This new Pokémon series is surprisingly good

Between several miniseries and Pokémon ASMR videos, the official Pokémon YouTube has introduced a new gem to its collection. Announced at the most recent Pokémon Presents stream, Pokémon: Path to the Peak This series is about a girl called Ava who wants to become a professional athlete. Pokémon Trading Card Game player. It’s an earnest story that captures both the joy of being a new fan and the nostalgia of a long-term one.

Taiko Studios is the company behind the animated short. A Small Step. Fans of the Pokémon anime will notice immediately that it’s not done in a typical anime visual style. Visually, it has a 3D style that is more reminiscent of a Pixar film.

The story follows Ava as she moves to a new town, and joins her school’s Pokémon club to make friends. Although I was initially skeptical of the premise — I wasn’t sure if watching a child play the TCG would make a compelling story — this is actually the series’ strength. The story explores a more relatable side to being a Pokémon fan. Pokémon don’t actually exist in this world, but the love of the series is real and we see that interest nourished by her family and friends. Better yet, the series portrays two kinds of relationships to Pokémon. Ava embodies the wonder and excitement that comes with a new experience, while dad represents the devotion of a lifelong fan.

And while the series has hinted at the mom’s secret past with Pokémon — Ava plays her mom’s deck when she competes — the dad has been an absolute star so far. In one particularly endearing clip, we get to see him embarrass Ava and belt out “Pokémon World” only to see Ava and her friends join in and sing along moments later.

The dad is a cute adult who loves to geek out on something and we can watch his little girl get involved too. Both the video games and TCG The game will appeal to more people and be accessible to both long-time players and those who are new to the game. While individual pieces of Pokémon media come across as darker or appropriate for a more mature audience, the anime has generally felt aimed at kids and younger fans, and The Path to the PeakFits in perfectly.

Pokémon: Path to the Peak It is a series that packs a lot heart in a very short time. The Pokémon Company has released three episodes of Pokémon: Path to the Peak So far, there is one video left. Each runs about approximately ten minutes in length and it’s available to watch on the official Pokémon YouTube channel now.