Pokemon and art censorship

Censorship in children’s entertainment is nothing new. From the establishment of the US Comics Code Authority in the 1950s, which effectively brought about the downfall of EC Comics (Tales of the Crypt, The Vault of Horror), to the recent decision to discontinue half a dozen Dr Seuss books, the PC Police have kept our kids safe from lurid images and racial stereotypes for decades.

I started nerding out on Pokemon cards some time ago and the first “set” I’ve decided to collect is a series of censored cards, where the original Japanese versions were redrawn for a more prudish international (American) audience. There are 10 that I know of – from Black-face Jynx and Pervy Grimer to Naked Misty and Nazi Koga – and I’ve set about collecting both the Japanese originals and their 1st edition do-overs. I’m not going to give it to you all at once – that would be long post and who the hell’s got time for that. So, one at a time… here goes.