Netflix Summary:
Welcome to Pokémon Resort, a peaceful getaway for Pokémon to relax and have fun. Which guests will the new concierge Haru befriend and help first?
FYA Summary:
Haru’s nerves are raw. Her boyfriend dumped her (via text message!), her best friend moved away, and her previous office job was burning her out. So when she arrives at the Pokémon Resort and her new boss tells her to relax, how is she supposed to accomplish that? Is it a test? Is her boss out to trick her? … Or could it be that in order to take care of the guests, she needs to learn to care for herself as well?
Familiar Voices:
Karen Fukuhara as Haru
Fukuhara, who voiced Glimmer in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, stars in the English dub as our anxious, kind-hearted concierge.
Couch-Sharing Capability: Someone Soft
Warning: The felt pokémon puppets in this stop-motion animation are so cute, you may feel compelled to cuddle someone. Keep your plushie, pet or partner within reach.
Recommended Beverage: Resort Bar Smoothie
Something as sweet, colorful, refreshing, and lovingly made as this miniseries, with a bendy straw and a little paper umbrella.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Welcome!
Full disclosure: I was never that into Pokémon as a kid. I mostly watched it due to peer pressure; too many species to memorize, too many battles and not enough story for my taste. I never appreciated how magical the world of these little creatures would be until I saw it like this, with human and pokémon characters helping each other in their everyday lives. Haru’s anxiety, for example, makes her relate to a Psyduck suffering from stress headaches, and while helping it channel its psychic powers, she begins to feel more confident in her own position as concierge. For anyone who needs a vacation (who doesn’t?) but can’t afford it, this charming mini-series can be your temporary escape.
