I've played a couple of the the games. They're fun. I also went to see the Detective Pikachu movie last year, got it on DVD as a Christmas present too.
I also have a few Pokemon plushes. I have two Sylveons, a Arcanine, and a large Detective Pikachu plush I got from a crane machine app on my phone.
Also, if you notice, my avatar is an Arcanine. I decided to make myself a Pokesona based off of it.
The games and tv series received a bad rap from Christian paranoia back in the day, but it's completely harmless. I have no idea why they jumped on it and made up so much drivel about it, it doesn't deserve it at all.