Which Pokémon episode was removed from rotation after its flashing-light broadcast incident?

“Electric Soldier Porygon” was the Pokémon episode removed from rotation after its flashing-light broadcast incident.

The episode aired in Japan on December 16, 1997. During a scene involving an explosion and rapidly alternating red and blue flashes, many viewers experienced physical symptoms, including dizziness, nausea, headaches, and seizures. The event became known as the Pokémon shock or Pokémon seizure incident.

Japan suspended the anime temporarily while broadcasters and producers reviewed the episode. “Electric Soldier Porygon” was not rebroadcast and was not included in the regular international television rollout. The incident also led to changes in broadcast procedures and influenced discussions about photosensitive epilepsy and animated flashing effects.

Although Porygon is named in the title, the most widely discussed flashing sequence involves Pikachu’s attacks. As a result, some people incorrectly call the episode “the Pikachu episode,” but its official English title is “Electric Soldier Porygon.”