PokéFact: That Episode With Guns
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Back in December, I posted a fact about anime episode 38, Electric Soldier Porygon, which was banned because it caused seizures. Well, if we go back three episodes to 35 we can find another banned episode.
The Legend of Dratini, was first broadcast on November 25th, 1997 in Japan, but was never broadcast in the the States, or most countries outside of Asia. This is due to the profanity and the use of firearms.
Summary of the episode is that Ash and friends are touring the Safari Zone. They sing. A guy named Kaiser is the caretaker of the Safari Zone, and he is rather mental. And they find out the rumor that a Dratini lives in the Safari Zone is true, and Kaiser was trying to protect it. Of course, Team Rocket shows up and they end up losing. The End.
Now, this doesn't sound like such a bad episode, except that Kaiser's best friend is a gun that he named Thunderbolt. Apparently, pointing a gun at the head of a ten year old is very offensive. Who would've guessed?
So several times, Kaiser threatens Ash & friends with his gun. (He seriously tells them to shut up while they are singing, and when Ash ask him what his problem is, he takes out his gun, points it at him and ask 'Do you want to get shot?') Shots are fired at Team Rocket. And in one scene Meowth is wearing a Hitler costume, mustache and all.
Although the English version was never aired, dubbed copies were created and still exist.
Since the episode was banned, it created plot holes for the non-Japan viewers? Ever wonder why Ash randomly had a Tauros? Yeah, he caught it in this episode. They also use some footage of Dratini, Dragonair, and Rhyhorn from this episode in the Pokerap.
Wow, don't you miss these pointless facts?
