Pokémon: Hisuian Snow

Since its innovative start in 1996 with Red and Green, Pokémon has made huge success as a franchise, all over the world, with its captivating adventure games. It was 1997 when the anime adaptation became a thing, and Japanese studios have always made adaptations of every Pokémon game created ever since. The idea was good, but to most fans - including me - the anime adaptation was not what they wanted, it was childish and it felt like it was dragging too long for nothing. I am not writing this review to express my dislike towards the older series, because I love Pokémon and I am a big fan since the 00s. I am writing it in order to express my satisfaction with the newest, different kind of Pokémon anime that have aired since 2020.

Starting with Hakumei no Tsubasa / Twilight Wings in early 2020, a Pokémon spin-off that felt like an advertisement for the Pokémon universe, the franchise took a turn into an episodic structure of wholesome, cute, and colorful stories. Pokétoon came after this, and now we have a Pokémon Legends Arceus spin-off, "Hisuian Snow". There's no Ash Ketchum there, nor a mundane adventure of collecting Pokémon badges to reach the Elite Four and become the Pokémon Champion. That's the character of the games, but it's not necessary to apply it to the anime version, too. The Pokémon world is there, and it's expanding little by little with the creation of new regions and new Pokédex entries as new games come out. It's beautiful, and it holds a special place in all of us fans' hearts. Why not create some stories in the Pokémon world, including everything about it and making it feel like a fantasy world where great things happen? Why not motivate children to pursue their dreams in a fantastic way, including flashy Pokémon and wholesome relationships? Yes, that's what these anime I mentioned have done since 2020, and it is a big yes from most fans - older and newer as well.

Considering that this kind of storytelling has now been established in the world of anime, I am going to comment on a few things about Hisuian Snow. It is a short story that lasts almost half an hour. This time it is not as short as Pokétoon or Twilight Wings episodes, but it is still short and a pleasant watch for everyone that likes Pokémon. It's the story of a young boy who meets a wild Zorua and forms a friendly bond with it. The young Zorua cures the boy's wounds and the boy never sees it again. What's important here is that human society is separated from the Pokémon one, and humans are afraid of Pokémon because of their incredible strength and ways of communication. Our protagonist doesn't see the young Zorua again; time passes by, they both grow up, and well, I'm not going to write here what happens next in case any of you reading haven't watched it yet. But what must be mentioned is that the story contains metaphors on courage, faith, improving, and moving forward. Aside from that, it is a spectacle to see for Pokémon fans and shows Pokémon living in the wild, fighting, or interacting with humans. In a few words, it is both fan service for Pokémaniacs, and a cute story about a young boy and his encounter with a Zorua. And there's more; there are great voice actors such as Rikiya Koyama and Uchiyama Kouki participating in this.

To sum up, Hisuian Snow is by rule a pleasant watch for Pokémon fans. This kind of storytelling in a Pokémon anime is great. Simple, beautiful, touching, and spectacular. I am looking forward to more spin-offs or TV series like this. The 2020s could be the best decade for Pokémon anime!