"Racism" in Pokemon

I realize this is an old topic, but I'm a bit... confused I guess. The main problems have come from the Pokemon Jinx.



People have been overreacting about this Pokemon for a very long time for her large lips and dark skin. I don't think this is a huge deal, but once you play the racist card you always win, and Nintendo was forced to slightly redesign the character. Now here's where I'm confused. There is a Pokemon that once I saw its design, I knew people would complain about it. But no one did. Wanna know which? Ludicolo.



It wears a sombrero and what is obviously a poncho on his torso. Plus, listen to the music that plays when you fight a trainer that has four of this Pokemon in Pokemon Colosseum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCuj586K2DQ

I have no problem with this Pokemon, I'm just surprised as all hell that people can complain about the small racial propertied of Jinx and completely overlook the much more obvious stereotypical Mexican look of Ludicolo. Thoughts?

 

I just find the reasoning behind all this quite funny. But all's aside, it is a gd point. Though it might be racist, I can't seem to see how that's "affecting" anything...

 

Well if they made Ludicolo work in tomato fields for 50 cents an hour, then maybe it would be offensive. But sombero's and poncho's are just apart of the mexican culture, like the Dutch and their wooden clogs. And Jinx is more offensive because the pitch black skin and large lips is how blacks were portrayed back when they werent considered equals. Dolls, drawings, etc of blacks used that same offensive look while white ones looked like normal people.

 

I don't find any racism in it at all

 

Seriously... I do not see why they would hammer on Jinx... black face and big lips... so what?

Shoop da whoop is black face and big lips, yet no one ever complained about it being racist.

Maybe Jinx the source of the Shoop Da Whoop face?

 

XD seriously. People can find racism in anything.

 

its because of the episode she was in...I read about it. they actually have a point.

The Ludicolo thing...I actually can see where your coming from...although I'll have to say, there really isnt such thing as "a little racist" and "a little more racist" its either racist or not. Although the animators may/may not have had racist intent, its still racist...which is why there arent any more jinx episodes.

Ludicolo first appeared in saphire/ruby right? If he/she was taken out, I wouldnt be suprised...

pokemon isnt generally racist, but it sways sometimes...

it had a few sexist moments too...

and dont forget the porygon episode...600 japanese kids with seizures...

in case you were wondering ICSP^^^ thats a good point above

 

I'll put it simple for you.

The Mexicans couldn't care if there was a pokemon that sort of looked like what a stereotype portrays. There's no Mexican Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson protesting the ill treatment of the Mexican people because a Japanese made pokemon is wearing a sombrero and a poncho.

Heck, they probabaly see it as a walking cactus with a sombrero and a poncho. Which is what it is.

If they cared, George Lopez would be out of a job.

 

Porygon is worse.

800 kids with seizures.

Jynx has been reworked, now he/she/it has been given purple skin.

I remember a Jynx episode... It had santa claus in it.

(I just realized, Pokemon does not have any of that random stuff like meeting Santa, or fighting a psychic gym leader anymore... It is always training or contests. Probably why the anime is currently... Below par.)

 

I think this thread belongs in The Spam Zone.

 

Yeah, your totally right about that XD

 

Jinx is considered racist probably because its similarity to the 'golly wog' dolls.

Shame that people take a kid game so seriously though,

 

just for everyone's info, here is the episdoe in question with jinx, I found it pretty funny personally, I don't see what the big deal was.

 

they turned the show INTO the game. Only you watch. They play.

 

Oh yeah that episode where James dressed like a chick...

 

Please, this is Pokemon.

The creators wouldn't know how to be racist (or original after season 4 :3) if you shoved it down their throats.

 

Jynx is completely understandable.but Ludicolo? oh please..

 

I saw the banned episode of Jynx. It doesn't have anything racist! Probably some overly racist person thought that Jynx was some kind of 'slave'(Which she/he wasn't.Jynx actually saved Ash and the others! O.o) and started telling people about it,making them protest about it.That lead to Jynx turning purple! That is my theory...

 

Yeah, seems logical.

 

True... Although I think my theory holds true as well.

Oh, and all plot episodes are either contests, training, gym leader battling or helping out a random person they found on the road.

I miss the old pokemon series... It had elements from the game. It also had fresh ideas. It was great.

Now Ash is a Sora clone minus the giant key.