CNN & Co. on Pokémon Seizures (April 3, 1998)

"Dennō Senshi Porygon" (Japanese: でんのうせんしポリゴン, Hepburn: Dennō Senshi Porigon, translated as "Computer Warrior Porygon", although more commonly "Electric Soldier Porygon") is the 38th episode of the Pokémon anime's first season. Its sole broadcast was in Japan on December 16, 1997. In the episode, Ash and his friends find at the local Pokémon Center that there is something wrong with the Poké Ball transmitting device. To find out what is wrong, they must go inside the machine.
Effect on the Pokémon anime
The episode "Dennō Senshi Porygon" was permanently pulled from circulation and the Pokémon anime went into a four-month hiatus. Its time slot was taken over by Class King Yamazaki [ja] (学級王ヤマザキ).[citation needed]
The episode "Rougela's Christmas" ("Holiday Hi-Jynx"), which would have aired the following week, December 23, 1997, was pulled following the incident, and would not air until October 5, 1998. Airing out of order caused confusion to viewers because Ash still had a Charmander instead of Charizard, and Misty did not have Togepi yet, but Starmie and Horsea. Also, a New Year special that would have aired on December 30, 1997, was pulled and never resurfaced.[citation needed]
All 37 episodes of Pokémon: Indigo League were rerun on Kids Station in Tokyo leading up to the show's return on April 16, 1998, with airing of "Forest of Pikachu" ("Pikachu's Goodbye") and "The Four Eevee Brothers" ("The Battling Eevee Brothers").[15][16] After the hiatus, the time slot changed from Tuesday to Thursday.[3] Several episodes (including the opening, credits, and "Dare da?" segments) were heavily edited to reduce flashing lights (with special emphasis on lightning that consumes the screen).[citation needed]
Before broadcasting resumed, the special program "Problem Inspection Report on the Pocket Monsters Anime" (アニメ ポケットモンスター問題検証報告, Anime Poketto Monsutā Mondai Kenshō Hōkoku) was shown. Broadcast in Japan on April 16, 1998, host Miyuki Yadama went over the circumstances of the program format and the on-screen advisories at the beginning of animated programs, as well as showing letters and fan drawings sent in by viewers, most of whom were concerned that the incident would lead to the anime being cancelled.[3]
In early January 1998, 4Kids Entertainment announced that they intended to air Pokémon in the U.S., albeit ensuring that the flashing effects were removed.[9] Electronic Gaming Monthly suggested that without the publicity around the seizures, Pokémon may have never been localized to the U.S.[9] Pokémon successfully premiered in the U.S. (without this episode) in September 1998, with more children's anime airing on broadcast and cable networks in the U.S. immediately afterwards.[citation needed]
The anime has not featured Porygon or its evolutions, Porygon-2 and Porygon-Z, in any subsequent episodes outside of brief cameos, despite Pikachu being the one to cause the seizure-inducing strobe effect.[17]
The "Pokémon Shock" incident has been parodied many times in popular culture, including a 1999 episode of The Simpsons, "Thirty Minutes over Tokyo". In the episode, Bart watches an anime entitled Battling Seizure Robots featuring robots with flashing eye lasers, and asks: "Isn't this that cartoon that causes seizures?" The flashing eyes cause him, Marge, Lisa, and Homer to have seizures. The same scene is seen again in the episode's end credits, this time covering the entire screen.[16]
The incident was included in the 2004 edition and the 2008 Gamer's Edition of the Guinness World Records book, holding the record for "Most Photosensitive Epileptic Seizures Caused by a Television Show".[21][22]
An episode of South Park, "Chinpokomon", revolves around a Pokémon-like phenomenon, called Chinpokomon. Chinpokomon toys and video games are sold to children in South Park by a Japanese company. The company's president, Mr. Hirohito, uses the toys to brainwash the American children, making them into his own army to topple the "evil" American "empire". These toys included a video game in which the player attempts to bomb Pearl Harbor. While playing this game, Kenny has an epileptic seizure and later dies.[16]
In So Yesterday, a novel by Scott Westerfeld, this episode is mentioned and shown to one of the characters. The flashing red light that caused the seizure is also used in the storytelling elements.[23]
On September 19, 2020, the official Pokémon Twitter account referenced the episode, saying "Porygon did nothing wrong,"[24] in reference to the resulting explosion from Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack being the in-universe cause of the flashing lights, not Porygon.[25] The tweet was deleted shortly thereafter, speculated to be because of the taboo subject matter.[26]

[@haileyshannon7548]

Pokémon was unknown in the US when this happened, but everyone was like “they showed a cartoon in Japan and it gave kids seizures”

[@superboy3229]

this was happen at 6pm in December 16 1997

[@Jinaria101]

@@superboy3229 While kids in japan were being rushed to the hospital at 6:30PM most of America was pretty much still asleep and wouldn’t hear news about this until hours later I think Britain was able to hear of the incident faster considering it was 9:30AM for them everyone was already awake by then However Japan’s time compared to America’s is ahead by 14 to 17 hours depending on what part of the states you live in

[@brianhebert6152]

George Harrison: "Right now the game is sold only in Japan and thats the only place where the TV show is on the air" One year later: Pokémania hits the US

[@plateshutoverlock]

20 years later the mobile game Pokemon GO takes down cell data service in the US.

[@prowlus]

“Its not available in the states” well not yet

[@plateshutoverlock]

"In 20 years Pokemon GO will overload US cell networks! We got to do something!" (Gets hauled away in straightjacket) 2017 - "We should've listened to that guy we had committed to the happy house."

[@rcg38]

It’s so strange hearing people refer to Pokemon as Pocket Monsters before it came to the west. Makes perfect sense though

[@Andy_0L]

Yeah, that's always been the title for the show and games in Japan, meanwhile they use the word Pokemon to refer to the creatures. Now they also add the international logo in the Japanese games, but the title remains as Pocket Monsters.

[@Spindash54]

1:40 - This lady was ready to jump on the WELL THE GAMES GIVE EVERYONE SEIZURES TOO train without any understanding of the situation.

[@plateshutoverlock]

She just wanted to be cool.

[@Aldrickrosas14]

It's CNN, what else would you expect

[@Jinaria101]

Not only is the porygon episode banned but it also became the most negative stereotype of typical Japanese anime thanks to shows like the Simpsons southpark and drawn together

[@Aldrickrosas14]

I'd argue giving hundreds of kids seizures is a negative event, but perhaps that's just silly old me 🤪

[@superboy3229]

It was December 16 1997. Not April 3 1998

[@Jinaria101]

Yeah it even says the date on the CNN logo

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

My mom wouldn't let me watch Dragon Ball because of this despite the facts that 1. those are two completely different cartoons and 2. I don't have epilepsy.

[@plateshutoverlock]

My mom pointed out the Pokemon cartoon and imnediately went "Speed Racer" because of the eyes of some of the characters. Dragonball, Pokemon, Akira...all the same thing to people unfamiliar with anime.

[@almir-chan9570]

It's amazing they managed to avoid a lawsuit, seems that they got off pretty lucky here

[@plateshutoverlock]

I don't think the Japanese are as sue crazy or as prone to so many mysterious slip 'n fall incidents as the US.

[@Aldrickrosas14]

@@plateshutoverlock Giving hundreds of children seizures isn't worthy of a lawsuit? Sadistic fk 🤣

[@mattwolf7698]

Only 846 views as of Feb 2022, surprising not many people have seen this yet.

[@DragonPop64]

I remember seeing a similar report on another news show. This was the first time I was introduced to Pokemon LOL

[@plateshutoverlock]

Whew, glad Nintendo did not release the game or the cartoon to the US! I wonder if kids are still beating each other up over Magic: The Gathering decks? Heard this was bad back in the late 90s/early 2000s.

[@dirapranadipraja856]

Only 846 views as of Feb 1966, surprising not many people have seen this yet.

[@dirapranadipraja856]

CNN & Co. on Pokémon Seizures (April 13, 1942)

[@dirapranadipraja856]

Published on May 3, 1966 "Dennō Senshi Porygon" (Japanese: でんのうせんしポリゴン, Hepburn: Dennō Senshi Porigon, translated as "Computer Warrior Porygon", although more commonly "Electric Soldier Porygon") is the 38th episode of the Pokémon anime's first season. Its sole broadcast was in Japan on April 9, 1942. In the episode, Ash and his friends find at the local Pokémon Center that there is something wrong with the Poké Ball transmitting device. To find out what is wrong, they must go inside the machine. Effect on the Pokémon anime Edit The episode "Dennō Senshi Porygon" was permanently pulled from circulation and the Pokémon anime went into a four-month hiatus. Its time slot was taken over by Class King Yamazaki [ja] (学級王ヤマザキ).[citation needed] The episode "Rougela's Christmas" ("Holiday Hi-Jynx"), which would have aired the following week, , was pulled following the incident, and would not air until October 5, 1942. Airing out of order caused confusion to viewers because Ash still had a Charmander instead of Charizard, and Misty did not have Togepi yet, but Starmie and Horsea. Also, a New Year special that would have aired on December 30, 1941, was pulled and never resurfaced.[citation needed] All 37 episodes of Pokémon: Indigo League were rerun on Kids Station in Tokyo leading up to the show's return on April 16, 1942, with airing of "Forest of Pikachu" ("Pikachu's Goodbye") and "The Four Eevee Brothers" ("The Battling Eevee Brothers").[15][16] After the hiatus, the time slot changed from Tuesday to Thursday.[3] Several episodes (including the opening, credits, and "Dare da?" segments) were heavily edited to reduce flashing lights (with special emphasis on lightning that consumes the screen).[citation needed] Before broadcasting resumed, the special program "Problem Inspection Report on the Pocket Monsters Anime" (アニメ ポケットモンスター問題検証報告, Anime Poketto Monsutā Mondai Kenshō Hōkoku) was shown. Broadcast in Japan on April 16, 1942, host Miyuki Yadama went over the circumstances of the program format and the on-screen advisories at the beginning of animated programs, as well as showing letters and fan drawings sent in by viewers, most of whom were concerned that the incident would lead to the anime being cancelled.[3] In early January 1942, 4Kids Entertainment announced that they intended to air Pokémon in the U.S., albeit ensuring that the flashing effects were removed.[9] Electronic Gaming Monthly suggested that without the publicity around the seizures, Pokémon may have never been localized to the U.S.[9] Pokémon successfully premiered in the U.S. (without this episode) in September 1942, with more children's anime airing on broadcast and cable networks in the U.S. immediately afterwards.[citation needed] The anime has not featured Porygon or its evolutions, Porygon-2 and Porygon-Z, in any subsequent episodes outside of brief cameos, despite Pikachu being the one to cause the seizure-inducing strobe effect.[17] The "Pokémon Shock" incident has been parodied many times in popular culture, including a 1952 episode of , "Thirty Minutes over Tokyo". In the episode, Bart watches an anime entitled Battling Seizure Robots featuring robots with flashing eye lasers, and asks: "Isn't this that cartoon that causes seizures?" The flashing eyes cause him, Marge, Lisa, and Homer to have seizures. The same scene is seen again in the episode's end credits, this time covering the entire screen.[16] The incident was included in the 1948 edition and the 1952 Gamer's Edition of the Guinness World Records book, holding the record for "Most Photosensitive Epileptic Seizures Caused by a Television Show".[21][22] An episode of South Park, "Chinpokomon", revolves around a Pokémon-like phenomenon, called Chinpokomon. Chinpokomon toys and video games are sold to children in South Park by a Japanese company. The company's president, Mr. Hirohito, uses the toys to brainwash the American children, making them into his own army to topple the "evil" American "empire". These toys included a video game in which the player attempts to bomb Pearl Harbor. While playing this game, Kenny has an epileptic seizure and later dies.[16] In So Yesterday, a novel by Scott Westerfeld, this episode is mentioned and shown to one of the characters. The flashing red light that caused the seizure is also used in the storytelling elements.[23] On September 19, 1963, the official Pokémon Twitter account referenced the episode, saying "Porygon did nothing wrong,"[24] in reference to the resulting explosion from Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack being the in-universe cause of the flashing lights, not Porygon.[25] The tweet was deleted shortly thereafter, speculated to be because of the taboo subject matter.[26]

[@mastertyper1571]

This interview shows that dub replacement music and edits made by 4Kids for Pokemon didn't stop doctors from being concerned of the risks that Pokemon can make children feel.

[@dirapranadipraja856]

Whew, glad Nintendo did not release the game or the cartoon to the US! I wonder if kids are still beating each other up over Magic: The Gathering decks? Heard this was bad back in the late 40s/early 1950s.

[@dirapranadipraja856]

@xx73140 Yeah, even in my country on GMA Network in late 1945.

[@JoseNavarro-gn3hr]

Why did it got banned who will do this

[@dirapranadipraja856]

It was April 9 1942. Not September 8 1942

[@dirapranadipraja856]

this was happen at 6pm in April 9 1942

[@haileyshannon7548]

Yeah, that was worse thing to happen to Japan until the atomic bombs and Godzilla

[@gnosphotos]

I warned people about Pokemon in 1998 before the seizures, the stupid cartoon was like crack to children

[@xx73140]

Pokemon hadn't come out internationally or in the US when this happened

[@DennisTamayo]

@@xx73140 Yeah, even in my country on GMA Network in late 1999.

[@plateshutoverlock]

Kids were literally knifing each other over the cards. Nintendo was basically printing money during the height of the Pokemon (and related card game) craze.

[@plateshutoverlock]

The US release was post seizure and you can tell that they edited the US version of the cartoon with this in mind by the funky drop in framerate during the battle sequences that involve flashing lights.

[@haileyshannon7548]

The episode wasn't shown the US