A new Pokemon show is debuting this week, and surprisingly, it’s not an animated series–it’s a reality show. The first season is now live.
Pokemon: Trainer Tour stars two popular Pokemon content creators–Meghan “Strawburry17” Camarena and Andrew “Tricky Gym” Mahone–who serves as hosts for each episode. The show follows the Pokemon-loving duo as they travel across the country in a Pikachu-themed bus to “meet and mentor aspiring trainers looking to foster connections with family and friends through their love of the Pokemon Trading Card Game” (via Variety).
The eight-episode series is focused on “spotlighting individuals from Pokemon’s incredibly diverse fan base,” according to The Pokemon Company senior director of media production Andy Gose.
“While the Trainers recount their own unique life experiences in each episode, they all share a love for the Pokemon brand and Pokemon TCG. We hope that this passion extends to our viewers, providing a glimpse of what it means to be part of the Pokemon community,” Gose explained. “This series offers fans an inside look into the varied experiences and heartfelt stories of some of the trainers who make up the diverse array of Pokemon fans, and we’re so grateful to have had the opportunity to showcase how connections are fostered through the Pokemon TCG.”
If the reality show includes any sort of competitive Pokemon gameplay, Gose didn’t mention it, so it seems the show is mainly focused on sharing the personal stories of the Pokemon trainers who Camarena and Mahone visit in each episode.
“We’re always looking for ways to engage our audience, things that our audience will relate to and to bring Pokemon out to the world and connect with our fans,” Gose added. “This is just one example, and we’ll continue on that quest. [There are] really no limitations.”
Pokemon: Trainer Tour is now live on Prime Video and the Roku app, having debuted on Wednesday, July 31.
