Which Pokémon cards were censored?
Most censored Pokémon cards come from the Wizards of the Coast years, when Japanese cards were localised for the English market from 1999. Wizards changed art that showed a racial caricature, a religious symbol, a rude gesture, nudity or gambling. One later case, Magmortar, dates from 2012.
None of these cards were banned from tournament play. When collectors call them banned, they mean the original art never came out in English, which is why several of the Japanese versions sell for far more.
Jynx: black skin changed to purple
Jynx was originally drawn with a black face and large red lips, a design widely criticised as resembling a blackface caricature. For the English Base Set in 1999, Wizards of the Coast recoloured its face purple, and later English Jynx cards like Base Set 2 and Sabrina's Jynx in Gym Heroes followed.
One card slipped through. The English Jynx from Neo Revelation (2001) still has the black face of the original design.
Jynx, Japanese and English
Koga's Ninja Trick and Sabrina's Gengar
The Japanese Koga's Ninja Trick shows a manji (卍) in the top left of the artwork. The manji is a Buddhist symbol, but in the West it is easily mistaken for a swastika, so the English Gym Challenge card replaces it with a different emblem.
Sabrina's Gengar also got a new background. In Japanese it stands against a dark, murky scene; the English Gym Heroes holo puts it against a starry sky.
Koga's Ninja Trick and Sabrina's Gengar
Sabrina's Gaze: the middle finger
In the Japanese Sabrina's Gaze, Sabrina holds a Master Ball with her middle finger raised above the others, straight at the viewer. The English card in Gym Heroes has entirely new art of Sabrina holding out a Poké Ball.
Grimer and Misty's Tears
In the Japanese Rocket Gang set, Grimer looks up at a schoolgirl in loose socks standing over it. The English Team Rocket card keeps the girl's legs in the background but turns Grimer's eyes away. Both versions are by Kagemaru Himeno.
The Japanese Misty's Tears shows a nude Misty in silhouette next to Staryu. The English Gym Challenge card was redrawn as a close-up of Misty crying. Despite its reputation, Misty's Tears was never banned from play.
Grimer and Misty's Tears
Slot machines and Moo-Moo Milk in Neo Genesis
Two Goldenrod Game Corner Trainers in Neo Genesis were toned down. The Japanese Slot Game (スロットゲーム) shows a row of slot machines with "slot" written on them; in English it became Arcade Game, with a close-up of a machine and no slot sign. Card-Flip Game got a new picture as well.
The Japanese Moo-Moo Milk shows Sentret drinking milk straight from an udder. The English card shows Clefairy next to bottles of milk instead.
Neo Genesis Trainers
Magmortar (2012): the arm cannon
The Japanese Magmortar from Dragon Blade points its smoking arm cannon straight at the viewer, like a gun just fired. The English Dragons Exalted card, released in August 2012, has the arm raised instead.
Kadabra: the Uri Geller ban
Kadabra is the one Pokémon that disappeared from the card game altogether. In 2000 the spoon-bending illusionist Uri Geller sued Nintendo, arguing that Kadabra, called Yungerer (ユンゲラー) in Japanese and holding a spoon, was based on him without permission. After the early 2000s, no new Kadabra cards were printed.
In November 2020, Geller apologised and said he was lifting his objection. Kadabra came back in the Japanese Pokémon Card 151 set on June 16, 2023, and in the English 151 set on September 22, 2023. It has appeared in new sets since.
Kadabra, before and after
Are the uncensored Japanese cards worth more?
Often, yes. In late September 2026, the Cardmarket prices Pooka tracks put the Japanese Grimer at about €31 against about €1.35 for the English one, and the Japanese Magmortar at about €40 against about €1 in English.
Not every pair works that way. On Cardmarket, Base Set Jynx costs a few euros in either language.
