‘Pokémon Sun And Moon’ Popplio Female Starter Evolution Questioned By Fans: Brionne Too Feminine?

Pokémon Sun And Moon starter evolutions were made known in a trailer this week, and Popplio’s is causing (for some reason) controversy because of its feminine form. Here’s what some dark corners of the internet are saying about Brionne.

In a recent reaction video, TheKingNappy openly asked “why is this mon in a dress? I don’t get why they specifically model mons after one gender or another like that.” While he admitted he liked the evolution in general, he just wasn’t too wild about the way Brionne looks obviously feminine.

The criticism didn’t stop there, however, as angry Twitter reactions arrived from other Pokémon Sun And Moon enthusiasts. SpookyPicoDeGallo said “I knew I was never getting Popplio from the start,” while RedFoxNintendo openly declared “I don’t like Brionne. It’s just too feminine for me.” Spooky 606 took that sentiment even further by questioning “why Brionne look like a s**ty anime girl” and adding “kill me” to more clearly voice discontent. Possibly the most biased of all statements arrived from Tiamat. “They should never make starters so feminine looking with that gender ratio,” it was argued.

Bias against female characters in games is hardly a new trend in the industry, but it’s certainly an odd source of contention for a Pokémon game. As a more human example, a few loud detractors recently took issue with the indie game Virginia for featuring an African American woman as a protagonist. Haters often see situations like these as attempts to shove inclusivity and social justice where it doesn’t belong. The silent majority of gamers, however, likely see equal male and female representation as an accurate depiction of reality.

With those two polar opposite sides of the issue established, a quick glance at the Pokémon Reddit reveals an increase in threads defending Popplio’s mid-evolution as well. “Brionne too girly? Why is that a problem,” protests Mini-Prince-Cutie. “I don’t care what the community has to say, he/she is awesome, agrees luigimm. Popplio was unquestionably the most divisive starter when first revealed, and this new bone to pick isn’t helping things.

That being said, those that dislike Brionne’s feminine form may be in luck. Popular speculation suggests that all three of Sun And Moon’s starters may have varied evolutions based on the time of day they grow. It’s also worth noting that Litten’s leaked final evolution is obviously male, but the community has yet to express resentment for that.

Pokémon Sun And Moon come to 3DS on Nov. 18.

What do you think of Sun And Moon’s starter evolutions? Is Brionne too feminine? Tell us in the comments section!