Chinpokomon

Season 3, Episode 11, Aired
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Episode Summary

The kids in South Park have fallen victim to the latest fad: Chinpokomon, a Japanese cartoon/toy line/video game. The adults are concerned about the odd behavior of the children, who have started speaking in Japanese and resembling anime characters. It is soon discovered that Chinpokomon is actually a ploy by the Japanese to overthrow the American government with a loyal horde of brainwashed child-soldiers. To avoid fighting a war against Japan and their own children the adults set out to stop them.moreless
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Cast & Crew

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  • Trey Parker

    Voice of Stan Marsh; Eric Theodore Cartman; Herbert Garrison; Officer Barbrady; Terrance; Timmy; Ned Gerblanski; Satan; Randy Ma

  •

    Matt Stone

    Voice of Kyle Broflovski; Kenny McKormick; Gerald Broflovski; Pip Pirrup; Jesus; Jimbo Kearn; Phillip; Saddam; Various Others

  •

    Mary Kay Bergman

    Voice of Wendy Testaburger; Liane Cartman; Sheila Broflovski; Sharon Marsh; Mrs. McKormick; Mayor McDaniels; Ms. Crabtree; Princ

Fan Episode Reviews (25)

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  • great

    8.0
    "Great"
    By futuramarama, Jul 31, 2011 Report Abuse
    What I liked: the Bill Clinton scene, how the Japanese kept talking about the lengths of penises, the Japanese man showing Sharon his penis to prove it is small, Kyle always being slow to catch up to the fad, the ending of the episode, Kenny's seizure (great reference to a real-life incident), amongst other things.

    Stellar episode. It's not one of their best episodes but it did have a nice plot with some really funny parts. B- or so is going to be my final grade, I think is fair for this particular episodemoreless

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    0 0

  • Good older episode of SP

    8.5
    "Great"
    By Southparkfa, Oct 29, 2010 Report Abuse
    To be honest, I don't like the first 3 seasons of South Park as much as season 4 on, but this is one of the best older ones. In this episode, the boys all get addicted to "Chinpokomon" (obvious pokemon parody) from Japan, to the point where they're going to Summer Camp for it. It turns out that the Japanese are using the Chinpokomon figures to brainwashing the kids to unleash an aireal attack on Pearl Harbor (again!) The main problem with this ep, is that the story is a little too wacky here, and there are too many penis jokes with Japanese. Overall, a good older episode. 8.5/10 Bmoreless

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    1 0

  • Suprisingly freaky but excellent episode of South Park.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By oceanic6, Oct 15, 2010 Report Abuse
    In Chinpokomon; All the kids except for Kyle, are going crazy over Chinpokomon, a new toy, game, and TV show set that's just arrived from Japan. And when the kids are brainwashed into bringing down the American Government by all means possible; it looks like South Park will never be the same again. This episode is essentially one continuous go at the Japanese but rather than the usual sushi, sumo wrestling and cheesy game show gags which was found in the Simpsons episode based in Tokyo. The culturally enriched Trey Parker and Matt Stone go for the more subtle approaches which includes an in - joke as to what "Chinpoko" actually means. (You'll have to look that one up because i'm not saying it here.)

    By the way; if you didn't know that the anime series Pokemon caused seizures, has bad animation and lip - synching, cheesy characters, Japanese in - jokes and drove it's young fans into obsession. These are (not so) subtly referenced to in this episode.

    The plot is the classic South Park method of taking a mild thing way too far until it's utterly ridiculous but that's what makes it so irresistable. The jokes also border along the lines of too much but you can't help but respect it. The visuals in the first seasons were rough and dog ugly but in the later seasons it's so cinematic and detailed that the true spirit of the show is obscured but this episode is right in the middle of them and it's great. We're also treated to some creepy live action sequences.

    Same goes with the audio; in the early seasons they were premature and in the later seasons they're a little broken but here they're at their best. This is also one of your last chances to hear Mary Kay Bergman as the female characters on the show as she's taken from us in about 4 episodes time. Overall this is a superbly surreal experience.moreless

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  • Great filler episode.

    7.0
    "Good"
    By McKellars, Oct 15, 2010 Report Abuse
    This episode of South Park was a pretty good one. I kept on finding it funny how there was a big fad and all of the kids kept on getting the new kind of Chinpokomon item such as dolls and video games and then Kyle was always one step behind the others in getting the same item as the others. I mean this episode was almost just like pokemon because Pokemon kept on coming out with something new such as games, cards, dolls, and averything in between. But I will say this, those Japanese are smart and can get kids to buy into just about anything.moreless

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    0 2

  • The greatest tribute to Pokemon ever.

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By meganintendoguy, Apr 15, 2010 Report Abuse
    Stan, Cartman, and Kenny and the rest of America, besides Kyle are all caught up in the fads. The newest fad Chinpokomon turns out to be a terrorist attack on the american government. This is my 3rd favorite episode of South Park is the best. Tou should go watch it right now.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Sharon's question about what the Chinpokomon are if they are animals or robots. This was on every Americans' mind when they watch the Pokemon series when it first came on, if the Pokemon were animals or robots. Edit
    • There were two flags displayed at the Chinpokomon Camp. The left flag is the first Flag of Japan, which was no longer adopted nearly 3 months prior to this episode. Note that the red disc is not placed perfectly at the centre of the flag. The right flag appears to have flames on the red disc, which does not exist in the real world. Edit
    • At the last shot of the scene where the Marsh family showed 'Chinpokomon' to the other families, look closely at Carol McCormick's (Kenny's mother) right eye. Her pupils will fade for a short while, before it disappears. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Co-creator Trey Parker studied Japanese and lived in Japan for a time. Japanese jokes are sprinked thoughout the episode. Edit
    • This episode was nominated for the 2000 Emmy Award for "Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)". Edit
    • On the season 3 mini-commentary of "Chinpokomon", Trey Parker mentioned that this episode featured the voice of an old buddy from college named Junichi Nishimura. Junichi had also done a voice in one of Trey's earlier animated shorts that he made in college called "American History." Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Chinpokomon doll: I love you. Let's be best friends… and destroy American Capitalist government! Edit
    • Chinpokomon doll: Down with America! Edit
    • Randy: We love Chinpokomon too! It's super toy number one! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Independence Day: Sharon: We know how to take 'em out Mr. Garrison, spread the word. Get on the wire to every parent around the country and tell them how to bring those sons of b*tches down! This line is a spoof on the 1996 film Independence Day, starring Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Edit
    • Hirohito: Emperor Hirohito was the Emperor of Japan during WWII. Note that Hirohito died in 1989, 10 years prior to this episode. Edit
    • Infamous Pokemon Seizure Ep: Stan: Kenny's got a seizure! Kenny getting a seizure is a reference to the infamous Pokémon Episode #38: Electric Soldier Porygon. When first aired in Japan, it caused seizures in Japanese kids. Thus, it was never aired in the United States. Edit

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