A new animation released this morning by The Pokémon Company provides a wonderfully intimate look at the life of one Bidoof, from its time as the outcast of its colony to champion of the Pokémon League.
“A bumbling Bidoof with a tendency to bite off more than it can chew finds itself between a rock and a hard place as it embarks on a journey to find its place in the world,” reads the video’s official description. And while apt, that summary belies how emotionally resonant the short manages to be. I’m sure we’ve all felt like a Bidoof bumbling about in the shadow of a much cooler Lucario at some point in our lives.
Bidoof’s standing in the Pokémon community has fluctuated since its introduction in 2007’s Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Today, fans see the beaver-like pocket monster as something of a meme thanks to its overall dorky demeanour, but for years it was only considered useful as an “HM slave,” a term that was already outdated in its heyday and is now just downright embarrassing in retrospect.
The animated short, titled “Bidoof’s Big Stand,” does a great job tackling this legacy.
At first, the trainer who takes pity on the poor Bidoof only sees the plump Pokémon as a means for navigating treacherous terrain with a well-placed Cut or Rock Smash. But when push comes to shove, Bidoof becomes its team’s last hope, evolving from afterthought to hero by securing a Pokémon League trophy where even an ultra-tough Lucario failed.
Bidoof’s animated adventure is the latest in a long line of non-anime stories that The Pokémon Company has used to flesh out the the iconic role-playing games. I’ll likely never get sick of seeing what Ash Ketchum is up to after all these years, but “Bidoof’s Big Stand” and the recently concluded Pokémon Evolutions series are great reminders that the world is full of compelling characters.
High-five your Bidoof, folks.
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