For more than 25 years, the Pokémon The anime has been a constant companion for fans of all ages, who have gathered around their TVs to watch Ash's adventure. It's an iconic series that became an emblem of the 90s and early 2000s, still considered one of the best shows of the time.
However, despite how beloved the series is, not all decisions made by the creative team were equally well-received. Several controversies have surrounded the anime over the years, many of them threatening the show's continuation. From insensitive depictions to storylines that nearly made audiences jump ship, Pokémon has no shortage of catastrophic controversies.
10
Naval Wars
Fans were driven away by toxic behavior
While the introduction of Ash's various companions served to keep each season fun and unique, it also caused a major problem for the franchise. Whenever a female character joined the protagonist on his adventure, a group of fans began to pair them up, a common trend among anime viewers. In Pokémoncase, the long list of ships Ash was a part of caused the fandom to enter a decades-long war.
Fans of Misty and Serena were particularly vocal in their support, believing that no one other than their favorite was the love of Ash's life. The sea wars continued until the end of the series, causing huge disappointment among fans when Ash did not end the series with a romantic partner. Despite this, fans who weren't interested in pairing up characters were dissuaded from watching the show once the heated battles began.
9
Sun and Moon Redesigns
The drastic change in animation deterred many fans
As the series progressed, the quality of the animation between seasons frequently increased, but the character designs remained as similar to the original as possible. After a few years, the series' artistic style became recognizable around the world. When the Sun and Moon season of the anime was announced, the series revealed that the animation style would also change drastically, becoming more cartoonish and simple.
Fans immediately complained, not understanding why the show underwent such a drastic change. For a significant portion of the fandom, this was the final straw, leading them to stop supporting the anime. When Pokémon Journeys was announced, the series tried to mix the two styles, still adding cartoon scenes, but keeping more serious animations for important moments.
8
Jynx's Original Appearance
Pokémon resembled harmful stereotypes
Over the years, Jynx has become one of the most iconic Ice-type Pokémon in the franchise, with fans loving it since the first generation launched. Jynx made her anime debut in a special Christmas episode in 1998, an entry that would not see the light of day for many years. The main reason this episode was removed from the series list was the Pokémon's infamous original design.
Upon her first appearance in the series, many complaints were raised about Jynx resembling racially insensitive depictions of black people. Many viewers complained that she looked like bigoted cartoons made to mock people of color. As such, the episode was taken out of circulation for many years, and the Pokémon was transformed into the purple-skinned version fans know today.
7
Lenora's inspiration
The character design had to be changed
Introduced in the Black and White season of the anime, Lenora is the Normal-Type Leader of the Teselia Region League. She is a proud and intelligent woman who runs an intriguing and successful museum in addition to her responsibilities as a gym leader. However, her original design did not sit well with audiences outside of Japan, as it unintentionally portrayed her as a harmful stereotype.
Lenora is a dedicated archaeologist, which means she often wears an apron over her clothes to keep them clean. Because of this, her particular physique and full lips, many fans pointed out that she could be confused with representations of Mammys, black women whose job was to make cock and clean for white families. To avoid problems, the anime in the West decided to change its appearance, completely removing the apron.
6
Tobia's team
One of the strangest and most unfair battles
Legendary Pokémon are beings that, by their nature, are considered extremely rare and difficult to tame. Throughout his journey, Ash encountered many of these creatures, never attempting to capture them. However, the series itself suggested that the reason behind its decision was the need for these Pokémon to remain free. This reasoning would soon go down the drain with the introduction of Tobias, one of the most despised characters in the franchise.
Ash's opponent's team during the Sinnoh League only consisted of some of the most powerful Pokémon in the anime. Such was his power that only two of his six partners were revealed, these being Latios and Darkrai. Although Ash fought valiantly, he could do little against such a dangerous team. Viewers of the anime have complained for years about how unfair this battle waswith many abandoning the show after this battle.
5
Misty and Brock's departure
Viewers abandoned the show after the original housemates left
One of the most important features of Pokémon anime series are the charismatic and memorable characters that accompany Ash on his journey. Although the series has a long list of incredible sidekicks, Brock and Misty are often called the most iconic. Not only were they Ash's original partners, but they also remained by his side during some of his toughest times.
Fans loved these characters, a fondness that quickly turned to anger once their departure from the anime was announced. Misty was the first to go, as she decided to stay in Kanto to become a Gym Leader. Brock remained by Ash's side for many years, but eventually retired as well. Many fans stopped watching the show after these two events, believing that the series wouldn't be the same without the original companions.
4
Ash losing in the Kalos League
Your hard work was in vain
Ever since he began his journey during the franchise's Indigo League season, Ash proclaimed that he would one day win a tournament and become a true master. The hero participated in almost every Pokémon League, with his performance varying greatly with each iteration. The one where fans expected him to finally surpass all of his combatants was the tournament held in the Kalos region.
His team in this competition was among the most powerful in the entire series, with the notable addition of a unique Pokémon, his special Greninja. Furthermore, his last opponent during the competition was Alain, whose main partner, Charizard, was weak in his Water-Type moves. Even with all these advantages on his side, Ash lost the finala narrative decision that led many fans to stop watching the series.
3
Supposed satanic messages
The program was almost banned in its early stages
During the early 2000s, the naming industry received major backlash from conservative religious associations who considered programs to contain satanic imagery. Pokémon this time he did not escape unscathed, as his popularity made him one of the main targets of these groups. Among the main complaints, the fact that the series' creatures can evolve stood out as one of the biggest problems.
Pokémon that use magic-adjacent abilities during battle were also constantly mentioned, as stated by the leaders of these associations. the series was inducing children to witchcraft. As time passed, these complaints began to disappear and the program was able to continue its course without the input of these groups. Still, the initial backlash really hurt the franchise, with many young people remembering that their parents banned them from watching the series as children.
2
The Porygon Episode
Hundreds of children injured by an animation
Although most of the controversies surrounding the Pokémon franchise can be forgiven because it didn't hurt anyone, the infamous Porygon episode cannot be included in this category. Episode 38 of the anime's first season, better known as Electric Soldier Porygon, was heavily criticized for its use of bright and flashy colors.
This entry was not accompanied by a warning, a choice that would later come back to haunt the series. When the episode first aired in Japan, the lights caused the children to have an epileptic seizure. More than 600 cases were reported across the country, becoming widely known as the Pokémon Shock incident. The episode was banned soon after, and was not broadcast internationally or on Japanese TV networks for many years.
1
Voice actor recast
An extreme overreaction with dire consequences
In March 2016, the anime series stated that the English dub of the series would recast many of the original voices. Something similar has happened with several other animes over the years, as voice actors are not always able to continue their roles. While this isn't normally a big deal, other than fans being saddened by the departure of a beloved cast member, the Pokémon community did not receive the news well.
The anime received huge backlash from fans, who demanded that the original voices be brought back. The situation became so serious that many of the names of the new cast members had to be hidden from the public, being credited only by pseudonyms. It was a dark time for the franchise in the West, to the point that the company's US-based branch had to release a statement asking fans to stop the harassment.