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The Pokémon episode “electric soldier Porygon” caused 700 Japanese children to have seizures, sending them to the hospital
In the early 2000s Pokémon was all the rage. It had quickly become a phenomenon with millions playing the games and watching the anime. One particular episode, ‘Electric Soldier Porygon,’ saw Ash and the gang go inside a Pokéball and wage war with the digital Pokémon, Porygon. At one point in the episode, when digital rockets explode, the screen flashes red and blue quickly in order to illustrate a digital explosion. This cause 700 children to suffer seizures, sending them straight to the hospital and resulting in Pokémon going off the air for several months.
