Comedy
Animal Control
Animal Control is yet another recycled comedy about public servants who can’t seem to do anything right.
When Liko first decided to study Pokémon at the Indigo Academy in the Kanto Region, she thought it would be a pretty great adventure. After all, she’s never left her home in the Paldea Region before; she’s never been away from her parents before; and she’s never had a Pokémon of her own before.
But things don’t go exactly according to plan.
She’s paired up with Sprigatito, an absolutely adorable grass cat Pokémon. Unfortunately, it’s also very strong-willed and disobedient. It’s not that Sprigatito doesn’t like Liko; it just doesn’t know her.
It’s tough on Liko, whose shyness has prevented folks from getting to know her in the past as well. But she perseveres because she’s determined to make things different this time—to overcome her fears and make some friends, including this feisty Pokémon.
Before she can really bond with Sprigatito though, Liko is approached by a man with a letter sent by her grandmother, Diana. He says he’s been instructed to escort Liko to Diana—and to make sure that Liko wears the very special pendant that her grandmother gave her.
Liko’s suspicious—partially because her grandmother has never sent her a letter before and partially because Sprigatito clearly hates the guy. But in trying to slip away quietly, Liko and Sprigatito are cornered by the man and his cronies.
They want Liko’s pendant, and they’re willing to battle Liko to gain possession. And given Sprigatito’s disobedience during recent Pokémon battles, the advantage definitely rests with them, not Liko.
Luckily, the pair is saved by another mysterious stranger riding in on his own Pokémon, Charizard. After helping Liko and Sprigatito escape, the man is introduced as Friede, leader of a group called the Rising Volt Tacklers. And they’ve been sent to protect her, Sprigatito and the pendant.
It turns out that Liko’s pendant houses an ancient Pokémon, one of the Six Heroes who traveled with a legendary adventurer named Lucius. And Friede’s crew is on a mission to find those Pokémon and protect them from another group, the Explorers, whose aim is to capture and exploit the Pokémon.
Liko is nervous. This isn’t the adventure she signed up for when she left home. But she also refuses to let any Pokémon suffer at her expense. She wants to find and protect the Six Heroes from the clutches of the Explorers.
Along the way, she’ll make new friends, face perilous dangers and, perhaps, finally bond with Sprigatito—working to become one of the best Pokémon trainers in the world.
You’re likely familiar with the sprawlingPokémon franchise—games, TV shows and movies where human trainers befriend (often adorable) “Pocket Monsters” and do battle with the forces of—well, if not evil, at least underhanded play.
Pokémon Horizons has many of the same quirks as other shows and games from the Pokémon franchise. There are moments of peril (though nobody ever seems to sustain permanent or even long-lasting injuries). Some characters (and Pokémon) can be a bit gender-fluid, but at this early juncture, there are no confirmed LGBT characters. And some mystical elements surround Pokémon themselves.
That mysticism and spiritualism always been part of the franchise since it was developed back in 1996. And, in the United States, at least, that spirituality has earned Pokémon a bit of controversy. (For more about the spirituality of the franchise as a whole, check out our blog on the topic.)
Pokémon Horizons also has some magical components, especially regarding Liko’s pendant and the Six Heroes. The mystery behind that magic will likely reveal itself as the series progresses, but it at least doesn’t seem to be rooted in any dark arts or evil.
That said, evil still has a presence. The Explorers, despite their innocent name, are up to no good. They use their Pokémon in unsanctioned battles to achieve their dastardly ends. And the group itself is complicit in deceit, thievery and kidnapping.
The show has a couple of other small issues to navigate. Sometimes, Pokémon can be a bit monstrous. A few of the aforementioned Six Heroes are Godzilla-like in size and powers. However, for the most part, Pokémon act more like really intelligent pets. And even those bigger, badder Pokémon can be tamed by the right trainer.
And speaking of which, Pokémon use their powers against other Pokémon, sometimes sustaining significant injuries. However, these battles don’t result in death. And Pokémon are usually swiftly nursed back to health by their trainers.
So really, Pokémon Horizons isn’t much different from other series in the franchise. But children may need a bit of hand-holding regarding the show’s spiritual elements.
Liko travels to the Kanto Region to study at the Indigo Academy, where she’s partnered up with the Pokémon Sprigatito. Unfortunately, training goes poorly, and Liko wonders how she’ll ever bond with Sprigatito. But when she’s attacked by the Explorers—who want a pendant given to Liko by her grandmother—Sprigatito springs into action, helping Liko to fend them off.
Characters battle their Pokémon, commanding the creatures to use their powers to control the elements and even using psychic abilities. Some buildings sustain damage from one of these battles. Liko’s pendant (which she called a “good luck charm”) activates and envelopes her and Sprigatito when a stray blast from a nearby Pokémon battle nearly hits them.
Liko gets scratched by Sprigatito when she tries to hug it. Liko and Sprigatito accidentally fall off a balcony, but they’re saved from injury by the squishy belly of a large Pokémon sleeping below.
Liko struggles to overcome her shyness, which has been detrimental in her attempts to make friends. Sprigatito is rebellious, often doing what it wants and further discouraging Liko.
Some trained Pokémon help with chores and other labor.
Liko and Sprigatito are rescued from the Explorers by Friede and the Rising Volt Tacklers. But Liko isn’t sure what the intentions of the Tacklers are.
Friede commands his flying Pokémon, Charizard, to catch Liko and Sprigatito as they fall from a great height. Friede and the Tacklers fly their airship directly into a thunderstorm in the hopes of evading the Explorers.
During battles, Pokémon use their abilities to control the elements. One Pokémon’s attack hits the Tacklers’ airship, damaging the craft.
Liko’s shyness sometimes overwhelms her. A Pokémon is kidnapped.
Liko realizes that Sprigatito won’t let her hide behind her shyness. Sprigatito’s confidence in Liko inspires her to be brave. A few other characters exhibit bravery. Liko offers to give herself up to the Explorers in order to protect the Pokémon traveling with the Tacklers.
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
Animal Control is yet another recycled comedy about public servants who can’t seem to do anything right.
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