In contrast to the positive reactions to Rowlet and Litten, Popplio initially received negative reactions across social media platforms; however, these reactions have generally become more neutral or positive over time, leading many to see Popplio as a polarizing addition. In a
Twitter poll held by
The Pokémon Company International, Popplio was the least popular of the three starters, receiving only 21 percent of the vote. Megan Farokhmanesh of
The Verge described Popplio as "very ugly," also further criticizing its design. and goofy atmosphere, as well as its similarities to previous seal-like Pokémon in the series, were highlighted as reasons for the negativity. Other reasons were highlighted by
Paste writer Janine Hawkins, who stated that Popplio's confidence led to it being considered a Pokémon that was fine on its own, and in conjunction with its design, did not have design quirks that led to being well-liked in comparison to other Pokémon introduced in
Sun and Moon, such as
Rowlet and
Mimikyu. In response to the criticisms,
Pokémon Sun and
Moon director
Shigeru Ohmori stated that "I personally think that Popplio was very cute and he'll be very popular with a lot of people."
Vice writer Joel Golby responded positively to the creature, highlighting its "fun" design and the associated atmosphere that came with it, As a result of negative perceptions towards the Pokémon, supporters of Popplio began to defend the creature, with writer Christian Hoffer of
Polygon noting how Popplio's fans formed a 'Popplio Defense Squad' dedicated to send out "positive vibes." A
subreddit dedicated to the creature was formed, and massive amounts of
fanworks, such as
fanart, were created based around the Pokémon. The reactions to Popplio became so intensive that they led to the creature becoming an
internet meme. in part due to the fact that Brionne could be both male and female. Patricia Hernandez of
Kotaku cited the negativity around the feminine aspects of Brionne's design as representing a negative stigma surrounding femininity in association with strength, stating that "by looking ‘feminine,’ Brionne isn’t afforded the chance to also be considered ‘cool’ or ‘strong’ by some people, and that sucks." Similarly to Popplio, many rushed to defend Brionne's design, with supporters of the Pokémon growing at a large rate. In contrast to the polarized response to Popplio and Brionne, Primarina's design was particularly noted for turning around the negative perception of Popplio, with many choosing to select Popplio in
Pokémon Sun and Moon due to Primarina's reveal. However, this notably caused backlash with those who initially supported Popplio, with many criticizing others for supporting Popplio only after Primarina's reveal. Many users on social media websites wrote messages of apology to the Pokémon following Primarina's reveal.
Polygon writer Allegra Frank noted that Popplio symbolized how many "were downright hard to look at in our youth" citing that its evolution into Brionne showed the Pokémon becoming more confident. They further stated that "Popplio is a precious flower, a gorgeous soul and a true beauty." Farokhmanesh noted this further, stating that they "saw a little of myself reflected in your big, soggy eyes. I think I always have." They further highlighted the growth of Popplio into the "majestic" and "confident" Primarina. ==References==