The Pokemon Company and Aardman have announced a very unexpected team-up for a “special project”, you’ll just be waiting quite a while for it.
You know who’s one of the best animation studios around? Aardman! The folks over there just always hit, even when they miss, with a signature style that can easily be recognised anywhere, including that one Star Wars Visions episode they did. So when I heard the news that the beloved animation studio and The Pokemon Company are working together on something, I jumped for joy and shouted “yippee!” (editor’s note: Oisin did not literally do this). Right now it’s a bit of a mystery what this project is, in fact the language doesn’t even make it clear if this will be a film or TV show.
In a statement, VP or marketing and media at The Pokemon Company Taito Okiura said, “This is a dream partnership for Pokémon. Aardman are masters of their craft, and we have been blown away by their talent and creativity. What we have been working on together ensures our global Pokémon fans are in for a treat!”
Managing director of Aardman Sean Clarke also provided a statement, saying that it’s a “huge honour to be working with The Pokémon Company International – we feel sincerely privileged to be trusted with bringing their characters and world to life in a brand-new way. Bringing together Pokémon, the world’s biggest entertainment brand, together with our love of craft, character and comedic storytelling feels incredibly exciting.”
I’m not going to get my hopes up too much of it being anything like a game, even if Aardman has actually dabbled in the field with titles like 11-11: Memories Retold, but that would be pretty neat if you ask me (hint, hint). Either way, this’ll mark the latest stop-motion Pokemon project following last year’s Pokemon Concierge, which was made by the Japanese animation company Dwarf Studios. As a lover of all things stop-motion, I’m all aboard this particular train – it’s just a shame we won’t know what it is for another two dang years.
