Every banned Pokémon episode and why they were pulled from TV
As a child of the ’90s who grew up with Pokémon, I vividly remember the infamous episode “Electric Soldier Porygon” that sent shockwaves through the world of anime and television. The episode’s sudden removal from syndication left many of us kids in a state of confusion and disappointment. But little did we know, the impact of this seemingly innocent cartoon would reach far beyond our living rooms.
As a dedicated Pokémon anime fan, let me tell you from experience – collecting every episode across the 26 seasons is no walk in the park. Finding each and every one feels like a breeze compared to tracking down all those vibrant creatures. And here’s the twist: even if you manage to collect them all, there are certain Pokémon episodes that remain elusive. Some are hard to find, while others are practically impossible to watch due to their ban status. Why? Because these episodes have been taken out of circulation. It’s a frustrating reality for any true completionist.
The episodes of Pokémon that we’re referring to were taken off the air due to public protests and have not been broadcast again in their original form or any form since then. This list below includes all of them, along with a detailed explanation of why they were banned, ranging from cultural insensitivity to safety issues.
“The Beauty and the Beach”
The first season, eighteenth episode of Pokémon titled “Beauty and the Beach,” which aired in the late 90s, wouldn’t be acceptable today due to its suggestive content. This episode features characters such as Ash, Brock, and Misty, who are seen leering at Misty while she is wearing a bikini. Additionally, James from Team Rocket appears with inflatable breasts and makes derogatory comments towards Misty. The entire scenario seems to have been designed to spark controversy, which is why the original Pokémon licensor 4Kids Entertainment decided not to release an English dub of this episode. Kids’ WB broadcast an edited version of the episode twice in 2000, before eventually banning it entirely.
“The Legend of Miniryu”
As a mother who grew up watching Pokémon with my children, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia whenever I hear the familiar theme song. However, as I watch some of the earlier episodes, I find myself cringing at certain scenes that seem out of place in today’s world. In particular, episode 25 of season 1, “The Legend of Miniryu,” stands out as a prime example of a scene that would never fly in modern television.
“Electric Soldier Porygon”
If “Electric Soldier Porygon” is the symbolic representation of censored “Pokémon” episodes, you’ll recall the international commotion it sparked in the mid-late ’90s. This episode, which sent hundreds of Japanese children to the hospital due to epileptic seizures, was infamous for featuring the franchise icon, Pikachu. The cause of these seizures? Pikachu’s rapid and intense “Thunderbolt” move, which some viewers found too overwhelming (beyond seizures, there were reports of children experiencing symptoms like vomiting, temporary blindness, and more).
As a gamer, I can recall the time when TV Tokyo swiftly took “Electric Soldier Porygon” off the air, permanently following the incident. The Pokémon anime then took a four-month break, giving their creative team and medical experts ample time to unravel the mystery behind the strange events. Upon discovering the issue with the flashing lights, animation studio OLM made adjustments to season 1’s other sequences that featured rapid flashes to prevent another health crisis targeting children. Unfortunately, poor Porygon remained benched indefinitely, despite being completely innocent in the whole ordeal.
The influence of “Electric Soldier Porygon” extends far beyond just the “Pokémon” anime, reaching as far as Japanese broadcast regulations and the wider anime industry. Today, in popular action series like “My Hero Academia” and “Jujutsu Kaisen,” they use techniques such as “dimming” and “ghosting” (where brightness is reduced and animation frames are combined) to reduce the risk of causing seizures due to fast-paced, intense sequences.
It’s not surprising that no global network has or probably won’t air this specific Pokémon episode, which makes it the only one prohibited worldwide.
“Holiday Hi-Jynx,” “Stage Fight,” “The Mandarin Island Miss Match,” “The Ice Cave!” and “Satoshi and Nagetukesaru! A Touchdown of Friendship!!”
We’ve bundled the last five episodes of Pokémon that were banned together because they all faced censorship for the same reason: blackface. “Holiday Hi-Jynx,” “Stage Fight,” “The Mandarin Island Miss Match,” and “The Ice Cave!” all heavily feature Jynx – a Pokémon whose initial dark-skinned, full red-lipped design was strikingly similar to makeup used in minstrel shows. Later, OLM changed Jynx’s color to purple in the original Japanese versions, but The Pokémon Company withdrew the English dubs from streaming platforms, DVDs, and other outlets (with the exception of “The Ice Cave!,” as it never received an English dub originally).
As a passionate Pokémon gamer, I’ve got some news about the fifth episode that might surprise you. Contrary to what you might think, it wasn’t Jynx who was up to no good this time, but our original hero, Ash. In “Satoshi and Nagetukesaru! A Touchdown of Friendship!!”, Ash ended up with paint all over his face, disguising him as a black-and-white Passimian. Let me tell you, it wasn’t a great look for him at all.
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2024-08-04 18:19