There are only four episodes of the Netflix-backed Pokémon stop-motion series Pokémon Concierge but that just makes them more precious.
There’s a bit of a Stardew Valley set-up to the story, with our main character Haru burning out from her office job and starting a new life away from it all, on a tropical island. Haru has no farm to tend but does have a new job as a concierge at a Pokémon resort.
All kinds of Pokémon visit the resort for some R&R and Haru has to help them enjoy their time and perhaps overcome different personal problems while helping Haru work out hers too.
There’s an impressive number and variety of cute felty Pokémon puppets and the animation really brings them to life. They’re the most characterful and adorable Pokémon I’ve ever seen! Which lends some unexpected emotion to their little dramas. Think of something like the new Pokémon Snap game but everyone is a bit fluffy and the moments are more face-to-face and personal.
Haru herself develops through the series, which is pretty impressive for a Pokémon series and at only four episodes too. She’s clearly younger and relatively new to the world of work but I picked up some millennial vibes from her, Pokémon know their audience, although that could just be me finding the general anxiety relatable. That said if you remember shows like Fireman Sam or Postman Pat the stop-motion style will give you a nice nostalgia tingle.
I had only had a few complaints. There’s a weird insistence on referring to Pokémon as “it” which, given how humanised and full of personality they are, feels weird. There was also some mixed messaging in the last episode about, what I took to be a neuro-diverse Pikachu. My biggest complaint however is that there needs to be more episodes! So it doesn’t outstay its welcome I guess.
Pokémon Concierge is a beautiful-looking series with surprisingly tight and emotional writing, definitely worth a watch whatever your age.
Service: Netflix
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