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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minutePokémon replaced Brock with Tracey for the Orange Islands arc because production staff worried that Western audiences might react poorly to Brock’s narrow eyes. The change was made before the U.S. broadcast began—not in response to documented viewer complaints—and Brock returned after he proved popular with Western viewers.
When did Tracey replace Brock?
Tracey Sketchit (Kenji in Japanese) took Brock’s place as the original anime moved into its Orange Islands arc. Production records place the decision before the series began airing in the United States: a character sheet for Tracey’s first episode is dated August 27, 1998, and that episode aired in Japan on February 18, 1999. The production artwork and episode chronology are discussed in Dogasu’s account of why Brock left.
That timing matters. The change was a precaution based on what staff thought Western audiences might think, not a reaction to complaints from U.S. viewers.
Why did the production team think Brock might not work in the West?
Two accounts point to concern about Brock’s eyes and assumptions about Western audiences. Former head writer Takeshi Shudo later recalled that management wanted Brock removed because of his eyes and believed an anime featuring Asian-looking characters would not succeed in the West. Shudo disagreed with that assumption. Producer Masakazu Kubo gave a narrower explanation: staff feared Brock’s small eyes would make him unpopular with U.S. viewers. Both accounts are presented by Dogasu.
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A 2008 interview report with former director Masamitsu Hidaka framed the concern more sharply: staff worried American viewers might consider Brock racist because of his eyes. The report says the team made the change as a precaution, then brought Brock back after realizing viewers liked him. That account appears in PokéBeach’s interview report.
Was Brock replaced because the character was considered racist?
That is a reported concern, not a verified verbatim statement from Hidaka. PokéBeach’s article summarizes answers relayed through a translator rather than providing a direct transcript; Dogasu notes that a recording or full translation was not publicly available when it reviewed the account. It is therefore more precise to say that staff feared Brock’s appearance might be poorly received in Western markets. The specific “racist” framing should be attributed to the PokéBeach interview report, rather than presented as an exact quote or an established fact about how viewers reacted.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did Brock come back?
According to Shudo’s and Kubo’s accounts, Brock proved popular with Western audiences after the show debuted there, and production reversed the decision. Tracey’s role in the Orange Islands was temporary; Brock’s departure was not a permanent removal.
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