The Spooky Side of Pokémon with Guide to the Unknown

American Hysteria

W!ZARD Studios

History, Society & Culture

4.4 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 16 March 2026

⏱️ 85 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The extended media universe of Pokémon has been an obsession for young people since the late 1990s, and for this goofball episode my friends from the Guide to the Unknown podcast are here to dive into the creepier side of this unparalleled cultural phenomenon. Together with our voice actor Will Rogers and his sister, my pal Kristen Rogers-Anderson, we bring you the weirdest tales from Pokemon history, from the unnerving aspects of the video games, to the supposed mass medical events caused by the show, to the many ridiculous moral panics and sometimes gruesome urban legends it inspired. Will even brings us an original Pokemon gameshow that you’re not gonna wanna miss. Subscribe to Guide to the Unknown on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts Become a Patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get some of our new merch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠americanhysteria.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families. Leave us a message on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Urban Legends Hotline⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Producer and Editor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Miranda Zickler⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Associate Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Riley Swedelius-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kaylee Jasperson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	From the Pokedex now.
0:04.0	The soul of someone who died alone possessed some leftover tea.
0:10.0	Sinist tea gets into your body when you drink it, then it steals your vitality from within.
0:18.0	It also tastes awful.
0:41.1	The trading cards, video games, and extended media universe of Pokemon have been an obsession for young people since the late 1990s.
0:48.0	And for this episode, the wonder siblings of the hilarious Guide to the Unknown podcast are here to dive into the creepier side of this unparalleled cultural phenomenon.
0:55.8	Together with our beloved voice actor Will Rogers and his sister, my pal, Kristen Rogers,
1:02.7	Anderson, we bring you the weirdest tales from Pokemon history, from the unnerving aspects of
1:10.3	the video games to the supposed mass medical
1:13.4	events caused by the show, to the many ridiculous moral panics and sometimes gruesome urban
1:20.3	legends it inspired. Will even brings us an original Pokemon game show that you, dear listeners, are not going to want to miss.
1:30.9	We're doing a pure fun one this week, so join us for a good goofball trip down a dark
1:37.6	memory lane to relive the best part of any craze, the creepy part.
1:44.4	I'm your host, Chelsea Weber Smith, and this is American Hysteria.
1:56.6	What was the Pokemon song? How did it go?
1:59.7	Pokemon, got to catch them all.
2:02.7	And then there's a person in the back going,
2:04.6	A heart's so true.
2:07.5	Our courage will pull us through.
2:11.0	You teach me and I'll teach you.
2:15.4	Pokemon.
2:17.3	Gotta catch them all. Gotta catch them all
	...

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