Fans Want Pokémon to Sue After Department of Homeland Security Video Uses Ash Ketchum to Promote ICE — But The Company's Former Legal Boss Says He 'Wouldn't Touch This'

The Pokémon Company's erstwhile main ineligible serviceman has said helium would not instrumentality enactment implicit an authoritative Department of Homeland Security video that features footage of radical being handcuffed and arrested acceptable to the Pokémon taxable tune — contempt calls from fans for the corp to sue.

The video, which was posted connected societal media this week, mixes blurred footage of instrumentality enforcement officers and dozens of radical successful handcuffs with clips from the animated Pokémon TV series. The station is titled "Gotta Catch 'Em All," linking the Pokémon franchise's celebrated slogan with the arguable existent question of arrests by ICE personnel.

Reactions to the video connected X are mixed, with galore comments tagging the authoritative Pokémon and Nintendo of America accounts to emblem the contented and telephone for the companies to motorboat ineligible enactment implicit the usage of their intelligence property. But Don McGowan, Pokémon's seasoned ex-legal chief, has told IGN helium believes immoderate specified enactment is highly improbable — and listed galore reasons why.

Gotta Catch ‘Em All. pic.twitter.com/qCvflkJGmB

"I don't spot them doing thing astir this for a fewer reasons," McGowan, present main astatine Extreme Grownup Services, told IGN today. "First, deliberation of however small you spot [The Pokémon Company International]'s sanction successful the press. They are INSANELY publicity-shy and similar to fto the marque beryllium the brand.

"Second, galore of their execs successful the USA are connected greenish cards," helium continued. "Even if I was inactive astatine the institution I wouldn't interaction this, and I'm the astir trigger-happy CLO [Chief Legal Officer] I've ever met. This volition stroke implicit successful a mates of days and they'll beryllium blessed to fto it."

For immoderate fans — if nary enactment is so taken — The Pokémon Company's deficiency of effect present whitethorn apt look astonishing considering the highly litigious quality of the corp successful different instances. Indeed, McGowan has spoken successful the past of swinging into enactment aft spotting the unauthorised usage of Pokémon intelligence spot being reported connected by the media.

A simpler maneuver for The Pokémon Company could simply beryllium to lodge a copyright ailment against the station itself — arsenic rapper Jay-Z successfully did backmost successful August erstwhile his way Public Service Announcement was utilized successful a akin recruitment video that featured footage of agents conducting migration raids. That post, titled 'Hunt Cartels, Save America,' is inactive online, though the video is nary longer accessible "in effect to a study by the copyright owner."

There's surely nary doubing the extended usage of the Pokémon marque successful the video. As good arsenic featuring its classical taxable tune, the station besides includes clips from the Pokémon anime featuring erstwhile main quality Ash Ketchum, and ends with a parade of convicted criminals turned into Pokémon cards (with their benignant weakness shown arsenic Ice-type).

"We request to transmission each of the world's vigor into Nintendo and Pokémon to writer the F***ING SHIT retired of Homeland Security for unauthorized ocular representation!" wrote MomagicLOL.

"These are quality beings with families," wrote AlwaysFlacko. "Like what the f*** are we doing arsenic a society. You can't adjacent instrumentality this seriously... rounding radical up and interning them is conscionable a amusive Pokémon meme?"

IGN has contacted The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for comment, and to inquire if either corp volition enactment successful response.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social