Most TV shows set in the world of Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> focus on trainers and their magical pets<\/a> ripping and running from one region<\/a> to another<\/a> in pursuit of becoming legendary battling teams<\/a>. But fighting for glory is the last thing on anyone\u2019s mind in Pok\u00e9mon Concierge<\/em><\/a> <\/em>\u2014 Netflix\u2019s new stop-motion animated series from Dwarf Animation Studio<\/a> and director Ogawa Iku. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Instead, Pok\u00e9mon Concierge <\/em>imagines a tropical paradise where humans and pok\u00e9mon alike would want to get away to for some much-needed downtime, and the show does such a stellar job of bringing its dream island to life that it might leave you hankering for a vacation of your own.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Set on a lush island where the famed Pok\u00e9mon Resort welcomes pocket monsters of all shapes and sizes to rest and recharge, Pok\u00e9mon Concierge <\/em>tells the story of how a young woman named Haru (Karen Fukuhara) becomes the Resort\u2019s newest employee. After being dumped by her boyfriend, fumbling the ball at her office job, and realizing that she simply isn\u2019t happy with the trajectory of her life, Haru knows she needs to shake things up. Understanding that about herself is what makes it easy for Haru to quit her old job and move when she\u2019s presented with an opportunity to join the Pok\u00e9mon Resort as its newest concierge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Like most people dealing with (approximately) quarter-life crises, Haru isn\u2019t entirely sure what she wants as the series opens. But the mere chance of being able to find some purpose and luxuriate on the beach is enough to convince Haru that upending her life to become a special kind of pok\u00e9mon caregiver is absolutely the right move. Somewhat similar to Pok\u00e9tsume<\/em><\/a>, the all-too-real existential work dread that puts Haru on her path to the Pok\u00e9mon Resort makes Pok\u00e9mon Concierge <\/em>feel like it\u2019s speaking to an adult audience who grew up loving the franchise. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n But as much as older viewers might be able to see themselves in Haru\u2019s search for a Burn(out) Heal<\/a>, Pok\u00e9mon Concierge<\/em>\u2019s narrative beats, its adorable production design, and its theme song by\u00a0city pop legend Mariya Takeuchi<\/a> give the show a playful lightheartedness that will appeal to younger viewers. But Pok\u00e9mon Concierge <\/em>feels like one of the first times in years that the company\u2019s landed on something truly inspired \u2014 largely because of how Dwarf and character designer Tadahiro Uesugi have crafted the series to feel like an intricate, clay-and-felt-filled diorama lovingly brought to life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Classic Pok\u00e9mon like Pikachu, Psyduck, and Dragonite have been running around in people\u2019s minds for decades. But Pok\u00e9mon Concierge<\/em> highlights small details like the wooliness of an Eevee\u2019s fur or how light bounces off a Mudkip\u2019s skin so effectively that it makes the show seem like it has captured their essences in ways that wouldn\u2019t be possible in another medium.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Much in the same way that Pok\u00e9mon Concierge<\/em>\u2019s aesthetic simplicity belies the production\u2019s technical complexity<\/a>, its stories about shy, insecure, and stressed pok\u00e9mon needing someone to help them unwind might seem too low stakes to make for interesting television. There\u2019s an intentionality behind the show\u2019s small scope though, and its focus on slowing down to enjoy simple pleasures makes each of this season\u2019s episodes feel like reminders about how important it is to take breaks from the daily grind we all usually feel so beholden to. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n At just four episodes, Pok\u00e9mon Concierge <\/em>feels both perfectly compact for a breezy watch, and far too short because of how utterly delightful the whole thing is. But with the Pok\u00e9mon <\/em>franchise potentially being at something of an inflection point with the most recent generation of mainline games<\/a> seemingly coming to a close<\/a>, there\u2019s a chance we could wind up back at the Pok\u00e9mon Resort in one way or another sooner or later.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n