I always saw Snivy getting the most praise back then, but I couldn't say how Tepig and Oshawott ranked against each other.
It's hard to say anything definitive about popularity because it's hard to gauge. But I did once do a bunch of looking into how much fan art each starter gets, and Emboar was one of the lowest in that regard (along with Chestnaught and Torterra). Samurott didn't seem to be much higher with Western fan art, but was pretty high with Japanese fan art.
Even outside that, my general impression is that Samurott and its pre-evos are pretty popular in Japan, and the Samurott hate over it being so different from it's pre-evos seems to be mostly just a thing in the Western fanbase.
I think Snivy/Seperior are definitely one of the more popular starters though, more so than a lot of people would think.
Suddenly feels like getting a Tepig when he finally plays the Gen V games.
Sounds like the pig needs some love. It's not his fault he's the third Fire-Fighting Starter....and whatever else is wrong with him.
One Strip! One Strip!The Tepig line got insane hate for being firefighters.
But if they were going to aim for popular but less-represented Pokemon and gens, then:
Gen 1 is out, is already in everything and gets all of the attention in every possible form.
Gen 2 could have either Totodile or Cyndaquil.
Gen 3 also gets decent rep: they all have megas.
Gen 4 will have just gotten starring roles in BDSP.
Gen 5 either Snivy or Oshawott could work, neither really breakouts but both decently liked.
Gen 6 nothing could work, because Froakie already gets insane attention and the other two aren't very liked in their final forms.
Gen 7 Rowlet is the clear and only choice, the most popular of the trio by far and the one that the fandom rages over being shafted in Smash for a less-liked Mon.
Gen 8 is too recent for a repeat.
So if Rowlet is the obvious grass starter, then going Oshawott for water and then Cyndaquil for fire just set themselves from there.
Or maybe Gamefreak just looked at one another, and said, "Just this once, screw the furries."
Does anyone actually read these?Apparently the starter choices might have to do with Ainu beliefs (remember: Sinnoh/Hisui is based on Hokkaido), but I don't know enough/haven't yet done a Wiki Walk on the Ainu's beliefs yet to know for sure
Edited by jdeo1997 on Aug 29th 2021 at 4:15:58 AM
Attachments are not the problem, Indifference is. Keelah se'laiOn the subject of Ainu beliefs, this appears on the page Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid – Dragons "There was also an Ainu ritual relating to him (the Ainu god of mountains and bears) where humans would raise a bear cub for a year."
Edited by pikafan on Aug 19th 2021 at 8:22:27 AM
No, it would be the opposite. The point of the humans and Pokemon marrying each other story was that humans and Pokemon didn't view each as separate species in those ancient times they way they do now. Legends would be set long after humans separated from Pokemon as a unique species but before the current Pokemon trainer-centered society formed.
It does kind of go along with the whole "this magic creature took on a human disguise and married a human for a while" thing. Except without stating that they took on a human disguise. The human just looked at a possibly vaguely humanoid shaped being, or not even one of those, and was like "yes, I wish to spend my life with that" and everyone went along with it.
The Pokemon world should not be left in the hands of the horny, really.

Btw the Ymmv page has a weird part under Unexpected Character
"While Rowlet and Cyndaquil are the most popular starters of their respective regions, Oshawott is the least popular of the Unova starters (at least in its first stage)."
Uh...is this true. I thought polls put him higher then the other two.
"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."