good vs bad character design

Real

tf2 characters

I see lots of triangles, lines, and hearts on the bottom

as a friend put it, some of the characters from the bottom could be seen as the same person in different clothes or at different stages of life or whatever

the tf2 ones are clearly different with different postures, builds and attitudes
the bottom one are all skinny spiky people

Oh, absolutely
this is a difference between actual people and something made something made using Google Slides insert shape tool

it's not even that animation is at a disadvantage

if anything, animation allows for more extreme, cartoony body plans and postures
think grunkle stan or richard watterson

absolutely
the Simpsons are simple(sons)