Pokémon controversy: Difference between revisions

The Western world generally associates the swastika with the {{wp|fascism|fascist}} and {{wp|racism|racist}} policies of {{wp|Nazi Germany}} during the course of {{wp|World War II}}, as well as hate, prejudice and {{wp|white supremacy}} in general.{{fact}} However, the swastika has its roots as a symbol of peace and good luck by many cultures. The earliest form of the swastika discovered was one used in Ancient India.{{fact}} It also was found in cultures that had no connection with India, such as Native American{{fact}} and First Nation cultures.{{fact}} It was because of its long and ancient history that {{wp|Adolf Hitler}} adopted it as the Nazi Party symbol, as he felt it to be—among other things—a connection to Aryan ancestors who lived in Ancient India.{{fact}}

Since World War II, however, its use has diminished, but it is still commonly used by other cultures who either didn't have any contact with the Nazis or who still identify the swastika more as a symbol of peace than as a symbol of hate. In India and its neighboring countries, the swastika represents love and mercy, as well as wealth and good fortune.{{fact}} In Asian countries, such as China, Japan and (South) Korea, the swastika can be found on maps to represent Buddhist temples.{{fact}} In all of these nations, the swastika can also be found on all kinds of media, businesses, buildings, and clothing like any other symbol. However, it is because of its liberal use that the swastika can create international miscommunications, such as its use on the Japanese version of Koga's Ninja Trick.

Over the years, there has been a growing distaste towards gambling and the exposure of it to minors. Due to the unpredictable "risk-it-all" nature of the activity and the high impressionability of youths (whose brains are still in development and are more likely to be permanently influenced by certain stimuli){{fact}}, more and more people have voiced their opposition towards allowing minors to partake in gambling and/or gambling-esque activities, with gambling in video games falling under particular scrutiny. As a result, the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) organization implemented stricter guidelines that limited gambling to adult-oriented video games and rated all games featuring gambling 18+{{fact}}. While such restrictions are absent in other territories, many nations (the United States in particular) perceive gambling in video games as socially unacceptable, leading to the ''Pokémon'' games slowly phasing the concept out from [[Generation III]] onwards.{{fact}}

Upon the release of {{game|Black and White|s 2|Pokémon Black 2 and White 2}}, {{wp|People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA}} released a mock game named ''Pokémon Black and Blue''. In the game, the player controls the Pokémon to attack the opposing human{{fact}}. PETA claims that the way the Pokémon are "stuffed" into the [[Poké Ball]] is similar to how circus elephants are chained inside railroad carts. Nintendo responded to this by simply stating, "Nintendo and The Pokémon Company take the inappropriate use of our products and intellectual property seriously."{{fact}} Around the release of [[Pokémon X and Y]], PETA released another mock game called ''Pokémon Red, White, and Blue'' that features Nintendo's claimed association with {{wp|McDonald's}} and also makes fun of the frequent release of sister games.{{fact}}

Some {{wp|Christian fundamentalism|fundamentalist Christian}} groups have accused Pokémon as being linked to {{wp|Satanism}} {{fact}}. The following is a summarized and possibly incomplete list of their reasons for this accusation:

*Some claim that if one were to {{wp|backmasking|play backwards}} the [[Kanto Pokérap]], "[[Gotta Catch 'em All!]]" can be heard as "I love you, Satan".<ref>https://kotaku.com/the-time-they-thought-pokemon-was-satanic-1670792676</ref>^{[''inadequate source'']}{{fact}}

Some outspoken, fundamentalist Muslims claimed that Pokémon is a Jewish conspiracy{{fact}} that is intended to brainwash Muslim children to make them renounce their faith{{fact}}. These same groups claimed that the word "Pokémon" is a phrase that means "I am Jewish"{{fact}}, with the claimers and their followers generally unaware of the franchise's Japanese origin{{fact}}. The "Evolution vs. Creationism" conflict was also commonly brought up.{{fact}}