May's fifth and final Contest and the episode before it MAYBE banned in the US

[Zak]

I'm going to try and avoid spoilers, but I figured it would be better to post this out here since when it gets skipped a lot of you will probably be wondering how she got her fifth ribbon.

Of course, it isn't in stone that they are banned, they may just be aired out of order. But according to Kids WB, these three episodes are skipped. However, they were dubbed as they recently aired in Britain, so this isn't 4kids' fault, it's Kids WB's fault if they don't air. Once again, this contest features Jynx, but the animators specifically made it PURPLE, hence it being dubbed.
Here's to hoping that this is nothing more than either a mistake or them messing up and airing things out of order. Problem is, the schedule without these seems to go all the way to the Grand Festival and it would be awkward to air them after.
While Jynx isn't in the episode before it, the only reason I can think of for skipping it is because it sorta leads into it and it wouldn't make sense.


~Zak

[mr_pikachu]

Aw, you've gotta be kidding me! This is even worse than skipping the Tauros episode... it's like missing the last Gym battle of a league!

This had better be a mistake. Kids WB's made some stupid moves recently, but if they do this... >_<;;;

[homeofmew]

that is pretty bad imo zak they prolly won't slip it just make is a shiney jynx for goodness sakes

[mr_pikachu]

...Well, I've unfortunately missed the last few weekends of shows on Kids WB (hence why I hate that they now only show them on weekends), but I have checked on which episodes were at least supposed to air on each weekend, and I did so from multiple sources. Unless I'm mistaken, last weekend featured Ash's last Hoenn Gym battle, which comes before the last contest in the episode timeline I found here. This week, the Kids WB website says that the new episodes will be "The Ribbon Cup Caper!" and "Hi Ho Silver Wind". These, naturally, are supposed to take place after May's fifth Contest. So it looks like Zak may be right, unless I've missed something.

The idiots at the WB are complete and total morons. Enough said.


EDIT: Sorry; I misspoke. Er, mistyped. Last week featured "Berry, Berry Interesting" and "Less is Morrison", which were supposed to be after May's fifth Contest. The week before was "Showdown at Linoone" and "Who, What, When, Where, Wynaut?" - also after the fifth Contest. But the week before that, Ash won his eighth badge, so the timeline still seems to have jumped over the last Contest.

(If I did miss something here, please let me know so that I can stop looking like a fool...)

[Gnight]

Ok, it's confirmed. The episode when May won her 5th ribbin was skipped all because Jynx was in it.

[mr_pikachu]

I see you're watching "The Ribbon Cup Caper" as well.

*grumbles*

I guess all we can hope for now is its inclusion in the Advanced Battle DVD set, or something. Of course, I don't doubt that its inclusion would confuse a lot of American fans, but I don't care. I'm too ****ed off.

I understand some censorship in dubbing. After all, Japanese culture is way different than the culture of America; a lot of norms and values are different. That's all well and good. But this has gotten ridiculous; at some point you've gotta let it go!


EDIT: ...You know what I just realized?

"Hi Ho Silver Wind!" has a Jynx in one scene, as well. And it was shown...

Kids WB keeps screwing up, again and again. >_<

[Zak]

They didn't cut that part out?

[mr_pikachu]

Well, there were a bunch of Pokemon falling from the sky after a big explosion, if I remember correctly. Jynx was easily seeable among them; it wasn't just one of a hundred or anything like that.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

What is this with Jynx anyway? Am I correct, didn't they also ban the Ice Cave episode? There was a Jynx in a major role and a dozen of others in Holiday Hi-Jynx, too!

[mr_pikachu]

Quite right. One was prominently featured in a battle during "The Mandarin Island Miss Match". (For those who don't remember it from the title, that was the Prima episode.

Yeah. Now you remember.)

[Zak]

Well, there were a bunch of Pokemon falling from the sky after a big explosion, if I remember correctly. Jynx was easily seeable among them; it wasn't just one of a hundred or anything like that.

Interesting. I was half asleep during the episode, so I must have missed that part.

Seriously though, did you know that in "All Things Bright and Beautifly" (the episode where May is introduced to Contests) there's about five seconds with a Jynx trainer, and that was cut out? This is the same thing... but it wasn't. I guess this is a good sign.

[mr_pikachu]

Maybe if it's onscreen for more than three seconds, they have to drop it? The Jynx was only onscreen for a moment, but it took up a good portion of the screen. It wasn't in the foreground, true, but nevertheless...

Frankly, I'd almost rather that they change the storyline and just say May failed to get the fifth ribbon in time, so she's out of the Ribbon Cup. ...Well, okay, I'm exaggerating. But it's still a ridiculous break in the continuity. The Tauros thing was almost acceptable, since Ash only used one in a few battles (although the herd was mentioned a few times in various episodes), but as I've said before cutting out May's fifth Contest is like dropping Ash's last badge battle. I had to explain the whole thing to a couple of people I know who watch the anime, and after several explanations, they were still confused. (I'm pretty sure one of them still thinks he missed the episode... )

[Mr.Pokemon]

I've been out of the loop with the show for several weeks now, but I'm actually quite surprised that they still ban episodes!

What is this with Jynx anyway? Am I correct, didn't they also ban the Ice Cave episode? There was a Jynx in a major role and a dozen of others in Holiday Hi-Jynx, too!

It has something to do with a woman named Carole Boston Weatherford, an African American author, who was offended by Jynx, saying that Jynx was a sterotype of blacks. She published several articles about this. Because of her campaign, Nintendo apologized, changed Jynx's face from black to purple. At the same time, the WB agreed with her to ban any episode that showed any Jynx in any way.

Hope that helps. I think Wikipedia has the links to some of her infamous articles on her page there.

[Zak]

Good news. As I expected, the three episodes are airing next weekend. Horribly out of order, yes, but they are airing.



~Zak

[mr_pikachu]

I was hoping they'd at least try to hide the order mistake a little, but it's pretty obvious now that we've seen Snorunt (which evolved into Glalie before the already-shown Ribbon Cup).

It's like the Safari Zone all over again...

[Blademaster]

I haven't watched Pokemon since around the time Ash battled the second Gym Leader (the guy with the Hariyama and the bad haircut), but I think that what these people are doing is completely retarded.

One person complains about a Pokemon, and it suddenly has to be scrubbed from the map?

And Jynx is offensive... That's a load of crap - how stupid do you have to be to look at a cartoon character that lives at the North Pole and think 'Oh my God, THAT'S ME!' How stupid?

And the inconsistency is what pisses me off, too - has any 1 Mexican openly complained about Ludicolo? No.

Has any 1 Arab openly complained about Medicham? No.

Has any 1 Hawaiian openly complained about Bellossom? No.

Has any 1 woman openly complained about Ralts/Kirlia/Gardevoir? No.

Has any 1 fat person complained about Snorlax/Munchlax? No.

Has any 1 white psychic openly complained about Kadabra/Alakazam?

...

Yes! Yes, they have, but THAT hasn't been changed! WTF!?

[mr_pikachu]

You misunderstand. It's not a matter of whether one person complains. The problem is when one famous person complains.

However, as for those points...

I don't think Pokemon can legally be shown in many Arab nations, so they wouldn't complain about any specific Pokemon, at least.

I also don't see why a woman would complain about the Gardevoir line; most people like them, actually. (Also, they aren't necessarily female, but that point is moot since the complainers never bother to learn anything about the target of their whining.)

If a person complained about Munch/Snorlax, they'd be admitting that they're fat. And most people don't really want to do that.

Kadabra actually has drawn some complaints, albeit from non-psychics. It was used by some religious critics as part of their argument that Pokemon are evil, since it has a star on its forehead. (OMG, it's a five-pointed star! It must be EVIL! Oh noes!)

Jynx, however, appears to be somewhat rotund, which was the reason for the initial complaint. It was initially colored black, so the lady said it was some sort of stereotypical black woman. And she then said that if Jynx was a stereotypical black, then it's saying that all black women are fat.

And yes, it was a moronic argument. I'm still irritated that anyone bought into it for a second.

[Hatake Kakashi]

Kadabra actually has drawn some complaints, albeit from non-psychics. It was used by some religious critics as part of their argument that Pokemon are evil, since it has a star on its forehead. (OMG, it's a five-pointed star! It must be EVIL! Oh noes!)

Haha. Jokes on them, it's actually a symbol that is commonly seen in ESP/telekinesis tests.
Spoons(bending a spoon with the power of your mind)
wavey lines, stars("predect the next card" is circle, square, waves, star, triangle, and sometimes simple lines.)
The beard/mustache could be based on the old kung fu movies where martial arts masters would do stuff like levitate and throw people around without moving.

And she then said that if Jynx was a stereotypical black, then it's saying that all black women are fat.

It's also saying that all black women are powerful psychics with limited control over ice as well.

[Blademaster]

The problem is when one famous person complains.

------------------------------------------------------------

Kadabra actually has drawn some complaints, albeit from non-psychics.

I don't care if she's famous or not - I still stand by my defense that if you are a black person who sees Jynx as an offensive, stereotypical black woman, then you're just as stupid, if not moreso, than the people who complained that the Taco Bell chihuahua was a stereotype of Mexicans.

And Kadabra has so drawn complaints from a famous psychic: Uri Geller, who sued over the use of his image.

So, I'm wondering why is it that when a black woman complained about a Pokemon's appearance, it was changed, but when a Jewish man complained about a Pokemon's appearance, nobody did anything to change it. How odd...

[notable sarcasm]

Jynx, however, appears to be somewhat rotund

Jynx wears a dress. How can you tell what she looks like underneath? It's not like Jynx was bald, half-naked, and had a cigarette and about 2 dozen facial piercings!



I swear, people are SO stupid...

[Dark Dragonite]

Because there are more bleeding hearts for black people, if you look at history, Jews have had it a hell of a lot harder than blacks...Also realize, UPN took over WB...

[Zak]

And Kadabra has so drawn complaints from a famous psychic: Uri Geller, who sued over the use of his image.

Actually, it wasn't the use of his image that he sued for, it was the use of his name. Kadabra's Japanese name, Yungellar, is after him. Abra and Alakazam are also named after famous magicians/psychics.


~Zak