This happens nearly every generation, where people will hate the starters regardless of what they look like. I did it in fourth generation when I saw those. I found them to be too cutesy and uninspired, but if anything, they had more detail put into them than Charmander or Chikorita did, and ended up having awesome evolutions.
Once people get used to them is when you see some form of acceptance. The water of this generation seems like it's going to be the odd-one out, and I see the justification as to why.
I just think that people want to be impressed, and you do not usually get that form first-stage evolutions with an actual evolutionary line. Can you say that you were impressed with the original trio? They are extremely basic, with Bulbasaur being the most creative of the three, and through observation, was chosen less frequently than the other two.