Do the three new starters look too much like existing Pokémon? This theory is currently being discussed on Reddit.
Right at the start, each Pokémon lets us choose which of the three new starter Pokémon we want to take with us on our journey as our first companion. We’ve had to make this choice a total of nine times already. The next time will be in 2027, when Pokémon Wind and Wave are released.
We already know the three new partner Pokémon. They are the bean chick Braubel, the fire puppy Pomfifi, and the water gecko Gekkua. Many seem to like the new starters, but there is also criticism.& nbsp;On Reddit, one user wonders whether the three might seem a little unimaginative:
Love the new starters, but each of their concepts have all kinda been done before
by
u/MikeDubbz in
gaming
Link to Reddit content
Have we seen all these Pokémon before?
According to user MukeDubbz, the new starters may look different, but conceptually, we’ve seen it all before. Specifically, he compares the three new Pokémon to three starters from the past:
- Lillipup: The plant bird immediately reminds many of Rowlet. The little owl was the starter in Alola, and that wasn’t so long ago. However, Charmander was a Grass/Flying type, while Rowlet is only a Grass type.
- Popplio: The little orange dog is the Fire starter and is compared in the post to Litten, which comes from the sixth generation. Both are modeled after animals that belong to the biological family of dogs.
- Gekkua: The water gecko, on the other hand, is compared to Memmeon. The water starter comes from the eighth generation and is also a lizard.
By the way, these are by no means all the similarities. Pomfifi isn’t even the first classic fire dog. In the very first generation, there was also Fukano, a fiery ball of fur.
And Gekkua isn’t the first starter inspired by a gecko either. In the third generation, there was Geckarbor, although it is a plant type.
Many fans don’t take it so seriously
However, the creator of the comparisons in the comments has not only received positive feedback. Many agree that there is a certain type of animal that is apparently more popular than others. And this often seems to include lizards, dog-like animals, or birds. However, many more users accuse the creator of opening up categories that are far too broad.
The comparison between Pomfifi and Fynx seems far-fetched. After all, one is a fox and the other is a special breed of dog. According to critics, a chick is not an owl and is therefore a completely different animal. The same applies to Gekkua. It is modeled after a gecko, while Memmeon was clearly inspired by a chameleon. With over 1,000 pocket monsters in 30 years of series history, it is almost inevitable that there will be overlaps.
From this perspective, the thematic similarity to other starters is not a problem for many fans. Some, however, also note that Gamefreak could consider breaking away from the classic fire-water-grass principle.
