Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or Totodile? Who is the BEST Johto Starter? Gen 2 Starter Analysis!

Johto is one of the easiest regions in the Pokemon franchise! It must be because the starters are so good! Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or Totodile? Who is the BEST gen 2 starter?! Join me as we analyze each gym leader matchup and see if pure types can prove their power!

Consider evolving into a mighty PatrEon!

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Timecodes!
00:00 Intro and Rating Criteria
03:44 Johto Overview
07:09 Chikorita Analysis
18:22 Cyndaquil Analysis
25:33 Totodile Analysis

Gen 1 Starter Analysis

Grass Is Ass Analysis

Gold Minimum Battles

Karen Challenge: Attack of the Pikaclones

** Background Music **

Taurus Demon - Dark Souls Soundtrack

Routes 26-28 [Pokémon: HeartGold & SoulSilver]

Sonic The Hedgehog OST - Green Hill Zone

Minor Circuit [Original] - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Preparations: Deliverance - Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia OST

Those Chosen By the Planet - Final Fantasy VII Music Extended

Game Corner [Pokémon: Diamond & Pearl]

FE Three Houses OST - 84. Broken Routine

Nintendo Wii - Shop Channel Music (Extended) HQ

Great Grey Wolf Sif - Dark Souls Soundtrack

Pokemon Conquest - Grass Battle

Pokemon Conquest - Dungeon Theme 1

Pokémon Anime Sound Collection - Team Rocket's Secret Strategy (Kanto Version)

Pokemon Conquest - Fighting Battle

FFXIV OST Amaurot Overworld Theme ( Neath Dark Waters ) SPOILERS

Winning Road - Roy's Hope - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Fire Emblem Fates - Justice RIP (Storm)

St. Peanutsburg: East Pine District - Yokai Watch 3 Music Extended

Chapter 6 (Inheritors of Light) - Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War Soundtrack Extended

FFXIV OST Kugane Castle Theme ( Deception )

Popple Battle - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Music Extended

Pokémon Conquest - Nobunaga Event

FFXIV OST - Susano's Theme

FFXIV OST The Twinning Theme ( A Long Fall )

Wir fliegen (Overdrive Theme) -feat. Cyua - Xenoblade Chronicles X OST - Hiroyuki Sawano

Fire Emblem If/Fates BGM - Past Light (Calm/Storm Mix, Extended)

Ending Theme [Pokémon: HeartGold & SoulSilver]

#pokemon #johto #starters #chikorita #cyndaquil #totodile #typhlosion #feraligatr #meganium

[tassadarr]

Chikorita, master of all grass moves, but when the player needed her most, she fainted...

[The_Red_Drifter]

Surprised you didn't mention the rival, if for no other reason than the fact that almost his entire team was designed to make you regret choosing Chikorita.

[TheSmithPlays]

Finally someone that acknowledges geodude supremacy

Edit: this video was a BANGER, you’re insane

[thenerdbeast]

The thing about the monotype nature of Johto's starters has to do with theming.

When you look back at gen 1 before it was more cutesy through the anime and a modern lens Kanto was kind of horrifying. The starters are an animal with a plant grafted on its back, a genetically modified lizard to look like a dragon and a freaking _cyborg_ turtle. There are grotesque mistakes of industry like Grimer, Koffing, Voltorb and Magnemite. Science ran amok with things like the fossils, Ditto, Eevee and most of all the ultimate legendary Mewtwo was a crime-funded *super weapon.* The balance of types were completely unbalanced with poison types everywhere and certain other types like dragon being almost extinct. Lots of Pokemon had very angular designs meant to look almost like tiny Kaiju and are harder to relate to real world animals. It was almost dystopian in design when you get right down to it.

With the sequel of Gen 2 they went with a theme of purity and harmony; that Pokemon have always been a natural part of this world with rounder, less threatening designs and the introduction of Pokemon myths and legendary Pokemon that were actually legendary. This influenced the starters which were kept monotype to be seen as "pure" and uncorrupted, a natural and beautiful part of the world.

[ImportedCheese]

If I spent the most time talking about Chikorita, that must mean it's my favorite!!!!

[mickkelley]

Jasmine's Steelix has Sunny Day because steel was a new type when gen 2 released. The game was encouraging the player to use fire on steel Pokémon, and while it's common knowledge these days, back then you had to piece together that "water is weak in sunlight, maybe fire will do better, " "oh, it's super effective? cool, now I know how to fight other steel Pokémon".

[Begeru]

“You caught a Geodude right?” Lmao as a kid I thought Geodude was weak I never used one! But I can see how OP he is now.

[CrystalSpirit]

Meganium, a school case on several things :
- mono typing sucks, except Steel Water and Fairy
- stat distribution is key (same numbers as Venusaur but not in the same place)
- have a frickin' movepool is frickin' important !

[SweaterPuppys]

In a way Chikorita was the reason why I became a competitive player, It’s how I understood status moves and learned that setting up for stuff is fun

[darkfiredragon]

I genuinely think that going through the Johto games with only baby pokemon is easier than dealing with how harsh they are with the grass starter.
Seriously, things like Magby and Smoochum are overall more reliable than the Chikorita line, and in gen 4 even Togepi ends up being a better team player.

[axelsback]

Ah yes, gen 2 where your starter choice is deity difficult, bipolar difficulty and normal. Though I'd always recommend Cyndaquil regardless of gen 2 or 4 just cause the game throws Red Gyarados at you later and as you said, Gyarados is just better Feraligatr.

[latrodectusmactans]

To add something awful for Chikorita: There are a ton of tedious mandatory Rocket battles in GSC. And their Pokemon often resist Chikorita, making those sections take even longer.

[Dukstless]

Steelix having Sunny Day is supposed to counteract Water types.

Unfortunately Fire-types exist.

[rjante]

I didn't think about it until now but Gen 1 Razor Leaf would have been so nice for Meganium

[canaldecasta]

Enjoying the narration and sound effects!
Can't wait for you to declare Chiko as the best! ☺️👍

[mildishnidorino]

Ditching the starter for Kadabra probably pays off best. But there's just something so satisfying about bopping Lance's Gyarados with a Typhlosion Thunderpunch.

[AniGaAG]

All lolsiness and jokes aside - love how very clearly you love making these. There's so much passion and effort in these. Really just _sprays_ off the screen that you're putting heart into these videos. Keep 'em coming, man, and don't you feel you need to apologize for wait times between them; the great quality is well worth it.

[zyouri]

Fun fact! All of the final evos of the Johto starters have the same stats as their Kanto counterpart. It's just that Meganium's and Feraligatr's stats are rearranged, while they didnt bother with charizard

[ktvx.]

To be fair, Meganium was the best competitively in gen 2. Its defensive nature and in-game performance gave it a bad and unfair look. I only found out recently when playing through Stadium 2.

[rebeccalambeth]

I made the mistake of starting with Chikorita in SoulSilver. Wouldn't you know it, mine had an Attack lowering nature, and its Hidden Power type... was also Grass, and no stronger than Magical Leaf.

I left him in the box before he even became Meganium. It kinda hurt, but he was terrible. Nidoqueen took his spot, but in a final stroke of fate... her Hidden Power type was Grass as well, but the coverage was actually useful for her.