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INTEREST: Japanese College Students Weigh In on the Best Original Starter Pokémon


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zrnzle500



Joined: 04 Oct 2014
Posts: 3768
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 5:58 pm Reply with quote
The Charmander line is hands down the best and coolest. I did pick bulbasaur for leaf green though, as it was the best choice gym wise, at least for the early ones. I actually beat the fire gym with Venasaur primarily, as its special defense was monstrous enough that fire attacks did less damage than physical attacks of other types. In my more recent games, I usually choose starters by most effective type than aesthetics.
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Animechic420



Joined: 25 Sep 2012
Posts: 1731
Location: A Cave Filled With Riches
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:05 pm Reply with quote
Glad my little fire lizard topped to other two. Not saying Bulbasaur and Squirtle weren't good. I love Charmander the best because Charizard looks like a dragon and I dig dragons. Cool
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Meygaera



Joined: 28 Apr 2011
Posts: 324
Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:06 pm Reply with quote
We'll have to wait for that upcoming official poll. I mean, 400 college students? They were toddlers when the game first came out.
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FenixFiesta



Joined: 22 Apr 2013
Posts: 2581
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:12 pm Reply with quote
Stat wise, bulbasaur was trash due to dual typing and a lack of moves to utilize either.
Charmander's evolution allowed charizard to be min maxed for the best results of the starters in gen one.
Choosing Squirtle would mean your rival would be stuck with trash tier bulbasaur and could exploit it accordingly.
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Snakebit1995



Joined: 25 Apr 2015
Posts: 842
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:21 pm Reply with quote
I almost always choose the water starter and Squirlte is no exception. The only time i haven't picked water was Diamond and Pearl when i choose Turtwig.
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JDude042



Joined: 29 Dec 2011
Posts: 261
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:34 pm Reply with quote
I haven't played RBY since I was in my early high school years back in the late 90s. However, I think it's safe to say that the Charmander and Squirtle line trump the Bulbasaur line in Generation 1. Charizard wrecks Venusaur, Blastoise wrecks Charizard, and while Venusaur has type advantage over Blastoise, Blastoise can learn Ice Beam & Blizzard through TMs which circumvents the type weakness. Like mentioned in the article, the Squirtle line is useful for teaching Surf, and can Charizard learn Fly in Generation 1 or was that added in the later games? I can't recall personally.

Putting usefulness aside, in terms of my actual favorite in terms of design, I love Venusaur so much that I bred a 6 IV one in Alpha Sapphire with Bold Nature to use competitively (Smogon btw) as Mega Venusaur. Giga Drain, Leech Seed, Sludge Bomb, and Synthesis was the move set if I remember correctly. He was a lot of fun to use.
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:53 pm Reply with quote
If this were Sekirei, I'd go with Blastoise.
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KH91



Joined: 17 May 2013
Posts: 6176
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:54 pm Reply with quote
Hitokage evolution line master race.
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D-Rock



Joined: 10 Jun 2014
Posts: 135
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:56 pm Reply with quote
It'd be an even better poll if it was a poll between all 18 starters. I'd pick Chimchar. Infernape is really fast and incredibly strong. Competitively, he may not be the best, but story-wise, SO GOOD. I had a file where I used ONLY Infernape. He was 97 when I beat the Champion.
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pauladls



Joined: 14 Jul 2014
Posts: 198
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:02 pm Reply with quote
Charizard as always, hoenn startes are my favorite and the best
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phia_one



Joined: 15 Jan 2012
Posts: 1660
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:12 pm Reply with quote
I always go with water starters. I've never been a fan of grass types though I like the designs of the Pokémon. Fire is obviously useful, but I don't have one in my party all the time.
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SnowyLightning44





PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:45 pm Reply with quote
As I starter I'd definitely choose Bulbasaur (I don't know why I've just always liked it), but I do admit I would prefer Charizard or Blastoise over it when it comes to there evolved forms. If it was out of all the starters though I'd definitely choose Cyndaquil (because it just looks so cut and Typhlosion is awesome Very Happy )

FenixFiesta wrote:
Stat wise, bulbasaur was trash due to dual typing and a lack of moves to utilize either.


Lol that is a bit true but I don't think it was complete trash since it did have some good status effecting moves...
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Mr. Oshawott



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 6773
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:57 pm Reply with quote
If I were to one day play the Red Version on the Virtual Console, I would go for Charmander, as its and its Evolutions' Generation I moveset is incredibly offensive compared to Bulbasaur and Squirtle.
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:01 pm Reply with quote
No matter the generation, I only ever used the fire type as my starter. The best starter of them all is Torchic, as in time it can learn fire, flying and fighting moves which makes taking down gyms incredibly easy.
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Top Gun



Joined: 28 Sep 2007
Posts: 4725
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:11 pm Reply with quote
I never sat down and played through Red/Blue myself, but I know more than one person who beat the whole game with little besides an over-leveled Blastoise, so yeah, Squirtle Squad all the way. Cool
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