Banned Pokemon Episodes

 

Media Clips:
Banned Episode #18 Clip – (955KB, WMV)

 

Banned 1 – Episode 18 – Holiday at Acopaulo (Beauty and the Beach)
Synopsis: Click here

 

Episode Pictures: Click here

 

Reason: To win a swimsuit contest, James wore an inflatable suit to look like a women. There is a scene where he makes fun of Misty because she isn’t as well built up there as he is with his suit on. Obviously the censors didn’t like James being dressed up as a women, so this episode was banned.

 

Aired: On June 24, 2000, Kids WB! finally aired this long lost episode, but heavily censored. Obviously the scene where James taunts his chest is cut, but some other things were changed too. The episode for some reason had the “Pokemon World” opening theme because it was aired during season 2, even though the episode is from the first season. Originally Ash’s mom wins the swimsuit contest and gets a trophy, but in the dub Ash gets the trophy for saving everyone from Team Rocket. This episode was a Kids WB! exclusive, so it hasn’t been shown outside of America, not even in Canada.
Banned 2 – Episode 19 – Tentacool and Tentacruel
Synopsis: Click here

 

Episode Pictures: N/A

 

Reason: Due to the use of Nastina’s bazooka, this episode has been removed from syndication. I was surprised that this episode wasn’t banned before, since Nastina actually fires at Tentacruel and hits it, but doesn’t hurt it.

 

Aired: Until recently this episode has been aired many times. If you really want to see it you can pick up a copy of the VHS tape and watch it.
Banned 3 – Episode 35 – The Legend of Dratini
Synopsis: Click here

 

Episode Pictures: Click here

 

Reason: This episode was banned because of the frequent use of guns. The Safari Warden fires at Team Rocket, but doesn’t hit them. When Team Rocket capture the Warden, they hold a gun to his head to make him tell where to find the Dratini. There is also a scene where Jessie flips up her skirt for the Warden. In many episodes of Pokemon guns are seen, but this is the first and only to actually use them. After all the school shootings, this episode was deemed inappropriate and wasn’t aired. This is an important episode, since Ash catches a whole heard of Tauros. Without this episode, Ash just magically has them and uses them with no explanation of how he obtained them.

 

Aired: This episode has been dubbed, but has yet to be aired.
Banned 4 – Episode 38 – Electric Soldier Porygon
Synopsis: Click here

 

Episode Pictures: Click here

 

Reason: This is the most famous banned episode, since it caused over 700 kids seizures, vomiting, irritated eyes and other symptoms after viewing Pikachu shocking some vaccine missiles and making them explode. This caused Pokemon to be taken off the air for 4 months in Japan and almost cancelled. Nintendo was blamed for this and Pokemon has taken a lot of criticism due to this.

 

Aired: This episode was only aired once and has been forbidden to ever air again, even in Japan.
Banned 5 – Episode 252 – The Ice Cave!
Synopsis: N/A

 

Episode Pictures: N/A

 

Reason: Mosty recently banned because Team Rocket purposely gives Brock the flu, which include symptoms of SARS (Severe Acute Respitory Sydrome). I would just like to go on record and say that I live in Toronto and by no means does everyone have SARS. Due to SARS, we have lost billions of dollars in tourism, so I think I could have handled this episode. So come back to Toronto, we are now SARS free! People have speculated that it was banned due to the fact that Brock almost kissed Jynx, but that could have easily been cut. Nothing significant happens in this episode, so it isn’t a big deal that it was skipped.

 

Aired: This episode was never dubbed and has yet to air. There’s a chance that it could be dubbed later, but we’ll just have to wait and see.