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 Aired: 1998 - Unknown
Show Type: Animated
Country of Origin: JAPAN
Unarguably among the most succesful television shows of all time, Pokemon took the world by storm. and with the incredibly popular series came toys, games, clothing, accesories, and the ever-popular Pokemon trading card game.
Pokemon began as "Pocket Monsters", a roleplaying-style video game for Nintendo's handheld console Game Boy, where the player assumed the role of a "Pokemon-trainer", caught and trained creatures named "Pokemon" that inhabited the world the game was set to, and then used them in battles against other Pokemon-trainers' Pokemon. Later, the game morphed into a cartoon that spread across the world like wild fire. Pokemon was everywhere; from underwear to Kraft's macaroni and cheese. Just about everything under the sun that you could possibly think of was made by Pokemon. Yes, even a Volkswagon car in the shape and color of Pikachu, and an airplane with Pokemon painted on the side.
Pokemon was more about the merchandise-the actual show wasn't excactly stunning-and the cards(which could cost up to $500 depending on rarity) were what made it most famouse. For about three years, it seemed that every single kid between the ages of 5-14 had "Pokemon Fever", an insane obbsession with anything and everything Pokemon. This caused alot of contreversy; more than any cartoon has caused in years. Pokemon was everywhere, even the news, and parents could just about had gone crazy. Kids literally beat each other up for a certain holofoil card, and Burger King restaurants flooded with kids during the time that they were including Pokemon toys in their Kids Meals.
People took advantage of this; stores began selling Pokemon card packs that would normally sell for $3.99, for an outrageous $8-$12 knowing the crazed fans would buy them anyways. There was a Pokemon movie, Mewtwo vs. Mew which of course, attracted many fans. In 2000, another Pokemon movie was released and later, a third which did not attract as many people.
Somewhere around 2002 Pokemon was slowly fading away and by 2005, was nearly forgotten. Today, Pokemon is still adored by many and will perhaps never be erased completely. Not bad for something lasting from 1995 to 2006.
Throughout it's 12 year existance, there have been around 493 "Pokemon" (as of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl) which are fantasy creatures, usually in the shape of a made-up plant or animal. Each Pokemon possessed a different element, and had different powers. Then, there were the humans or "Pokemon trainers" who caught the Pokemon with "Pokeballs" and trained them. Trainers befriended the Pokemon and then fought theirs against other trainer's Pokemon in "Pokemon battles". The more a trainer wins, the stronger his/her Pokemon become, and the strongest trainer becomes a "Pokemon Master". That's pretty much the layout for the show.
Characters include Ash, a 10 year old Pokemon trainer, his Pokemon called "Pikachu"(that's the yellow thing with red cheeks that is the national symbol for Pokemon) and Ash's friends-Brock, Misty, May (Pokemon Advanced), and Dawn (Diamond and Pearl). Together, they are all on an adventure to what seems like the end of the world, and on their way they battle, grow stronger....repeat that over and over again and youv'e got the plot of the show. 4Kids recently gave up the rights to the show. The Poke'mon Company and TAJ Productions are now in charge of the english dubbing. New episodes are airing Saturdays on Cartoon Network at 9 and 9:30 A.M.
There was alot of great episodes of pokemon. Everyones has there favorites, But there was also so some promblems with some episodes to. Pokemon Electirc Soldier (banned) due to 684 Kids Seizures Or Mild Epilepsy/Blindness. The Cause Was Flashing Red/Blue Screens.
Beauty and the beach, Where Misty, Jesse and James enters a beauty pageant (banned) due to James crossdressing when the episode finally aired 4Kids cuts James's cross-dressed scene out.
The legend of dratini (banned) for the use of guns being aimed at people. it was showen Only one time
Now there is a hoilday episode that shouldn't been banned. Ash and the gang are on are travling and they meet santa and also meet santa's hi jynx. The reason why it was banned because of hi jynx. You know, the one with the big lips and blond hair and all black. It's not that jinx is black, it's that it looks like 'blackface' which if you look up, is really offensive. But the creator had intended jinx to look like a japanese demon. It shows sometimes in japan near the hoildays but not in the USA. they only showed it only twice and on DVD and VCR. As a result, later episodes of the anime which feature Jynx were either banned or edited in the United States.
Kids WB banned 2 episodes following the Terrorist Attacks of September 11 (Tentacool and Tentacruel, and Tower of Terror). the 2 episodes aired in the United States before 9/11/2001. Tentacool and Tentacruel showed scenes of buildings being destroyed, while Tower of Terror was banned because the title might remind some younger viewers of the collapse of the World Trade Center.
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