Animal rights group PETA has released a parody version of Pokémon to illustrate their feelings about the recent American launch of Pokémon Black/White 2.
The organisation is likening the way Pokémon are treated, to the abuse of animals, as their spoof game succinctly demonstrates. A statement from PETA posted by MyNintendoNews reads:
"Much like animals in the real world, Pokémon are treated as unfeeling objects and used for such things as human entertainment and as subjects in experiments. The way that Pokémon are stuffed into pokéballs is similar to how circuses chain elephants inside railroad cars and let them out only to perform confusing and often painful tricks that were taught using sharp steel-tipped bullhooks and electric shock prods ...if PETA existed in Unova, our motto would be: Pokémon are not ours to use or abuse. They exist for their own reasons. We believe that this is the message that should be sent to children."
It's not the first time that PETA has used an iconic video game character to make a political point, with Mario getting the negative attention last time around.