The craze continues - prepare for a new generation of Pokemon characters


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Just when you thought the Pokemon trend - which comes to us courtesy of Japanese games giant, Nintendo - was getting past its sell by date, the ingenious creators have launched another 100 personalities on an unsuspecting market. They appear in two new games - Pokemon Silver and Pokemon Gold - which were launched in April and designed to be the next step on from the Yellow, Red and Blue versions that have already proved so popular. New variations include the appearance of certain characters at pre-set times of the day and night, the advent of 'pre-evolved' hatchling Pokemon and the creation of a whole new Pokemon land - Johto - complete with its own radio station and mobile network for enthusiasts to alert each other to recent sightings of rare species.

The launch of the two new games coincides with news that Pokemon cards and games have been now banned in Saudi Arabia where, having swamped the market, they are considered to be nothing less than evil. As a result, an Islamic edict has been issued on the grounds that they 'involve gambling' - banned in Islam - and 'promote Zionism.' The latter claim is made on the basis that of the Star of David symbol appears on the game cards. Islamic religious leaders are also concerned about other symbols, 'including crosses, sacred for Christians, triangles, significant for Freemasons and symbols of Japan's Shintoism, which is based on the belief in more than one God. The edict also makes reference to the fact that 'Pokemon has possessed the minds of a large chunk of students, captivated their hearts and become their preoccupation. They spend all their money to buy the cards and compete with each other to win more.' Other countries, such as Mexico and Slovakia - have also criticised the phenomenom. Japan itself was hoist by its own petard in 1997 when viewers of one particular episode of the tv cartoon became gripped in a form of mass hysteria that caused convulsions, loss of consciousness, hyperventilating and nausea.

Problems with Pokemon have been experienced closer to home. Last month a ten year British boy committed suicide following a row between his mother and his headmaster, after his Pokemon cards had been confiscated by a member of staff.

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