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Editorials Other Pages: Pokémon is sick! |

There's a bit of a stigma surrounding Pokémon. Because it was a popular fad a few years ago and had a successful spin off TV series, popular consciousness assumes that its something for kids. But that'd be like saying that Batman is aimed exclusively at homosexuals, if judged only on the camp 1960s series. (Although I found this whilst doing some research. Weird.)

The Pokémon games are good though - although when you actually think about what goes on in them, it is perhaps the most morally bankrupt video game ever made, even more so than Grand Theft Auto.

The central premise of the Pokémon games revolves around animal cruelty - as the player it is your job to capture and enslave wild animals, taking them out of their natural habitat and forcing them into impossibly small balls. You'll only ever let them out when you want to pit them against each other in a meaningless fight that will last until one of the parties is rendered unconscious.

It's not as if the fight will mean anything, it's not as if they're being used out of necessity to defend the Pokémon world from some great Nazi evil - it's purely a blood sport like cock fighting, bear-baiting or bull fighting, with prize money and badges awarded to the victorious Pokémon's owner.

Apologists will claim that it isn't as bad as real blood sports - the Pokémon are only knocked unconscious after all - but they still feel pain. They'll be frozen, burnt, psychologically tortured (ie: confused) and paralysed regularly, all in the name of sport. You can take your team of Pokémon to a 'Pokémon Centre' to restore their health - after you have healed your Pokémon the nurse there says "We hope to see you again!", which sounds like a friendly thing to say until you consider that she is essentially saying: "continue to force the animals you have enslaved to fight each other".

It gets worse - players are encouraged to pump drugs into their Pokémon to heighten their fighting abilities.

In the game's overworld, the player can enter any buildings they wish - committing the crime of breaking and entering. They are even allowed to take any discarded items that may have been left lying around... which is theft.

Some of the central characters in the games are euphemistically referred to as a "Pokémon Researchers" or "Pokémon Professors", when all they really do is test on animals.

Nintendo seem hell-bent on pushing a pro-animal cruelty agenda. It sickens me. Although it is a damn good game.

Page written by Psythor.

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COMMENTS
The Librarian on Tue 01 May 2007 15:36:15 UTC.
I'm not sure what to make of this. I guess if you look at anything from a certain perspective you can make it sound cruel. Even Pokémon. But still, this made me laugh.
Pinsir24 on Tue 01 May 2007 16:08:40 UTC.
Sick is a good thing now isn't it?
Psythor on Tue 01 May 2007 16:21:22 UTC.
I don't think I'm cool enough to ever use the word "sick" in the "good" sense.
on Tue 01 May 2007 16:35:16 UTC.
I'm going to spoil the fun and say what drew me into Pokémon... well, to keep it short, the biggest thing being playing all sorts of RPGs with all sorts of enemies and weird creatures, and wondering to myself "Wouldn't it be cool if the monsters were your friends or could fight along side you?" I think the idea of Pokémon really clicked for me because of that. Because I like all sorts of weird creatures. That being said, think of it as any other RPG-- just replace knights, wizards, monsters, and evil warlords with hideous mutated animals and the people who [s]beat[/s] care for them.
Sappy on Tue 01 May 2007 17:43:22 UTC.
I agree... Down with pokemon up with me =P
qazz42 on Tue 01 May 2007 22:01:28 UTC.
this is noT TRUE
Link_41 on Wed 02 May 2007 13:59:30 UTC.
Hmmm... maybe the BBFC or whoever should make Pokémon an 18 now... with drugs, violence, etc...
Poison2008 on Thu 03 May 2007 18:55:51 UTC.
Nuuu xD then my lil sis cant play it, shes only 17, and under 18 xD
qazz42 on Thu 03 May 2007 21:06:30 UTC.
i cant beleve you did this,I happen to love pokemon u stink
Miel on Fri 04 May 2007 03:56:14 UTC.
it's a game. there are a lot of game that involves killing other people with no reason. LOL!! I'll stick to pokemon. In the anime, th game's RPG is somewhat different but the feel of the game is there. In the anime, there are pokemon that wants to be with you and that's what they've done with Ash and it contradicts what the game is for "capture that pokemon". Oh well, we have different opinions, hope for the best
Kiil on Wed 09 May 2007 23:40:52 UTC.
Yes it would be sick and cruel... if it were in real life. Just a game after all. But I thought this was a well thought out topic. It made me laugh in places. But yes it would be sick if it was real or if the pokemon could actually show emotion in the game but since they can't my pokemon must stay enslaved until I get bored.
on Sat 12 May 2007 14:11:46 UTC.
this is for qazz42. i love pokemon 2,i dont under stand why they wrote this
Simirror on Sun 13 May 2007 23:58:50 UTC.
This sounds fake!
on Mon 14 May 2007 22:14:35 UTC.
Well, I believe we are forgetting something - The Pokemon actually ENJOY battles. Their happiness goes up, they grow stronger and even evolve into a stronger form. And, of course, they agree to fight. If you were an animal with the ability to shoot lightning or breathe fire, would you obey a ten year old brat's order if you didn't want to?
on Sat 08 Sep 2007 18:41:26 UTC.
whats wrong with every one? I LOVE THIS! REPEAT: LOVE THIS! It's so true! Pokémon is sick! And old lady kept trying to get me in bed in Pokémon Ruby, A girl molested my Pokémon in Pokémon Diamond and everyone seems obsessed with making the poor things fight! I guess the player gets his/her come-upence though. After all, we are cursed for a life of only saying "Yes" or "No" for our Pokémon abuse.
on Fri 14 Sep 2007 14:09:44 UTC.
Omg that old lady is disturbing! REST she says, REST! What do you think you're REALLY doing in that bad during the time lapse when the screen goes dark, hmm??
Simirror on Sun 21 Oct 2007 19:34:33 UTC.
@ Dane Bramage:Yes, if they were nice and respectful. *points at my 2nd grade teacher!* D=
skittymaster/pokemonSLR on Sat 12 Apr 2008 17:22:44 UTC.
omg pokemon is not cruel when they die or faint they easily get revived and pokemon are far more different then animals because they are poket-monsters (pokemon) and they must get healed just as animals would when they get hurt. AND THE KEY IS THAT THEY EARN OUR TRUST, UNLESS YOU HAV'NT GOT TRUST THEN POKEMON WONT OBEY YOU
Blazemaster26: 80's Addicted on Tue 22 Jul 2008 21:41:43 UTC.
Whoa. this really makes pokemon sound sick.But i'm afraid i'll have to object. First they aren't drugs. they're vitamins. And they they want to fight. Of course the part about enslaving sounds in a way right. But in a way I suppose thaat pokemon would know about pokeballs.If they don't wanna get caught they shouldn't jump you. Besides half the stuff in the game is lying in the middle of the forest or is given to you. Ever heard of finders keepers!Another thing do pokemon bleed? probably but they don't do it in battle.thank you for reading. P.S. Raise your mouse if you take vitamins.
Guest on Thu 28 Aug 2014 20:52:22 UTC.
I hate to say this... while I get your meaning those are not real animals at all. Pokemon's empire revolves around the least known Manga, the pop culture "hit" television series, the once imfamous card game, and of course the numerous video games. While the premise of the games ect. may be forcing these creatures to fight and while it may or may not promote real animal fights (I tend to go with not) these are not real animals and are art work pixels, and drawings. And unless we are completely insane this does not add up to them feeling pain since in reality they do not possess a nervous system or anything close to the requirements to become self aware. Pushing pro animal cruelty would require them to come out and say "lets do this with real animals" but when I was a kid and watched that television show not once did I ever see the hero when a pokemon was being bullied just turn a blind eye nor did I see any "pokemon experts" testing on the animals with chemicals or anything that would in fact be seen to be cruel. While forcing them to fight may be these animals are seemingly wanting to fight these battles in that cartoon. In fact if the show indicates right the pokemon is turned into energy and that energy is encapuslated in the ball therefore it is not in a cramped space. Heck the only ones cruel to the pokemon would be the villains. And if the villains were doing nothing but being nice they wouldn't be villains. I don't exactly see you complaining that Batman promotes killing, bank robbing and cruelty to humans. This would be because all of it is fake. End of story. While I care nothing for pokemon as an adult i see o point in a rant about things that are not real or villains being villains.