Flashing Japan Cartoon Makes Children Sick

A television cartoon based on a popular video game triggered convulsions in hundreds of children across Japan on Tuesday when a “bright red explosion” flashed for five seconds on screens.

An official said at least 618 children suffered convulsions, vomiting, irritated eyes and other symptoms. Many were rushed to the hospital by frantic parents, and 19 were admitted.

The cartoon “Pokemon,” or “Little Monsters,” has an audience of millions of children.

The children came down with the symptoms about 20 minutes into the 30-minute animation.

The Yomiuri newspaper quoted a doctor specializing in epileptic seizures as saying the symptoms were similar to those that some children experience when they play video games.

Executives of TV Tokyo, the network that broadcast the show, said they were inundated with calls.

The cartoon features characters from a video game produced by toy maker Nintendo Co.

Japan’s Kyodo News Service said some children reported feeling ill and had vision problems after seeing a brilliant explosion mixed with the strobe-light flashing of a character’s eyes.

Shares in Nintendo were down nearly 2.5% in midmorning trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.