When the Pokémon anime series came to America, it did not take long for fans to fall in love with its amazing characters, powerful creatures, and entertaining plot. The series was a major hit during the 90s and has remained one of the most popular shows for over two decades. While the series is beloved in the U.S., it has suffered alterations to its content from the beginning.

Many themes, scenes, or references in the Japanese version of Pokémon needed to be edited for Western audiences. From sexualized characters to insensitive depictions, the series has been censored several times. Yet, some examples of this practice have often caused shock among audiences.

8 Problematic Character Designs

The Appearance of Various Characters Had To Be Altered

One of the main reasons why Pokémon is such a popular franchise across the world is because of its unique and eye-catching designs. Everyone from the trainers to the incredible creatures that inhabit this world has been praised for their memorable appearances. Even then, there have been times when the original design of a Pokémon or human has not been deemed appropriate for international audiences. This is often linked to racial stereotypes or insensitive depictions, as was the case with Jynx. Despite being extremely popular, this creature has caused various episodes to be banned.

Its original design resembles racially motivated propaganda cartoons that aimed to dehumanize people of color. Her design had to be completely altered for it to make an appearance on American TV. Lenora, one of the toughest gym leaders in the franchise, was also heavily altered to not cause controversies in the U.S. Her signature apron caused her to be compared with the stereotypical representation of Mammys, a dehumanizing depiction of black women that is widely considered racist and offensive.

7 Overtly Sexual Themes

One of the Most Reasonable Censorships

Pokémon is an anime whose main audience, from the start, has been small toddlers and children. Nevertheless, the series has sometimes included themes that have made its family-friendly label questionable. One of these topics is the over-sexualization of certain characters, mainly during the series’ first seasons. Misty, one of Ash’s first and best companions, was especially targeted during her time in the series, being forced to wear inappropriate outfits for a ten-year-old girl. She was also included in various jokes that were by no means okay to show in a children’s show, like being asked to breastfeed a child.

Episode #18 of the original series is infamous for its various sexual jokes, which ended up causing it to be banned in the U.S. During this entry, not only was Misty seen participating in a bikini modeling contest, in front of a crowd of adults, she was also sexually harassed by an unnamed old man. James, the eccentric and charismatic member of Team Rocket, disguised himself as a woman, including a pair of fake breasts that he would constantly grab. While not the only examples of this, as most female characters were given revealing outfits, these are the most infamous.

6 4KIDS Localization

The Removal of Japanese-Related References

Due to Japan being its country of origin, the Pokémon anime made several references to the nation’s culture. 4Kids, the company tasked with bringing the show to America in the 90s, believed these allusions would not be translated effectively and decided to change them in absurd ways. One of the most popular examples is Brock’s infamous line about jelly-filled donuts in episode #25 of the original series. The food on the screen is an onigiri, a traditional Japanese rice ball that contains various fillings, but rarely, if ever, jelly.

In episode #20, when the heroes visited a town full of Ghost-Type Pokémon, they were offered ofuda, a charm used in Japan to ward off evil spirits. In English, these items were changed to anti-ghost stickers. While the cultural differences between the countries would have made these items hard to understand for kids, many fans argue that the company could have at least tried, instead of making such outlandish changes.

5 Non-Cartoonish Violence

Serious Violence Could Apparently Not Be Seen by Children

Not all Pokémon episodes have been as child-oriented as others, as some have included plots that were not safe for kids to watch. At various points in the franchise, guns or other dangerous weapons made brief appearances, scenes that were heavily edited or outright removed from the show by U.S. censors. Episode #35 of the original series is an amazing example of this practice, as it was banned for many years due to its heavy use of firearms. Ash’s life is threatened several times with a pistol, which was deemed too violent for children.

The idea of a 10-year-old being almost shot by a reckless adult did not sit well with American executives, causing this episode to be taken out of circulation. Less violent scenes were also removed from the series, such as slaps and punches. In episode #1, after learning that her bike had been destroyed, Misty was supposed to slap Ash in the face, albeit not in a comedic way as she would often do. This scene was missing from the English dub version of the episode.

4 Unfortunate Coincidental Events

Unintentional References to One of the U.S.’ Biggest Tragedies

One of the most unique ways in which the Pokémon anime was censored in the U.S. was by removing any coincidental events or titles that could be related to the tragedy of September 11, 2001. For many years following this attack, episode #21 of the original series, named Tower of Terror, was removed from all TV networks. The reason behind this decision was never officially stated, but fans do believe that it was due to the unfortunate name of the entry. It was brought back into circulation several years later, without any major changes.

The most prominent example of this form of censorship was episode #19, Tentacool and Tentacruel, which features a gigantic Pokémon destroying a city. While destruction is not uncommon in the series, as there are plenty of dangerous creatures in this world, this entry had a particular scene where Tentacruel destroys a skyscraper. Seeing as the episode had already been released in the U.S., and it could not be edited, it was decided that it would be better for it to be temporarily banned.

3 References to Alcohol

Adults Can Only Drink Juice

This form of censorship might not have been noticed by fans, as it is subtle and oftentimes unimportant, but it nonetheless was heavily used during the early days of the series. Giovanni, the ominous and cruel leader of Team Rocket, has been depicted several times drinking alcoholic beverages in glasses typical for these kinds of drinks. The U.S. changed any appearance of alcohol, transforming the liquid into juice and the cups and chalices into simple glasses.

This same practice has been used many times in almost all seasons of the anime series, with a major example being the wedding between Professors Kukui and Burnet. In episode #55 of the Sun and Moon season, the couple decided to toast in honor of their union with two glasses of wine, as occurs in most regular weddings. These alcoholic beverages were once again edited to look like juice, a chance that many fans believed was not necessary.

2 No Death Allowed

Any Allusion to Death Was Removed

Even though death is a topic that is not common in the Pokémon anime series, there are a handful of scenes that openly talk about it. The biggest exponent of this theme is none other than the greedy and inhumane Hunter J, one of the darkest and most horrible villains in the franchise. In episode #151 of the Diamond and Pearl season, this vile character is seen attacking Lake Valor’s legendary trio: Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf. The mythical creatures use the move Future Sight on the hunter, which causes damage moments after it is used.

Once she enters her ship, it explodes, causing her and all her lackeys to die in a crash against Lake Valor. The U.S. dub of this event left their fates unknown, implying that they could have survived. Other minor instances, like Meowth’s spirit separating itself from his body in episode #12 of Sun and Moon were also removed.

1 Nazi Salutes

Fans Still Wonder Why This Was Included

This is by far one of the strangest but least criticized forms of censorship found in the original Pokémon anime. Team Rocket is known for being an awful and terrifying criminal organization, capable of doing anything to achieve its goals. Fans can often forget this, as the most iconic of this team tend to be incompetent or not villainous at all. Yet, the series has taken measures to remind viewers that they are indeed the antagonists of the story.

One of the most bizarre and criticized methods was equating Team Rocket with the Nazi army. In episode #13 of the Ruby and Sapphire season, Jesse and James imagine turning a group of trainers into lackeys. Their mental image includes the entire room turning to the camera while saluting in a similar style to that of the Nazi army. This moment had to be censored, making the grunts stay immobile and having Jesse lift both arms, to indicate that she was celebrating. The original sprite for Registeel, one of Sinnoh’s legendaries, was censored in the West for similar reasons.