With the exception of the Air Jordan 9 and 14, all models shared an evolutionary aesthetic within their respective groupings.
Tinker transferred the lines and shape of the 12 to the 13, the sneaker that kicked it off for me. All it took was a single glance at the Flints to know what dope was, whereas it took this thread, in attempting to rank five sneakers I was more or less indifferent to, to walk away with a deep appreciation for a 12 (Black-Varsity Red), 25 years later.
Given my own views on the model, the underwhelming first impressions of the followup to an instant classic aren't at all surprising. (The Air Jordan 7 was received similarly for its stripped-down design.)