AP Arguments

• Pokemon is for little kids!

This I would have to say is the most common argument around. Even the people who know nothing about Pokemon will say this. But there is a big difference between "for everyone" and "for little kids." First, I'll talk about the games. Pokemon games have an amazing way of being really easy, but at the same time, really hard. It's pretty easy to beat the Elite 4 and go through the storyline, and that's probably where the younger players would be satisfied at. But there's more to the games than that. Pokemon also has a competitive side, that many older players would love (and surveys have proved there's many teenage and adult fans out there)and isn't "for kids only" at all. Since the game can be as in-depth as you want it to be, so Pokemon has proved to be for everyone. And now the anime. Let's compare it to other little kid shows. Unlike shows on Playhouse Disney and Nick Jr., the characters in Pokemon don't directly speak to the viewers. Also, they don't teach "little kid" lessons like the ABCs and sharing. Instead, the lessons taught are ones everyone can use, such as never giving up and always trying your hardest. Again the show has that "everyone" audience- it's as deep and complex as you want it to be. One more thing I'd like to point out is that there are TONS of teenagers and adults who are Pokemon fans- maybe more than the kids themselves.

• Pokemon is too violent!

This one is mainly caused by seeing Pokemon the wrong way. Battles in Pokemon are not violent ones. They get bruises and scratch marks, but that's it-no blood or injuries. Think of it as more of a sport, like wrestling or sparring. Pokemon do not battle because they're forced to or because they hate the other, but because they enjoy it.

• Pokemon promotes animal cruelty!

Some people might relate Pokemon to cockfighting, but that's not how it actually is. Pokemon do not battle against their will. A good trainer knows when a Pokemon would be happier in the wild (as evidenced by Ash's releases of Butterfree and Pidgeot). Also, as I said before, Pokemon enjoy battling. From this, I'll provide two examples-One, in the episode "Sitting Psyduck," a Psyduck was sad, but the girl who owned Psyduck didn't know why. Why? The girl pampered Psyduck to the fullest extent, but all Psyduck wanted to do was battle. My second example is when Paul released Chimchar. Chimchar didn't act happy and skip back into the wild because of freedom, instead he was sad. Then, Chimchar's spirits were brought back up when Ash offered to train him. It can be concluded from these examples that Pokemon enjoy battling and aren't forced at all.

• Pokemon lowers your IQ!

Now this one... has no evidence behind it. Pokemon would actually make you smarter because of the strategy in the game.

• Pokemon is for nerds!

And then the exact opposite point comes (which proves Pokemon haters will do anything to prove their point. The whole "nerd" thing has always just been a giant stereotype to me-if someone's smart, they're a nerd. And glasses count for extra points. But "nerd" was actually first used in a Dr. Seuss book-that alone explains how valid it is. But if Pokemon fans are "nerds", so what? Us smart people or "nerds" will rule the world one day! Muahahahaha!

• Pokemon is a fad!

Correction-it was a fad. And what's wrong with that, anyway? And unlike most fads, there were people who truly liked Pokemon and not just because everyone else did. While most fads are never heard from again after ending, Pokemon is still alive and well.

• Pokemon is dead!

It's true Pokemon wasn't everywhere like it once was, now it is more online than public. But is it dead? No. The games are still selling millions and the fansites online are still plentiful, which proves that Pokemon-and its fans-are still around.

• There are evil Pokemon, such as Houndoom and Darkrai.

The key term to remember for this is "don't judge a book by its cover." While these Pokemon may look evil, they are good at heard and don't have evil intentions (The Rise of Darkrai covers this well). Same goes for all Pokemon, actually.