From a character design standpoint, they're aiming for a consistent artstyle. It might look flat but it looks closer to the actual game. Those Ken Sugimori watercolor illustrations from Gen 1 and 2 are cute but do you remember what the sprites looked like? There's always been a more 'plain looking' version of the artwork (like the one that's used in the anime).

Yea, pokemon use to look badass. Now some of them are keys and ice cream. wtf?

Much like Mario, the longer these go on the more personality the characters seem to lose; interesting and varied moods and tones being replaced by vapid bright faces. Execs are terrified of turning anyone away, which often leads to blandness.

I think it is still a bit too early to judge the next generation.

As for the designs getting worse over time, personally I thought that Gen 5 had the most bland designs for both Pokemon and characters, but I feel that Gen 6 has been an overall improvement.

Well we used to have poke balls, one that almost passes for a human, one that look like ancient letters, and a Baltoy. There are always gonna be some obscure Pokemon. You'll still have your Greninjas, Hawluchas, Lucarios, Flygons, Salamence, Infernapes, Noiverns, etc. that look badass in their own right. Ken Sugimori has done all of the designs since the beginning and this is just part of the evolution of his work. It's part of his development as an artist throughout the years. Of course we all have subjective opinions on this so I can see where you guys are coming from. However, I'm incline to disagree. We still have great designs as each gen goes on from my viewpoint and I've been playing the games since the beginning.

I think the new art is way better, but that is actually a brilliant theory on why people may not like the newer Pokémon.

Gosh, those faces are like the things of nightmares... I'm pretty sure Sugimori's art hasn't deteriorated like that.

That's not really the problem I have with pokemon though. I guess it's with how many games have been made, it still largely feels the same to the point of feeling tiresome, and the designs of pokemon, gym leaders and elite 4 members have gone down, with X/Y being the worst. The series could use a big change in future games...

This. The same for Fire Emblem.

Amen to that! It's not that I absolutely hate the new pokemon. I just don't like the design/style.

For me the biggest issue was ever how the hell they only knew 150 species (including even fossils) forever before gen 1, and then they can double the number of species and then triple or even go 5x more in a few years.