The Big Picture

Pokémon Concierge is a stop-motion animated series that introduces a new visual style to the Pokémon franchise. The series focuses on themes of overcoming anxiety and helping others, providing valuable lessons for younger viewers. Pokémon Concierge is visually stunning and offers a relaxing and enjoyable experience for both longtime fans and newcomers to the franchise.

The Pokémon franchise has been around for decades now, with various games, TV shows, and movies finding ways to tell new stories that are familiar yet inventive at the same time. We’ve seen these colorful creatures in 8-bit, hand-drawn animation, CGI, and even live-action! Like the best sprawling properties, the creative minds behind Pokémon want anything but their world to become stale. But where else is there to go with Pikachu and the gang? Almost every avenue of filmmaking has been tapped to bring this universe to life, so what else can be done to keep it fresh? Well, after watching Pokémon Concierge, the answer feels like it’s been sitting in our laps the entire time.

Concierge is a new Pokémon series that has been brought to life through wonderful stop-motion animation. This style of animation so beautifully fits this world that it makes you wonder how we have gone this long without seeing these creatures in this way! Upon firing up this Netflix series, you’ll immediately find yourself swept up into its cozy, warm, summery, aesthetic. There is an attention to texture that has never been present in any Pokémon project before, and in the process, almost puts every previous iteration’s visuals to shame. After getting used to this series’ unique look, you’ll come to find that Concierge also has a real heart to it, with more themes than this franchise usually bears. Overcoming anxiety and helping others at every turn are this show’s true heartbeat, and will likely move you more than you expect. It might not be the most sophisticated four episodes of TV that you’ll ever watch, but it has one of the better animation styles that you’ll see from any 2023 release and has plenty of fantastic lessons for younger viewers to soak up.

Pokémon Concierge Follow the adventures of Haru, a concierge at the Pokémon Resort as she interacts with the Pokémon and their visiting owners. Release Date December 28, 2023 Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Netflix

‘Pokémon Concierge’ Has a Simple Story, but an Incredible Visual Style

If you are a huge fan of Pokémon but are only just now learning about Concierge, then today is your lucky day. This brief, four-episode, stop-motion animated series just debuted on Netflix, and in terms of its story, it’s fairly simple. Concierge follows Haru (Rena Nōnen, Karen Fukuhara), a newly employed concierge at an island Pokémon Resort, who takes the job after needing a bit of a relaxing reset in life. During her time at the resort, she befriends a clumsy Psyduck, builds reliable relationships with her coworkers, helps a shy Pikachu come out of its shell, and, after having experienced various hardships, learns to find joy in her life again.

Pokémon Concierge is a series that, at the very least, will be a nice and breezy watch for longtime fans. Tons of classic Pokémon, from Pikachu to Gyarados, make appearances throughout the show, and all look the best that they ever have because of the stop-motion animation. Don’t come to this show looking for duels or trainers trying to catch rare species. That’s not what Concierge is about! Haru’s job is to make the Pokémon around her feel as relaxed as possible while staying at the resort, and in the same way, the show itself seems to want to calm the audience. Throw away any expectations of Concierge having a riveting Pokémon story, and instead, tune in as if you are checking in to the resort for a nice little island getaway. An island getaway with Pokémon! What more could you ask for?

‘Pokémon Concierge’ Is a Fantastic Series for Viewers of All Ages

For older viewers, this will mostly just be a great sensory experience. Even if you aren’t a Pokémon fan, you’d be hard-pressed at least not to enjoy this series. It’s so visually pleasing that you won’t be able to help but get swept away in the Pokémon Resort’s various nooks and crannies. You could screenshot almost any shot in Concierge and hang it up in a picture frame. The ocean that surrounds the resort, its rolling mountain peaks, lush jungle, glimmering rivers, snug swimming holes, and towering waterfalls are all stunning. With each of the four episodes only clocking in at 14 to 20 minutes, this honestly feels more like a sweet little art piece than anything.

Pokémon Concierge will also no doubt entertain younger viewers. In many ways, the series seems to be aimed towards youngsters more than this franchise usually does. This is a bright, colorful, joyous experience that captures the youthful and playful side of Pokémon better than anything that this franchise has put out in a long time. The titular creatures are as goofy and sweet as ever, and make you wish that we had Wingulls and Dragonites running around in our world. Concierge feels most like a kids’ show in the lessons that it’s trying to teach us. You’ll find shows about overcoming shyness, helping others, and building up your self-esteem in plenty of children’s programming, but that doesn’t come at the expense of long-time fans. Maybe it’s just that we’ve all enjoyed various Pikachu-infused projects for decades now, but when the little guy finally gains confidence at the end of the fourth episode, you’ll probably be moved too. That might just make me a nostalgic sucker for one of the biggest franchises in the world, but if that’s the case, then call me a big, dumb lollipop. Sorry, but these moments work!

‘Pokémon Concierge’s New Characters Are Bound to Become Fan Favorites
Image via Netflix

The small cast of characters also makes Concierge an easy show to get wrapped up in. Haru is a great protagonist, one that shows kids that you can move on from the hardships in your life, learn to have fun again, and do so by helping those around you also relax and enjoy themselves. Karen Fukuhara’s performance in the English dub really fleshes Haru out. She’s incredibly lively and evokes a yearning to learn how to be the best concierge possible, while also not being too cartoonishly optimistic. Her little Psyduck buddy also makes for a fun and clumsy companion to join her in her time at the resort and is a welcome change of pace from the usual Pikachu or tough Pokémon companions. The rest of the show is filled with fun side characters like Tyler (Okuno Eita, Josh Keaton), the island’s goofy surfer bro, and Alisa (Fairouz Ai, Imani Hakim), Haru’s confident and highly-skilled coworker. There are no Ash Ketchums or Mistys to be found, but these newcomers are fun and relatable enough that you won’t mind these classic characters’ absences.

Pokémon Concierge might not reinvent the wheel for typical Pokémon stories, but its visual innovations more than redeem any narrative shakeups. This beautiful series will undoubtedly aesthetically please anyone and everyone who fires it up on Netflix, with images that stack up to any of 2023’s best-animated films. Its narrative might be aimed at its youngest audience members, but that doesn’t stop this series from being enjoyed by all ages. Outside of video games, Pokémon Concierge is this franchise’s most interesting innovation in years. Let’s hope that Haru’s adventures don’t end with these four episodes!

Rating: 8/10

Pokémon Concierge is now available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix