December 16, 1997 noticed the published of the thirty eighth episode of the legendary Pokémon anime in Japan—and the final time it was ever broadcast in any respect, because of a scene that modified broadcast TV within the nation for a era.

“Dennō Senshi Porygon,” translated as “Computer Warrior Porygon,” was named for the polygonal, technological creature that is among the weirdest designs in Pokémon’s authentic 151-strong roster. It isn’t controversial due to a second of violence or something of an grownup nature that may require censorship or something. It’s an episode the place Ash and his associates are tasked with infiltrating a digital world with the assistance of a prototype Porygon, the place the dastardly Team Rocket are utilizing a pc virus and the Porygon’s stolen sibling to disrupt the technological transport system between Pokémon Centers of their newest try and nab some pocket monsters for themselves. So far, so sometimes Pokémon.

Things get bizarre when Ash and co. discover themselves having to work along with Team Rocket to flee the digital system after an anti-virus program is deployed to repair it whereas they’re nonetheless inside, indiscriminately focusing on the dwelling beings because the bug. Transforming into, uh, a UFO for some purpose, the anti-virus software program makes an attempt to blast our heroes and villains alike with missiles, resulting in Pikachu letting out a devastating Thunderbolt assault to destroy them… ensuing a fast strobing red-and-blue mild within the aftermath.

What occurred subsequent was finally dubbed “Pokémon Shock.” Over 700 alleged cases of a wide range of illnesses, together with nausea, dizziness, complications, and photosensitivity-triggered seizures in audiences throughout Japan watching the episode rapidly emerged. Pokémon was placed on hiatus for months, investigations by the Japanese National Police Agency into the manufacturing of the present had been performed, and even Nintendo itself staged a press convention distancing the corporate from the anime, arguing it was to not blame because the Pokémon video games had been created for the black-and-white display screen of the Game Boy. When Pokemon finally returned to broadcasting new episodes in spring 1998, it was heralded with adjustments to previous episodes of the present to melt vivid flash results, and aspecial program explaining that going ahead, all anime exhibits broadcast on Japanese TV would characteristic a warning of their opening minutes advising audiences to look at in a effectively lit room, fairly distanced away from their TV units. It’s a disclaimer that also exists at the moment, though primarily now simply on TV exhibits geared toward kids, slightly than the broad swathe of applications it was initially deliberate for. Outside of Japan, the incident was mocked by the likes of The Simpsons and South Park, regardless of the truth that the episode was by no means broadcast in different nations.

But whereas the legacy of “Dennō Senshi Porygon” nonetheless endures 25 years on—the topic remains to be so taboo that in 2020, the Pokémon official Twitter account tweeted and hastily deleted a message stating that “Porygon did nothing wrong” in reference to the incident—the episode itself doesn’t. It was by no means broadcast once more in Japan, and was stricken from dub broadcasts of the Pokémon anime internationally. Not even Porygon itself escaped punishment, although it was sequence mascot Pikachu that brought on the impact within the first place—resigned to background appearances and cameos in future sequence of the anime and flicks, Porygon and neither of its evolutions Porygon-2 and Porygon Z have had a significant look within the sequence since. Can’t a polygonal beastie catch a break after 25 years?

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