Gotta Catch 'Em All? PETA Accused Pokemon of Animal Cruelty
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has a reputation for dramatic gestures. The animal rights activist group frequently uses over the top means to bring attention to its cause. Remember when they compared the American Kennel Club to the Ku Klux Klan? Or the time they asked Ben & Jerry’s to make their ice cream with breast milk instead of cow’s milk?
This time PETA’s focus is slightly more technological. The group has called out the beloved Pokemon video game franchise, accusing it of cruelty to digital animals. PETA is hoping to capitalize on the publicity surrounding the release of the newest Pokemon game, "Black and White 2," in the hopes of getting their message to
the gaming
public. To do so, they created a game parody, entitled "Pokemon: Black and Blue, intended to expose the animal abuse they consider inherent in the game.
In case you were unaware: the basic concept of the Pokemon games relies on players capturing magical animals, the titular Pokemon species with "pokeballs." Players then
train
them to fight other Pokemon. PETA finds this behavior unacceptable, even in a video game.“The amount of time that Pokemon spend stuffed in pokeballs is akin to how elephants are chained up in train carts, waiting to be let out to ‘perform’ in circuses,” reads an official PETA statement. “But the difference between real life and this fictional world full of organized animal fighting is that Pokemon games paint rosy pictures of things that are actually horrible.”
In PETA’s version of Pokemon, the beleaguered creatures take a stand against their cruel and abusive trainers. They fight for their freedom and rights, all the while showing videos of real-life animal cruelty. Animal cruelty is inarguably a serious concern, and one that should be dealt with head-on. And PETA is clearly trying to use the video game to start a dialogue about real-life animal cruelty. But in deciding to use Pokemon, it appears that PETA has somewhat missed the mark.
“PETA seems to have missed the single biggest theme in the Pokemon series: That Pokemon should be treated humanely and live as our equals,” writes David Ewalt for Forbes. “The games are loaded with an endless stream of characters who go on and on about true friendship between man and Pokemon. It’s so saccharine and so completely the opposite of what PETA
suggests
that it boggles the mind.”
One fan in particular seems to have perfectly expressed people’s frustration with PETA’s new video game. Chris, a longtime Pokeman trainer, took to YouTube to air his grievances with the activist group. He called them to task for implying that playing a video game in any way, shape, or form, was comparable to violence towards animals.
“Let me say to you right now, PETA,” said Chris in his video. “I love Pokemon. I would never hurt a fly. I would never hurt a dog. And I promise you that
your
misguided attempts will be met with nothing but contempt, because I stand against you – I and a million others – I and all my friends here."
This isn't the first time PETA has angered video game fans - they've previously called out Mario from "Super Mario Bros." for wearing a digital fur coat.
If you're curious, click here to check out PETA's Pokemon parody game.
[Pic via screengrab PETA.org]
