Why is there no blacks in Pokemon?

I've never seen a black, hispanic, or anything besides white people. Why?

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Same reason there are no blacks or hispanics in Japan.

Ah, very good thread. Yeah, I've never noticed it. Maybe Game Freak are racist?

Jokes aside, I've never actually thought about it before. Now when I turn on my Pokemon games I'll be reminded of this question.

Do you see any in Japan? Thought so.

o.o

That's like seeing someone from Russia in RE5. It just wouldn't make sense.

Raichu_is_Awesome said:

I've never seen a black, hispanic, or anything besides white people. Why?

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The only "white people" in the games are Lt. Surge and Fantina. Everyone else is Japanese or Pacific Islander (Asian).

The reason you don't see any blacks in the games is because blacks simply don't live in Japan on a level high enough that it would make sense. For that very same reason most Japanese don't know how to represent blacks outside of stereotypes, which is why they avoid them altogether.

Redstar said:

The only "white people" in the games are Lt. Surge and Fantina. Everyone else is Japanese or Pacific Islander (Asian).

The reason you don't see any blacks in the games is because blacks simply don't live in Japan on a level high enough that it would make sense. For that very same reason most Japanese don't know how to represent blacks outside of stereotypes, which is why they avoid them altogether.

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Hit the nail right on the head there Redstar. :P

It's not limited to Pokemon games. Pretty much any Japanese-made game or anime/manga series will scarcely depict people of African decent, and when they do, it's usually a racial stereotype anyways. -.-

but Jyn..... nevermind

(p.s if i offend people.....deal with it haha ;) j/k)

yeah everyone is supposed to be japanese.fantina seems like spaniard lt.surg is like3rd gen american caucasian.i think brock is asian.but like hispanics,asian have very varied skin tone even between siblings(i'm hispanic an white as snow and my sister is like carmel colored)but some characters look very caucasian,such as jasmine.really it's kinda like supposed to be just w/e you want i think.but like staed no black people in japan = sterotypes=black people getting offended=jynx has always been purple.really i wouldn't have changed jynx color.i stnad by that i don't really see how she was a black sterotype and if you really do feel that then it says alot about your own thoughts.

Everyone is Japanese in the games.
Japan hates black people =o

Very good thread, VERY GOOD. Like your thinking.

To those saying that it's because there are no Black people in Japan, you all need to stop with the tunnel vision. Think outside the square instead of going for the easiest answer back.

If that were the case, it would have to be the stupidest excuse they could come up with for not including such "races" into the Pokemon world. So what if Blacks don't live in Japan! When making a show such as Pokemon, if they are going to cover SOME nationalities via Trainers, Pokemon, and any other way, then they can include the ones that have missed out. It's not bloody hard if you ask me. They SHOULD get SOME sort of representation and that's that. Has NOTHING to do with them not living in Japan, that has to be the dumbest thing I've heard for a while. So narrow minded.

So that basically means if I made a show based in Australia that, in parts, touched on different nationalities but I missed out on Hispanic and Black people (because there aren't HUGE amounts of them here), that would be ok right?

Please, get real.

@BJ088

You really want to know why? This might sound offensive not to you since you're in Australia but to Black Americans. I mean no offense but when a Pokemon with black skin is considered racist, then adding black people into it will just cause them to go angry at Nintendo again. It's not that they don't want to but a small number of Black Americans(again no racism is intended) have to go and flame at Nintendo and claiming them to be racist.

You see the point is those Americans don't want Nintendo to have anything to do with Black People. If Nintendo had a black character, it would along the lines of "Pokemon are being racist,b lack people aren't like that" or " Why isn't the black guy a main character, this is racism!"

The thing is some of these Black Americans are so closed minded they don't see that you can't portray a race since everyone in that race is different. So no matter how Nintendo is gonna portray black people it will cause people to call them racist.

If anyone was offended because of this post, I do apologize.

Completely and utterly disagree with your post sorry. Especially the part about if they had a Black character that discussion would be about why it isn't the main character and the way in which it is portrayed. Totally disagree.

Who cares anyway? Its a fricking game .

Just to remove some peoples concerns, there IS a black man in Pokemon, specifically Pokemon Ranger 2.

Um,

Wings Don't Cry said:

@BJ088

You really want to know why? This might sound offensive not to you since you're in Australia but to Black Americans. I mean no offense but when a Pokemon with black skin is considered racist, then adding black people into it will just cause them to go angry at Nintendo again. It's not that they don't want to but a small number of Black Americans(again no racism is intended) have to go and flame at Nintendo and claiming them to be racist.

You see the point is those Americans don't want Nintendo to have anything to do with Black People. If Nintendo had a black character, it would along the lines of "Pokemon are being racist,b lack people aren't like that" or " Why isn't the black guy a main character, this is racism!"

The thing is some of these Black Americans are so closed minded they don't see that you can't portray a race since everyone in that race is different. So no matter how Nintendo is gonna portray black people it will cause people to call them racist.

If anyone was offended because of this post, I do apologize.

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You see,there are are more whites then blacks in Oz,so..He most likely white.(I am white.)

SolarAbusoru said:

Just to remove some peoples concerns, there IS a black man in Pokemon, specifically Pokemon Ranger 2.

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Barlow?Or somebpdy else?Well?

RayquazaLv.X,

It doesn't matter whether I am white or black, I'm speaking from a general point of view.

Fact of the matter is, yes it doesn't really matter, but it's a good topic of conversation.
I really disagree with the whole Japan doesn't like blacks or doesn't have blacks in their country therefore they don't include them.
And I also disagree with the inclusion of a black character of any sort sparking controversy. It wouldn't be looked at differently at all, it'd just be another character.

BJ088 said:

RayquazaLv.X,

It doesn't matter whether I am white or black, I'm speaking from a general point of view.

Fact of the matter is, yes it doesn't really matter, but it's a good topic of conversation.
I really disagree with the whole Japan doesn't like blacks or doesn't have blacks in their country therefore they don't include them.
And I also disagree with the inclusion of a black character of any sort sparking controversy. It wouldn't be looked at differently at all, it'd just be another character.

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You are right,it doesn't matter.