Poke Doble
Image: BBC

Pokémon's a ridiculously large franchise with millions of fans all around the world, but we still don't expect to see it pop up in the middle of a prime time UK dancing competition.

Yes, the famous original theme from the Pokémon anime made an appearance on Strictly Come Dancing over the weekend. Those of you living in the UK will be all too aware of the show, but for anyone unfamiliar, it essentially features a host of celebrities who team up with professional dance partners. Each week, the dancers perform a new routine to impress the judges and make it through to the next round (our American chums will know the show as Dancing with the Stars).

On Saturday, Will Bayley and Janette Manrara opted to perform a Paso Doble to Pokémon's theme song. This Spanish style of dance is fast-paced and often played during bullfights; once you make it past the incredibly cringey "PokéDoble, I choose you!" moment, the dance appears to feature Ash as a matador, strutting his stuff alongside a Pikachu in a dress. It's pretty bonkers.

As it happens, the judges were fairly on board with the concept. The duo received scores of fives and sixes out of ten, with Bruno Toniolo saying the performance needed more "artistry".

[source eurogamer.net]