I'm on the fence about the new pokemon. Big fan and currently playing through moon. The game just feels like they're holding your hand a little too much though. I get what they were trying to do (make it accessible to more players), but damn, it feels a little too dumbed down now. Hopefully it'll get better once I get closer to the pokemon league and end game. I like a lot of the new pokemon and type mash-ups though.

so, if I've never ever played a Pokemon game, but find the Misty, Nurse Joy, and Gardevoir fanservice intriguing would that game be a good place to start?

Straight off the bat, the games generally have totally different canon to the anime. So, if you're after fanservice, Pokemon games probably aren't the best place to look. If you are looking to get into the gaming scene though, yes Sun and Moon are a great place to start. They are very beginner friendly.