The curious case of Lucario

>>33153671
pure strength and viability in battle I guess. If Lucario was as useless as Lycanroc, I bet you it wouldn't have been so popular over the years..

>>33153671
Zoroark and Lycanroc didn't get as much shilling as Lucario. Lucario was in Smash Bros, and normies happen to love Smash Bros.

>>33153717
he isn't popular because he is in smash bros, he is in smash bros because he is popular

>>33153702
Gamefreak shilled Zoroark to hell and back, they were literally trying to replicate Lucario's success. Lucario doesn't even have an ultra unique gimmick ability or two forms.

The japs literally made a petition to bring back Lucario in the pokemon special tv show when they chose to replace him with Zoroark.

>>33153769
Yeah they tried to shill Zoroark but it wasn't and isn't nearly as capable as Lucario. And that's my point. Design and shilling is important, sure, but what's more important imho and the main reason Lucario is still so popular is that it's the better sweeper, while Zoroark is a tad too gimmicky.

Zoroark got screwed over for being an event Pokemon in its own game.

>>33153671
Design. Like it or hate it, Lucario is pretty well-designed. All the marketing efforts in the world won't save a Pokemon that's just not visually very good.

>>33153856
popularity goes way beyond gameplay reasons

File: 65725.png (47KB, 230x208px) Image search: [Google]

47KB, 230x208px

>>33153671
Stop trying to prove your waifu Lucario is the best Pokémon with those garbage threads.

>>33153856
(cont.) oh and Lucario was the first "badass/strong/edgy fursona", while Zoroark and Lycanroc came second AND they were weaker. It's always difficult to replace what came first, let alone with objectively inferior versions.

It also had a better movie than zoroark. Lucario and the Mystery of Mew is one of the best movies.

>>33153876
You sure about that? I mean yeah, you are right there are far more reasons for popularity. But don't underestimate the gameplay reasons. Charizard was everyone's darling because most people chose it in red and blue, caught no other Pokemon and swept the elite 4 with it. This in combination with its design ("big cool dragon") was a huge part of its reputation which lead to much more shilling throughout the years.
Lucario was introduced to the franchised as a sweeper/"badass", and it delivered in-game with a strong/interesting typing, movepool and stats.
Just think about it: imagine Lucario was a slow mono fighting type with a handful of moves and no coverage. Do you think the kids would've loved it as much, leading to its success throughout the years?

>>33153960
Popularity goes WELL beyond gameplay utility. That's the whole concept behind starters. They're cute and marketable. It's why half the time the starters in the anime never evolve. Because someone decided that they're more popular (and therefore marketable) in their initial forms.

>>33153876
Sure, but the Pokemon being good in the first place helps a lot. If you try and shill a Pokemon that is annoying to get, hard to train, and absolutely not worth it most people are going to use something that's better and isn't a pain in the ass to use.

Zoroark was a pain in the ass to get, annoying to train, and not that great relative to what else you could get in gen 5. You also couldn't power-level it and sweep the game as easily because its movepool isn't as great as Lucario's and the AI doesn't give a fuck about its gimmick.

>>33153671
also didn't hurt that Zororak was an event only mon in B&W1

took them the sequels to let you get one ingame

>>33153671
I was already dethroned by greninja in terms of pokemon being pandered to that are not in the gen one dex and maybe one a pinch gen two but mainly Kanto, lucario and greninja.

>>33153960
Yeah, and Lucario was pretty hidden in DP on top of not being that good before getting a mega. Gameplay isn't the reason behind its popularity at all.

So the greatest popularity hits are:

- pikachu
- charizard
- mewtwo
- jigglypuff
- lucario
- greninja

What did I miss? Gengar?

Lucario is popular because of the movie. Unlike Zoroark, Lucario was a full-on character in the movie, with a major speaking role. While obviously that was only one specific Lucario, it created a "personality" for the species that carried over even to people who never saw the movie. A Pokemon having a personality makes it more likely to become popular, because it's easier to think of it as an individual rather than a species. (See, for example, Pikachu, Piplup, Charizard, and Greninja.) Probably relatively few people actually saw the movie or know much about the movie Lucario, but it was enough to make people think of Lucario (even other individual Lucario in the franchise) as a specific character, not a non-differentiated species.

Basically, they handled its introduction to the franchise extremely well in a way that made it stick in people's minds. They didn't do that with Zoroark.

>>33153994
But a starter pokemon's popularity is mostly temporary. Zoroark was also popular when it was introduced, back in the day.. for a short time...
we're talking about why a Pokemon like Lucario stays popular throughout the years, and why something like Lycanroc wasn't able to replicate that (I also find it difficult compare "cute popularity" with "cool popularity" , if you know what I mean).
I think playing the game and experiencing the power/coolness/cuteness/whatever of a certain Pokemon plays the biggest role.
I say popularity is a combination of lots of aspects, but it goes WELL beyond design and shilling.

>>33154074
eevee

no one remembers it anymore but Lugia used to be really popular. not sure why it declined so much, now even Suicune is more popular

File: dCzcyxw.jpg (151KB, 1920x1080px) Image search: [Google]

151KB, 1920x1080px

>>33154074
But don't forget the new comer from alola.

>>33154024
>Lucario was pretty hidden
No it wasn't. You are forced to go to the area where Lucario is in DPPt, encounter a guy who uses it, and then the guy gives you an egg.
>on top of not being that good before getting a mega
Oh, I get it. You're shitposting. Or maybe just retarded.

>>33154120
is this a troll?

>>33154024
>...wasn't a reason AT ALL
I disagree. It was one of the strongest Pokemon in DP.
>Lucario was pretty hidden in DP
what has that to do with anything?

>>33154120
I'm glad Decidueye was okay enough to at least not ruin the much more beloved Rowlet's popularity. But yeah, Decidueye itself is not that popular.

the lucario movie remains the best pokemon movie, lucarios design is one of the best received ever like it or not, performs well ingame as a fast physical or special attacker, and had a unique typing with a unique gimmick (for pokemon standards)

>>33154116
I have to confess, I don't know why Lycanroc is even in this conversation. It's not being pushed NEARLY to the same extent that Lucario and Zoroark were. It's getting above-average screentime, but Lucario and Zoroark were both featured in movies before their generation was released and treated as special Pokemon in their games. Lucario vs. Zoroark is a worthwhile discussion, but Lycanroc shouldn't be in this discussion. They're not trying to push it as much as the others. If anything, the closest comparison is Greninja.

>>33154074
- Garchomp
- Vaporeon

>>33154074
Absol might not be as popular but it deserves a special mentioning for being well loved despite absolutely zero promotion

>>33154119
>>33154167

No, no, and no. They're all "popular," but not "mascot saturation for years" popular. I think that >>33154074 has the list correct, missing only Piplup. Nothing besides those was nearly on that level.

Zoroark is a failed test
They not even pushing lycanroc night

>>33154120
Owlcucks need to accept even Incineroar and its line of all things is getting more shilling and pushing from Game Freak by this point be it movie or Litten getting the touching character arc in the anime.

Decidueye is a failure and ruins the Rowlet theme of gentlebirb, simple as that.

>>33154218
Kindly keep your moronic starter wars to your moronic starter war threads.

>>33154074
So basically the smash mons?

Granted Jigglypuff is in a tier wayyy lower than the other 5.

>>33154074
piplup
garchomp
maybe eevee

>>33154188
delphox should also get an honorable mention for being 2nd form of a 3 stage evo.

>>33154165
Yeah I agree, Lycanroc doesn't fit this discussion.
But neither does Greninja, since it already found its own niche and is even more popular by now than Lucario I think.
Maybe that's the easiest answer: Zoroark just wasn't unique enough, designwise/strength-wise/lorewise, compared to its "predecessor" Lucario.
Greninja was something new and used some fresh tropes, so it was successful

Lucario came at the right time in the right place.
Genwunners were phasing out, Charizard and Mewtwo didn't have that lasting appeal as a result, they needed something fresh, and in order to make sure this motherfucker succeeded, they shilled it to hell and back before DP were even released.
>one of the first Pokemon revealed, which is usually a good sign for a final-stage humanoid
>Masuda stated that Lucario was made to appeal to both the East AND the West in order to make it successful, so they obviously put in a lot of effort and thought into making this thing a shillmon
>was the final rank in Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue, Lucario itself was a Legendary Individual for its feats and goes down as the greatest rescue leader of them all
>got a fucking MOVIE as the star despite not being a Mythical, a trend that was supposed to have been started with Jirachi's Movie, Mythical Status Quo would only ever be interrupted again by Zorua/Zoroark's Movie, and you already know how that goes

>>33154074
How the flying fuck did you forget Meowth?

>>33154245
I still don't understand Greninja's popularity. Can someone explain?

>>33154241
Not that anon, but I agree with both of you. Jigglypuff gets permanence if low-key both because of Smash and the anime. It'll always have a spot, if at the bottom of the list.

>>33153769
Are Lucariofags really this delusional? Lucario was forced down everyone's throat before his game was even out, and ever since. The other two pale in comparison.

>>33154244
>Delphox
You mean Braixen. That thing alongside Chesnaught literally don't exist. Kalos is the only region with one starter.

>>33154258
>"Cool" design with or without a theme
>that theme though? NINJAS
>water type, always useful
>dark type, good for "coolness"
>star of the anime
>really good competitively

>>33154245
Greninja clicked with the masses from the beginning, which is weird. The shilling started only in mid 2014.

By the way I still don't get how Greninja caught on so much in Latin America. I'd say it is more popular than Luc in its prime. I wonder why

>>33154258
its an edgy ninja with dragonball z tier anime plot armor

Lucario's movie plays a huge part in its popularity. I know Zoroark had a movie too, but Zoroark's movie put it in the victim role, making it seem way less cool.

>>33153671

I don't get that, I think that zoroark and lycanrock have better design than lucario, they are more badass and edgy, lucarion looks weird and it have aura sphere thing ect. lucario clones should be aura mons but they all should have aura representative to their typing [dark and rock]

>>33154252
>How the flying fuck did you forget Meowth?
Duh. I forgot too, somehow.

I'd say the all-time popularity list has to be (in no specific order except for Pikachu at no. 1, obviously)

>Pikachu
>Charizard
>Mewtwo
>Jigglypuff
>Lucario
>Greninja
>Piplup
>Meowth

Other Pokemon are popular (Eevee, Garchomp, a few others), but none of them are on this particular level of mainstream recognition and marketing strength.

>>33154258
Aside from having one of the first finalized designs, it was also the first starter that seems to have been made from the ground up to be competitively viable while Chesnaught and Delphox got jack shit to make it look even better.
Not only that, its design didn't scream "manly" or "girly" so both boys AND girls latched onto the Ninja Design.
Its popularity later got boosted via Smash due to the aforementioned finalized design allowing it to be chosen relatively quickly as a new Pokemon Rep.

File: 1501293518688.gif (560KB, 500x439px) Image search: [Google]

560KB, 500x439px

>>33154264
>appeared before dp even started
>had.decedent stats
>Lucario trainers never too far away

>tones it down in gen 5
>cranks it up to fucking 11 in XY

>>33154287

I guess I will go to sleep, I can't type...

>>33154272
I think that Greninja's popularity was helped by the fact that Delphox and Chesnaught weren't really all that well received. So they made Greninja shine even more in a way.

>>33154258
same. I can totally see straight away why mewtwo and lucario are crazy popular but I would never have guessed from just looking at greninja that it would blow up

>>33154258
Design: it's a ninja. Most people like ninjas, find them "cool". It's slender, strong and quick (="badass"). It's unique and well designed.
In game: it does what everyone expects from a ninja, and even more. Plus it's ridiculously strong. Dark type attracts edgy people.
Shill: the anime. Nuff said

>>33154301
They toned it down for BW1 but then it was readily available early in BW2, long before Zorua.

File: 1500845532677.jpg (43KB, 640x627px) Image search: [Google]

43KB, 640x627px

>>33154264
>forced down everyone's throat
>literally in one movie before the game
I guess Lugia and Togepi were also shillmons from the start then.

>>33154245
I think the answer is >>33154112. Lucario had a much stronger introduction. Zoroark's design was unique enough, but it wasn't introduced as a specific character. Look at the sort of list like here: >>33154292. The common thread is that all of those Pokemon have individuals that you think of first. That creates attachment to the species, which is why they're more popular. At some point, they created a memorable individual of each of these species, and that's why they're remembered more than other species.

>>33154303
That's what I'm trying to say. If we were to make some comparisons, Greninja is a anime and Delphox and Chenaught are the filler. No one cares about it and can't wait until it ends.

>>33154328
They were, but they didn't have a super speshul speaking role that forced them harder than every other Pokemon. And they didn't continue to get forced afterwards like Lucario.

>>33154328
Of course, but no shillmon has ever been on the level that Lucario was.
Nor were they designed to specifically appeal to a universal audience, which is what Lucario sought to do and succeeded in.

>>33154340
Is it weird I don't mind a favored starter as long as the other two DON'T end up as bad off as Delphox and Chesnaught?

For all this gen's starter wars, it's a relief that none of them are leading the pack in shilling. Even with Rowlet being most popular it feels like the three final evos are somewhat equal to each other in fans, despite what /vp/ likes to screech about. Even then, purely as example, I COULD take Decidueye being "pushed" or as Ash's main, but only if Incineroar and Primarina still got good move tutors, healthy merchandise, and a couple good anime appearances.

File: tumblr_nw3kgnk5DX1qaszh0o1_250.gif (420KB, 225x236px) Image search: [Google]

420KB, 225x236px

So...why is the wolf included in this conversation when GF made it and most of the non tapu/ub alola pokemon complete crap battle wise? Zoroark has at the least have some functional uses.

>>33154340
I don't think they purposedly made Delphox and Chesnaught bad. They still have their fans even if they are a minority.

It's just that not everything can be a superstar. You see that in music, acting, tv, etc. The same happens with fictional caracters as well, and Greninja is the only starter in 20 years that is able to compete with Charizard's popularity. The design is unisex, dynamic and i'd say iconic. The tongue scarf is controversial, but that's another plus. It gives Gren more personality, uniqueness and makes people talk about it. Competitively Greninja has the luck of smogon and showdown being popular, cause you know.. GF promotes doubles and Gren isn't good there.

All in all Greninja is just a case of every piece falling in the right place.

>>33154380
Yeah, I'm happy with how they are treating the Alola starters so far. Rowlet gets more merch by virtue of being incredibly popular, but the final stages have been treated rightfully (more or less) equally so far and I hope that doesn't change too much in the future.

>>33154394
People think Lycanroc is Gen 7's Shillmon.
Alola so far hasn't had anyone worthy of being called a shillmon, but the closest thing to it would be Lycanroc, Mimikyu and Tapu Koko.

>>33154330
I think this only explains the early success of Lucario. But to maintain popularity of a Pokemon throughout the years, it has to stay relevant. What helped Lucario throughout the years was its viability as a Pokemon (even before mega evolution) in the games. It would've been long forgotten if it wasn't usable anymore. A 10 year old movie most kids nowadays don't even know isn't enough to accomplish that.
The answer is a perfect interplay of all the things people mentioned in this thread.

>>33154424
Or Alola Vulpix and Ninetales.

>>33154330
I agree that Lucario had a "much stronger introduction". But that includes the games, too! It was versatile and strong, everyone's new gen1-Charizard.

File: 1341717975196.gif (36KB, 720x720px) Image search: [Google]

36KB, 720x720px

>>33153671
I will never understand the thought process behind this design, or how it got popular even when forced.

stupid fucking shorts
stupid hook tail
nonsensical rubber shit
nonsensical tumor dildos on head
random, useless spikes
fucked up proportions, tiny neck and torso, huge thighs, looks like a penis
mouth placement turns its snout into a big jewnose instead of a muzzle
design doesn't reflect its type in the slightest

It's a fucking mess, nothing about its design makes sense or goes together or looks good, it's a bunch of ill-conceived conflicting concepts mashed together into a bigger clusterfuck than any other Pokemon. I will never understand the appeal.

>>33154430
>What helped Lucario throughout the years was its viability as a Pokemon (even before mega evolution) in the games.
Maybe, but I think a far more important reason was, honestly, it's appearance in Smash Bros. Utility in the games is helpful, but I don't think it's either necessary or sufficient. More important is the simple question of how often you're exposed to it in any capacity, and the fact that it's one of the very few Pokemon with crossover appeal due to its presence in other games is more important to its continued popularity than the fact that it's good in the games. A lot of the most popular "mascot" Pokemon were never good in the games.

>The answer is a perfect interplay of all the things people mentioned in this thread.
Agreed, there's no single reason. But a strong start, as I described, is key, I think.

>>33153769
>Lucario doesn't even have an ultra unique gimmick ability or two forms

Right? All he has is a mega evolution. That's literally it.

>>33154482
aura powers are the gimmick, remember

>>33154482
which came much later. it wasnt planned from the ground up

>>33154330
Beside its gimmicky ability, Zoroark wasn't unique at all. Shallow movepool, boring monotype

File: sanic.png (1008KB, 1724x2478px) Image search: [Google]

1008KB, 1724x2478px

>>33154467
>It's a fucking mess, nothing about its design makes sense or goes together or looks good, it's a bunch of ill-conceived conflicting concepts mashed together into a bigger clusterfuck than any other videogame character. I will never understand the appeal.

>>33154355
>super speshul speaking role that forced them harder than every other Pokemon
Lugia did

>>33153769
>he is in smash bros because he is popular
That's not how it works. They chose Greninja before XY even released. It's purely a marketing decision

>>33154498
Sonic was designed based on Yuji Naka's game concept of a fast character that rolls into a ball through a tube. Hedgehog because it attacks by rolling up, shoes because it runs fast, blue to match the sega logo, generic edgy-disney look. There is at least a rational thought process behind the design. Lucario is just inexplicable.

>>33154543
Inexplicable, yet effective.
As >>33154252 says, Lucario was designed specifically to appeal to a universal audience worldwide, so somewhere in that clusterfuck is something many, MANY people love.

I think way too many people here overthink why Lucario is popular. People try to attribute it to too many different variables when it really comes down to the basic action figure philisophy: he is a cool design with cool powers.

That's literally it. People also like using good Pokémon. At the time, Lucario was an extremely good Pokémon. Zoroark and the Lycanroc forms are fucking awful Pokémon that lack the the usability and versatility of a Pokémon like Lucario.

>>33154556
>Lucario was designed specifically to appeal to a universal audience worldwide
I know what the stated objective was, the question is how did they arrive at the end product with that design philosophy? Or any design philosophy, considering nothing about it works? What about the design is likable considering all its fundamental problems?

>>33154528
smash bros brawl - 2008
diamond and pearl - 2006

try again

>>33154567
I just don't get it. If they wanted to market the Lycanroc, why did they make them so fucking bad?

File: originals.jpg (59KB, 491x320px) Image search: [Google]

59KB, 491x320px

>>33153671

>OP surprised that two Digimon ripoffs flopped.

File: 1475610239721.png (73KB, 480x480px) Image search: [Google]

73KB, 480x480px

>>33154328
Yeah that's all that happened.

>>33154582
Lycanroc wasn't designed to be shilled particularly hard. He wasn't a rival mon or a totem, no real story relevance, just a kahuna mon. They decided to shill him after the fact based on fan reception.

>>33154528
You're right about Greninja, but in Lucario's case it's true that he was already insanely popular for a few years before Brawl happened. Its appearance in Brawl was a logical consequence of its popularity.
And Greninja was a logical consequence of Lucario's success.

>>33154601
Didn't Rockruff often appear right next to the starters in magazines such as CoroCoro? Didn't it get more promotional artwork than almost every other Alola Pokemon?
And what do you mean by fan reception? It doesn't seem to be particularly well beloved.

>>33154604
Are you implying that Lucario inspired anything in Greninja's design? They have nothing in common besides being shilled, and even then Lucario's shilling was preemptive while Greninja's was reactive.

File: 2017-07-20-20-40-06.png (111KB, 799x479px) Image search: [Google]

111KB, 799x479px

>>33154149
>Decidueye itself is not that popular.

Do you know the meaning of unpopular.
Because it's one of the most popular pokemons of alola. And even normies agree too.

>>33154670
We need an official big ass poll like the ones Dorkly and IGN did after XY's launch. Greninja won both and even Frogadier made the top 10

damn! im a straight guy but even I would suck a juicy cock like that

>>33154623
Yes, I do. They have a lot in common: they're both fast and strong, sweepers. They are both natural fighters. They are "cOoL". They are the badass-type mascots of their generation. I also consider "being shillable" a design choice.
They both come close to a humanoid design, at least compared to something like a Voltorb or Starmie. Both could be Dragon Ball characters.
So yeah, I think they share a lot of similar design choices and it's at least a possibility that Lucario's popularity made it a role model for gen 6's newest shill-mon!

>>33153671
Autism

>>33154195
The sheer amount of eeveelutionfags and Eeveelution merchandise/events would beg to differ.

>>33154670
>Leddit
>normies

The fact that you keep using the same one REDDIT poll as proof of Decidueye's popularity is self-explanatory and sad.

>>33154682
Do you even know how many people voted on this, literally more then the official pokemon website can bring sometimes

And adding a few more people wouldn't really make that much of a difference, it'll probably just make Decidueye's and mimikyu's numbers bigger, but the results will still be the same.

>>33154742
But it's still popular tho

And that was all I was trying to proove.

>>33154467
>>33154498
I don't care for either of them and their biggest fans are legit autists.

>>33154756
It's not. It's above average. The only truly popular mons this gen are Mimikyu, Vulpix and Rowlet. No matter how you want to shill your Reddit poll, this has been apparent to anyone who has a brain.

>>33154623
I think shillability is part of the design process of every Pokemon, some more and some less

>>33154748
Reddit has always been a niche They do not represent the casual fans or the general public. Decidueye clearly hasn't reached the level of popularity that the big 6 enjoy. Not even Piplup's or Blaziken's.

>>33154782
>Mimikyu, Vulpix and Rowlet.

So let me guess, your basing this off of the plushies sells.

Job kid, now you know the most popular cute mons.

But you really shouldn't look at the plushes for proof of popularity. Because greninja, Charizard, lucario, nor of any of the popular mons outside of alola's cute mons and pikachu, made it up there. I mean probably once but fell because kids or perants don't think fully evolved frogs whearing their toungs as scarf's, or really ugly Decidueye plush that cute.


It also cost a lot more then the
Cute First stage mons too.

>>33154802
Yah, your right Decidueye isn't. In that level of popularity yet, it's close but like greninja, it just needs a bit more of a push.

But it's not going to happen very quick I'd say when the day ash gets his Decidueye, Then they are probably going to promote him or something, they gave us a hint by putting him Pokken, but I'm convinced he'll make it to smash, the port on switch.

But I don't think Decidueye is going to be the only shill Mon of gen 7, I think Lycanroc too. Expeceuly when furries like verlis keep claiming that hey going to have a third form. And it's supposedly competing when Ash's rockruff meets tapu lele

I think they're hyping themselves up abit much, especially if it doesn't happen, they are going to be beyond distrot. But I still have hope that it might happen.

Zoroark wasn't even available without an event in BW, and Lycanroc is just complete garbage in-game.

>>33153901
Mewtwo was the first.

File: BTFO.png (16KB, 832x201px) Image search: [Google]

16KB, 832x201px

>>33154998
Well that goes completely against what you used to say. You got BTFO really hard, didn't you?

>>33155019
Meant for >>33154903

>>33154998
Greninja was way more popular from the outset.

>>33154131
>No it wasn't. You are forced to go to the area where Lucario is in DPPt, encounter a guy who uses it, and then the guy gives you an egg.
Wasn't Iron Island optional? I know in Platinum it was, cause you get strength at the entrance, but I can't remember for DP. Also Lucario wasn't hidden, a gym leader and Cynthia had it, so that other anon is retarded.

>>33153671
I think Lucario being good in battle, being on the teams of three major characters in DPPt and being very easily available in those games contributed to it having a lot of staying power. The initial wave of (incredibly hard) shilling made it popular, and these other factors made sure it stayed in the spotlight for the rest of the generation.
Zoroark on the other hand, while also being shilled initially, lacked those factors. It wasn't very good in battle, it was stupidly complicated to obtain one in BW, and it only appeared under the ownership of N right at the end of the game, and it's not even his signature Pokémon. By the time BW2 rolled around and it became easily available nobody gave a shit anymore.
Lycanroc is not even comparable, it hasn't received anywhere close to as much shilling as Lucario and Zoroark did.

File: 1501069376639.jpg (90KB, 774x1032px) Image search: [Google]

90KB, 774x1032px

>>33153671
Furries?

>>33153671
Honestly, Zoroark's level of exposure is what Lucario should have been. It got exposure in its own movie as well as before its own generation, appeared in-game with the woman in the trailer thing, appeared in smash as a pokeball mon, and was unique for its Illusion ability. Lucario was not that much more spectacular upon its debut, yet has seen continued screentime.

File: 1501193052753.gif (1MB, 720x306px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 720x306px

>>33155019
How does that go against myself?

It still does sells well, just not as well as the cute mons made to sell more by their cute charms. And it still did sell more then the incineroar plush. So what's your point exactly.

>>33154282
dbz characters are good at jobbing in tournaments, aren't they?

>>33154467
>mouth placement turns its snout into a big jewnose instead of a muzzle

This pisses me off the most about its design and it being popular. Its whole nose thing is fucking weird. Has anyone made a "fixed"version?

>>33155308
even goku dies twice

Zororak would have seen some popularity if it wasn't "event" exclusive in its debut game. Like literally what were they thinking with that? By the time they fixed it, it was far too late to repair the damage.

>>33154424
Mimikyu should be shilled more. It's trying to copy the apperance of the most well known Pokemon.

>>33154188
hi ua

Zoroark, and maybe to a lesser extent Lycanroc have much more coherent designs. Lucario looks like a jumble of market research and board room talks. But because he's furry Goku, the kids love him.

>>33155819
good try, but that not me

>>33154112
This and also, Lucario has a better design, theme, and typing.

>Lucario is piss-easy to get in-game, you get one shoved as his pre-evo
>To get Zoroark you have to go through a gorillion hoops, nowhere near as intuitive or easy

>Movie Lucario can talk, has a dramatic story and is a moralfag hero
>Movie Zoroark is a mom

>Lucario is good competitively, fighting/steel is a relatively unique combo
>Zoroark is just dark and it's ability got ruined with team preview

Oh and don't forget the aura, the super duper special snowflake power only he can use and only super duper special people like my self-insert can use because he's super special like I wish I were IRL

File: Schwarzenegger-Sarah-Connor-to-Cameo-in-Terminator-Salvation-2[1].jpg (77KB, 559x418px) Image search: [Google]

77KB, 559x418px

>>33156075
>Zoroark is a mom

you say that as if it's a bad thing

comparing greninja and Lucario
overall Lucario has taken the light more
but during XYZ arc nothing has been shilled or gotten special treatment more then greninja.

>>33156206
It is. It's not a badass mom. It's just a mom. That only appeals to a very specific intersection of MILFfags and zoophiles.

>>33153671
Furries

File: 1486256949795.png (71KB, 538x491px) Image search: [Google]

71KB, 538x491px

>>33154467
thank you, finally someone gets it

>>33154585
>put those two together and you basically get lucario

>>33156087
aura-kek

>>33153671
Lucario had a movie and was available in-game

Zoroark had a movie, but wasn't available in-game

Lycanroc doesn't have a movie, but is available in-game

All the shilling in the world can't help you if you can't actually get the pokemon until the sequels come out, and no shilling = no popularity boost

>>33153671
Lucario is a heroic Pokemon

Not sure why theyre trying to shill egelords in its place

>>33156225
They both are in different situations from each other.
Lucario happens to be a non-starter. It is way easier for them to include it in a regional dex and milking the hell out of its presence. Then, the anime appearances are linked to its in-game availability, perhaps being used by a strong trainer, etc.

Greninja, on the other hand, is a starter. Starters are heavily promoted only on their respective gen courses, and that's it. Charizard escapes the rule, but the Zard pandering in Gen VI and VII is more of an overall Gen I nostalgia-fueled strategy. Greninja has somewhat escaped that fate as well, thanks to Battle Bond, which still has generated merch for Gen VII, including the upcoming GEM figure with Satoshi. But anyhow, It's way harder for them to promote an old starter without raising people's eyebrows.

>>33153899
>Lucario
>waifu

Honestly, I always see him more male than female.

>>33153671
>How come Zoroark and Lycanroc completely flopped in terms of popularity?
Lucario was shilled much harder

>>33154598
note: Lucario died on the way to his home planet

File: 1499445283242.png (533KB, 1000x902px) Image search: [Google]

533KB, 1000x902px

>>33156695
Waifu(male).

>>33153671

I'm not expert but doesn't lucario have potential to be effective against more types than many other mons? Other than that Lucario cool.

color blue > red

File: midnight_lycanroc_shiny_dream_world_by_sealnhj-db3sj3w.png (64KB, 300x300px) Image search: [Google]

64KB, 300x300px

>>33158000
Also to answer OP, times have changed. Lucario came at the right time when the Wii was mega popular, so he got carried by Brawl and the movie. Plys he was competitive viable, Lycanroc sucks ass, so he doesn't even have that.

zoroark is canonically a girl. most pokefans/furries are gay or bisexual

>>33159133
So is the Fennekin line, but that doesn't stop the lewdposts in the the phox friday containment thread. keeping posting them

File: [oomps externally].jpg (19KB, 598x450px) Image search: [Google]

19KB, 598x450px

>>33153958
let's be real here
the only reason that movie is good is because of the regis

File: nanu priorities.jpg (205KB, 750x562px) Image search: [Google]

205KB, 750x562px

>>33154670
>nanu
>favorite trial captain
good shit

>>33154711
You are retarded. Lucario is not even fast, most Pokemon are "natural fighters," and tons are cool or humanoid. This is some serious reaching.

>>33153671
You get given a Lucario. You have to do an event to get Zoroark. They corrected this in BW2 but it was too late then.

A gym leader and the Champion both use Lucario.

Zoroark is only seen at the end of the game. Really should have been appearing in every N match.

Finally the Anime well all in. Lucario was a heroic pokemon. Zoroark should have remained a totally villainous pokemon instead they pulled back and made it sympathetic

>>33159524
Fuck you. Lucario was one of the fastest AND strongest Pokemon of gen 4. That's the definition of a sweeper, you dumbfuck. Or how do you use a Lucario? It's not considered fast NOW, 10 years and 3 gens later, but it's popularity is based on what it once WAS. And thanks to this popularity, it received a mega form to compensate for its mediocrity TODAY.
Are you trying to tell me it was slow and weak in gen 4? Are you retarded or like.. 12 years old?
You don't have to be a furfag to ackknowledge the simple fact that it's a strong Pokemon.. jesus. That's not "serious reaching". Being a strong Pokemon with an intentional "cool" design when it was released MIGHT be the defining factor when it comes to its overall popularity. It's not rocket science. Denying that and saying "b-but it's popular because there was a movie nobody knows about today" is serious reaching. The "natural fighter" is an archetype which wasn't overrepresented when Lucario was introduced, it filled a niche back then.
How would YOU answer OP's question? Why was it popular, why is it still popular, assuming it has NOTHING to do with it's strength in the game and its design.

>>33153671
full on anthro with "honorable code"
autists and furries eat it up when it has some semblance of "calm, collected badass personality"

>>33159792
I just like that it's a fighting type with good special attack that can learn vacuum wave

I really love vacuum wave, but so few pokemon can actually use it, most that get it have really low special attack

>>33159792
Motherfucker 90 speed was never "fast," it was middling speed at best. No it wasn't fast in the same gen that Infernape, Garchomp, Weavile etc existed. In fact speed is its biggest stat difference with Greninja, so no, Greninja's battle style was not designed after Lucario. How stupid can you be?

It's forced today through other means like wanking around its mega in gen 6. That doesn't change the fact that it was preemptively shilled with its movie, hence its original popularity. I like how you're so triggered that your tiny furfag brain can't even stay on topic. You claimed that Greninja was somehow designed based on Lucario when they're nothing alike besides being shilled, and even the nature of their shilling is different.

Female Zoroak in the movie

>>33154274
>By the way I still don't get how Greninja caught on so much in Latin America. I'd say it is more popular than Luc in its prime. I wonder why
people in latin america love or at least like frogs
people in latin america love ninjas
people in latin america are huge weebs or whatever the equivalent is
greninja sounds kinda cool in spanish imo