Pokémon turns 30 in 2026, but not everything about the world’s biggest media franchise is cute and cuddly. From mass seizures in Japan to Burger King’s toy recall after a child’s death, banned episodes, swastikas on trading cards, and Pokémon GO becoming such a sensation that it became a talking point during a US presidential election, the history of Pokémon overlaps with some very strange corners of real life. We’re breaking down some of the most notable controversies, debacles, incidents, snafus and hubbubs from Pokémon’s 30-year history (the ones Nintendo doesn’t want you to remember.)
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Introduction
01:20 – Pokémon Shock (1997): The Episode That Sent 685 Kids to the Hospital
04:30 – MissingNo., Mew, and the Urban Legends of the First Games
06:18 – Burger King’s Deadly Pokéball Toys (1999)
08:18 – Banned Episodes & Anime Censorship Explained
09:59 – The Jynx Controversy & Ash’s Blackface Incident
11:05 – The Pokémon Manga’s Dark Secret
11:47 – Trading Card Bans, Swastikas, and the Gambling Debate
13:32 – The Vatican vs. Pokémon (And Why the Pope Blessed It)
16:02 – Pokémon Go: Accidents, Deaths, and a Presidential Scandal
19:12 – Pokémon Go’s Political Takeover
21:01 – The Pokémon Card Market: Millions, Speculation & Armed Robbery
26:00 – 30 Years Later: Why None of It Slowed Pokémon Down
From the “Pokémon Shock” episode that caused a nationwide panic in Japan all the way to the astronomical rise of the Trading Card Game’s secondary market, Logan Paul’s $16.5 million Pikachu Illustrator card sale and a subsequent spike in high-profile card shop thefts, we take a wild ride through pop culture, censorship, religious panic, and billion-dollar speculation.
Whether you grew up with the original 151 or you’re still playing Pokémon GO today, this is a crash course in some of the many times Pikachu and company were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Subscribe to IGN for more Pokémon history, and be sure to check out our deep dives on how Pokémon owes its success to one of Nintendo’s least popular accessories:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87n6M4ZFh-s&t=140s
And our latest Pokémon Reviews:
Pokémon Pokopia –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scRb28lD7t4
Pokémon Champions –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=degBlN01LvY
#Pokemon #PokemonHistory