WHAT are you doing to that poor marshmallow bird

255: Torchic

The Fire Starter this time around is an adorable little chick friend! Torchic very obviously appeals to that very simple basis that makes us admire how adorable bird chicks are, with little dot eyes and not being fully developed enough to fly yet, let alone flutter like chickens do.

As such Torchic doesn't have a ton going for it other than a set of comb-like feathers on its head that looks a bit like a cartoony flame. It's otherwise just being effective cute appeal!

Look, we can be mature adults about this.

256: Combusken

Combusken does the typical starter mid-evo thing of living up to the "awkward teenage phase" descriptor so often used at these. It picks up the Fire/Fighting combo, which certainly seems like a cool novelty that will never outwear its welcome. Many say it's like a reference to rooster-fighting, but we think it's just calling to the aggressive, protective nature of chickens in general. Chickens got a bad rap for being cowardly animals but they can be mean!

Tastes like Mamuta

257: Blaziken

Blaziken is a Pokemon we're torn on. On one hand, a fighting anthropomorphic bird is a solid idea, especially for a Starter Pokemon. It's also a solid design just as-is, with its focus being all around kicks, possibly mixing roosters with a hint of secretary bird. We also like how with the way the "chest feathers" are divided and shaggy on the bottom, it looks a bit like a torn denim vest tough guys wear. Neat!

As a fire-type rooster though, it's a little bit of a letdown. Nothing on its body other than a flaming pattern denoting it's Fire type. That and it honestly looking a bit more like a hawk than a chicken, really. Where's the flaming comb?!? Where's the rad rooster tail?!??!

I guess weirdly enough, this is our second time looking at a boss from Mega Man X8 and saying it looks a bit like an ideal version of a particular Pokemon, but Burn Rooster here REALLY does just look like a better Blaziken. He even has the flaming comb!! WAY more chicken-ey than than this poultry pretender!

Everybody calls Emboar self-cooking bacon, but nobody calls Blaziken self-cooking chicken

Mega Blaziken:

This Mega we're a little unsure on. The chest featers now more obviously denim vest-like is a nice touch, and the flaming wrists are neat, but it IS kinda of just more of Blaziken, but now with honestly a not as-good color scheme. This felt like the perfect opportunity to really rooster-ify Blaziken and they didn't, really. Like c'mon! If you're gonna finally give it a comb at least commit to it!