The day it rained (pocket) monsters

Kids love 'em, toy makers can't turn out enough of 'em, and parents and teachers just don't get it. Rana Allam investigates the Pokémon underworld
Charmandar
They appeared almost overnight, and now they just won't go away: trading cards, Gameboy software, stuffed animals; all carrying the omnipresent Pokémon characters. The Pokémon rage spread fast and soon kids all over Egypt were hoarding cards bearing the images of creatures endowed with magical fighting powers. No less than six different games are available for Gameboy players and a child's favourite Pokémon monster can be found on T-shirts, take-away cups, you name it. On the street and at private clubs alike, kids can be found trading cards and discussing the latest in Pokémon feats and news.
As is always the case, parents were left shaking their heads in bewilderment, oblivious as to why their children were so fascinated by these bizarre creatures. More importantly, parents wince at the prices of the cards, toys and bags of potato chips in which Pokémon discs can be found. But with some parents, the stakes are higher.
"The sky was raining Pokémon cards," recounted Sayed Mustafa, a 12-year-old boy, who lives in Shubra. One of the local fathers had read an article denouncing Pokémon and decided to toss his son's cards over the balcony. All the kids on the street gathered beneath the balcony to collect the treasures, while their owner wailed hysterically. When approached by the press, the father refused to comment.
His reaction, though extreme, is not surprising, amid increasingly wide-spread rumours about Pokémon. Some claim that Pokémon games teach children the principles of gambling, while others denounce the little creatures as agents of Israel, saying they brainwash children. So serious is the concern that a Saudi fatwa was issued clearly stating that Pokémon is a game of gambling that adopts the Darwinian theory of evolution and is therefore anti-Islamic. The fatwa also claimed that Pokémon cards use symbols of religion, namely the Star of David, the Christian cross and other symbols significant to various religions and cults. Many Arab Gulf countries have responded to the uproar by simply banning the game and confiscating all Pokémon-related items, including clothes with Pokémon characters printed on them.
Egypt has refrained from launching war against Pokémon, but concerned parents have taken their own measures. In some areas teachers and parents are working together to eliminate the game and newsletters bearing all manner of outrageous accusations are distributed regularly. Leaflets warn that Pokémon causes cancer and corrupts children by introducing them to other religions. The game is frequently condemned as a "Zionist game."
Pokémon was invented 1996 by Satochi Tajiri, a Japanese boy who sold his game to Nintendo, one of the largest game companies in the world. Today, the world of Pokémon includes three movies, one official Web site (www.pokemon.com), soundtracks, games, clothes and toys -- in short a multi-million-dollar enterprise that has millions of children across the world in its grip. According to the Web site's encyclopedia, the Pokémon Universe includes 250 different types of creatures. The object of the games that take place in this universe boil down to becoming the best "trainer." Trainers collect Pokémons and pit them against other trainers' Pokémons -- a rather violent concept, especially for a game graded "E" (everyone) by the independent US-based entertainment Software Rating Board. "E" games are deemed suitable for anyone six years of age or older.
"My teachers at school told us that Pokémon causes cancer, that it is invented by Israel, and that it is a form of gambling, which is against Islam," says 13-year-old Mohamed Gaber, who lives in the working-class district of Imbaba and plays with his neighbourhood friends. But being deprived of Pokémon paraphernalia hasn't stopped the game. "Now we play the same game with bottle lids, on which we draw the characters," explained Mohamed.
Plastic Pokémon cards can be found in Egypt in bags of potato chips, making the cards easily accessible for a wide range of kids. According to a source at the potato chips company, "A great deal of research was undertaken before Pokémon cards were declared safe for children." He added that the company policy requires that all raw materials used in the inserts, such as ink, "should be non-toxic and certified as such". Inserts cannot have any sharp edges or corners, should be over four centimetres (to avoid children from choking on them) and should not break easily.
With most parents, however, the issue is not one of health hazards. Two articles published in Al-Midan newspaper by columnist Medhat Abu Bakr have claimed that Pokémon is made by Zionists with the express purpose of "messing with our Arab cultural identity" and "to Judaise our thoughts, minds and ideas." Abu Bakr asserts that Pokémon means "I am Jewish," adding that the name of one of the most popular Pokémon creatures, Pikachu, means "be Jewish." The Pokémon encyclopedia only gives the following definition for Pikachu: "Type: Electric; Height: 0.4 metres; Weight: 6 kilogrammes." According to this source, the only problem with Pikachu is that "Trainers often have a hard time keeping several Pikachus in one place, because a high concentration of Pikachus will trigger electrical disturbances in the atmosphere."
Japanese embassies throughout the Arab World have tried to stem the tide of misinformation by issuing a statement explaining that Pokémon "characters and their names are fanciful in nature, and nothing in Pokémon's design is intended to be disrespectful of religion or to promote gambling or any political agenda." The release clarified that every creature's name is derived from English and Japanese names. For example, Pikachu comes from "Pika," which means lightning, and "Chu," which is the sound that a mouse makes. Literally, the name means "electric mouse."
But such a simple explanation has failed to pacify people bent on proving the game detrimental to children and society as a whole. Abu Bakr claims that "Pokémonians" are people who call for having sex anywhere, with anyone and anytime. Zeinab Abdel-Karim, the wife of a grocer who has the Al-Midan article hung above the cashier, declared that Pokémon is "devilish." The proof? "I tried to burn them, they wouldn't burn. Then I tried to flush them down the toilet but they wouldn't go away. I assure you, they are satanic." But Abeer Hussam, a mother who doesn't really understand the game, told the Weekly, "I examined the cards and I don't see anything related to religion. If some kids are gambling, then it is the families' responsibility."
And in spite of the pressure parents may put on children to stay away from the Pokémon Universe, it seems the game will go on. "Pokémon means 'pocket monster'. I don't know why my friends at school say it is against Islam," exclaimed 9-year-old Mohamed Ali Hussein. Mohamed says that he used to play Pokémon with his friends at school, but was surprised to arrive one day and find they had all thrown away their Pokémon games. At the Maadi club, he says, his friends are "different," and Mohamed confirms they are still playing.
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Related link:
Pokemon official web site
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