In their research it might help educate some on a country's culture and whatnot too, in a way. And just things that go on there. Like how in Galar, based off Europe sports have an inpact there, and the Pokemon battles reflect that. Similar to Alola. It's kewl.
I should also point out that leading up to
Sword and Shield, people right here on the Serebii Forums were complaining about the lack of a Pokémon based on the Big Ben, on Lewis Carroll's characters, on the Nuckelavee, on Jack the Ripper, on Beefeater guards, etc. What all these have in common are the touristy, global pop-culture parts of the UK, particularly those based on the Victorian Period.
I think Game Freak should be given more credit for NOT going for the "theme park" aspects of a country, which its inhabitants are often irked by depictions of and see as ethnocentric and ignorant (it would be the equivalent of getting one more region in Japan and fans getting upset at the lack of Pokémon based on Ikeda Castle, on characters from
The Mikado, on chopsticks, and on torii gates--stereotypes of Japan from centuries ago). Instead, they not only do their research, they travel to these countries themselves to observe the culture, the people, the history, and the wildlife, take notes and sketches, and return to HQ to share what they learned. For Galar, in addition to Perrserker, you have Pokémon based on Jacob sheep (a breed popular in the UK), white coral (albeit combined with bleached coral, but there are some naturally white species that live near the English Channel), cotton (Gossifleur is even found near the Pokémon world's counterpart to Manchester, where cotton was historically grown and processed), Asian elephants (reflecting the UK's long and troubled history with South Asia), and punk rock (which got its origins in the UK).
You can see something similar with Spanish and Portuguese culture for the Generation IX Pokémon. You have Pokémon based on olives (the olive industry is huge in Spain), Alano Español Mastiffs, tumbleweeds (native to Europe, specifically Russia, but became invasive in dry places--like Spain/Portugal), alpine marmots (recently reintroduced back to Spain), monk parakeets (Squawkabilly comes in green, white, blue, and yellow, like real monk parakeets; unlike Chatot, their toes are also designed correctly with two in the front and two in the back), and salt (some Iberian ethnic groups view salt as sacred). With Quaquaval, I think it's like with Cufant and Copperajah, reflecting on Portugal's history with Brazil. In addition, Stonjourner returning is based on the dolmans found throughout the Iberian Peninsula.
This is not to mention the disparaging comments about sandwiches being a major part of Paldean culture, or why Alfornada has an Arabic look and feel to it.
I'm brazilian and I do think people have a point about it leaning a bit on stereotyped. Not necessarily "gay" but at least flamboyant
Not a dealbreaker to me but my opinion is biased because I've always wanted a water/fighting starter (or else I'd have picked the cat lol)
The thing with those of us in the US, Canada, and many parts of Europe is that we have some pretty specific ideas of what gay stereotypes looks like, and there is a great deal of fear of them (moreso in the US than the others). As a result, people unintentionally trained themselves to see signifiers of these stereotypes, get really sensitive to seeing anything that and anyone who even vaguely resembles them, and distance themselves from them.
Thank you for your input though; I was wondering if some of it was over-the-top.
Nevertheless, Quaquaval has gained some traction in the LGBTQ+ communities in these countries for having some of those traits, even if it might not be intentional. It got some of them to play
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet where they had no prior interest in Pokémon (which I think can tie in to the discussion immediately prior about fan opinion not necessarily being the same as popular opinion).