A Journey of Self-Discovery: Pokémon Concierge
When I saw the announcement for the TV show “Pokémon Concierge,” I wondered what kind of story we would get: a new Pokémon, a new land, maybe even a new game clue? However, after watching the official trailer, I realized that the new Pokémon series would not follow any of those directions. “Pokémon Concierge” is a wonderful tale of a woman searching for herself and her happiness in a paradise that offers her the space to do so. It reveals the profound truth that when placed in the right environment, anyone can slowly and gradually transform into a new, happier version of themselves.
“Pokémon Concierge” introduces our protagonist Haru (Karen Fukuhara, “Bullet Train”; Rena Nounen, “Onihei”), who is trying to navigate through her everyday life after a week filled with incredibly bad experiences. She decides to take a job as a concierge at a Pokémon resort, a place full of adorable creatures with incredible powers and animal-like traits, hoping that this work will change her life. Haru doesn’t realize that success comes from failure; therefore, she treats every setback as proof that she doesn’t fit into her new environment. However, as the series unfolds, she finds solace in the friends and Pokémon around her and realizes that every moment is a valuable learning experience and an opportunity to become the best version of herself.
The unique focus of this series on a cozy aesthetic with pastel colors, skillfully executed 3D clay animation, and a newfound love for Psyduck (Hiroshi Kosaka, “My Happy Marriage”) replacing Pikachu as a sidekick, sets it apart from most Pokémon shows. Instead of focusing on skill development through battles, gyms, and action, “Pokémon Concierge” centers around a different kind of self-improvement. The energy of the Pokémon’s life depicted in the visuals (I can’t help but think of how charmingly drawn Wooper is) helps the audience identify with Haru, who undergoes a change in perspective after a terrible week, month, or even year, making it even more moving when she finally discovers the meaning of life beyond work by embarking on her own self-imposed hero’s journey to find tranquility. We also see how other Pokémon find themselves throughout the story, including Psyduck, who learns to embrace its psychic abilities instead of hiding them, Magikarp, who cannot swim but eventually evolves, and the shy Pikachu (Ikue Ōtani, “Pokémon Journeys”), who gains confidence when their owner accepts their learning progress, even if Pikachu is not as brave or loud as most Pikachus. The parallel between how Haru finds herself in her own skin and how she helps these Pokémon feel more comfortable in theirs is not only adorable but also incredibly poignant. By caring for others, Haru learns how to take care of herself.
“Pokémon Concierge” is inspiring, appreciated, and wonderful to watch in times when everything is focused on productivity or negativity. Considering the immense stress caused by today’s demands for productivity, “Pokémon Concierge” seems to be an undisturbed signal to the world to pause and smell the roses. This would be beneficial not only for ourselves but also for those around us who may need our help. In doing so, we may, like Haru, find true paradise not only in our surroundings but also within ourselves.
Pokémon Concierge FAQ
The source of the article is from the blog bitperfect.pe