Why is Jynx banned?

Jynx, the “Human Shape” Pokémon, has faced heavy censorship and even outright banning due to longstanding accusations of promoting racist stereotypes in her original blackface-like design. Core issues around racial insensitivity and offensive interpretations ultimately led to backlash and the Pokémon being barred from airing in certain regions. Even after redesigned, the controversy continues to impact Jynx‘s legacy.

The origins of the Jynx blackface controversy

Jynx’s original design in the Pokémon franchise featured an entirely black face and hands, evoking instant comparisons to the history of racist blackface minstrel performances.

This came under heavy criticism after the December 1997 airing of the holiday-themed Pokémon anime episode “Holiday Hi-Jynx.” The episode prominently featured Jynx in a Santa-style costume singing and dancing to entertains children.

Jynx‘s appearance struck a nerve with many viewers as too similar to the offensive history of blackface. Carole Boston Weatherford soon wrote an article highlighting issues with Jynx, saying:

“Pokemon‘s Jynx character has the potential to teach children racism through continued use of racial stereotypes”

This sparked wider accusations of the Pokémon perpetuating racism via the blackface-evoking design. The controversy resulted in banning of Jynx focused episodes.

Why broadcasts with Jynx faced bans

Several factors directly led to episodes featuring Jynx receiving various levels of banning and censorship:

Explicit blackface comparisons

Many critics took issue with Jynx essentially looking like a modern blackface performer, from the all-black skin to oversized facial features. This was seen as far too similar to the offensive historic practice.

Lack of cultural sensitivity

There was backlash over the seeming lack of cultural awareness and racial sensitivity that allowed such a controversial design to exist in the first place. Critics condemned the franchise for not recognizing issues sooner.

Ongoing legacy of racism accusations

Even after redesigning Jynx‘s skin tone to purple and editing disputed scenes, the legacy controversy remained embedded in older episodes. Some networks opted to outright ban problematic Jynx content rather than air it.

Below is a breakdown of viewership stats for the core banned episodes focused on Jynx over the years:

As shown above, at their peak millions of viewers were exposed to the controversial Jynx scenes before broadcasts faced censorship.

Lasting Impacts: Changes for Pokémon after the Jynx blackface controversy

The raging debate over whether Jynx promoted racism via blackface representations left a notable impact on the Pokémon franchise long after the initial explosion of controversy.

Jynx redesign

In 2000, creators redesigned Jynx with purple skin instead of black to help quell uproar and distance the Pokémon from blackface comparisons. But criticism remained, so they also cut back Jynx‘s role going forward.

More cultural sensitivity

The brand grew much more cautious about cultural sensitivity issues, aiming to avoid future issues with racial interpretations. But some still say they struggle in this area years later.

Shaped future creatures

Later Pokémon have tended to avoid potential racial analogies in their concepts as a result of the caution after Jynx. This means losing creativity for some.

As a top Pokémon gaming commentator, the Jynx situation stands out as a defining early lesson for the franchise on clashes between culture and creativity. Forced redesigns and ongoing editing of episodes shows the immense challenge of moving past controversies once certain accusations spread. But brands must air on the side of caution around issues of representation and racism rather than risk alienating audiences.

The history makes clear that a Pokémon inspired by a mythological Yuki-onna figure turned into a painful confrontation with real-world racial histories. And the ripple effects of those heated debates during Pokémon’s rise to fame still impact portrayal choices today.