Are substitutes manmade or made by pokemon? How do they work?

They're pokedolls

>>28388252

No. They are likely non-living Pokémon dolls

>>28388252
A substitute is merely a copy of the Pokemon left behind. It's not really a doll. It's just that the in-game appearance of the substitute takes on that look

>>28388360

This. The description reads:

>The user makes a copy of itself using some of its HP. The copy serves as the user's decoy.

It's not a doll, it's basically a shadow clone.

>>28388252
I kind of wish Mimikyu had this appearance. Like it makes more sense to be Pikachu merch of trying to be popular, but being either a substitute or Pokédoll would have been neato. Maybe those could be the "Mainland Form" or something.

>>28388394
>>28388360
but the doll is more appealing

>>28388252
They're made by pokemon.
Mr. Mime, Kecleon, Rotom, and Greninja learn it by level-up and they seem pretty good at creating decoys - think Double Team.

>>28388252
I'd fuck a pokedoll