As a short miniseries, all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned!
Pokémon: Hisuian Snow is a three-episode mini-series released on Youtube, premiering on May 18, 2022, based on Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
The story follows Alec, a young doctor returning to Hisui after 3 years. As he reaches his destination, Alec reminisces about an event from his childhood. However, the events from that old snowy forest could change how people and Pokémon interact forever.
Tropes in this series include:
- Androcles' Lion: The Hisuian Zorua slowly warms up to Alec that it helps him in healing his injured leg so he can climb the cliff side. Years later, it comes back as a Hisuian Zoroark to frighten off the rampaging Garchomp from killing Alec.
- Behemoth Battle: Between two protective parent Abomasnow and an Alpha Garchomp.
- Bittersweet Ending: More leaning on sweet than bitter. Alec manages to convince Cyllene to found the Survey Corps, paving the way for the events of the game. However, he doesn't reunite with Hisuian Zoroark. It is implied however that he'll return to Hisui one day, meaning the two can still reunite.
- The Cameo: Several characters from the game make voiceless cameos as background characters. Cyllene averts just being a cameo by having a speaking role and plot relevance in the third and last episode.
- Children Are Innocent: Unlike adults, children are far more curious about Pokémon than being scared of them. It's what helps Alec not to fear them when he was younger.
- The Dreaded: Hisuian Zoroark are treated as some of the most savage beasts no human wants to cross paths with. Not even wild space-time rift Pokémon like Garchomp want to mess with one.
- Heroic BSoD: After recklessly rolling down the forest into a slope overlooking the running water below and a tall cliff side blocking the path back to the forest while his leg is injured, Alec is completely at a loss of words and can only give the Hisuian Zorua a tearful look. At the very least, Alec pulls himself together and allows the Hisuian Zorua to make its way up and leave. Then it comes back with several Medicinal Leaks and uses one to completely heal Alec's leg.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Alec ends up kickstarting the founding of the Survey Corps. Without him inspiring Cyllene, Professor Laventon would have no reason to come to Hisui. Without the Professor, the Protagonist probably would've been chased out into the wilderness. On a side note, the incident with Garchomp ends up with Cyllene nursing and eventually owning her Abra.
- Stealth Prequel: The audience is led to believe that the shorts take place sometime after the space-time rift closes. Going from how Galaxy Hall is still under construction, Hisuian Snow takes place at least a year before the protagonist arrives in Hisui.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- After Alec and the Zorua take the fall off of the cliff, Alec ends up getting injured and struggling to move for a bit. While the Zorua was able to find the means to heal him, the fact Alec didn't die from the fall and was able to walk away is nothing short of a miracle.
- The Hisuian Zorua grows up to become a Hisuian Zoroark, but its implied grooming from its own kind has made it too wary of approaching humans and even Alec himself, though it shows up to save Alec and Security Corps from being mauled by Garchomp because Alec was nice to him but quickly leaves and doesn't show up even during Alec's departure.
- When It All Began: The short starts off with Alec returning to Hisui after becoming a doctor, but the first two episodes detail his experiences as a child and when he encountered the Hisuian Zorua. It's also the event with it that implies Alec becoming a doctor in the first place.
