POKEMON GEN 6 ANNOUNCED

[Garamonde]

Claydol was awesome.
Also just look at other Pokémon who have trick eyes, like Masquerain and Lileep. They aren't bad.
I agree there's not much point in complaining about the designs because not one Generation is going to lack a Pokémon that someone doesn't like/care about. I also agree with Ploaj, Chespin is quite a simple design. Bulbasaur has a whole bunch of triangles scattered about. I could seriously only draw Bulbasaur's body and bulb somewhat correctly going on memory, nevermind the patterns.
Four-legged Pokémon are also not as easy to draw as upright Pokémon. Chespin only has got a few spikes on its head which is mostly green, could be passed off as a hat as far as design goes, a pointed Raticate-like tail and Pikachu feet.
I actually think most people think they can remember the Gen. 1 starter designs because they grew up with them and just plain know the designs and it's burned into their minds to some extent because nostalgia.
Point is there's always gonna be designs you don't like in a Gen. so I don't think there is too much point in saying X Gen.(s) aren't as good as Gen. 1 for X reason. It all just sounds like nostalgia goggles IMO. Honestly several Pokémon in later Gen.'s have cute, simple, quirky, clever and appealing designs just like the first 151 did. The first Generation wasn't even the "best", there are some iffy Pokémon in there too, but I just like to think they all have a certain charm of their own even if that charm does not appeal to you.
[/rambling]