10 Banned Pokemon Episodes From Around The World (And Why)

Pokémon: Indigo League - Season 1 Episode 35

Plot:

The episode sees Ash and friends arrive at the famous Safari Zone, where there is mystery around a Dratini; a Pokémon who previously brought all-comers to the Safari Zone resulting in its destruction. Where Ash and co. go, Team Rocket follow and they have designs on the hyped Dratini.

Call For Censorship:

The Safari Zone finds its inspiration in real life exotic hunting, however, this concept is reimagined and sanitised for the fantastical world. However, somebody decided to keep the firearms, best embodied by the gun-toting, Clint Eastwood inspired warden Kaiser.

Kaiser first pulls a gun on Ash early in the episode for the minor infraction of not "shutting up" when demanded to do so. Ash is also left looking down the barrel of Kaiser's gun for trying to grab Safari Balls before the warden has explained the park protocol. Kaiser gets a taste of his own actions when Team Rocket hold him at gunpoint.

With all of this gunplay, it is little surprising the episode was banned. Even in animation an elderly Clint Eastwood parody pulling his gun out on a child is severely ill placed.