We've established that the whole Pokémon thing is a little weird. But we didn't know just how weird. Some episodes of the popular TV show were deemed too bizarre or offensive to be shown outside of Japan. The episode that actually induced seizures is the most famous but there are others. And thanks to YouTube, you can see them without traveling overseas. I'm including explanations for the uninitiated.
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Episode: "Miniryu no Densetsu"
First up is an episode where everyone appears to have a gun. Not futuristic Pokéguns. Real guns. With bullets. Which they threaten each other with constantly.
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Episode: "Some Enchanted Sweetening"
Next we have Meowth, a member of the bumbling bad guys Team Rocket. Meowth is the only Pokémon that speaks like a human (that is, he can say words that aren't variations on his own name.) In the show he periodically tells bizarre stories about "The Boss" of his team. This particular story involves "The Boss" running in the desert while slathered with honey, wearing nothing but a Speedo. Then a bunch of Pokémon, um, show their affection for him. In a very physical way. This time it was just the scene that was removed.
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Episode: "Beauty and the Beach"
The last, and by far the strangest, is one where, James, also of Team Rocket, suddenly appears in a bikini. With
breasts. The context seems to be some sort of beauty contest. The
subtitles read: "Aren't you a boy?" "What does it matter when I'm this
beautiful? ... Wait until you're older and have these." There was no way to save this one; the entire episode was banned.
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BONUS: Pikachu gets busy
This isn't a banned scene (yet), and it appears to have been captured by someone pointed a cell-phone camera at the TV, but it's kinda funny anyway.
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Next time your little one plops down to watch the latest episode of his or her favorite show, maybe it wouldn't hurt to take a peek and see what's going on. You know, just in case.
