寶可夢系列引發的黑人爭議，主要圍繞在角色設計與玩家二創作品中所呈現的種族刻板印象問題。早期角色設計如迷唇姐（Jynx）和投擲猴（Primeape）被指控承襲歷史上的《黑臉秀》（Minstrel Show）文化特徵，而近期遊戲與二創作品中出現的黑人角色，如《寶可夢傳說 Z-A》中的卡娜莉（Kanari）與怪力（Machamp）二創情境，又被認為涉及對黑人身體與性刻板印象的歧視描繪。這些事件促使玩家、創作者社群以及遊戲開發商對文化敏感性、政治正確（DEI）與種族議題展開深入討論，也引發「反DEI」聲浪與抵制運動。

在歷史遺留的刻板印象方面，迷唇姐因其黑色嘴唇與誇張妝容，被認為暗示白人塗黑臉演出黑人形象的《黑臉秀》文化，而投擲猴則因其滑稽造型和粗糙的設計，也被指與黑人刻板印象相關。面對爭議，任天堂曾在後續遊戲版本中對迷唇姐的膚色進行調整，使其更接近原先的紫色設計，同時在《Let's Go》系列中修改投擲猴的名稱，以淡化可能的歧視意味。然而，爭議的歷史根源仍被廣泛討論，尤其是在國際玩家社群中。

近期涉及二創的種族爭議，則出現在日本玩家將卡娜莉這位非裔角色與強壯的怪力寶可夢配對進行二創，創作出帶有NTR（偷情、背叛）意味的情境。怪力的強壯身材和鎖鏈元素被部分西方玩家解讀為對黑人男性的性刻板印象（如BBC迷思），引發大量批評與討論。這個事件突顯日本文化與西方文化在種族敏感議題上的差異，以及創作者在不經意間可能觸碰到敏感話題的風險。

這些爭議進一步促使遊戲產業和社群對DEI（多元、平等、共融）議題的關注度大幅提升。一方面，玩家社群針對DEI理念的導入展開熱烈討論，部分玩家認為過度政治正確可能限制創意，甚至發起抵制運動；另一方面，開發商在全球化市場中，需要在商業考量與尊重多元文化之間取得平衡，這對設計團隊而言是一大挑戰。爭議同時促使創作者更加注意文化敏感性，避免無意識地再現或強化歷史刻板印象。

總體而言，寶可夢所引發的黑人爭議，不僅反映遊戲歷史中存在的種族問題，也凸顯全球化與社群文化互動下，玩家、創作者與企業在面對文化差異、政治正確與創作自由時的張力與分歧。這些事件成為遊戲產業在處理歷史刻板印象與文化敏感性議題上的重要案例，也讓社群對於種族表現與創意責任有更深層的討論與反思。

The controversies surrounding Pokémon and its portrayal of Black characters primarily revolve around racial stereotypes present in early character designs, such as Jynx and Primeape, as well as fan-created content in more recent games, like Kanari (from Pokémon Legends Z-A) paired with Machamp in fan works. The former has roots in the historical Minstrel Show, while the latter has been criticized for perpetuating discriminatory depictions related to Black people, including stereotypes about body type and sexuality. These controversies have prompted both players and creators to focus more on cultural sensitivity and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), sparking heated discussions about race, game design, and social responsibility, while also giving rise to backlash and anti-DEI movements.

Regarding historical stereotypes, Jynx’s black face and exaggerated features have been interpreted as references to the Minstrel Show tradition, where white performers would paint their faces to mimic Black people. Similarly, Primeape’s exaggerated design has been criticized for reflecting negative stereotypes. In response, Nintendo altered Jynx’s skin color in later game versions to a more neutral purple and adjusted Primeape’s name in the Let's Go series, attempting to reduce the discriminatory connotations. However, the underlying historical issues continue to be widely discussed in international gaming communities.

Recent controversies arising from fan creations focus on racial insensitivity in reinterpretations of newer Black characters. Japanese players paired Kanari, a character of African descent, with the muscular Pokémon Machamp in fan-made NTR (infidelity-themed) scenarios. Machamp’s strong physique and chains were interpreted by some Western audiences as referencing sexualized stereotypes of Black men (e.g., the “BBC” trope). This incident highlighted the cultural differences between Japan and the West regarding racial sensitivity, as well as the risks creators face of unintentionally crossing sensitive boundaries.

These controversies have also heightened attention to DEI issues within the gaming industry. On one hand, player communities actively debate the role of DEI, with some arguing that excessive political correctness can limit creativity and even prompting boycotts. On the other hand, developers face the challenge of balancing commercial success—appealing to global markets and investors—with respect for diverse cultures. The discussions have pushed creators to pay closer attention to cultural sensitivity in design, aiming to avoid inadvertently reproducing or reinforcing historical stereotypes.

Overall, the controversies surrounding Pokémon and Black representation not only reflect historical racial issues within the gaming medium but also highlight the tensions and challenges of navigating globalization, cultural differences, and social responsibility. They serve as an important case study for the industry in addressing historical stereotypes and cultural sensitivity, while fostering deeper conversations about race, creative freedom, and the responsibilities of both creators and communities.