Pocket Monsters

Pocket Monsters is the name of the video game by Nintendo. There are a lot of monsters in the game. There is also a TV program, but it has been suspended since the end of December 1997 because of the accident. Many children felt sick to see the program. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Pikatyu is one of the characters in Pocket Monsters. It is very popular among children and various kinds of toys have been made recently.


Pocket Monsters coming back
Quoted from Asahi News March 31, 1998
Pocket Monsters coming back

Asahi Shimbun

A cartoon blamed for sending young children nationwide into convulsions will return to the air next month, a Tokyo-based television network said Monday.

A December episode of the "Pocket Monsters" cartoon sparked reactions in children because of a series of bright flashing images, authorities said. More than 700 children were rushed to hospitals after viewing the episode.

The network took the popular show off the air after the incident.

The show will return to the air on April 16, after release of guidelines on animation programs by related ministries and the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan, said Yutaka Ichiki, president of Television Tokyo Channel 12.

The network said it will shift the show to prime time hours, 7 p.m. on Thursdays, in response to strong demand by the cartoon fans.


from Japanese paper The Chunichi Sports March 31, 1998