Masuda considers the starter Pokémon to be among the most important in the franchise; Yoshida goes further and calls them "the face of that generation" and says that "they're the ones that should be on the packaging". The three starter Pokémon of each generation are always Grass-, Water-, and Fire-types, a trio that Masuda considers to be the easiest to understand for new players. Their designs are based on recognizable animals and made to stand out from pre-existing Pokémon. Furthermore, each are given distinct personalities to further define them. In an interview with "GamesRadar" in 2009, Masuda stated that simple Pokémon take around six months to design and develop, whereas Pokémon that play a more important part in the games (such as starter Pokémon) may take over a year. Masuda added, "We also want the designer to have as much freedom as possible, we don't want to narrow down their imagination by saying 'We want this kind of Pokemon.' When we talk to the designer we always stress that they shouldn't think of Pokemon necessarily, but should instead just be as creative as they can." After the Pokémon is designed it is sent to the "Battle Producer", who decides which moves and stats the Pokémon should have.