Highlights
- The Pokemon anime series used to feature holidays like Christmas, but started pulling back to avoid excluding viewers who don’t celebrate those holidays.
- In an episode titled “Holiday Hi-Jynx,” Santa Claus made an appearance in Pokemon, but the episode is now banned in America due to controversy surrounding the portrayal of the Pokemon Jynx.
- Jynx, a psychic Pokemon accused of being a racial stereotype of African Americans, was modified in the episode to have purple skin in Japan, but the episode has never been dubbed into English, thus remaining banned in America.
While Pokemon may be one of the most popular anime of all time, the question of which holidays are considered “canon” by fans has been a bit murky (and a hot topic of discussion) among fans over the years. While holiday decorations for the series pop up every year, the anime rarely touches on holidays. Or, at least, they don’t anymore.
When the series first premiered, it featured many Japanese holidays early on (like Kid’s Day and Hinamatsuri). When the show started becoming popular worldwide, the show started pulling back on presenting holidays in case they may not be celebrated in particular countries. This change came late in the show though, and early on Christmas was tackled in the series and even had appearances by none other than Santa Claus himself!
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What About That Time Santa Claus Appeared in Pokemon?
Santa Claus made his Pokemon debut in an episode titled Holiday Hi-Jynx. The episode in question is in season 1, episode 39. The events in the episode follow heroes Ash Ketchum, Misty, and Brock, who are continuing their journey through the Kanto region when they come across a Jynx, a Pokemon known for its ice and psychic abilities. What makes this particular Jynx unique is that it has a Santa Claus-like appearance, wearing a red dress and hat, and it is seen carrying a sack of presents.
The story revolves around Ash and his friends trying to figure out the mystery behind the Jynx and its mission. They soon learn that Jynx is on a mission to deliver presents to children during the Christmas season, similar to the role of Santa Claus. However, there are some complications and misunderstandings along the way, including Team Rocket attempting to steal the presents.
As the episode unfolds, Ash and his friends assist Jynx and Santa with delivering the presents and ensuring that children receive their gifts for the holidays. Originally debuting on October 5, 1998 (December 11, 1999 in America), this was the first of only four appearances Santa made on the show. Sadly, if you want to watch it, you will have a very difficult time doing so, as the episode is now banned in America.
Why is the Episode Banned?
For those who may want to view this particular episode this holiday season, we must mention that the episode has been pulled from rotation because of the inclusion of Jynx, a psychic Pokemon who mainly paralyzes other Pokemon by kissing them. The problem is Jynx has been accused of being a racial stereotype of African Americans.
The issue was first brought to light by Carole Boston Weatherford, an American author and critic, who wrote a popular article that caused Nintendo to take a second look at their creation. Soon afterward, it was decided that the depiction of Jynx could be seen as offensive, and steps were taken to correct the situation.
While the episode can still be obtained on VHS and on the Indigo League Volume 3 DVD Pack Set, it never re-aired in syndication. Furthermore, the episode is not available on Netflix or the Pokemon Channel app. Reruns of the episode have aired in Japan but have been modified to change Jynx’s black skin to purple. This version of the episode has never been dubbed into English, so the episode effectively remains banned in America. While it’s a shame that Santa’s first appearance had to be mired in controversy, it IS nice to know that Santa Claus is officially canon in the world of Pokemon.
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