Pokemon Banned episodes

[Cartoon_Kid]

Beauty and the Beach (Holiday at Aopuruko)
Reason for ban: James wearing an inflatable bikini during a bathingsuit contest.
Only aired once in America, with the James-flaunting-inflatable-breasts scene cut out.
Read More (http://www.ashketchum.nl/banned_beauty_and_the_beach.php)

The Legend of Dratini
Reason for ban: An old man with a gun, pointing and shooting at people.
Never aired outside of Japan.
Read More (http://www.ashketchum.nl/banned_the_legend_of_dratini.php)

Electric Soldier Porygon
Reason for ban: A particulate scene of Pikachu's thundershock attack caused over 700 adults and children seizures in Japan.
This episode has only been aired once in Japan.
Read More (http://www.ashketchum.nl/banned_electric_soldier_porygon.php)

The Ice Cave (Koori no Doukutsu)
Reason for ban: Jynx apparently looks like a black stereotype (was re-coloured to purple later by America). Also gives Brock a kiss in the episode.
This episode has only been aired in Japan.

Shaking Island Battle! Barboach VS Whiscash!!
Reason for ban: This episode contains Whiscash making earthquakes. Due to earthquakes going on in Japan, the episode has been put on hold.

[BCVM22]

Was this thread necessary?

[Cartoon_Kid]

Yes, I just forgot to ask what the other banned ones were.. was youre post realy necessary?

[TheMecca]

Actually, this topic (Banned PokeGentlemen Episodes) is well known by everyone and has probably been discussed hundreds of times before.

[Duke]

Only aired once in America, with the James-flaunting-inflatable-breasts scene cut out. Actually, it aired twice on Kids' WB! before it was banned.Also, "Holiday Hi-Jynx" is also banned, despite it appearing on DVD. Tentacool and Tentacruel was banned for a while due to 9/11, but once the series moved to CN it became unbanned.

[Dr.Pepper]

Actually, it aired twice on Kids' WB! before it was banned.Also, "Holiday Hi-Jynx" is also banned, despite it appearing on DVD. Tentacool and Tentacruel was banned for a while due to 9/11, but once the series moved to CN it became unbanned.
"Tower of Terror" was also banned after 9/11 just becuase of the title

[Freedom Fighter]

I think there's one more... wasn't there a Hoenn recap episode that 4Kids decided not to dub? If I remember right, it airs right before the 3-part Hoenn Grand Festival mini-series, since said episode recaps Ash and May's gym/contest battles.

[KuwabaraTheMan]

I think there's one more... wasn't there a Hoenn recap episode that 4Kids decided not to dub? If I remember right, it airs right before the 3-part Hoenn Grand Festival mini-series, since said episode recaps Ash and May's gym/contest battles.

Yeah. "Satoshi and Haruka! The Hottest Battles in Houen".

Just a recap episode, so I wouldn't classify it as banned so much as just 'ignored'.

[J. B. Warner]

Actually, this topic (Banned PokeGentlemen Episodes) is well known by everyone and has probably been discussed hundreds of times before.

Ever been to the Serebii Forums? More than half the people there don't know what they're talking about when it comes to the banned episodes. Heck, whenever an episode gets pushed back in the schedule, everyone immediately goes into an "OMG TEH EPSIDEO IZ BANNED!!!1!!11!" frenzy, only to look like an idiot when the episode in question airs one week later.

As for the episodes that are already banned, there's an astounding number of people who don't want to believe that Jynx is a black stereotype, so they made up some cockamamie story about how "The Ice Cave" was banned due to the anthrax scare. Never mind the fact that nothing even remotely resembling the spread of anthrax appears in the episode (Brock gets a cold from being sprayed with water inside the Ice Cave).

[KuwabaraTheMan]

People at Serebii forums making idiots out of themselves? *gasps*

Neverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. :eek:

[CyberCubed]

To be fair the age group of people posting there is much lower than it is here or other forums. There are a lot of 10-13 year olds posting there, so they're kids, and thus don't know any better.

Honestly the only thing that bugs me about Serebii is the Misty fanatics that post there, (and for the record I'm fine with most Misty fans since I like the character myself, I'm talking about the really crazed ones who spew forth garbage about the show sucking just because their precious Misty was axed), but thankfully nobody takes what they say seriously and they're viewed as the trolls of the fandom.

[BCVM22]

As for the episodes that are already banned, there's an astounding number of people who don't want to believe that Jynx is a black stereotype, so they made up some cockamamie story about how "The Ice Cave" was banned due to the anthrax scare. Never mind the fact that nothing even remotely resembling the spread of anthrax appears in the episode (Brock gets a cold from being sprayed with water inside the Ice Cave).

The episode was banned due to the SARS scare at the time, not due to the anthrax issues. Because SARS had symptoms similar to a cold, the episode wasn't shown in North America.

What was it you said about people knowing what they're talking about?

[J. B. Warner]

The episode was banned due to the SARS scare at the time, not due to the anthrax issues. Because SARS had symptoms similar to a cold, the episode wasn't shown in North America.

What was it you said about people knowing what they're talking about?

...I really need to stop assuming that I'm smarter than everyone else.

[weirdojace]

"Tower of Terror" was also banned after 9/11 just becuase of the title

That must've caused a lot of confusion as to how a Haunter magically appears in the next episode...


Out of the banned episodes, the only one I really enjoyed was Electric Soldier Porygon. It had a really cool and original story. I wish they could stop trying to hide the existance of this episode and just dub it while editing the flashes out.

As for Legend of Dratini I heard one of the voice actors said that an English dub does exist, but it's never been seen... even pokemon.com had it listed on the episode guide at one time.

[BCVM22]

...I really need to stop assuming that I'm smarter than everyone else.

Join the club. We have t-shirts. ;)

[J. B. Warner]

Out of the banned episodes, the only one I really enjoyed was Electric Soldier Porygon. It had a really cool and original story. I wish they could stop trying to hide the existance of this episode and just dub it while editing the flashes out.


Editing the flashes out of the episode would mean reconstructing more than half of the backgrounds. Besides, it's banned in Japan too, and they're not allowed to submit it to America for translation anyway.

[Dracula_Marth]

The episode was banned due to the SARS scare at the time, not due to the anthrax issues. Because SARS had symptoms similar to a cold, the episode wasn't shown in North America.

What was it you said about people knowing what they're talking about?

that was actually just some excuse to hide the fact that they just banned it because of Jynx's original design

also, there was one that wasn't banned but had about 10 seconds featuring Jynx's original design cut out.

[BCVM22]

that was actually just some excuse to hide the fact that they just banned it because of Jynx's original design

also, there was one that wasn't banned but had about 10 seconds featuring Jynx's original design cut out.

Believe that if you like. Given that they eventually showed the North Pole episode that was rife with Jynx, I find it far more logical that they didn't show the episode due to the SARS crisis at the time.

[J. B. Warner]

Believe that if you like. Given that they eventually showed the North Pole episode that was rife with Jynx, I find it far more logical that they didn't show the episode due to the SARS crisis at the time.

They didn't "eventually" show it, they showed it back in Season 2 like it was scheduled to be. Carole Weatherford didn't kick-start the whole "Jynx is racist" issue until sometime in Season 3. Hence, "Holiday Hi-Jynx" got off scot-free 'cause the issue hadn't been brought to anyone's attention yet.

[Duke]

Believe that if you like. Given that they eventually showed the North Pole episode that was rife with Jynx, I find it far more logical that they didn't show the episode due to the SARS crisis at the time.
Umm, "Holiday Hi-Jynx" aired months after it was supposed to, and it WAS that episode that sparked the controversy. Granted, the episode was delayed in Japan too, but that was because of the Porygon seizure incident and it was delayed so that it could air during winter. Carol's essay was published 3 weeks after "Holiday Hi-Jynx" premiered.

Jynx's two appearences in the Orange League were left alone (probably because nobody cares about the Orange League), but its Johto episode was cut out and its appearence in Pokémon Advanced was edited out.

When Jynx did re-appear in Advanced Battle, its episodes were delayed by a couple months because it was going to be shown during Black History Month. Also, Jynx in the cartoon finally recieved the purple face coloring that the game sprites have had since Johto. Jynx is also the ONLY Pokémon not offered at PokemonCenter.com.

[Lazerboy5000]

Was the Legend of Dratini episode the on were Ash caught Taruos?

If so, then that's why I was so confused when Ash just all-of-a-sudden he just happened to have a Taruos.

[BCVM22]

Was the Legend of Dratini episode the on were Ash caught Taruos?

If so, then that's why I was so confused when Ash just all-of-a-sudden he just happened to have a Taruos.

Correct. That's the Safari Zone episode.

[Idiot Elzar]

Electric Soldier Porygon
Reason for ban: A particulate scene of Pikachu's thundershock attack caused over 700 adults and children seizures in Japan.
This episode has only been aired once in Japan.
Read More (http://www.ashketchum.nl/banned_electric_soldier_porygon.php)

Dude... that's crazy.

[Dogasu]

Jynx's two appearences in the Orange League were left alone (probably because nobody cares about the Orange League), but its Johto episode was cut out and its appearence in Pokémon Advanced was edited out.

When Jynx did re-appear in Advanced Battle, its episodes were delayed by a couple months because it was going to be shown during Black History Month. Also, Jynx in the cartoon finally recieved the purple face coloring that the game sprites have had since Johto. Jynx is also the ONLY Pokémon not offered at PokemonCenter.com.

You're also forgetting that Jynx was recolored in that "Pokémon Adventures - Best of Red" book Viz released late last year. In its original English printing (back in the late 90's/early 2000's), Jynx was left black.

[shaman_mya19]

Beauty and the Beach (Holiday at Aopuruko)
Reason for ban: James wearing an inflatable bikini during a bathingsuit contest.
Only aired once in America, with the James-flaunting-inflatable-breasts scene cut out.
Read More (http://www.ashketchum.nl/banned_beauty_and_the_beach.php)

The Legend of Dratini
Reason for ban: An old man with a gun, pointing and shooting at people.
Never aired outside of Japan.
Read More (http://www.ashketchum.nl/banned_the_legend_of_dratini.php)

Electric Soldier Porygon
Reason for ban: A particulate scene of Pikachu's thundershock attack caused over 700 adults and children seizures in Japan.
This episode has only been aired once in Japan.
Read More (http://www.ashketchum.nl/banned_electric_soldier_porygon.php)

The Ice Cave (Koori no Doukutsu)
Reason for ban: Jynx apparently looks like a black stereotype (was re-coloured to purple later by America). Also gives Brock a kiss in the episode.
This episode has only been aired in Japan.

Shaking Island Battle! Barboach VS Whiscash!!
Reason for ban: This episode contains Whiscash making earthquakes. Due to earthquakes going on in Japan, the episode has been put on hold.

i have seen all the episodes full expect the shaking island(probally won't air) but some i don't under stand why they were not aired (expect the electric soilder and beauty and the beach and shaking island) because the dratini episode would have edited the gun (like they did in digimon and yugioh series)

[J. B. Warner]

i have seen all the episodes full expect the shaking island(probally won't air) but some i don't under stand why they were not aired (expect the electric soilder and beauty and the beach and shaking island) because the dratini episode would have edited the gun (like they did in digimon and yugioh series)

The gun use in "The Legend of Dratini" is way too prominent to be edited. The warden shoves his gun in Ash's face, he fires two of them at Jessie and James, and when he ends up captured, James puts a gun to the warden's head. Plus, on a completely different level, there's also a scene where Jessie dresses up in her ganguro disguise from "Battle Aboard the St. Anne" to try and milk the warden for information, and it comes off as more than a little sleazy.

Guns appeared in a few other early Season 1 episodes, but this is the only one that actually had someone shooting at someone else (and rather significantly, too). Hence, it got the boot.

[RonDrakenfan17]

It sucks how they banned these from the US. I've known about it for a while but it makes me irrated. I hope they don't ban any thing in the D/P dub :sad:

[BCVM22]

It sucks how they banned these from the US. I've known about it for a while but it makes me irrated. I hope they don't ban any thing in the D/P dub :sad:

It irritates you that a show had to remove three episodes in its early days as a niche, dubbed, syndicated cartoon, because two of the episodes contained material that simply would not have flown in this market and the third actually did physical harm to viewers?

Yeah, those sorts of rational decisions irritate me too. Do you really waste time being irritated because you didn't get to see James in inflatable breasts, the Safari Zone warden using firearms liberally or Porygon's magical seizure-inducing flashes?

All that aside, these days there's enough communication between the producing bodies on both sides of the Pacific that it's not likely there would be any material that would warrant the removal of an entire episode to begin with. You'll notice the two unaired episodes since the initial syndicated batch went so because of then-current events rather than the contents of the episode - the SARS scare in North America prompted the decision to not air the Ice Cave episode here (fueled partially by the accusations of Jynx as a racial stereotype, if you prefer) and the earthquakes in Japan meant the Whiscash episode was never aired anywhere.

[RonDrakenfan17]

It irritates you that a show had to remove three episodes in its early days as a niche, dubbed, syndicated cartoon, because two of the episodes contained material that simply would not have flown in this market and the third actually did physical harm to viewers?

Yeah, those sorts of rational decisions irritate me too. Do you really waste time being irritated because you didn't get to see James in inflatable breasts, the Safari Zone warden using firearms liberally or Porygon's magical seizure-inducing flashes?

All that aside, these days there's enough communication between the producing bodies on both sides of the Pacific that it's not likely there would be any material that would warrant the removal of an entire episode to begin with. You'll notice the two unaired episodes since the initial syndicated batch went so because of then-current events rather than the contents of the episode - the SARS scare in North America prompted the decision to not air the Ice Cave episode here (fueled partially by the accusations of Jynx as a racial stereotype, if you prefer) and the earthquakes in Japan meant the Whiscash episode was never aired anywhere.

Hey as a Pokemon fan I want to see all the episodes, no matter how weird they are. I mean I understand why Japan had to ban them from the US but I'd still like to see them.

[Dogasu]

Five episodes out of a 500+ episodes isn't much to whine about, guys.

the SARS scare in North America prompted the decision to not air the Ice Cave episode here (fueled partially by the accusations of Jynx as a racial stereotype, if you prefer)

The SARS incident had nothing to do with the Jynx episode getting banned. The only reason I even think that rumor even got started is because people could see the resemblance of Jynx to a racist stereotype.

[BCVM22]

The SARS incident had nothing to do with the Jynx episode getting banned. The only reason I even think that rumor even got started is because people could see the resemblance of Jynx to a racist stereotype.

An episode in which Brock gets cold-like symptoms is set to air around the same time SARS is running rampant across North America. You see no possible connection?

[Dogasu]

Besides the fact that nothing about Brock's cold is similar to SARS (we see him get splashed with cold water...it's not like Brock had sex with someone who had SARS or had traveled to any real-life location where SARS is said to have been spread), the bigger part of the episode was the pokemon Jynx. The episode was more about the pokemon than it was about Brock's cold, and if the episode had been exactly the same but had featured a Chansey instead, it wouldn't have been skipped.

Besides that, I'm sure there were plenty of other shows airing at the time where characters were allowed to have the common cold without the censors stepping in.

[RonDrakenfan17]

Five episodes out of a 500+ episodes isn't much to whine about, guys.



True, I know other animes that have gotten way worse treatment than that.

[Master Moron]

It irritates you that a show had to remove three episodes in its early days as a niche, dubbed, syndicated cartoon, because two of the episodes contained material that simply would not have flown in this market and the third actually did physical harm to viewers?


It irritates him because he's a fan of the series. It doesn't irritate me that much because I'm not a fan of the show. But, I'm not sure how a fan of a show wouldn't be irritated that an episode of a show he likes is banned. For instance, I'm a fan of South Park and it irritates me that the episode Jared Has Aides is banned. Can you honestly say that you wouldn't be pissed off if you were denied a chance to see an episode of a show you really like?

[BCVM22]

It irritates him because he's a fan of the series. It doesn't irritate me that much because I'm not a fan of the show. But, I'm not sure how a fan of a show wouldn't be irritated that an episode of a show he likes is banned. For instance, I'm a fan of South Park and it irritates me that the episode Jared Has Aides is banned. Can you honestly say that you wouldn't be pissed off if you were denied a chance to see an episode of a show you really like?

Not when the episodes were pulled for perfectly legitimate and necessary reasons, no.

[Martianinvader]

For instance, I'm a fan of South Park and it irritates me that the episode Jared Has Aides is banned. Can you honestly say that you wouldn't be pissed off if you were denied a chance to see an episode of a show you really like?
Jared Has Aides can be seen in the syndicated version. No more irritation!

[D Dubbs]

Well, I guess people can feel different about banned episodes. We don't all have to agree.

For me, if an episode is banned, it just adds to the excitement. It makes me want to see the episode ten times more than any regular episode.

[Duke]

For me, if an episode is banned, it just adds to the excitement. It makes me want to see the episode ten times more than any regular episode.
Except for The Legend of Dratini, most of the banned episodes are pretty crappy.

[weirdojace]

I thought Electric Soldier Porygon was really good... I liked it because of how different it was. Kind of a break from everything else in that show.

Legend of Dratini didn't really do much for me though. But the fact that the quality of the video sucked could've had to do with that as well. My biggest beef with that being banned is because of the giant continuity gap it leaves when we see Ash using Tauros in later episodes.

Beauty and the Beach was a totally pointless episode and I can live with that being banned.