Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu riding Porygon

"Electric Soldier Porygon" (でんのうせんしポリゴン, Dennō Senshi Porigon^?, Electronic Brain Soldier Polygon) is the thirty-eighth episode of the original Pokémon anime and was aired on Japanese television in December 16, 1997. It is notable for using visual effects that caused seizures in a number of Japanese viewers. Image File history File links ScreenshotPokemonEpi38. ... Image File history File links ScreenshotPokemonEpi38. ... The Pokémon anime metaseries, based on the video game series, was created in Japan and was then adapted for the North American television market. ... This article is about the medical term, epileptic seizure, as distinct from psychogenic non-epileptic seizure. ...

Synopsis

Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu discover a new Pokémon, Porygon, that can exist in cyberspace. However, Team Rocket is using it to steal trainers' Pokémon from inside the computer system. They meet with Professor Akihabara, who sends them into the computer system to stop Team Rocket. Porygon is able to defeat Team Rocket's Pokémon, but Nurse Joy, monitoring the situation, has sent a vaccine into the system to combat what she thinks is a virus. Pikachu uses a electric bolt attack on the vaccine (the "seizure scene"), and the group and Team Rocket are able to escape the computer. This article or section contains a plot summary that may be overly long, confusing, or ambiguous. ... Misty is a fictional character in the Pokémon franchise, a series of video games, anime, manga, toys, books and other media. ... Brock, known in Japan as Takeshi ), is a character in the fictional world of Pokémon. ... Pikachu ) are one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar[1] Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. ... The official Pokémon logo. ... Porygon ) is a fictional species featured in the Pokémon franchise. ... It has been suggested that Virtual world be merged into this article or section. ... Jessie, James and Meowth in an early episode of the Pokémon anime. ... The official Pokémon logo. ... A Lego RCX Computer is an example of an embedded computer used to control mechanical devices. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... A vaccine is an antigenic preparation used to establish immunity to a disease. ... A computer virus is a computer program written to alter the way a computer operates, without the permission or knowledge of the user. ... Pikachu ) are one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar[1] Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. ...

Controversy

A still of the infamous scene

About 20 minutes into the episode, there was a scene in which Pikachu stops some rockets with his lightning attack, resulting in a huge explosion that flashed red and blue lights. Although there were similar parts in the episode with red and blue flashes, this scene was extremely intense, with blinks at a rate of about 12 Hz for approximately 4 seconds in almost full screen, and then for 2 seconds outright fullscreen. At this point, viewers started to complain of blurred vision, headaches, dizziness and nausea; in a sense, this might be considered a striking occurrence in actual reality of the literary trope known as the motif of harmful sensation. A few people even had seizures, blindness, convulsions and lost consciousness. Japan's Fire Defense Agency reported that a total of 685 children (310 boys, 375 girls) were taken to hospitals by ambulances. Although many children recovered during the ambulance trip, more than 150 of them were admitted to hospitals. Only two people stayed in the hospital for over 2 weeks. Image File history File links Pikachu_seizure-2. ... Image File history File links Pikachu_seizure-2. ... US Smarties (by Ce De Candy) US Smarties (by Ce De Candy) In the United States, Smarties are a type of artificially fruit-flavored candy produced by Ce De Candy. ... Full screen is a term used to describe a video release of a widescreen film which has subsequently been altered in order to create a 4:3 aspect ratio, rather than maintain the original theatrical aspect ratio through the use of letterboxing with black bars at the top and bottom... The motif of harmful sensation refers to the physical or mental damage that a person suffers merely by experiencing what should normally be a benign sensation. ... Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or psychological factors. ...

Scientists believe that the flashing lights triggered photosensitive seizures in which visual stimuli such as flashing lights can cause altered consciousness. Although scientists know that approximately 1 in 4,000 people (0.5–0.8% of children between 5–13 years old) are susceptible to these types of seizures, the number of people affected by this Pokémon episode was unprecedented. For a List of scientists, see: List of anthropologists List of astronomers List of biologists List of chemists List of computer scientists List of economists List of engineers List of geologists List of inventors List of mathematicians List of meteorologists List of physicists Scientist pairs List of scientist pairs See... Photosensitive epilepsy is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold, regular patterns, or regular moving patterns. ...

A Pokémon website, Pokémon Press Battle, made the following observation:

“(...) photo induced epileptic attacks can be caused by exhaustion, stress, and sitting too close to the television. All of the above are facts in most Japanese school children's lives, who live under constant academic and social pressure in small homes. Experts have speculated that the children were intensely focused and involved with the show, figuratively 'glued to the set' when the scene went off like a bomb in their faces.”

Aftereffects

The opening screen of "Anime: Pocket Monster Problem Inspection Report".

After the airing of "Electric Soldier Porygon", Pokémon went into a four month hiatus. TV Tokyo discontinued some program specials that were supposed to air around the end of December. After the hiatus, the timeslot changed from Tuesday to Thursday. The opening theme was also redone, with black screens showing various Pokémon in spotlights were broken up into four images per screen. Before the seizure incident, the opening was originally one Pokémon image per screen. Image File history File links Soudou-news04. ... Image File history File links Soudou-news04. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with List of Pokémon episodes. ...

Before the beginning of the reairing, "Anime: Pocket Monster Problem Inspection Report" (アニメ ポケットモンスター問題検証報告, Anime Poketto Monsutā Tondai Kenshō Hōkoku^?) was shown. Broadcast in Japan on April 11, 1998 and April 16, 1998, a woman named Yadama Miyuki went over the circumstances of the program format and the on-screen advisories at the beginning of animated programs.

Guidelines

Many Japanese television broadcasters and medical officials got together to find ways to make sure this never happened again. They established the following guidelines for future animated programs:

• Flashing images, especially those with red, should not flicker faster than three times per second. If the image does not have red, it still should not flicker faster than five times per second.
• Flashing images should not be displayed for a total duration of more than two seconds.
• Stripes, whirls and concentric circles should not take up a large part of a TV screen.

Japanese broadcasters also began broadcasting an on-screen advisory at the beginning of animated programs. Some example warnings:

• 「テレビを見る時は部屋を明るくして離れて見て下さい」

"When watching TV, please brighten the room and sit at a distance from the TV."

(as seen on TV Asahi broadcasts of Ichigo 100% and Steel Angel Kurumi.)

• 「テレビアニメをみるときは、部屋をあかるくして近づきすぎないようにしてみてくださいね。」

"When you're watching anime on the TV, please brighten the room and don't sit too close."

(as seen on TV Tokyo broadcasts of Naruto, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Bleach)

• 「犬夜叉からのお願い・・・テレビアニメを見るときは部屋を明るくして画面からはなれてくださいね」

"A request from Inuyasha... When you're watching anime on the TV, please brighten the room and sit away from the screen."

(as seen on Nippon Television broadcasts of InuYasha)

This advisory notice was parodied in the first ending sequence of Sonic X where Sonic is reprimanded for watching TV in the dark and standing fairly close to the TV. TV Asahi building in Roppongi Hills TV Asahi Corporation (EX, 株式会社 テレビ朝日, Kabushiki Gaisha Terebi Asahi) TYO: 9409 is a television network operating in Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan. ... Ichigo 100% ) is a 167-chapter manga by Mizuki Kawashita ) that was serialized in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from 2002 volume 12 to 2005 volume 35, and collected in 19 tankōbon volumes between August 2002 and December 2005. ... Steel Angel Kurumi ) is a manga and anime series following the adventures of its titular character. ... The logo of TV Tokyo. ... Naruto romanized as NARUTO in Japan) is a manga by Masashi Kishimoto with an anime TV series adaptation. ... Yu-Gi-Oh! , literally Game King [1]) is a popular Japanese anime and manga franchise from Kazuki Takahashi, that mainly involves characters who play a card game called Duel Monsters (originally known as Magic & Wizards), wherein each player purchases and assembles a deck of Monster, Magic, and Trap Cards in... Bleach , romanized as BLEACH in Japan) is a manga and anime series by Tite Kubo, mangaka of Zombie Powder. ... Nippon Television Tower (headquarters) in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan Nippon Television Network Corporation ) (TYO: 9404 ) is a television network in Shiodome area of Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan owned by the Yomiuri Shimbun. ... InuYasha ), full title InuYasha, A Feudal Fairy Tale ), is a Japanese shōnen adventure romantic comedy manga created by Rumiko Takahashi. ... Sonic X ) is an animated television series, featuring video game hero Sonic the Hedgehog based on the storylines of the Sonic Adventure series. ... Sonic the Hedgehog ) is a video game character and the protagonist of a series of video games released by Sega, as well as numerous spin-off comics, cartoons and books. ...

The Simpsons watch Battling Seizure Robots.

There was also a reference to this in an episode of The Simpsons, entitled "Thirty Minutes over Tokyo." Bart is seen watching TV and asks, "Isn't this that Japanese TV show that causes seizures?" and is seen having a seizure about 3 seconds later. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo is the season finale of The Simpsons tenth season. ... Bartholomew Bart Jo Jo Simpson is a main character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Nancy Cartwright. ...

In the South Park episode "Chinpokomon", an episode that parodies Pokémon, Kenny gets a seizure from a Chinpokomon video game. South Park is a Peabody- and Emmy Award-winning American animated television series about four fourth grade school boys who live in the small town of South Park, Colorado. ... Chinpokomon is episode 310 of Comedy Centrals animated series South Park. ... Kenneth Kenny McCormick, voiced by Matt Stone (and, on one occasion, Mike Judge), is a fictional character in the animated series South Park. ...

Porygon in the anime after Electric Soldier Porygon

The episode has never been seen since other than on the Internet. Porygon, along with its evolutionary form Porygon2, have never been seen in an actual episode of the anime since, possibly also as a result of this incident. Porygon, however, has appeared in a "Who's That Pokémon?" segment in the West's dubbed version of the show and appeared not only during a "wipe" between scenes in "Pikachu's Summer Vacation", the short cartoon before Pokémon: The First Movie but also in a recap by Brock, explaining the scenario of the cartoon to new viewers, which appears on some of the Pokémon film DVDs. Porygon2 , Polygon2) are one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar[1] Pokémon media franchise – a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. ...