Kids love Pokemon but network bigwigs did not like 5 particular episodes to a certain extent. Most episodes push the envelope of violence anyway with Pokemon battling each other but parents and network alike felt that five of them deserved to be pulled for one reason or another. The reasons for these episodes vary and some are open for debate, so we'll start from the least offensive to the most offensive. Remember these cartoons were designed for children so any adult reading this has to bear that in mind.
Number 5: The Tower of Terror
The first two on the list were pulled for the exact same reason but for entirely different content. This episode is nothing to shake your fist at in terms of offensiveness The story is Ash, Misty and Brock stumble upon a haunted house run by Gastly, Haunter and Gengar that pull pranks on their terrorized guests. In the end Ash realizes that they only want friends to play with and he convinces Haunter to come with him to help him win a badge, isn't that a happy ending? The episode itself wasn't the reason it was pulled but for the title. As with Number 4 on the list, Tower of Terror was temporarily pulled from American syndication due to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. While Tower of Terror has nothing to do with terrorism in the storyline, the name supposedly triggered New Yorkers who were suffering in the aftermath of the attacks. So until the heat died down, Tower of Terror was temporarily shelved. Nowadays the episode has been restored in syndication. This is the perfect segue into why Number 4 was pulled.
Number 4: Tentacool and Tentacruel
Also banned following the September 11th attacks was this hard hitting episode. The story is Ash, Misty and Brock encounter a batshit crazy lady that's building a resort vacation spa but had to drive herds of Tentacool and Tentacruel out of their homes to do it. The natives are very upset with the interlopers and decide to fight back by destroying the city in retaliation, taking Meowth as a hostage to survey their message ala Brent Spiner in Independence Day. Tentacruel is actually referred to as the "gangster of the sea". The story has a happy ending where Ash convinces Tentacruel to stop the carnage if they're allowed to keep their homes. After the September 11th attacks, network bigwigs felt the episode was too close to home to fans that suffered through the attacks and seeing buildings destroyed was not in their best interests. Just like Tower of Terror, this episode was temporarily pulled from American syndication. It has also been restored to syndication in the many years since.
Now the first two episodes were a victim of bad timing, the next 3 were more notorious and a lot more controversial which led to their banishment.
Number 3: Beauty and the Beach
This controversial episode is the most sexually oriented one of the series. The story is Ash, Misty and Brock hit up the beach for a good time but tear up a restaurant that they now have to pay for. How do they pay for it? Misty has to win a BIKINI CONTEST in order to pay off the restaurant owner. If that wasn't bad enough, ASH'S MOM is one of the contestants along with the dastardly Jessie and James of Team Rocket....yes, JAMES of Team Rocket. Now this episode was recorded in Japan and was brought over to American television to be redubbed except for one infamous scene. In the Japenese version, Misty confronts Jessie and James in the back and James BOUNCES HIS INFLATABLE TITS AROUND much to Misty's dismay. In the American version, this scene is cut but its still available in the Japanese version. Obviously you can see why this episode is rarely played on American television and why the inflatible tits scene was never dubbed in English. As adults, the episode features no nudity, bad language or gore so we don't think much of it, but this was a children's show so bikini contests and inflatible tits isn't exactly what you want your child to see.
Now while Beauty and the Beach had a scene removed, the final two episodes were flat out never released in the US or dubbed in English. The next two episodes are up for debate in terms of what's more offensive or damaging. Both of them were rightfully pulled from television and for entirely different reasons. In my own opinion, I chose what I chose as Number 2 for a reason I'll get into in just a moment, but again, its up for debate.
Number 2: Electric Soldier Pokemon
The infamous Porygon episode is actually nothing to complain about in terms of the storyline. Ash, Misty and Brock endure the virtual reality world to assist Porygon into defeating Team Rocket. Nothing overly offensive here, but that's not the issue. The issue was in one scene Pikachu rips a thunderbolt that causes strobe effects. The strobe effects caused a legitimate SIX HUNDRED children to be hospitalized due to epileptic seizures. Obviously with that kind of backlash in Japan, the episode was never released to American audiences. This one is a no brainer on why it was pulled, people really did suffer seizures.
Now you can debate whether this or Number 1 is worse, but I'll pick Number 1 for one reason. I myself do not suffer epileptic seizures so I was able to safely watch the episode with no consequence. My wife also watched the episode no problem. Now obviously a lot of people WOULD suffer seizures from this, but not everyone. If certain people are unaffected, it obviously can't be considered the worst or most offensive. Which leads us to Number 1.....
Number 1: The Legend of Dratini.
Bad timing, suggestive sexual content and possible seizures can be debated on whether or not the episode should be banned or not, but this one there is no debate at all. The story begins innocently enough with Ash, Brock and Misty singing and dancing through the Safari Zone for your enjoyment. Isn't that lovely? Well the enjoyment turns to terror when the Warden of the Zone PULLS A FUCKING GUN ON THEM. If that wasn't bad enough, the Warden soon POINTS HIS FUCKING GUN AT ASH'S HEAD....but wait there's more! The reason the Warden is so unfriendly is he's guarding a legendary Dratini. Team Rocket gets wind of this and while Ash, Misty and Brock are wandering around, they take the Warden hostage and James POINTS THE WARDEN'S GUN AT THE WARDEN'S HEAD.....WHILE MEOWTH IS DRESSED AS ADOLPH HITLER!!! You can debate this or Porygon as the most deserving to be banned, but I go with this one for usage of guns and Meowth dressed as arguably the most evil mind of the 20th century.
There's also another way to grade these episodes and that's by asking "Would I let my children watch this?" In terms of most offensive, Electric Soldier Porygon and Tower of Terror don't belong on the list at all. If your kids don't suffer from seizures, the Porygon episode is nothing to scream at. Tower of Terror also had nothing overly offensive for the kiddies. These two were banned for different reasons but are not overly offensive. Number 3 would be Tenacool and Tentacruel. Cartoon violence is a given in most action shows, and while the episode does go over the top with city destruction, it does have a teachable message for children. Much like how Native Americans were driven off their land by settlers, the Tentacool and Tentacruel were driven off by batshit crazy lady only to return for revenge. You can watch the episode with children and educate them on legitimate history. That leaves Legend of Dratini and Beauty and the Beach. Would you let your children watch either episode? If the James scene is included, that's a big fat NO! After all, cartoon violence is a given but what in the name of God possessed the writers of a children's show to put big bouncy, barely concealed breasts into a script? Still, concealed breasts and suggestive themes fail in comparison to Meowth dressed as Hitler and guns pointed at people. Would you let your kids watch that? Most likely not.
So there you have the top 5 banned episodes and two different ways to grade them. Whether they have offensive content, were a victim of bad timing or put you in the hospital, they all had something that network executives and parents didn't want you to see. You've been warned.
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