Pokémon Is Facing a Major Boycott as “Evil Influence” Accusations Ignite Uproar

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Published Feb 11, 2026, 10:00 AM EST

Evan Mullicane is the senior editor and founder of Screen Rant's anime section. Having started as a writer for the Comics Team at the beginning of the Pandemic, Evan was swiftly promoted from writer to editor, and then from editor to lead of Screen Rant's newly established anime vertical.

Throughout his time with Screen Rant, Evan has made a handful of appearances at conventions such as Anime Expo and San Diego Comic-Con, and has interviewed some of the biggest names in Anime and Comics history.

In addition to editing anime and manga articles for Screen Rant, Evan is also a science fiction and fantasy author. In 2018 and 2019, his short story "The Demon's Mother" won honorable mentions from the Writers of the Future contest.

You can find Evan on Twitter @EvanDM and BlueSky @evandmu.bsky.socia

China has condemned the Pokémon franchise, in addition to a handful of other Japanese series, alleging that they are covertly promoting

"Japanese militarism." While fans might immediately dismiss the criticisms, they reflect a long history that has wide-reaching implications for the world's biggest media franchise.

China's Pokémon Condemnation Comes After The Series' Biggest Modern Controversy

According to a report in Taipei Times, China's military news agency has specifically highlighted Pokémon, My Hero Academia, and Detective Conan as series that subtly promote Japanese militarism, saying, "Their schemes — beware the infiltration of Japanese militarism in culture and sports."

The condemnation is likely related to a recent Pokémon TCG event at Yasukuni Shrine on January 31st. The shrine is dedicated to the many Japanese soldiers who died during a few wars, including World War II. Notably, according to the BBC, among the 2.5 million soldiers honored by the shrine are more than 1,000 soldiers who've been convicted of war crimes.

The move was so controversial that the Chinese government's official news site issued a statement.

Brands that disregard history and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will ultimately be abandoned. The relevant enterprises must accordingly take social responsibility and not make light of the heavy weight of history in the name of entertainment.

Given the Japanese military's actions against China during World War II, the event was met with intense controversy from Chinese fans of the franchise. The Pokémon Company eventually responded with an official statement and canceled the event.

After the incident was discovered, the event was promptly canceled. We sincerely apologize for the various reactions and opinions that have been generated as a result of this publication.

China's Condemnation Of Pokémon Is Bigger Than Fans Might Think

With a population exceeding 1 billion people, China is an absolutely massive market. There is a reason that Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle's Chinese release was such a big deal.

Nintendo's history in the country is spotty. The Japanese entertainment juggernaut has teamed up with Chinese game company iQue to release rebranded versions of a few of its home consoles.

Pokémon specifically has been making inroads in China more recently. The critically beloved New Pokémon Snap was released in China in July 2024, becoming the franchise's first game to officially release there since the 2000s.

Pokemon Has a Long Road To Repairing Its Relationship With China

Unfortunately, the recent shrine incident has almost certainly hurt relations between Nintendo and China's ruling Communist Party, casting doubts on the franchise's Chinese viability going forward.

While Pokémon is the world's biggest media franchise, more releases in China can only help the series' explosive popularity.

While it's not impossible that China and Nintendo could patch up relations, it seems likely that the process could take time. Regardless of how individuals feel about the claims that Pokémon is promoting Japanese Militarism, the allegation carries enough weight that it could impact Nintendo for years to come.