pokémon who gets to be stronger than everyone else on the same party, and it's usually a starter, even overshadowing other starters (poor Torterra is the most famous victim of this).
(Not in the current series, though--Ash doesn't have a starter this time).