Disclaimer: This article is based on actual news from the real world – honestly! However, it has been sprinkled with a healthy dose of satire.
The Pokémon Company has issued a formal apology after promoting a fan event scheduled to be held at Yasukuni Shrine, a site best known for honoring Japan’s war dead and also, somewhat more controversially, over a thousand convicted war criminals from World War II. The company said it was unaware the venue carried what diplomats call “significant historical baggage.”
War crimes… gotta catch 'em all! ( hiro1775/canva/depositphotos)
The event wasn’t even official (it was organized by a third party), but The Pokémon Company still listed it on its website. A spokesperson confirmed the company typically reviews venue selections for wheelchair accessibility and adequate parking, though “proximity to enshrined architects of the Nanjing Massacre” had not previously made their checklist.
The People’s Daily, official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, wrote that “brands that disregard history and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will ultimately be abandoned.” This marks the first time Pikachu has been mentioned in the same publication that covers Five-Year Plans. Officials added that enterprises “must not make light of the heavy weight of history in the name of entertainment,” a sentence that would have been unthinkable before a cartoon salamander got its own Visa card.
The timing could not have been worse. China and Japan are currently experiencing what analysts describe as a “full-blown diplomatic crisis” due to several other recent non-Pokemon-related incidents, making this the exact wrong moment for Jigglypuff to show up at a war shrine.
The Pokémon Company’s statement confirmed the event had been “promptly cancelled” and offered sincere apologies for “the various reactions and opinions that have been generated,” which is corporate-speak for “we’re sorry you got upset about the war crimes thing.” The company also pledged to “thoroughly review and strengthen” its promotional processes, which executives say will involve adding a single line to the company handbook: “Check if prospective venue honors people who were hanged at Nuremberg-style trials.”
Industry observers note this is the second time this year a beloved children’s franchise has accidentally stumbled into historical atrocity discourse, though they declined to name the first, citing ongoing litigation.
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