Pokémon controversy

This article is, like all other Bulbapedia articles, fact-based. No images on this page are intended to be offensive; they are here for informative purposes only. Understanding of this by the reader is greatly appreciated.

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There have been numerous controversies over events, images, names, and other themes stemming from Pokémon. This is likely due to the game's extreme popularity eliciting a backlash from some members of society.

Imagery, religion, etc.

Swastika image

File:106 T KOGASNINJATRICK.jpg

Card depicting a manji.

Members of the Jewish community accused Nintendo of using an offensive image in a Japanese version of a trainer card (card pictured to the right).

While in the Western world the image of a swastika brings thoughts of fascism and racism by association with Nazism in World War II, the swastika is actually an ancient symbol, often used in association with Hinduism and Buddhism. The swastika depicted in this card is left-facing, whereas the Nazi symbol is right-facing. In Japanese Buddhism, a left facing swastika, or omote manji, represents love and mercy. German Registeel Also, the German sprite of Registeel was changed due to the normal sprite making it appear Registeel was performing a Nazi salute

Satanism

Some fundamentalist Christian groups have accused Pokémon of being linked to Satan and Satanism.

The following is a summarized and (possibly incomplete) list of their reasoning for this accusation:

• Pokémon are like demons. They are captured and must be invoked to perform tasks.
• Magical talismans (gym badges) are necessary to control many of them.
• Magical stones are used to evolve certain Pokémon
• Pokémon evolve. The concept of evolution is denied entirely by the most extreme and fundamentalist versions of creationism. Therefore, some people have taken Pokémon to be satanic or otherwise anti-Biblical.
• Many Pokémon have paranormal or Psychic powers. These powers are not derived from God and therefore must stem from Satan.
• Many Pokémon embody or practice Asian spiritual and mystical concepts. For example, some practice martial arts, which some Christian groups denounce as Pagan. The game world also incorporates Asian traditions about elemental forces.

Jewish Plot

Some outspoken, fundamentalist Muslims claim that Pokémon is actually some sort of Jewish conspiracy, as a method of brainwashing Islamic children to make them forgo or otherwise renounce their faith.

They also claim that the word "Pokeman" is a phrase which means "I am Jewish" in Japanese. This is false.

Racism

Carole Boston Weatherford, a cultural critic, claimed that a Pokémon, Jynx, was a negative racial stereotype of African-Americans. She chiefly compared Jynx to the racist caricatures in Little Black Sambo. She further compared Jynx to Mr. Popo of the Dragonball franchise, a black Japanese character with a similar potentially offensive design. Her complaint caused many repercussions. First The Ice Cave!, an episode prominently featuring Jynx, was banned in English-speaking countries, although many fans who didn't see the alleged racist connection in Jynx chose to believe the episode went untranslated because it was reminiscent of the SARS scare or because Brock is kissed by Jynx in the episode.

However, Jynx was also later cut from an appearance in All Things Bright and Beautifly, indicating that it was Jynx herself that was the problem.

In 2002, Nintendo changed Jynx's skin color to bright purple in response to the controversy. However, her appearance in episode thirteen of the Advanced Generation series still showed her as being black. Finally, in 2005, Jynx was again prominently featured in an episode and her skin color was changed to bright purple.

In recent years, some fans of Pokémon who are also fans of Japanese culture have noted that Jynx is more likely inspired by ganguro, a Japanese fashion where girls tan heavily, bleach their hair, and apply large amounts of makeup, instead of a black stereotype. Most people who support this theory base it on Jynx's long, straight, blonde hair, a common attribute of ganguro fashion.

Lawsuits

Various lawsuits have been filed against Nintendo and Game Freak regarding Pokémon or Pokémon characters.

Uri Geller

In November 2000, the Israeli psychic Uri Geller attempted to sue Nintendo for 100 million dollars, claiming that the Pokémon Yungerer (Kadabra), was an unauthorized parody of himself. Besides the image of Kadabra, it is noted that in Katakana, ユンゲラー Yungerā is visually similar to ユリゲラー Yuri Gerā. He has also claimed that the Pokémon was anti-Semitic with the star on its forehead and the lighting bolts on its belly representing the Schutzstaffel, or SS.

He is quoted as saying: "Nintendo turned me into an evil, occult Pokémon character. Nintendo stole my identity by using my name and my signature image."

The lawsuit was thrown out of the court. Despite this, there has not been a Kadabra card in the Trading Card Game since Skyridge in 2003, possibly due to early translations of the "Dark" prefix as "Evil" in the Team Rocket set.

Gambling

A parents' group is suing manufacturers of collectible cards (including Nintendo and Wizard of the Coast) claiming that the collectible nature of randomly purchased cards constitutes illegal gambling.

"Pokémon Kills"

After their son choked to death on part of a Burger King plastic Pokémon toy, two parents set up a website entitled "Pokémon Kills."

As a reaction to this, Burger King voluntarily recalled the toys, exchanging them for food items.

Direct violence controversy

Although 4Kids and TAJ allow a little bit of cartoonish violence, some unedited and undubbed episodes of Pokémon contain direct violence in EP001 Misty slaps Ash after saying I'm Okay!. She also hit Brock with a log in EP009 and a Carvanha struck Ash in the back in either AG023 or AG024. These scenes were edited and have always stayed in Japanese language only. It should be noted, however, that such scenes are a common in Japanese animation as a source of comic relief such as, for example, characters getting hit with heavy objects and are fine afterwards.

External Links

• BBC News - Geller sues Nintendo over Pokémon
• BBC News - Burger King in Pokémon recall