Is Pokemon racist?

Random User · 10-29-2009, 06:08 PM

Because seriously, the only not white character seems to Brock and his family. Whats more they made Brock a pervert, and Brock's dad a failure at being a trainer...

Robotazy · 10-29-2009, 06:15 PM

It's like most anime in existence.

It's not like Japanese ever see non Japanese people.

Luigiman7 · 10-29-2009, 06:22 PM

It is unclear as to what Brock is.

**Valigarmander** · 10-29-2009, 06:32 PM

I thought this thread was going to be about this.

**Marchie** · 10-29-2009, 06:46 PM

Me too, and I was going to say that you were about 10 years late.

Luigiman7 · 10-29-2009, 06:52 PM

^^ Jinx looks like she's charging her lazer.

Vgfian · 10-29-2009, 07:03 PM

Actually, now there's one more.

The brain of the Battle Arcade is black in Platinum.

**Valigarmander** · 10-29-2009, 07:04 PM

So, when light-skinned characters have flaws, it's okay.

But when a dark-skinned character is less than perfect, it's racist?

PK FIRE! · 10-29-2009, 07:42 PM

If I learned one thing and one thing only from my History and Political SCi classes it's Whiteman = evil incarnate.

- You stupid dog.

***CaptHayfever*** · 10-29-2009, 09:40 PM

Ahem,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yugi

The only characters on this show who represent America are Jean Claude Magnum, Rebecca Hawkins, Maximillion Pegasus, and Bandit Keith. Is it just me, or is Yu-Gi-Oh the most xenophobic show ever?

And remember, "I'm-a Charizard, number, well, six."

Metal Man · 10-29-2009, 09:55 PM

You could say the same about American shows lacking diversity, truthfully.

But I believe it to be racist to go about finding racism where there is none/you have to make up why it's racist and explain it for several sentences.

Since in the end, racism is usually something which goes 'Race X is as a whole Y.'

Brock's depiction... could be taken that way, except we now know there's two people and the Frontier Brain is obviously NOT a bad trainer.

On the other hand, Jynx was definitely made based off of people wearing blackface, which in turn generally insults black people. So it makes sense they changed the color.

Although later on I heard it was based on something unrelated--still, it's better to be safe than to accidentally remind people of something blatant.

So. Brock's depiction is probably closer to anti-Brock than racist.

...Although the Yu-gi-oh one seems to be racist, as it does imply white people as a whole as being crazy, nasty, psychopathic jerks.

As... they're all white, and 90% of them all have those traits, even though in real life white people are as variable as anyone else.

...

This has been my over-analysis of this topic. Please proceed to glaze your eyes over.

**X-3** · 10-29-2009, 09:55 PM

That's a bit of a stretch. They're just character traits.

And isn't everyone in the anime supposed to be Japanese-like?

Eagle Eye · 10-30-2009, 02:08 AM

It's a stretch to find anything negative about Brock. He's obviously the maturity of the show, so if he's meant to be "the black character", then I think that's a compliment, seeing as the crew is generally lost without him.

It's a stretch to dub Pokemon racist. Pun not intended.

Dark Seraphim · 10-30-2009, 10:11 AM

One thing people need to remember, Jynx was only controversal in the US, things like Blackface are not really that big a deal in Japan . . . probabaly because its not making fun of their own culture.

I was always surprised that Ludicolo never was considered more racist, I mean its a duckbilled dancing idiot in a sombraro and poncho, looking likes trying to have a fiesta . . . maybe that's just more acceptable than blackface?

Random User · 10-31-2009, 11:37 AM

OK, I admit I did stretch it by calling it racist.

10-29-2009, 06:08 PM	#1
Random User Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Equestrian Republic of Spanglidesh Gender: Posts: 3,562 Thanks: 320 Thanked 195 Times in 143 Posts Blog Entries: 4	Is Pokemon racist? Because seriously, the only not white character seems to Brock and his family. Whats more they made Brock a pervert, and Brock's dad a failure at being a trainer...

10-29-2009, 06:22 PM	#3
Luigiman7 ヽ(◔ ◡ ◔)ノ.･ﾟ*｡･+☆ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ~)´◡｀(~ Gender: Posts: 17,605 Thanks: 1,134 Thanked 1,012 Times in 713 Posts Blog Entries: 8	It is unclear as to what Brock is. __________________ ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ＷＯＮ’Ｔ　ＹＯＵ　ＢＥＣＯＭＥ　Ａ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬ？

10-29-2009, 06:52 PM	#6
Luigiman7 ヽ(◔ ◡ ◔)ノ.･ﾟ*｡･+☆ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ~)´◡｀(~ Gender: Posts: 17,605 Thanks: 1,134 Thanked 1,012 Times in 713 Posts Blog Entries: 8	^^ Jinx looks like she's charging her lazer. __________________ ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ＷＯＮ’Ｔ　ＹＯＵ　ＢＥＣＯＭＥ　Ａ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬ？

10-29-2009, 06:15 PM	#2
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,483 Thanks: 529 Thanked 1,254 Times in 897 Posts Blog Entries: 46	It's like most anime in existence. It's not like Japanese ever see non Japanese people.

10-29-2009, 06:32 PM	#4
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,700 Times in 2,580 Posts Blog Entries: 20	I thought this thread was going to be about this.

10-29-2009, 06:46 PM	#5
Marchie Pokeman Master since 1999 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Wiscaaaaaaaaaaansin/Michigan Gender: Posts: 16,647 Thanks: 1,442 Thanked 680 Times in 477 Posts	Me too, and I was going to say that you were about 10 years late.

10-29-2009, 07:03 PM	#7
Vgfian Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Listening to Seeking 7 Seven and giving out free hugs. :) Gender: Posts: 6,862 Thanks: 2,433 Thanked 398 Times in 311 Posts	Actually, now there's one more. The brain of the Battle Arcade is black in Platinum.

10-29-2009, 07:04 PM	#8
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,700 Times in 2,580 Posts Blog Entries: 20	So, when light-skinned characters have flaws, it's okay. But when a dark-skinned character is less than perfect, it's racist?

10-29-2009, 07:42 PM	#9
PK FIRE! Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: On the run. Gender: Posts: 9,544 Thanks: 175 Thanked 150 Times in 120 Posts	If I learned one thing and one thing only from my History and Political SCi classes it's Whiteman = evil incarnate. - You stupid dog.

10-29-2009, 09:55 PM	#11
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	You could say the same about American shows lacking diversity, truthfully. But I believe it to be racist to go about finding racism where there is none/you have to make up why it's racist and explain it for several sentences. Since in the end, racism is usually something which goes 'Race X is as a whole Y.' Brock's depiction... could be taken that way, except we now know there's two people and the Frontier Brain is obviously NOT a bad trainer. On the other hand, Jynx was definitely made based off of people wearing blackface, which in turn generally insults black people. So it makes sense they changed the color. Although later on I heard it was based on something unrelated--still, it's better to be safe than to accidentally remind people of something blatant. So. Brock's depiction is probably closer to anti-Brock than racist. ...Although the Yu-gi-oh one seems to be racist, as it does imply white people as a whole as being crazy, nasty, psychopathic jerks. As... they're all white, and 90% of them all have those traits, even though in real life white people are as variable as anyone else. ... This has been my over-analysis of this topic. Please proceed to glaze your eyes over.

10-29-2009, 09:55 PM	#12
X-3 Useful as an Owl Join Date: Jan 2004 Gender: Posts: 15,943 Thanks: 753 Thanked 1,213 Times in 790 Posts Blog Entries: 10	That's a bit of a stretch. They're just character traits. And isn't everyone in the anime supposed to be Japanese-like?

10-30-2009, 02:08 AM	#13
Eagle Eye Diddy bops Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Birmingham, AL Gender: Posts: 15,014 Thanks: 1,616 Thanked 1,084 Times in 597 Posts	It's a stretch to find anything negative about Brock. He's obviously the maturity of the show, so if he's meant to be "the black character", then I think that's a compliment, seeing as the crew is generally lost without him. It's a stretch to dub Pokemon racist. Pun not intended.

10-30-2009, 10:11 AM	#14
Dark Seraphim Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Gender: Posts: 431 Thanks: 4 Thanked 20 Times in 15 Posts	One thing people need to remember, Jynx was only controversal in the US, things like Blackface are not really that big a deal in Japan . . . probabaly because its not making fun of their own culture. I was always surprised that Ludicolo never was considered more racist, I mean its a duckbilled dancing idiot in a sombraro and poncho, looking likes trying to have a fiesta . . . maybe that's just more acceptable than blackface?

10-31-2009, 11:37 AM	#15
Random User Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Equestrian Republic of Spanglidesh Gender: Posts: 3,562 Thanks: 320 Thanked 195 Times in 143 Posts Blog Entries: 4	OK, I admit I did stretch it by calling it racist.