Recap: Electric Soldier Porygon

You are interested in the forbidden and the mysterious. The unknown compels you to find out more. Shall we dive into the realm that is Electric Soldier Porygon?

Yes, folks, the time has come to finally close out the original trilogy of banned Pokémon episodes and look at this one. Everyone has made fun of it: The Simpsons, South Park, Drawn Together- it singlehandedly brought awareness of the anime, and by extension; the series to the Western World.

So, let’s take a look.

We once again, open on the Japanese theme, “Aim to Be a Pokémon Master.”

Then, it seems as everyone has reached Matcha City; and Pikachu is tired. Ash, or rather, Satoshi, if we’re going by his Japanese name in the subs; then decides to take him to the Pokémon Center.

Nurse Joy is overrun with calls about the Pokémon transfer system going awry; much to the dismay of its designer, Professor Akihabara; no doubt named for the Japanese electronics and gaming mecca. 

Brock, or Takeshi, insinuates that it’s a computer virus; which confuses Ash. Misty, or Kasumi; then clarifies further. A vaccine is proposed; but is overruled by Akihabara, despite the fact that many Pokémon are not reaching their destination, and even more are being swapped for others!

Looks like my Finder on Yosemite.

Everyone goes to his house, and they are greeted by a strange hologram representation of Akihabara. Akihabara explains that a group of hoodlums is messing with his system; and everyone quickly deduces that Team Rocket, or “The Rocket Gang” did it.  Oh, those humorous subs!

Akihabara then decides to send them into the digital world with Porygon. As for the obvious comparison: save it. Besides, for anachronistic references, I got more of a vibe of The Matrix.

So, he sends them in. You better fasten your seatbelt, Dorothy, cause Kansas is going bye-bye!

Porygon guides them in; and Team Rocket has apparently blocked off the Poké Balls with a giant stop sign! Jessie and James, or Musashi and Kojiro begin saying their motto; before Meowth, or Nyarth cuts them off. As they see the gang come to tell them off, they send out Arbok and Weezing, or Matadogasu. 

Porygon, however; has plenty of power to deal with the Pokémon. It turns out Team Rocket has Porygon-Zero. As they clash; Ash, Misty, Brock; and Pikachu begin taking down the barriers that they set up.

Just then, Akihabara finds out that the Pokémon center is attempting to use a vaccine program; which is bad news for everyone that’s still inside. 

Akihabara warns everyone, just as vaccines the size of rockets are fired and we get the first instance of the reason why this will never be airing stateside or anywhere else in the world. A red and blue flashing reason.

Yes folks, these flashing lights as the vaccines are fired are the culprit of the hospitalization of almost 700 people; many of them the target audience of children. More than any one Pokémon; it is the flashes of red and blue at least 24 times per second; according the Pokémon Inspection Report. As a result; it’s the reason why the bulk of the series before and after had to be reanimated to reduce similar usages.

I should also point out that, once again, this is not an issue unique to anime. Epilepsy is still quite a common problem; to the point where a person is more likely to have it than they are to win the lottery jackpot. It’s why most video games have these health warnings when you press start; and why similar edits had to be made to, among other series; Dragon Ball Z and the 2003 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Even so, everyone has to get out of there, no easy task when the vaccine turns into an X-Wing. Ash even has Bulbasaur, or Fushigidane; rescue Team Rocket, since the vaccine considers humans and viruses the same thing. It unleashes one final attack; and Pikachu stops it with one of his own, so much everyone explodes out of the computer world in a manner worthy of the Wachowskis at their finest. I really hope Jupiter Ascending can capture the same feelings I had when I first saw The Matrix.

You have no idea how long it took me to take this screencap.

Team Rocket grudgingly thanks everyone for their help; and Akihabara laments the loss of the human transfer system. Ash suggests he make it safer. Try to fix that seizure problem!

The Pokémon transfer system is working again; and Ash has Pikachu healed.

While I may have been able to handle this episode fine; I can honestly say that its reputation precedes it; given how much the subtitled versions I’ve been able to find over the years have a disclaimer that you should very much heed. Do not watch this episode if you have a history of epilepsy. You’ll be able to get the gist of the plot on summaries from websites like Bulbapedia or Serebii. If you want to know other effects it had; let me put it this way: the anime went on hiatus in its native Japan for 4 months at minimum, with the Pokémon Inspection Report preceding its return; hence why fansubs often have those “watch far away in a brightly lit room” disclaimers. Moreover, the report had all sorts of letters from kids wanting it to come back. To this day, Porygon and his ilk have never had another appearance beyond a brief glimpse and ShoPro and the Pokémon Company have effectively disowned the episode.

Still, if you can handle it, it’s worth at least one viewing; and as I said, there have been copies of this episode circulating for at least the six years I’ve been on YouTube, and 3 I’ve been uploading on it.

As for both this series; and my own work: I’m not going to tell you how it’s going to end. I’m going to tell you how it’s going to begin. I’m going to post this and continue exploring a world without walls or borders. A world where mystical creatures and colorful characters share a bond that is as real to me as any live-action work. What you decide to do now is up to you. When you do: I’ll be watching.