History BaseBreakingCharacter / Pokemon

* Wally, originally an EnsembleDarkhorse back in the original games, has become one due to how the remakes handle him differently. Some fans appreciate his expanded character development and story role, and love that he eventually builds a truly impressive team. Others feel his increased exposure undermines the surprise of his reappearance at Victory Road as your final opponent, and that his changing of his team so radically is too out-of-character and should be allocated to another rival instead.

* Tinkaton. One camp loves it for its unique design and GirlWithPsychoWeapon concept, powerful SecretArt of Gigaton Hammer, and the lore and memes surrounding its hobby of trying knocking Corviknight out of the sky; its popularity has even led it to become the EnsembleDarkhorse mon of the generation. Others feel some degree of HypeBacklash towards the gremlin, criticizing it for being another {{Hu Mon|s}} [[FranchiseOriginalSin much like Gardevoir/Gallade and Mr. Mime]]. There are also some people that find its stubby proportions to be aesthetically unappealing given its status as a third-stage evolution.

* Geeta draws a lot of ire for being an AntiClimaxBoss despite being touted InUniverse as the "Top Champion" and having a bit of an unpleasant reputation among some of the game's characters (notably Larry, who claims he gets his pay docked if he idly chit-chats too much, and she later strongarms [[spoiler:Penny]] into being one of her underlings, albeit as penance for [[spoiler:creating Team Star and letting it spiral out of control]]. Her final Pokemon would be a lot more dangerous... if it was deployed first, as it poisons enemies whenever it is physically struck. Aside from her design, [[TheGenericGuy she doesn't do much]] besides being a Champion. Others are more charitable because they see Geeta as merely a businesswoman doing her job (such as by having Penny fix the League's point system after she successfully hacks it), and argue that she doesn't need to be as strong as claimed because Nemona serves as the real closer to the Victory Road story[[note:Clavell states that multiple Champion-rank trainers can co-exist in Paldea, Nemona among them]].

* Geeta draws a lot of ire for being an AntiClimaxBoss despite being touted InUniverse as the "Top Champion" and having a bit of an unpleasant reputation among some of the game's characters (notably Larry, who gets his pay docked if he idly chit-chats too much). Others are more charitable because they see Geeta as merely a businesswoman doing her job (such as by having Penny fix the League's point system after she successfully hacks it), and argue that she doesn't need to be as strong as claimed because Nemona serves as the real close to the Victory Road story.

** Her second [[AdaptationalHeroism portrayal]] in ''Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon'', however, completely split the fandom down the middle, even by the franchise's standards. There are many who were outraged that not only she was changed into a [[WellIntentionedExtremist well-intentioned]] and [[AntiVillain sympathetic]] character who gets a [[HeelFaceTurn redemption arc]], but that she goes from the first female BigBad to TheHeavy as Necrozma takes her former spot and ''then'' a DamselInDistress in the postgame Rainbow Rocket episode. On the flip side, there are fans who were glad that these games humanized her by depicting aspects of her character not originally seen in ''Sun/Moon'' (such as her change of heart and character development), and makes her someone you respect enough to ''want'' to rescue. Typically, fans of ''Sun/Moon'' Lusamine hate her ''Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon'' incarnation and vice-versa, though there are some who love (or hate) both interpretations of the character.

!Anime (Ash Generation)

* Gary is typically a MemeticBadass, but you will often find people who view his tormenting of Ash as extremely overdone[[note]]As an example, in ''Beauty and the Beach'', despite having not even run into Ash once since the first episode - [[TurnTheOtherCheek in which Ash was very cordial with him despite Gary's snide comments]] - he proceeds to get on stage and publicly mock Ash, even getting his cheerleaders to sing about how he'll trash him; plus his famous sign vandalizing to declare "Ash is a loser" even earlier[[/note]], especially if they've dealt with similar bullying experiences themselves. After he TookALevelInKindness, people either found him now boring without his AwesomeEgo, or much more tolerable. On top of this, there's the issue of Gary's [[OutOfFocus lack of importance to the plot]]; some find him entertaining enough to look past this, while others believe it ruins what otherwise [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter could have been a great rivalry]].
* Ritchie. Detractors usually refer to him as "Ash, but better" and hate him for being the one Ash wound up losing to in the Indigo League. Supporters counter that his similarities to Ash made him a good {{Foil}} to the then-jerkier Ash and a likable character in his own right. Its also pointed out that most of the hate surrounding him is [[NeverLiveItDown unwarranted]] since he was the person who was ''least'' responsible for Ash losing- if you want someone to blame, you can mostly point fingers at Team Rocket, whose constant abduction and pursuit of Ash before the match causes him to face Ritchie with a deflated, exhausted team.

** Some fans embrace Hisuian Samurott as a much-needed refresh of the Formidable Pokémon due to its better stat distribution, typing, and sleeker design. Others decry it as a [[ItsTheSameSoItSucks lazy]] PaletteSwap of regular Samurott, decrying it as simply "Samurott but [[DarkerAndEdgier edgier]]". A third camp finds its design just fine, but wishes it was more different from the original.

* The Shaymin from ''Anime/PokemonGiratinaAndTheSkyWarrior''. Its JerkassToOne attitude towards Ash is either seen as [[JerkassDissonance legitimately funny]] or annoying. Being an {{ungrateful|Bastard}} BrattyHalfPint through most of the movie while only admitting at the end that it never truly disliked Ash, can also come off as empty to some people.

* Alain. At his debut, he was near-universally loved, especially by the PeripheryDemographic, with very few detractors. Fans loved him for being different from Ash, the specials he starred in having more mature writing, being well-developed as a character, slowly becoming a good {{Foil}} to Ash (especially by the end of the 4th Mega Evolution Special)[[note]]WordOfGod is that Alain is an {{Expy}} of Anakin Skywalker, falling into villainy for those he loved[[/note]], having a [[WolverinePublicity Charizard]], and using Mega Evolution, which none of the main cast would use through the entirety of the series. What few detractors he had didn't like him for winning almost all his fights, suddenly choosing to take part in the Kalos League, and for being able to collect all the badges within 7 episodes of Ash mentioning the Kalos League to him. [[spoiler:Then he defeated Ash at the Kalos League, and opinions on his character inevitably divided ''hard'', mostly concerning whether or not his win was justified and the role his character played on a meta scale in yanking the chain of both Ash and the longtime fans.[[note]]WordOfGod also mentioned that Alain being Ash's final opponent was planned from the very start.[[/note]]]]

** Litten's final evolution, Incineroar, is the most controversial of the trio. While a cat evolving into a tiger has been an extremely popular fan idea for a Fire-type starter line, most of the debate surrounding Incineroar comes from the fact that it has the look and feel of the Fire/Fighting starters from Generations III through V, and most fans have been dreading getting another one of those ever since. However, Incineroar breaks the mold by being a Fire/[[CombatPragmatist Dark]] type[[note]]only shared with the Houndour line[[/note]] and being very clearly themed on ''both'' black cat superstitions and {{Heel}} wrestlers; some fans appreciate these elements and find that they make Incineroar cool and unique with lots of personality (and even see Incineroar as a deliberate homage and EvilCounterpart to the Fire/Fighting archetype), while others see them as half-hearted excuses for having yet another Fire/Fighting-esque starter without the actual typing, and a deliberate slap in the face to those dreading yet ''another'' bipedal fire starter. A third camp doesn't mind that Incineroar is bipedal, but don't like its strange, [[TopHeavyGuy top-heavy body proportions]] (while it has a buff chest and upper arms, its lower torso, lower arms and legs are oddly thin in comparison, the arms to the point that its ''fingers'' are thicker than its wrists, and its body in general has a lack of muscle toning that makes its arms have tubelike shapes) that have been likened to making Incineroar look like a balloon and throw it into UnintentionalUncannyValley. All of this wasn't helped by the fact that Incineroar was a highly obnoxious HighTierScrappy in VGC competitive play. Fortunately for some, the ''Sun/Moon'' anime depicted Profesor Kukui's Incineroar with lots of personality, and two years later, it was also revealed as the surprise new Pokémon fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' as a unique, pro-wrestling styled character (especially according to Creator/Masahiro Sakurai). Both media was able to draw more attention to its cool and lovable personality, rather than its more contentious aspects, [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap alleviating it from some flak and winning over more of its previous detractors]].

** Litten's final evolution, Incineroar, is the most controversial of the trio. While a cat evolving into a tiger has been an extremely popular fan idea for a Fire-type starter line, most of the debate surrounding Incineroar comes from the fact that it has the look and feel of the Fire/Fighting starters from Generations III through V, and most fans have been dreading getting another one of those ever since. However, Incineroar breaks the mold by being a Fire/[[CombatPragmatist Dark]] type[[note]]only shared with the Houndour line[[/note]] and being very clearly themed on ''both'' black cat superstitions and {{Heel}} wrestlers; some fans appreciate these elements and find that they make Incineroar cool and unique with lots of personality (and even see Incineroar as a deliberate homage and EvilCounterpart to the Fire/Fighting archetype), while others see them as half-hearted excuses for having yet another Fire/Fighting-esque starter without the actual typing, and a deliberate slap in the face to those dreading yet ''another'' bipedal fire starter. A third camp doesn't mind that Incineroar is bipedal, but don't like its strange, [[TopHeavyGuy top-heavy body proportions]] (while it has a buff chest and upper arms, its lower torso, lower arms and legs are oddly thin in comparison, the arms to the point that its ''fingers'' are thicker than its wrists, and its body in general has a lack of muscle toning that makes its arms have tubelike shapes) that have been likened to making Incineroar look like a balloon and throw it into UnintentionalUncannyValley. Fortunately for some, the ''Sun/Moon'' anime depicted Profesor Kukui's Incineroar with lots of personality, and two years later, it was also revealed as the surprise new Pokémon fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' as a unique, pro-wrestling styled character (especially according to Creator/Masahiro Sakurai). Both media was able to draw more attention to its cool and lovable personality, rather than its more contentious aspects, [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap alleviating it from some flak and winning over more of its previous detractors]].

* The Shaymin from ''Anime/PokémonGiratinaAndTheSkyWarrior''. Its JerkassToOne attitude towards Ash is either seen as [[JerkassDissonance legitimately funny]] or annoying. Being an {{ungrateful|Bastard}} BrattyHalfPint through most of the movie while only admitting at the end that it never truly disliked Ash, can also come off as empty to some people.

* Chloe's Eevee. On one side, there are people who like the idea of Chloe getting such a Pokemon not only because its popularity, but because how well it parallel's Chloe's own uncertainty over what path should she take in life. Others, however, wished that the anime would give Eevee a rest, since Chloe is the fourth female companion to own an Eevee overall, the third in a row, and the second in a row whose Eevee stayed unevolved, and would have preferred if her Pokemon was one introduced in Gen VIII (as it was the case of Goh's {{Signature Mon}}s), such as her father's Yamper or the Galarian Ponyta she befriended on one episode..

[[folder:Movies]]
* The Iron Masked Marauder. People either admire him for his voice (courtesy of the ever-hammy '''Creator/DanGreen'''), his cool design, and for posing a genuine threat, or view him as a boring villain with a generic motive and [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter loads of wasted potential]].

* Tinkaton. One camp loves it for its unique design and GirlWithPsychoWeapon concept, powerful SecretArt of Gigaton Hammer, and the lore and memes surrounding its hobby of trying knocking Corviknight out of the sky; its popularity has even led it to become the EnsembleDarkhorse mon of the generation. Others feel some degree of HypeBacklash towards the gremlin, criticizing it for being another {{Hu Mon|s}} [[FranchiseOriginalSin much like Gardevoir/Gallade]]. There are also some people that find its stubby proportions to be aesthetically unappealing given its status as a third-stage evolution.

* Tinkaton. One camp loves it for its unique design and GirlWithPsychoWeapon concept, powerful SecretArt of Gigaton Hammer, and the lore and memes surrounding its hobby of trying knocking Corviknight out of the sky; its popularity has even led it to become the EnsembleDarkhorse mon of the generation. Others feel some degree of HypeBacklash towards the gremlin, criticizing it for being another {{Hu Mon|s}} [[FranchiseOriginalSin much like Gardevoir/Gallade]]. There are also some people that find its stubby proportions to be aesthetically unappealing.

** Quaquaval is by and far the most divisive of the three starters thanks to a combination of its anthropomorphic design and flamboyant, {{camp}}y mannerisms. Some find it hilarious, charming and awesome, bringing UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}ian carnavals to mind; others deride it as ugly and, similarly to Meowsacarada, a example of "[[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom furry-bait]]". It's also hated by a third camp for being yet ''another'' Fighting-type starter, as all but four sets of starters[[note]]Kanto, Johto, Alola, and Galar[[/note]] have had a starter that gains the Fighting-type upon evolution.

* Liko and Roy. The fandom is split between those who welcome the new protagonists with open arms and those who see them as a ReplacementScrappy for Ash. Many viewers enjoy Liko's shy and reserved nature being a breathe of fresh air compared to Ash's outgoing personality with different struggles she faces with them, but there are those who also find her to be too mild and soft for the anime which has built a reputation for being adventurous and action-packed. There's also those who find the only thing interesting about her is grandmother's [[{{Macguffin}} Pendant]]. Roy was intially seen as an inferior replacement for Ash, but many did warm up to him for being similarly energetic and upbeat like his predecessor. However, the complaints for the both of them include how Roy tends to overshadow Liko in development which makes the premise of a dual-protagonist seem one-sided. Amidst that, there's still a lot of doubt that the two of them can live up to the 25-year legacy of Ash.

* Like any popular Pokémon, Tinkaton is subject to reactions of this type. Some people love it for its unique design and concept, absurdly powerful SecretArt of Gigaton Hammer, and the lore and memes surrounding its hobby of knocking Corviknight out of the sky, to the point of foregoing other popular Pokémon like Lucario and Gardevoir to give it a spot on their teams. Others feel some degree of HypeBacklash towards the gremlin, criticize it for being another {{Hu Mon|s}} much like Gardevoir/Gallade and the Forces of Nature, and find its stubby proportions to be aesthetically unappealing.

* Like any popular Pokémon, Tinkaton is subject to reactions of this type. Some people love it for its unique design and concept, absurdly powerful SecretArt of Gigaton Hammer, and the lore and memes surrounding its hobby of knocking Corviknight out of the sky. Others feel some degree of HypeBacklash towards the gremlin, criticize it for being another {{Hu Mon|s}} much like Gardevoir/Gallade and the Forces of Nature, and find its stubby proportions to be aesthetically unappealing.

* Like any popular Pokémon, Tinkaton is subject to reactions of this type. Some people love it for its unique design and concept, absurdly powerful SecretArt of Gigaton Hammer, and the lore and memes surrounding its hobby of knocking Corviknight out of the sky. Others feel some degree of HypeBacklash towards the gremlin, and criticize it for being another {{Hu Mon|s}} much like Gardevoir/Gallade and the Forces of Nature.

* Baxcalibur is considered to be either an awesome NotZilla with a badass design, great stats, fun typing and a unique SecretArt, or an ugly and awkward Tyranitar knockoff that should have been an anatomically correct ''[[SavageSpinosaurs Spinosaurus]]'' given the look of its pre-evolution Arctibax. Similarly to Gholdengo and Flutter Man, its HighTierScrappy status in competitive play is also lamented.

* Arceus. Some people don't take too kindly to the notion that it's supposed to be [[CreationMyth the god who created the Pokémon world]], as it makes other deified legendaries look obsolete. Its stats, ability, and movepool are certainly worthy of praise as god-like, though ironically, Arceus itself is on the receiving end of obsoleteness following the advent of powerful forms for major legendaries since'' X/Y''. Fortunately, ''Legends: Arceus'' has managed to win some detractors by giving Arceus a less subtle role in the story, cementing its status as a BigGood as well as [[spoiler:its [[TrueFinalBoss boss battle]] (and the {{optional|Boss}} {{Superboss}} one) being [[BestBossEver a sight to behold]]]].

* Heatran has its fans for being an amazing take on another volcanic Pokémon, especially one that's [[PlayingWithFire Fire]]/[[ExtraOreDinary Steel]], as well as being one of the very few Legendary Pokémon that can be gendered (with its male/female ratio being perfectly balanced). Its status as [[InfinityMinusOneSword one of the best Pokémon in competitive play (without being too broken)]] is also well-liked. However, it's also got some detractors due to its ugly, ambiguous design, as well as forming part of [[BrokenBase the Legendary Pokémon bloat that the generation is infamous for]].
* Arceus. Some people don't take too kindly to the notion that it's supposed to be {{God}}, as it makes other deified legendaries look obsolete. Its stats, ability, and movepool are certainly worthy of praise as god-like, though ironically, Arceus itself is on the receiving end of obsoleteness following the advent of powerful forms for major legendaries since'' X/Y''. Fortunately, ''Legends: Arceus'' has managed to win some detractors by giving Arceus a less subtle role in the story, cementing its status as a BigGood as well as [[spoiler:its [[TrueFinalBoss boss battle]] (and the {{optional|Boss}} {{Superboss}} one) being [[BestBossEver a sight to behold]]]].

* Heatran has its fans for being an amazing take on another volcanic Pokémon, especially one that's [[PlayingWithFire Fire]]/[[ExtraOreDinary Steel]], as well as being one of the very few Legendary Pokémon that can be gendered (with its male/female ratio being perfectly balanced). Its status as [[GameBreaker one of the best Pokémon in competitive play]] (without being too broken) is also well-liked. However, it's also got some detractors due to its ugly, ambiguous design, as well as forming part of [[BrokenBase the Legendary Pokémon bloat that the generation is infamous for]].

* Barry, as the years have passed, has slowly been receiving more scorn from the fanbase. Some people find Barry {{Adorkable}} and a worthy rival that does try to get tougher at the same rhythm as you do, and undergoes some important CharacterDevelopment by the hands of Team Galactic that lets him [[TookALevelInBadass take it more seriously]], especially in ''Platinum'' where his team eventually becomes the strongest of any rivals in any ''Pokémon'' game. Others think his energy gets annoying later on in the story and that he is not nearly as badass as Blue in Gen I and Silver in Gen II. Recently, many of Barry's detractors have also painted him as the "original {{friendly rival|ry}}" that [[FranchiseOriginalSin created the massive amount of blasè rivals]] that would be later decried. Defenders of Barry will point out that he is still driven by a desire to one-up the player character despite his losses, and that not only his HeroicBSOD happens due to the ''villainous team'', but his character development happens in time in the story rather than at the very end and that it involves a great case of TheDogBitesBack. Fans also feel it’s unfair to blame Barry for starting the trend when both of his predecessors (Brendan/May and Wally) were friendly rivals as well. Whereas his detractors will dismiss these points and say that despite this and his team becoming much stronger (especially in ''Platinum''), the damage to his personality and to the development of future rivals is already done.

** Compared to Venusaur and Charizard, Blastoise's fanbase is less vocal, but it also attracts less criticism than the other two starters. It is a very popular Pokémon, but some fans find that it's almost as much of a {{gonk}} as Venusaur, and others find it kinda bland compared to Venusaur and/or Charizard (if it retracts its cannons then it just looks like any old turtle monster), not helping that traditionally, it is the most underwhelming of the three competitive-wise. That said, it doesn't elicit the same visceral reaction that some fans have to Charizard's WolverinePublicity or Venusaur's overly monstrous design, and would love to see an adaptation where the main character picks it over the other starters, making it more of a {{downplayed|Trope}} example.

* The Chikorita line. Although several people like the line for being BadassAdorable (especially Chikorita which is considered a RidiculouslyCuteCritter), several others hate the line for being one of the weakest starters in the series (if not ''the'' weakest) — Meganium is a JackOfAllStats, MasterOfNone whose defenses are good, but its attacking stats are weak for an evolved Pokémon on top of having a very shallow movepool, both making it difficult to properly use in the games until the trip to Kanto, and giving it no merit in competitive play. [[TakeAThirdOption A third camp appeals to both points]], saying the Chikorita line is hated too much and that it does encompass BadassAdorable, but that it's also [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter one of Game Freak's most neglected Pokémon lines]].

* The Torchic line, but especially Blaziken. On one side, Blaziken's design is seen as cool for resembling a cockfighting chicken, and is acclaimed as the strongest starter to use in competitive and in-game (despite its native region, Hoenn, being home to a lot of Water-types). On the other hand, some people find Blaziken to be somewhat ugly and blame it for being the start of the Fire/Fighting trend that occurred for the next two generations. Some others don't like how it also became a HighTierScrappy starting in Generation V thanks to getting [[GameBreaker Speed Boost]] as a Hidden Ability, a status that would loom over it until Gen VIII, where PowerCreep eventually caught up with it. That said, much like its Grass and Water counterparts, Blaziken is still a fairly popular starter, so its case isn't as big as many other mons.
* Once a straight EnsembleDarkhorse, Gardevoir has fallen into this territory beginning roughly around Gen VI. A good chunk of the fanbase continues to love it for its beautiful waif-like design and benevolent-yet-powerful nature. However, an equally sized portion loathes it for having a design that looks a bit ''too'' human, accusing it of being a thirst trap (especially considering the [[BrokeTheRatingScale rate-breakingly high volume]] of RuleThirtyFour art depicting it). Additionally, a number of fans blame it for the designs of later generations of Pokemon becoming [[AnthropomorphicShift more anthropomorphic]], citing it as "[[FranchiseOriginalSin patient zero]]" for the franchise's alleged shift to "waifumon" designs; hilariously enough, it doesn't help that Gardevoir was included in the "Human-Like" Egg Group since Gen VIII.

* Wallace. His inclusion as a Champion in ''Emerald'' split the fanbase down the middle. Some people either don't mind or like the idea of Wallace being upgraded from Gym Leader to Champion, showing that Gym leaders aren't just second-rate compared to them. The rest, however, weren't fond of him replacing fan-favorite Steven Stone, with his spotlight both relegating Steven to a wandering trainer and a one-time challengable {{optional|Boss}} {{Superboss}}, and also helping contribute to the Elite Four being almost forgotten by fans. Some also cite how Wallace's Champion status only proves evidence that the Hoenn region has a high water mass and further help spawn the "[[Memes/{{Pokemon}} too much water]]" quote from IGN.

* Garchomp. You either love it for being an badass looking dragon and being [[InfinityMinusOneSword an absolute beast both in-game and in competitive play]] thanks to its accessibility, well-rounded stats and movepool, or hate it for being one of the biggest {{Game Breaker}}s in the franchise (at least until Gen VI came around) and [[ItsPopularNowItSucks its enormous popularity]], especially [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome in competitive play]].
* Lucario, ever since its introduction in [[Anime/PokemonLucarioAndTheMysteryOfMew the eighth movie]], it's been a contentious Pokémon. Either it's out-and-out awesome and its huge popularity isn't a bad thing, or it is given [[SpotlightStealingSquad too much attention]]. Although Lucario's appearance in ''VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2'' was well-liked for turning a previously rare, yet very popular Pokémon with LateCharacterSyndrome into one of the earliest and best Pokémon to use in-game, ''X and Y'' repeating the same thing was criticized, and not helping matters is that it was these games where its WolverinePublicity was cranked up from previous appearances.

* Team Galactic as a whole. Some view them as an entertaining team with an epic goal led by the decently written threat Cyrus, and a few will defend them for some of the grunts being [[LaughablyEvil a good source of laughs]][[note]]"Our objectives are incredible—too incredible for me to understand! '''I'll fight blindly to defend them''', and your intrusion won't be forgiven![[/note]]. Others view them as idiotic villains with incoherent motives, with Cyrus in particular coming under fire for being very confusing in what his points and objectives are and having a weak FreudianExcuse. At the very least, they have received less unanimous disdain than Team Flare, and their ''Platinum'' incarnation has been seen more positively because of the team in general becoming much more badass and competent in their goal.
* Cynthia, although not to the extent of other human characters. She is beloved for being a badass Champion with a near-perfect team that [[BestBossEver is very well-known]] for [[ThatOneBoss giving people A LOT of trouble]] —to [[MemeticBadass memetic levels]]—, on top of having [[NiceGirl an endearing personality]], and helping the player's progress (similarly to Steven Stone in Gen III, and especially present in ''Platinum''), and being given CharacterShilling in later games like ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', Gen V and Gen VII. That said, she still has detractors for precisely [[SpotlightStealingSquad being given too much spotlight]], due to her constant appearances in subsequent games and despite some other characters getting as much spotlight as her (Looker, for example). Criticism has been also been directed at her characterization for coming off as generic, and not having that much of a role in the actual conflict with Team Galactic (though other media like the anime tend to improve on this). A couple of small vocal minorities either don't precisely enjoy [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking how difficult her battles tend to be]] or [[HypeBacklash just found her Champion battle to be "not as hard as other people say it is"]].

* The starters of this gen ended up being notoriously contentious among the fandom, a trend that would be passed down to future generations:

* The "genie trio" of Landorus, Thundurus, and Tornadus are pretty controversial. A lot of it comes down to their designs, as the Incarnate forms of the trio are so close in design as to resemble {{Palette Swap}}s at first glance, which sparks accusations of them being lazy. The Therian forms give them more unique looks, which creates debates over whether this saves their designs or whether the Therian forms are simply ugly on their own merits. Conceptually, they also tend to start arguments, with some appreciating their references to Japanese storm gods and Tornadus's status as the first pure-Flying-type, and others still not being on board, whether due to not being familiar with their original inspirations or being familiar and still finding Landorus unnecessary. However, what pushes the debate further is that the trio are notoriously really strong in competitive play, boasting excellent typings, great stat layouts, expansive movepools, and very good abilities — in particular, Landorus-Therian has been a top-three-at-worst mainstay in ''Website/{{Smogon}}'''s [=OverUsed=] tier since its debut and its Incarnate form is outright banned, and its fellows have found varying amounts of regular time there as well, particularly Thundurus-Incarnate and Tornadus-Therian. This sparks an even further division between people who applaud their consistent competitive performance, and people who despise their ubiquity in those environments, to the point of actively ''welcoming'' their removal in ''Sword and Shield'' (and cursing their rapid return through the ''Crown Tundra'' DLC). The addition of Enamorus turning the trio into a quartet and finally giving a unique design among the Incarnates seems to be at least welcomed for patching one of the group's bigger issues, though Enamorus itself still gets a lot of the usual "it's ugly" gripes.

* Whether Iris being the new champion was a good move or not. [[Anime/PokemonTheSeries Her anime counterpart]], who is also ''very'' polarizing herself (as soundly described below in the "Anime" folder), affects most of the fan reactions even to those who are okay with her in-game personality. Some prefer the previous set of protagonists to be the champion instead, since Iris already replaces them in the anime.

!!XY - Pokémon

** Aegislash. While it is widely liked for [[StanceSystem its dynamic dual design and its form change gimmick from the defensive Shield Forme to the offensive Blade Forme]], it is also reviled for being a big GameBreaker in competitive play, due to its form change gimmick basically providing it with a base stat total that rivals that of the most powerful OlympusMons, on top of its unpredictability. Even so, after it was banned from [=OverUsed=] in competitive play by Website/{{Smogon}}[[note]]For a Pokémon to be banned from competitive play by Smogon, at least 60% of the voting process must be pro-ban; for Aegislash, it was '''62%''' pro-ban, ''barely'' enough to ban it[[/note]], fan response was mixed; some agreed to the ban, others thought it was out of line and that Aegislash wasn't as much of a game-breaker as other Pokémon so much as a necessary evil. ''Sword and Shield'' finally {{nerf}}ed Aegislash, reducing its defenses (and by extension, its offenses while in Blade Forme), and Smogon unbanned it from competitive play, removing it for some from this category.
** Meanwhile, the case both for and against Klefki is compounded by its use in competitive play, which often consists of infuriating the opponent into [[RageQuit ragequitting]] by crippling their team with [[ActionInitiative priority]] status moves. Unlike Aegislash above, Klefki hasn't been given a significant nerf either (with its only nerf being to its ability Prankster to [[NoSell not affect Dark-type Pokémon]]), making Klefki still one of the most widely hated Pokémon to face.
* Sylveon. Some fans absolutely love it for its BadassAdorable design, having ridden the train of Fairy-type Pokémon being strong against Dragon-types. Others find it creepy-looking (especially its eyes), overhyped and gets accused of being a SpotlightStealingSquad compared to the other Eeveelutions — now whenever all eight of them are featured anywhere, Sylveon is nearly always front and center, especially since it was considered the go-to example of a Fairy type when it was first revealed. Similar to Generation IV's evolutions above, there have been no new Eeveelutions since Sylveon's introduction, likely because of its divisive reception.

* Regarding Mega-Evolutions;
** Both versions of Mega Mewtwo; while they are praised for their high, record-breaking base stats (X and Y have the highest Attack and Special Attack of all Pokémon, respectively), there is some debate on how good their designs look compared to each other as well as base Mewtwo. For a while, Mega Mewtwo Y got some extra hate for its association with [[ReplacementScrappy the unpopular "new" Mewtwo character]] from [[Anime/PokemonGenesectAndTheLegendAwakened the 16th movie]], which was eventually fixed by giving the same form to the far more popular Mewtwo in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' (primarily based on [[Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie the first movie]]).
** Mega Venusaur and Mega Heracross are well-liked for their competitive potential, but are disliked by some for their ugly designs, similar to Heatran and Conkeldurr.
** Both of Charizard's Mega Evolutions. While it's generally agreed that it deserved a Mega Evolution, the handling of the Mega Evolutions themselves are often debated.
*** For Mega Charizard X, while it's one of the most popular Mega Evolutions for [[PanderingToTheBase granting the longtime fan request of turning Charizard into a Dragon-type Pokémon]], it also gets a hefty heaping of ItsPopularNowItSucks (especially from [[OutOfFocus Mega Charizard Y]] fans and Charizard haters), and gets some flak over its black and overly "edgy" design, plus the fact Charizard's Shiny counterpart is already black, which makes it seem less unique. It also came under fire near the end of the ''XYZ'' season of ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesXY'' for being the Pokémon that Ash loses to.
*** Mega Charizard Y is also this, often resulting in FandomRivalry with Mega Charizard X. Some fans prefer it over X for its more recognizable color scheme (including the classic black Shiny coloration) and playing like a supercharged version of base Charizard, with extremely high Special Attack and Fire attacks further boosted by the sun provided by Drought. Others believe that X's Fire/Dragon typing makes Y redundant and that it had no real reason to exist other than to dupe the fandom for a few weeks, as Charizard's and its Y Mega Evolution's Fire/Flying typing were vocally maligned by many fans who wanted it to somehow gain access to the Dragon-type, especially before X was revealed — although some people can accept that Y most likely remained Fire/Flying for CompetitiveBalance purposes, since being Fire/Dragon would likely turn it from a GlassCannon to a horrendously overpowered MasterOfAll.
*** In general, there are heated arguments in the fandom about whether Charizard deserved two Mega Evolutions in the first place, and whether its PopularityPower was enough to justify its priority over Venusaur and Blastoise. Some fans believe that the best solution would have been to have a singular "Mega Charizard" with X's Fire/Dragon typing and Y's more immediately impressive stats and Ability.
** Mega Gyarados, in a similar vein to Mega Charizard Y. Some fans maligned it for its bulkier, less streamlined design, as well as its lack of Dragon typing (as Gyarados was second only to Charizard in terms of fan requests to make it into a Water/Dragon type). Others like its darker and more colorful design, and find its Water/Dark typing [[EvilIsCool appealing]] and very fitting for Gyarados' nature — particularly as it finally gives a Gen I Pokémon access to the Dark-type (aside from the later Alolan forms and earlier true cross-generational evolutions such as Umbreon).
** Mega Lucario. Its already base-breaking nature aside (as explained in the Gen IV folder), its Mega Evolution was made a central focus of the Mega Evolution subplot, and automatically gifted players a fully-evolved Lucario early on in the game, complete with Mega Stone. On the bright side, many people were happy to finally see it in an in-game starring role and latched on to its Mega Evolution. On the flipside, others got sick of it and started drawing comparisons to [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII Lightning]] and [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy Rosalina]] in terms of excessive overexposure. There's also the camp that argues the gift Lucario being one of the reasons for [[ItsEasySoItSucks the game's lack of difficulty]].

!!XY - Humans

!!ORAS - Pokémon
* Mega Sableye. While its ability and stat boosts make it a fantastic StoneWall in competitive battles, some people don't like how its design has embodied one of the most reviled game strategies in the series: '''stall'''. To this day, people can't decide on whether or not its battle design is good (and may never know, seeing as Smogon banned it from [=OverUsed=] right as ''Sun/Moon'' released).
* Mega Salamence. On one hand, people love how its wings have combined into a dual-function glider/blade and are happy [[HesBack the dragon came back]] after the Fairy-type nerfed it, complete with Aerilate giving it usable Flying-type STAB moves. Others dislike its bizarre, frisbee-like design, in addition to being another pseudo-legendary that got a Mega Evolution, and that it became overpowered[[note]]indeed, Website/{{Smogon}} ended up quick-banning Mega Salamence to Ubers when it was released.[[/note]]. The introduction of its Paradox counterpart in Roaring Moon in ''Scarlet/Violet'', which shares a similar design with more tribal-like features, has managed to win over some haters, though.
* Mega Slowbro. Some think it has an unbelievably stupid design, while others think the dopey appearance is perfectly fitting for Slowbro. Competitive players don't like how its ability is the situational Shell Armor[[note]]which only prevents critical hits[[/note]], instead of regular Slowbro's more consistently useful Regenerator[[note]]which heals Slowbro every time it switches out[[/note]].
* Mega Gallade. Its Mega Evolution does have a sizable fanbase who are relieved that it got a Mega Evolution after getting overshadowed by Mega Gardevoir. Some fans thought that its Inner Focus ability is not as impressive as Mega Gardevoir's Pixilate, and others were not pleased that it is not part-Fairy.

!!ORAS - Humans

!!SM - Pokémon

** Litten's final evolution, Incineroar, is the most controversial of the trio. While a cat evolving into a tiger has been an extremely popular fan idea for a Fire-type starter line, most of the debate surrounding Incineroar comes from the fact that it has the look and feel of the Fire/Fighting starters from Generations III through V, and most fans have been dreading getting another one of those ever since. However, Incineroar breaks the mold by being a Fire/[[CombatPragmatist Dark]] type[[note]]only shared with the Houndour line[[/note]] and being very clearly themed on ''both'' black cat superstitions and {{Heel}} wrestlers; some fans appreciate these elements and find that they make Incineroar cool and unique with lots of personality (and even see Incineroar as a deliberate homage and EvilCounterpart to the Fire/Fighting archetype), while others see them as half-hearted excuses for having yet another Fire/Fighting-esque starter without the actual typing, and a deliberate slap in the face to those dreading yet ''another'' bipedal fire starter. A third camp doesn't mind that Incineroar is bipedal, but don't like its strange, [[TopHeavyGuy top-heavy body proportions]] (while it has a buff chest and upper arms, its lower torso, lower arms and legs are oddly thin in comparison, the arms to the point that its ''fingers'' are thicker than its wrists, and its body in general has a lack of muscle toning that makes its arms have tubelike shapes) that have been likened to making Incineroar look like a balloon and throw it into UnintentionalUncannyValley. Fortunately for some, the ''Sun[=/=]Moon'' anime depicted Profesor Kukui's Incineroar with lots of personality, winning some detractors over; two years later, it was also revealed as the surprise new Pokémon fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' as a unique, pro-wrestling styled character (especially according to [[WordOfGod Masahiro Sakurai]]), winning over more of its previous detractors in the process. Both media was able to draw more attention to its cool and lovable personality, rather than its more contentious aspects, [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap alleviating it from some flak]].

** As for Decidueye, some people like it for its unique and badass archer-owl design with a fantastic Grass/Ghost typing, while others see its design as awkward design and its typing something coming out of left field. While it has a nice range of status moves and a fantastic niche as a False Swiper thanks to those moves and being part-Ghost, it has a horrendously shallow offensive movepool compared to Incineroar and Primarina, a ridiculously high Special Attack despite learning very few special moves (none of which were available through leveling-up prior to ''Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon''), and some people would have preferred it to have stayed part-Flying like its pre-evolutions. While it was the most popular out of the three starters (its case became more arguable after Incineroar made it into ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' over it), fans are undecided on whether it's a very cool Pokémon worthy of being the generation's BreakoutCharacter or whether it's a ToughActToFollow compared to Greninja with its much greater competitive worth and amazing Hidden Ability. Notably, unlike with Typhlosion or Samurott, there is a notable BrokenBase over whether its Alolan form or its Hisuian form from ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' is better, as the original Decidueye already had a secondary type and a SecretArt that made it more interesting to many people than Johtonian Typhlosion or Unovan Samurott, along with debate over its straw-hat-wearing Japanese archer design is better than the original.

* The Rotom Pokédex. Some like it for being a {{cute|Machines}} and [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] RobotBuddy, others consider it annoying and feel it comes off as a KidAppealCharacter. There's also factors relating to its function that garner controversy, as its map and Pokédex are both commonly seen as inferior to those in ''Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire'', and its presence and position on the touch screen facilitates the removal of Gen VI's menu buttons.

!!SM - Humans
* Continuing tradition from Barry since Gen IV, Hau being yet another {{friendly rival|ry}} had many fans irritated. Some like his sunny demeanor, his blasé attitude to losing, and think his relationship with his grandfather makes him developed. Others find his personality too overdone and generic, and his attitude to losing patronizing and obnoxious. ''Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon'' saved it for a few people from this category by making him more serious, but also made him gain a new amount of detractors for replacing Professor Kukui as the game's FinalBoss before becoming the champion (as although Hau has Pokémon with colorful moves, Professor Kukui used ''legitimate'' competitive strategies that made him [[ThatOneBoss a hard]], [[BestBossEver yet enjoyable]] final boss). There are also players who are divided whether Hau counts as a champion or not just because he is fought right after the Elite Four (Professor Kukui is at least the League founder).
* While many fans love Lusamine for being a terrifying villainess intrinsically tied to the main plot, an incredibly accurate portrayal of an AbusiveParent, and providing one of the best boss battles in the series, Lusamine also has many detractors feeling that she is too cruel to be considered sympathetic, and hates how the narrative tries to paint her a victim with both of her children forgiving her despite her abuse. This is not helped by her HeelFaceTurn occurring entirely offscreen, with her last on-screen moment being her collapsing after you defeat her merged form. Others feel her motives to be flimsier than the more mundane but easier to grasp Ghetis and there are those who dislike how her own boss battle doesn’t utilize the Motherbeast form in any creative way.
* Even though she has many more fans than detractors, Lillie get this treatment from some people. Her fans find her to be one of the best characters in the game, and possibly even rivaling N as one of the most developed characters in the series. Her detractors, on the other hand, find her overrated and overshadowing the protagonists (this is also connected to the game's controversial increased focus on story, as the majority of the story is about her and her family and a group of her detractors accuse her of being a Purity Sue because of this). It doesn't help the player often gets Lillie dumped on them at several points in the game to escort her to places, since she has no Pokémon of her own (besides Nebby), which can make it feel like you're her babysitter. Her newfound confidence after her SignificantWardrobeShift is also divisive; many fans find it to be well-done and endearing, while her detractors either find it {{Narm}}y and unnecessary personality-wise. In the end, no general consensus has been reached on whether she's an [[{{Moe}} adorable]], interesting and [[TheWoobie tragic]] character, or annoying and just being made of traits that make her more appealing to the audience rather than being well-rounded on her own.

!!USUM - Pokémon

* Ultra Necrozma has many fans that love it for its golden angelic design, being a bigger GameBreaker than Arceus, and being [[BestBossEver one of the best boss fights in the core series]]. Others, however, aren't fond of [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks having]] ''[[ItsTheSameNowItSucks another]]'' [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks Dragon-type third Legendary]], or of Ultra Necrozma rendering Dawn Wings Necrozma almost totally obsolete.
* The Rotom Dex continues to be a divisive character. For some people, the reintroduction of O-Powers in the form of Roto Powers, the new ways to interact with it and the chance for it to let you use two Z-Moves in one battle have redeemed it, while others can't stand how much its AnnoyingVideogameHelper side has been ramped up to the point where at times, most of your returns to the main overworld are accompanied by it blocking out the map with unwanted and unhelpful pieces of advice that, mind you, Rotom itself {{lampshade|hanging}}s.

!!USUM - Humans
* Lusamine's [[AdaptationalHeroism portrayal]] in ''Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon'' split the fandom down the middle. There are many who think Lusamine in the original ''Sun/Moon'' was one of [[LoveToHate the best, most twisted and dark]] villains in the franchise (on par with Ghetsis in Gen V), and were outraged that not only she was changed into a [[WellIntentionedExtremist well-intentioned]] and [[AntiVillain sympathetic]] character who gets a [[HeelFaceTurn redemption arc]], but that she goes from the first female BigBad to TheHeavy as Necrozma takes her former spot and ''then'' a DamselInDistress in the postgame Rainbow Rocket episode. On the flip side, there are fans who feel that Lusamine [[UnintentionallyUnsympathetic should've never come across as vile as she did]] in the original games, given all the [[InformedAttribute informed statements]] about how she was kinder in the past, how she was under the influence of Nihilego's neurotoxins and had an offscreen change of heart after her defeat, that her [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] insanity and [[AbusiveParents abusive]] nature were too over the top, and are glad that these games actually humanize her by depicting aspects of her character not originally seen in ''Sun/Moon'' (such as her change of heart and character development), and makes her someone you respect enough to ''want'' to rescue. Typically, fans of Vanilla Lusamine hate her ''USUM'' incarnation and vice-versa, though there are some who love (or hate) both interpretations of the character.

!!Pokémon - [[VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield Galar]]
* Of the starters' final evolutions, Inteleon ended up as the most divisive. It does have its fans, mainly those that found its {{spy|Fiction}}, Franchise/JamesBond-esque design to be [[TuxedoAndMartini cool and fitting for the region]] (given ''James Bond'' origins from England). However, it came into a lot of fire upon its reveal as the final form for Sobble, mainly from people who were getting tired of the "[[BishonenLine final evolution is an anthro]]" trope that was used for every starter since Gen VI. Others, while not outright disliking Inteleon's design departure, found its lanky design to be too jarring.
* Cinderace is only slightly less divisive than Inteleon, with some finding its futbol-based design fun and fitting for Galar, while others dislike it for being yet another anthropomorphic Fire starter.
* Some fans like Stonjourner for its unique Stonehenge-inspired design, while others hate it, seeing it as ugly and too simplistic.

!!Pokémon - [[VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus Hisui]]

* Enamorus was destined to be divisive by virtue of being a [[SixthRanger fourth member]] of the already-controversial Legendary Genies. It has its fans for being a welcome shake-up to an otherwise-similar trio, but has an equal number of detractors for having a design that's seen as ugly, garish, and overly gendered.

* Leon is either one of the best or worst characters in the game. He is praised for being extremely competent both in-universe and out of it, by directly intervening in several conflicts and problems throughout the game and averting the series' long held issue of AdultsAreUseless, and having a surprisingly strong and effective team that many fans declare gives him BestBossEver status. He also, however, draws much ire over how the game gives him excessive CharacterShilling and has him constantly repeat what he says to the point of annoyance, as well as how him averting AdultsAreUseless locks the player out of the more interesting things in the story until right at the last minute, leaving them with the sole directive of completing the Gym Challenge. The fact that his ace is a Charizard, another base-breaker in its own right (as detailed above), instead of another Galar Pokémon, just rubs more salt in the wound. There's also a third camp that enjoys the character ironically and finds the incessant CharacterShilling for Leon and his Charizard to be SoBadItsGood and worthy of MemeticMutation, often exaggerating it into a Charizard-centric joke religion similar to Franchise/{{Shrek}}ology.
* [[spoiler:Chairman Rose]]. Some see a [[AntiVillain genuinely sympathetic villain]] as a welcome change, thinking they come across as a sympathetic figure with a complex motivation. Others aren't a fan of said motivation, thinking the actions of the character make no sense in hindsight. And especially [[ToughActToFollow after the excellent antagonists]] of ''X/Y'' and ''Sun/Moon'', an antagonist without a strong personality who acts out of foolishness rather than malice just comes across as a letdown.

Much like the [[VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet games they originated from]], Generation IX's roster has proven to be unusually divisive even by ''Pokémon'' standards.

* [[HistoryRepeats Once again]], all three final stages of the starters are quite divisve among fans:
** Meowscarada is disliked by many for being yet another anthropomorphic Dark-type evolution to a feline starter, but has an equally large fanbase for its fun magician-like design. The fact that many fans had pleaded for Sprigatito to not become bipedal upon evolving (to the point of MemeticMutation) does it no favors.
** Skeledirge is the least divisive of the three starters thanks to being the first truly quadrapedal starter since Generation V, as well as the first fully quadrapedal Fire-type starter evolution ever[[note]]Typhlosion is counted as a quadruped by the Pokédex, but is rarely seen on all fours[[/note]]. Still, some fans dislike it for having an overly complicated design (with its sugar skull-like head being a sore spot for many), as well as for being a "jobmon" (in this case a singer) despite its more animalistic appearance. While Meowscarada and Quaquaval got some slack for their types being the same as Hisuian Decidueye and Samurott's with the Fighting and Dark assignment swapped around[[note]]itself exacerbated by the aforementioned Hisuian Forms having the exact same types as Chesnaught and Greninja respectively, as well as the overabundance of part-Fighting, Dark or Ghost starters since the sixth generation[[/note]], Skeledirge fares worse with such criticisms as it has [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks the exact same combo as its direct predecessor, Hisuian Typhlosion]], and reminds a number of fans of the infamous Fire/Fighting starter streak which is made even worse by the fact that, as of Gen IX, Skeledirge’s [[UniquenessDecay Fire/Ghost typing, a type combination that originally didn’t exist until Gen V, has now become a more common type combination than the notorious Fire/Fighting typing]].
** Quaquaval is by and far the most divisive of the three starters thanks to a combination of its anthropomorphic design and flamboyant, {{Camp}}y mannerisms. Some find it hilarious, charming, and awesome, while others deride it as ugly and a particularly egregious example of a "[[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom furrybait]]" starter. It's also hated by a third camp for being yet ''another'' Fighting-type starter, as all but four sets of starters[[note]]Kanto, Johto, Alola, and Galar[[/note]] have had a starter that gains the Fighting-type upon evolution.

* Armarouge and Ceruledge are both divisive for similar reasons, with detractors viewing them both as poorly-designed [[Franchise/MegaMan Robot Master]] rejects that don't look like ''Pokémon'' designs. Ceruledge also catches flak for having a (literally) [[DarkerAndEdgier edgy]] design. However, they also have their fans precisely ''because'' they look like ''Mega Man'' characters, as well as those who think they look just plain cool.

* Depending on who you ask, Bellibolt is either an adorable and fun plasma ball frog or an ugly attempt to emulate Chansey and a waste of the aforementioned concept. Its [[SignatureMon association]] with fellow Base Breaker Iono (detailed below) doesn't help.
* Scovillain has garnered a number of fans for being the first Pokémon to bear the long-sought Grass/Fire type combo (and in certain circles such as Website/FourChan, ironic and unironic popularity due to memes treating it like Palafin's archnemesis) and some enjoy its unique take on a pepper Pokémon with two heads, resembling different pepper colors and having unique expressions - but on the other hand, its design is often seen as too weird to be appealing or uninspiring since it's based on chili peppers like ''many'' fanmade Grass/Fire-types. A third camp of fans appreciate its design, but feel like it looks too much like a middle-stage Pokémon, and hope that it receives an evolution in a future generation.
* Palafin is an incredibly polarizing Pokémon. Some love it for being the first non-orca dolphin Pokémon as well as for its superhero-based design and gimmick, with many people finding it hilarious and comparing it to [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia All Might]] or [[Animation/TreasureIsland1988 Dr. Livesey]]. Others find Palafin to be an obscenely ugly and [[HighTierScrappy overpowered]] abomination. Not helping things is that Palafin's Zero form looks nearly identical to its pre-evolution, nor does its [[MemeticMutation infamously]] [[GuideDangIt convoluted evolution method]].
* Flamigo is either a simple-yet-charming Pokémon that happens to be [[DiscOneNuke surprisingly powerful for a single-stager found early in the game]], or an extremely plain and lazy design that's simply a cartoonish flamingo.

* Gholdengo is seen as either an ugly cheese stick man that [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter should've been a cool]] ChestMonster, or a funny and oddly adorable surfer dude. It [[HighTierScrappy dominating the competitive scene]] in nearly every format that it's allowed in does it no favors.

* Scream Tail and Flutter Mane are exceptions to Ancient Paradox Pokémon being more well-liked than their futuristic counterparts, as many criticize them for looking [[ItsTheSameSoItSucks too similar]] to their modern-day descendants. However, both still have their fans for being [[CreepyCute quite cute]] by Paradox Pokémon standards, as well as being [[KillerRabbit deceptively strong]] despite being based off of unevolved Pokémon. Similarly to Palafin and Gholdengo above, Flutter Mane is also disliked by some for being [[HighTierScrappy omnipresent in both Battle Stadium Singles and VGC]], being found on [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome nearly half of all teams]] in the latter.
* Baxcalibur is considered to be either an awesome NotZilla with a badass design, great stats, fun typing and a unique SecretArt, or an ugly and awkward Tyranitar knockoff that should have been an anatomically correct ''[[SavageSpinosaurs Spinosaurus]]'' given the look of its pre-evolution Arctibax. Like with Gholdengo, it didn't help that it was a HighTierScrappy in Website/{{Smogon}} singles and ended up getting banned.

*** For Mega Charizard X, while it's one of the most popular Mega Evolutions for [[PanderingToTheBase granting the longtime fan request of turning Charizard into a Dragon-type Pokémon]], it also gets a hefty heaping of ItsPopularNowItSucks (especially from [[OutOfFocus Mega Charizard Y]] fans and Charizard haters), and gets some flak over its black and overly "edgy" design, plus the fact Charizard's Shiny counterpart is already black, which makes it seem less unique. It also came under [[JustForPun fire]] near the end of the ''XYZ'' season of ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesXY'' for being the Pokémon that Ash loses to.

*** In general, there are [[JustForPun heated]] arguments in the fandom about whether Charizard deserved two Mega Evolutions in the first place, and whether its PopularityPower was enough to justify its priority over Venusaur and Blastoise. Some fans believe that the best solution would have been to have a singular "Mega Charizard" with X's Fire/Dragon typing and Y's more immediately impressive stats and Ability.

* Lana has amassed fans for her kind [[NiceGuy hearted-nature]] her drive to protect Water-Type Pokémon from harm and being among the few of Ash's classmates to be consistently working towards a goal, despite how humble it is (making a Bubble big enough to walk on the ocean floor). Detractors of Lana, however, see her as a FlatCharacter that recycles elements from Misty without any of the traits that made Misty entertaining. Detractors also decry Lana for her goal, finding it to be too [[JustForPun shallow]] to be compelling.

* Tinkaton. Many people love it for its unique design and concept (to the point of considering it a BreakoutCharacter), but others resent it due to HypeBacklash and for having an overly-cutesy design.[[note]]Albeit one meant to contrast with its GirlWithPsychoWeapon behavior.[[/note]] Said resenters also give it grief for leaning too heavily into being a {{Hu Mon|s}} despite its stubby, childish proportions for a fully-evolved Pokémon. It doesn't help that it's considered a MemeticLoser for its base 75 Attack despite its huge hammer and powerful SecretArt, although some fans are relieved since said SecretArt and its amazing Steel/Fairy typing could have easily turned it into a HighTierScrappy if its stats or Abilities were different.

* Koraidon is easily the more divisive of the two box legendaries. While Miraidon is well-liked for being an awesome [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot electric robotic dragon]] that incorporates the game's exploration gimmick in a streamlined way by being a TransformingMecha, Koraidon's design and transformations have proven to be more contentious. Some fans find that Koraidon is overdesigned and that its motorcycle elements feel tacked-on and unnatural, and tend to mock how it uses its different body parts in ride mode, such as the strange MercurysWings on its head and its running on all fours ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones''-style instead of having actual tires. Others enjoy its badass, majestic design for looking like something out of ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'', and find its awkward pseudo-motorcycle aspects [[NarmCharm charming in a goofy way]].

* Baxcalibur is considered to be either an awesome NotZilla with a cool design, great stats, fun typing and a unique SecretArt, or an ugly and awkward Tyranitar knockoff that should have been an anatomically correct ''[[SavageSpinosaurs Spinosaurus]]'' given the look of its pre-evolution Arctibax. Like with Gholdengo, it didn't help that it was a HighTierScrappy in Website/{{Smogon}} singles and ended up getting banned.