PETA has bone to pick with Pokemon
(Nintendo)
PETA has a bone to pick with Pokemon, and it’s over how the popular Nintendo video game treats its big-eyed virtual characters.
The animal rights group, which normally focuses on the abuse of dogs, cats and other animals in the real world, has crossed over into the virtual world to launch a protest against Nintendo’s newest Pokemon game, “Black and White 2.”
PETA, which stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, complains the characters in “Black and White 2,” all of whom are collectively called Pokemon, are abused by their “trainers.”
“The difference between real life and this fictional world full of organized animal fighting is that Pokémon games paint rosy pictures of things that are actually horrible,” PETA says on a website that promotes a parody video game, “Pokemon Black & Blue – Gotta Free ‘em All.”
PETA says Pokemon have suffered at the hands of their “cruel” trainers for generations. In its parody game, one of the Pokemon characters, Pikachu, battered with splotches of blood, bandaged and wearing a broken neck brace, rises up to confront one of the trainers, Cheren, who also appears blood-spattered and holding a bat, ready to beat down Pikachu’s defiance.
The player gets the option of allowing Pikachu to deliver a quick attack, a thunder shock, a group hug or protest. The player’s goal is to “exploit a trainer’s weakness and defeat all the trainers to free all Pokemon.”
According to CNET, Black and White 2 was released in July in Japan and is expected in North America, Europe, and Australia this month.
The Pokemon series – there are more than 600 fictional species – is second only to Nintendo’s Mario when it comes to global video game popularity.
CNET notes that this isn’t the first time PETA has launched attacks against virtual characters. It protested Nintendo’s “Super Mario 3D Land” game for dressing Mario in a fur suit and Zinga’s “Mafia Wars” game’s use of pit bulls as attack dogs.
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87 comments Add your comment
The Bystander
October 9th, 2012
12:30 pm
I can’t decide if this is sad or pathetic. Surely there is something more productive PETA can do with their time and money.
Ker mitt
October 9th, 2012
12:44 pm
when are they gonna talk about bho eating fluffy – and joking about it?
bps
October 9th, 2012
12:47 pm
yet they say nothing about the fact in Red Alert 2 you could create dog bombs…
they truely are running out of ideas…
Georgia Bulldawgs
October 9th, 2012
12:54 pm
Another irrelevant nonprofit that seeks to “educate” the ignorant masses so we will support their liberal agenda. Ho-hum. Really, who cares what PETA has to say, anyway.
Decatur Greg
October 9th, 2012
12:55 pm
And what about all those poor pigs that are being crushed by stone blocks in Angry Birds???? I support the ethical treatment of pets but these are video game characters PETA.
Lowdawg
October 9th, 2012
1:09 pm
PETA be stoooopid
Moo
October 9th, 2012
1:11 pm
If they want to complain about pokemon they need to read the mangas.
argh man
October 9th, 2012
1:12 pm
PETA has lost what little collective mind it had.
Neko
October 9th, 2012
1:16 pm
they monster peta, so you just lost your argument.
Realist
October 9th, 2012
1:22 pm
Ever since my son discovered Pokemon, I wondered how long it was going to take PETA to go after it. If they want to go after needless animal cruelty, that is fine, but it is rather silly to be so offended over a children’s show/card game/video game. They also need to stop being so militant about vegetarianism. The human body is designed to be an omnivore, that includes meat. If they want to be vegetarians, that is ok, but please don’t condemn me because I eat what our bodies were designed to eat. No Pokemon were harmed in writing this message.
Realist
October 9th, 2012
1:25 pm
People Enraged by Terrific Anime
BB
October 9th, 2012
1:26 pm
PETA is a joke. If they wanted to stop the cruelty to animals then they should be outside the GA Aquarium picketing. To have a whale shark that is used to swimming hundreds of miles a day reduced to swimming in a small circle is torture.
zeke
October 9th, 2012
1:30 pm
peta, ignorant scourge that they are, should just please go away and bury yourselves in your tiny little holes of ignorance!
Furious Styles
October 9th, 2012
1:31 pm
They should pull funding from PETA instead of Sesame Street
Moo
October 9th, 2012
1:34 pm
I’m also surprised they haven’t gone after Tokyo Jungle yet.
xxx
October 9th, 2012
1:37 pm
Sad how delusional some people have become to feel like they are relevant.
Ash Ketchum
October 9th, 2012
1:39 pm
Pokemon is not promoting violence between animals. If anything we are creating a more spirital bond between human and that of which we train. Also we are technically supporting PETA by defeating team rocket which is a activist group that uses pokemon as tools of destruction.
Cornbread
October 9th, 2012
1:39 pm
People Eating Tasty Animals. Bottom line!!
Sarah
October 9th, 2012
1:42 pm
I was into Pokemon when I was younger. Reading PETA’s complaints against Pokemon suggests to me that nobody in that organization has ever actually played any of the Pokemon games or watched the show.
Pit Bull Fighter
October 9th, 2012
1:42 pm
Time and Time again I have informed about all the pit bull fighting and they haven’t done anything to stop it. Truth is confirmed, only because Mr. Vick had all that $ is the only reason they were so interested in making all the hooplah then! Come to my property if they want and those picket signs will be target “practice”.
Pikachu
October 9th, 2012
1:43 pm
Hey! I love Ash… he’s the best trainer ever and you are trying to seperate him from me…. That would hurt me even more. It would hurt us pokemons even more. MEANY!
Bacon!!
October 9th, 2012
1:45 pm
Yet again, human stupidity has surprised me again. I wonder if they can sue the Pokemon trainers for Virtual Animal Abuse…
Reality Bites
October 9th, 2012
2:05 pm
And PETA wonders why no one gives them any respect?
hahahahahaha
Liberal Pariah
October 9th, 2012
2:09 pm
Can’t take PETA seriously until they care as much for the unborn child as they do anime characters. What a bunch of idiots.
Matt
October 9th, 2012
2:13 pm
Good Lord, PETA, y’all need to catch up with the times. Pokemon came out in 1996, and they’re raising hell about it in 2012??? Just saying.
amanda
October 9th, 2012
2:27 pm
Gosh and they can’t even get it right. They should be going after Team Rocket!
Southside Steve
October 9th, 2012
2:42 pm
People
Eating
Tasty
Animals
MANGLER
October 9th, 2012
2:43 pm
POOPEY! (no seriously, that’s what one of the Pikatcu characters says in Mario Smash Brothers when he appears). We’re going after poopey?
creative
October 9th, 2012
2:56 pm
I agree with PETA. This is setting a bad example for our children. First it’s abusing video game animals, followed by real world abuse of defenseless animals, and finally the children are adults and end up as complete animal abusers with no respect for our furry friends at all. Thanks for standing up for those without one.
Ravendreams
October 9th, 2012
3:17 pm
Pokemon are Pocket Monsters. There not animals nor are they even close. PETA really should just stop, and go back to there drawing board and work on a better way to present themselves to the public.
blkHemi
October 9th, 2012
3:18 pm
@ creative. you confirmed to us you are an idiot!
Tim Welty
October 9th, 2012
3:19 pm
Well for one the game they made while has pretty good graphics and game play is completely dumb. If they ever watched the show or the first movie they’d understand it. In the end you had to fight ash and he claims to have always had pickachu in a pokeball (not true not even in the game yellow) then said he never cared about him (again not true the movie he died for him pretty much) they claim that he never let’s his pokemon out (again not true they are pretty much always out)
PETA really just needs to eat some bacon and get over their sorry selves. You cannot save FICTITIOUS MONSTERS! They aren’t even animals! they are translated to POCKET MONSTERS!
That Guy
October 9th, 2012
3:41 pm
Has someone kicked the local PETA rep recently? What a bunch of narcissitic blow hards.
Gummi
October 9th, 2012
3:48 pm
Pokemon stands for pocket MONSTERS not animals. Oh did anyone mention they are NOT real animals. Go worry about real animals like the elephants. Just because you want publicity doesn’t mean you should attack video games and no, they don’t promote violence either. Douchebags!!!!!!!
kona
October 9th, 2012
3:56 pm
do they not realize its a fantasy game,they are monsters not animals,and for one, peta doesnt want animals to have homes,they want them to be free,well you know what happens when animals are free,alot of them die,because they cant eat, or find good shelter,animals and people are companions,they are meant to live with each other,there is love between a pokemon and its handler,most battles are because the pokemon wish to,dont you think they would just attack thier handler if they didnt want to do this?,peta needs to stop trying to change people and change thier damn company,they are clinging to anything they can to stay above water.
smj
October 9th, 2012
3:58 pm
I guess PETA will pick on Looney Toons next – they have been beating on animals for years!!!
whale shark
October 9th, 2012
4:07 pm
BB you obviously don’t understand whale sharks. You’ve made the claim that whale sharks swim hundreds of miles a day. In reality, whale sharks swim no faster than 3 mph so the idea that they could swim hundreds of miles a day is absurd. You’re just as bad as PETA is with their use of information.
Lyra
October 9th, 2012
4:14 pm
So- Call of Duty is ok because the game’s not about massacring people, and Nerf Guns teaches how to fend for themselves. Yeah, it all makes sense. If the PETA wants to complain about Pokemon, they should actually play Black and White, and not just use the name of Team Plasma to promote their cause.
The voice of reason
October 9th, 2012
4:27 pm
Oh my head. Why are they going after a game rated e10+ when they could be saving REAL animals?
Michelle
October 9th, 2012
4:57 pm
Please don’t lump all animal lovers & activists in the same category as a small bunch of weirdos. We’re not all like that.
ajmohrvatski
October 9th, 2012
5:11 pm
This is incredible. So a game that promotes virtual animal “cruelty” is bad, but a game where virtual animals kill virtual humans is alright…
JRHD
October 9th, 2012
5:23 pm
I guess I should feel bad about the virtual Pokemon bbq I was planning for this weekend.
Kattrina
October 9th, 2012
5:29 pm
Peta is like the real life version of teat plasma.
Are they seriously protesting the right of made up creatures? I have been playing Pokemon ever since I could remember and at one time churches tried to ban them and schools but there still around. Its not really Its not promoting anything bad… Pokemon is a Sin but games where you kill people aren’t? what are they going to protest next animal crossing cause we make them live in houses wear clothes and go shopping? Get real!! I’m going to continue to play Pokemon and theres nothing that will change that!
tonaya
October 9th, 2012
5:48 pm
PETA, will you please focus on taking care of all the animals that are being mistreated..not the cartoons. You are really being stupid. There are 10,000 people born in the US daily. There are 70,000 puppies and kittens born. How about putting some energy into nationwide spay/neuter education? Every 8 seconds an animal is killed in a shelter. How about putting a little energy into spreading the NO KILL options of spay/neuter, adoption instead of buying pets, and supporting rescue groups across America. Pokeman, REALLY PETA? Who is giving you all this money to waste? Put it to good use instead of pissing it away protesting something that isn’t even real.
Kaz
October 9th, 2012
5:53 pm
Can I say copyright infringement anyone?
Toby
October 9th, 2012
5:55 pm
PETA is right on this issue, but the way newspapers (like AJC, which is an ethically Conservative paper, unfortunately) pick up on these minor stories makes it seem like PETA does only that kind of thing. PETA uncovers abuse at farms & pressure big companies to take on more ethical policies.
peanut
October 9th, 2012
5:56 pm
I wonder if pikachu tastes like chicken?
whatfor
October 9th, 2012
6:12 pm
Come on – I can’t believe that PETA has a “beef” with Pokeman – don’t have a cow PETA.
Kanea
October 9th, 2012
6:26 pm
The whole point of pokemon just went waaaay over their heads…
BehindEnemyLines
October 9th, 2012
6:32 pm
You tell ‘em Ash
Kat1004
October 9th, 2012
6:40 pm
wow
battling with pokemon is how you raise your friendship levels with them
plus there monsters, not animals
I now have a stupid headcanon that N is PETA
N is PETA
PETA is N
It is him
i have no name
October 9th, 2012
7:02 pm
WTF IS WRONG WITH PETA?!?!?!?I KNOW ABOUT ANIMAL ABUSE BUT WAT THE FIRETRUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?!?!?!??!?!
Psycho 815
October 9th, 2012
7:08 pm
Pokemon may seem unethical at a glance. However, in the pokemon TV show, most pokemon love their trainers and their trainers love them. Pokemon are “pocket monsters.” This makes way more different than animals. They think, they communicate with their trainers, and they all share with their trainers the intentions of enganging in battles with other pokemon for the purposes of fun, showing of abilities, and, of course, the pride of winning!
Silverangel
October 9th, 2012
7:56 pm
U kidding? Even if Pokemon are trapped within pokeballs, they can rebel and get out whenever they want to. For Pete’s sake, even a little Joltik, which is only four inches, can easily kill its trainer with a thunderbolt. Pokemon is there for the trainers to bond with them. If you want to care for them more then just play a nuzlocke “http://www.nuzlocke.com/challenge.php”
Apostle
October 9th, 2012
7:58 pm
The only thing interesting about PETA is when the PETA chicks get naked.
Nikki
October 9th, 2012
8:46 pm
Oh my god PETA. What. The. Heck. The theme of Pokèmon is to “Always do your best, and catch em’ all.” Not slaughter em’ all. You just wasted your freaking time, Pokemon has nothing, NOTHING to do with animal cruelty. Pokemon AREN’T EVEN FREAKING ANIMALS. That video game? Yeah, that was a parody. No animal cruelty there, they’re not even animals, THEY’RE NOT REAL, THEY DON’T EXIST.
Go put your money elsewhere Team Plasma– I mean PETA, stop wasting it going after video games.
Anon
October 9th, 2012
8:48 pm
N Harmonia? Is that you?
AnamayCat
October 9th, 2012
9:23 pm
Well, first of all…
That game PETA made to back up his protest… He’s saying that it’s promoting animal cruelty yet in that game it’s actually promoting kids to drinking because the first battle Cheren is holding a beer. And also, the game itself if promoting animal abuse because of the rude moves in the game that the people use.
PETA, this is pathetic.
Hailey
October 9th, 2012
9:57 pm
Dafuq did I just read…..
Josh
October 9th, 2012
11:54 pm
This is just sad. Really peta? Get it together people
Pokemon Master
October 9th, 2012
11:58 pm
i have been playing pokemon since 96 and i have had no urge to abuse an animal but after reading this im starting to feel a little violent. If there was anything i took away from the game it is that you must take care of your pokemon or you wont get very far. And if they were real id have a snorlax sit on PETA:)
Red pokemonfirered
October 10th, 2012
1:32 am
Omg peta is sooo stupid why r they trying to ruin pokemon it is a very entertaing series they should focus on the real world not video games
Baffled
October 10th, 2012
1:33 am
PETA needs to get real. It’s th opposite way in the game from they are saying, first of all. Second, ITS A GAME!!!! Third, I can honestly not believe that they spend their resources on absolute fricking crap like this and everything else they seem to do. I know animal cruelty is wrong… But why don’t you put your money to doing something beneficial, if you can understand the word. Somehow you got people to follow your crazy ideas, maybe you could get them to do something beneficial. But then again, somehow, in a sick and twisted way, you probably thought that this was beneficial. Whackos.
griffin012
October 10th, 2012
1:56 am
well in black and white 2 team plasma grunts beat there pokemon for 2 years to “train” them so PETA is saying that they support an organization that beat there pokemon into submission
Nana
October 10th, 2012
4:45 am
@creative
._….. have you actually PLAYED the game lolololol what the other person said, you just proved to us you’re a gullible person. The game promotes safety for the pokemon, the GAME practicly saysss, “all bad trainers (which hassss happened before in other tvshows/series/mangas) should eitherrrr 1.release their pokemon or 2. Be BETTER to it! There is no real abusssse in the game, its just the story line to catch the players mind and be into the game. Your agreement is invalid :/
Nana
October 10th, 2012
4:50 am
“If its on tv, they’ll follow it”
Noooo…… ._.
Pokemon does not in any way PROMOTE abuse
But that’s besides the point…
Are pokemon representations of animals? No, tho unovas generation look more like animals its because they’re running out of idea rofl but anyway yeah, its to represent (in the game) how the harmony should be between pkmn/trainer.
The storyline invloves you being the helper to stop bad trainers in a way to abuse pkmns gifts
Lawl this happens every pkmn series idont understand why they’re making a big fuss, there is no poachers in the game, no endangered pokemon, no real solid evidence to show that pokemon is promoting animal abuse as for all I’m saying they’re AGAINST it. The creator of pokemon loved animals and so do a lot of pokemon users
Nana
October 10th, 2012
4:51 am
Peta’s being an ignorant baby xD
Pokemon fan
October 10th, 2012
5:07 am
Isn’t the main theme of pokemon “To treat your pokemon as an equal?”
And ing “Mewtwo strikes back”, they CRY over Ash because he sacraficed himself to stop fighting. And Pikachu is extremely close to Ash. If they want to call them out over animal abuse, tell them to study they’re facts first. If they are doing this for publicity, tell them to actually do good instead of rant about one of the most popular games that have an EXTREMELY obvious theme about treating people and animals or pokemon as equals.
Nana
October 10th, 2012
6:58 am
Ikr??
@Pokemon fan
Now if peta saw the pikachus slapping eachother they would probably over exagerate saying, “omg that promotes illegal dog fighting” w/o even ackgnowledging the rest of the movie, I bet you that.
I totally agree with u
Paul
October 10th, 2012
8:43 am
Ha! PETA = Team Plasma! That was actually the story line of Pokémon Black and White. Trainers should free their pokémon!
Aaron G
October 10th, 2012
9:23 am
PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals. I’m gonna go eat a steak wrapped in bacon and play pokemon now.
Aaron G
October 10th, 2012
9:24 am
Enter your comments here
timmothy scraut
October 10th, 2012
9:35 am
PETA, your ignorant, and I disagree with you’re ideas.
boss man
October 10th, 2012
10:25 am
PETA SUCKS
Kyle
October 10th, 2012
12:03 pm
has anyone supported this article……?
pokemon.fudge.cakes
October 10th, 2012
12:23 pm
this is stupid PETA are mad at at a video game WTF!? KIDS LOVE AND THERE CRYING OVER BEING ABUSIVE SOMEONE TELL PITA TO EAT PIKACH D……………..
Matt
October 10th, 2012
1:17 pm
My god PETA. Go attack celebs with their “Boots wit da fur” leave a video game out of it. In RDR you hunt animals and skin them to sell their hides. In the RE series you kill mutated animals along with people. Hell you can go in Zoo Tycoon and not feed your animals. PETA…GET A LIFE!!!
thebulldozer
October 10th, 2012
4:41 pm
WTF PETA? if you want to reach people this is definitely not the way to do it. Way to be the laughing stock of the internet.
dfhhfj
October 10th, 2012
6:15 pm
REALLY? FOCUS ON THE ANIMAL ABUSE IDIOTS! Pokemon Is a game where the trainer TAKES CARE of the Pokemon! PETA! GET YOUR HEAR ON STRAIGHT!!
Teehee :)
October 10th, 2012
9:02 pm
Okay, I’m playing the game.. and I’m laughing so hard. Pathetic and does nothing. You’re a pokemon.. sending pokemon out to battle.. which just defeats the purpose of what PETA is trying to get at.
ReallY?
October 10th, 2012
11:02 pm
creative are you serious because they play Pokemon they are going to be animal abusers? I have been playing Pokemon for a good 14 years now. I am almost 22 I have never felt the desire to hurt my dog or my cat. oh and just so you know im a freaking vet student. Dang Pokemon really must have messed with my mind.
Alex
October 11th, 2012
4:26 pm
I can’t tell if their serious or not… But if they are, I hear Team Plasma is looking for new recruits.
Umbreon
October 13th, 2012
9:28 pm
Haha, seriously PETA? You’re going after a stupid piece of fiction? Pokemon aren’t even animals!
Besides, have any of you bimbos actually played the games or watched the show? No one’s actually hurt in the battles, and Pokemon bond with their trainers in the process. The laws physics don’t exactly apply all the way in the Pokemon world, you know, and injuries only happen if an actual assault happened (like, say, a rampaging wild Pokemon).
And of course, if you’ve seen Mewtwo Strikes Back, all the Pokemon wept for Ash when he sacrificed himself to save everyone.
Yeah, I didn’t think my respect for you could get any lower, but upon reading this it just did.
Umbreon
October 13th, 2012
9:29 pm
P.S. How about you animal rightards go save some REAL animals? YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THOSE OF US WHO ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE!
bam
October 13th, 2012
10:51 pm
oh so peta is going after games now?
GO TO DUCK HUNT NOT THE GAME I HAVE PLAYED FOR YEARS AS A CHILD
Erika
October 14th, 2012
1:19 pm
This is pathetic. PETA is enraged with mythical, fictional, magical animated creatures. PETA is ignorant to this subject. They know good well they used to play Pokemon all day, they just ran put of ideas. They need to worry about, thw Chinese people eating and cooking dogs.and cats. Its pitiful I used to have respect for PETA
smh+facepalm
October 16th, 2012
12:53 am
I swear these guys are getting close and closer to a cult everyday. Who here would bet that they’d kill a human before they’d kill an animal? This guy for starters.