Dennō Senshi Porygon

Denno Senshi Porygon Seizure

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Dennō Senshi Porygon (Cyber Soldier Porygon, often referred to in English as "Electric Soldier Porygon") is the 38th episode of the Pokémon anime series. It is notable for causing seizures in a number of Japanese children, an incident often referred to as "Pokémon Shock". This episode has never been aired outside Japan or rebroadcast in Japan since its initial airing, making it one of the most infamous episodes of the Pokémon series.

Plot

The episode revolves around Ash, Misty, and Brock as they help a scientist named Dr. Akihabara to recover a Pokémon named Porygon from inside the Pokémon digital world, which is being corrupted by a computer virus. The virus is the creation of Team Rocket, who intend to use it to steal Pokémon from the digital storage system. The protagonists use a specially designed Porygon to enter the digital world and combat the virus and Team Rocket's schemes.

Incident

On December 16, 1997, when the episode aired in Japan, approximately 685 viewers were taken to hospitals with symptoms of epilepsy, including seizures, vomiting, and irritated eyes, reportedly caused by a sequence of flashing lights in the episode. This incident was widely reported in international media and led to the Pokémon anime series being put on a four-month hiatus in Japan. It also prompted the producers to remove the episode from rotation and to add warnings to future broadcasts of the series about the potential for flashing lights to cause seizures.

Aftermath

Following the incident, the Pokémon anime underwent several changes, including the removal of intensely flashing light sequences from future episodes and the implementation of more stringent broadcasting standards in Japan for content that could potentially trigger photosensitive reactions. "Dennō Senshi Porygon" has not been aired since its initial broadcast and is often omitted from lists of Pokémon episodes. The incident also had a lasting impact on the reputation of the Pokémon franchise and animated programming in general, leading to increased awareness and research into photosensitive epilepsy.

Cultural Impact

The "Pokémon Shock" incident has been referenced and studied in various academic and cultural contexts as an example of the physical effects media can have on the human body. It has also been cited in discussions about the responsibilities of media producers to their audiences, particularly in relation to content that may pose health risks.

Trivia

• Despite the incident being caused by Pikachu's actions in the episode, Porygon and its evolutions have not appeared in the anime since, leading to a misconception that Porygon was directly responsible for the seizures.
• The episode is sometimes used as a case study in discussions about epilepsy and the effects of visual stimuli on neurological conditions.