Thoughts: Pokémon Concierge

My favorite thing about the Pokémon universe is its endless possibility. Like most fantasy worlds, it offers a world with more magic and fewer limits than our current one. After all, who wouldn’t want to hang out with a Pikachu, surf on a Lapras, or sleep near a Snorlax?

Unfortunately, the media made about the Pokémon world is usually focused on the Trainer, humans who collect and battle with Pokémon to become Masters. While Trainer stories can be compelling (just look at the reaction most fans had when Ash hung up his hat last year), there are so many more perspectives to consider. Sure, the game and movie series Detective Pikachu explored a world outside the Trainer’s purview, but its a franchise that practically begs for slower, slice-of-life style storytelling. Finally, with Pokémon Concierge, we have it.

Produced with the help of Netflix, Pokémon Concierge is a stop-motion animated, four-episode miniseries that at last stops to smell the Bellossom. The series follows young professional (not a trainer!) Haru as she takes on a new concierge role at the whimsical Pokémon Resort. Haru is fresh off a break-up and a stressful nine-to-five, so the slow pace of the resort is a welcome change of pace, albeit an unfamiliar one. As the episodes continue, Haru grows from a Magikarp out of water to becoming one with the island, the cavalcade of cute Pokémon breaking down her walls.

From the start, this is not your typical Pokémon fare. The main character is an adult! She has a romantic history! Even more bewildering, Netflix defaulted to the Japanese audio track with subtitles for me, ending the strange trend of only offering English dubs for Pokémon releases in the US. This is not to say the series strays that far from its roots; it’s still largely family friendly, and has a (very) loose lesson about Haru learning that slowing down and being yourself is okay.

But, here’s the thing: Slice of life doesn’t have to have big lessons or high stakes. It’s all about the vibes, baby, and Concierge has them. The pace is calming, and the Pokémon are adorable. The human characters are charming too, even if their screen time is limited. The hand-crafted animation is beautiful, especially on an HDR screen; the bright sunniness of the locale really pops. By the time the four short episodes were over, I felt like I had been at the resort with Haru— relaxed, refreshed, and ready for more.

And that’s the most disappointing thing about Pokémon Concierge; it’s over before you know it. I wanted to spend more time hanging out with those cute creatures, but alas, vacations can’t last forever and life must go on. But I’ll treasure my time at the resort, always wondering if I’ll be invited back.