Pokemon Concierge is a different type of Pokemon show that you might have been expecting. Instead of a traditionally animated show, it is rather a stop motion one. Instead of featuring a trainer using Pokemon to battle other trainers to become the very best (or at least having battles of any sort), instead it takes a step back and gives us a chiller more relaxing atmosphere. As a result, the show has a certain charm to it that despite the lack of urgency and stakes, is an enjoyable piece.
It features Haru, who after breaking up encounters a string of bad luck. She’s down and to make matters worse, thanks to that, she’s lost a lot of confidence in herself. She takes on a job at the Pokemon Resort and becomes a Pokemon Concierge. Upon arriving at the resort, she gets to see what it is about, and that’s having all the guests, both people and Pokemon, have a happy holiday. It takes a bit of time before that message sinks into Haru, who naturally is worried that she’s being tested and not doing a good enough job.
Just like Pokemon Detective Pikachu, one of the main draws here is seeing the Pokemon, and how they’re integrated into the world. Thanks to the stop motion animation, it’s something that we rarely see Pokemon in, so it’s novel and the first moment where the Pokemon are shown, is a magical one. The stop motion is animated well, and the thing is, a lot of the Pokemon are rendered so cutely that it’s hard to hate it.
With the super low stakes and none of the combat that’s synonymous with Pokemon, the show focuses on the feel-good moments. It’s still a show that’s targeted at younger audiences with the messages it’s trying to show through the lessons learnt by Haru. That isn’t to say that adults won’t enjoy it as well. It’s good that the episodes are only between ten to fifteen minutes long, so it doesn’t outstay its welcome. The same goes for the show since it’s only four episodes, so it feels a bit short instead.
Overall, Pokemon Concierge is a great concept, and it is executed well. While it can be boring for those looking for more action, it’s a really nice relaxing slice of life that you can watch without much stress. It’s brimming with feel-good scenes, and the Pokemon are all so overly cute that no matter what’s happening on screen, it’s still engaging. It’s surprising how well this premise suits the franchise, and if anything, its biggest flaw is how short it is. It’s just a great wholesome show to watch.
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