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Changed Designs

Censorship

In Gold and Silver, several trainer images were changed during translation.

In the original, Beauties winked provocatively and wore short skirts. In non‐Japanese releases, their skirts were lengthened, and the provocative wink was edited out.

Japan	USA

In the original, female Swimmers also winked. The wink was edited out in non‐Japanese releases.

Japan	USA

In the original, Fishers smoked. The cigarette was edited out in non‐Japanese releases.

Japan	USA

In the original, Sages had their hands in a praying position. Their hands were simply folded in non‐Japanese releases.

Japan	USA

In the original, Mediums held a string of beads. This was removed from non‐Japanese releases.

Japan	USA

One Pokémon was also censored: Jynx’s design is obviously based on blackface, so Nintendo sensitively changed Jynx’s skin color to purple. Due to technical limitations, this forced its hair color to white instead of yellow—the game has a hard‐coded limit of four colors per Pokémon. Jynx’s Silver sprite was slightly redrawn, with less hair, less fabric, and different positioning of hand, elbow, eyes, and mouth.

	Japan Gold	USA Gold	Japan Silver	USA Silver
Normal front
Shiny front
Normal back
Shiny back

Redrawn Pokémon

Jynx appears to have been the only Pokémon censored, but several other designs changed between the Japan and US releases:

Slowpoke’s belly originally matched Slowbro’s and Slowking’s; in the English versions it was changed to a solid color, and its body was made slightly smaller.

	Japan Silver	USA Silver
Normal front
Shiny front

A seam on Pinsir’s back was changed from vertical to horizontal.

	Japan	USA
Normal back
Shiny back

A white portion of Feraligatr’s underbelly was changed to blue.

	Japan Gold	USA Gold	Japan Silver	USA Silver
Normal front
Shiny front

A yellow spot behind Lanturn’s eye was removed.

	Japan Gold	USA Gold	Japan Silver	USA Silver
Normal front
Shiny front
Normal back
Shiny back

The fur patterns on Pichu’s neck and ears were changed. The Silver sprite was made less chubby.

	Japan Gold	USA Gold	Japan Silver	USA Silver
Normal front
Shiny front
Normal back
Shiny back

Flaaffy was given a thicker coat of wool.

	Japan	USA
Normal front
Shiny front

The spots on Politoed’s back were removed.

	Japan	USA
Normal front
Shiny front

Aipom was given a patch of skin on his belly.

	Japan Gold	USA Gold	Japan Silver	USA Silver
Normal front
Shiny front

The pattern on Sunkern’s back was changed.

	Japan	USA
Normal front
Shiny front

A fin running along Wooper’s back was removed.

	Japan	USA
Normal front
Shiny front

The spots on Girafarig’s neck were moved to the side of its mane.

	Japan	USA
Normal front
Shiny front

A spot on Quilfish’s tail was removed.

	Japan	USA
Normal front
Shiny front

Sneasel’s ear was made to look more solid. Its eye was changed, perhaps to look less threatening. The white patch on its forehead was rounded. It was given an extra white patch on its chest.