Going to
buy stuffed animals and cards should be the safest experience in the world.
Unfortunately, reality sometimes hits us very hard. All the official
stores in Japan have just made an unprecedented decision. The
directors canceled any activity scheduled for the entire month of April
outright. The reason? A fatal attack inside the Pokémon Center in
the Ikebukuro district that left the entire community of players and
the work team in a state of absolute shock.
Mourning
and respect in the face of an inexplicable tragedy
Let's put
what happened on March 26 in context. An employee of the premises lost her life
after being attacked by a man she already knew. The police made it abundantly
clear that this was a strictly personal matter. Nothing to do with the Nintendo
franchise or with deranged fans. Even so, the psychological impact is
brutal. As a sign of respect, the Tokyo branch and the Pokémon
Sweets-themed café closed their doors indefinitely. Back in Japan, it
is a deep-rooted cultural tradition to pause entertainment when a misfortune of
this level occurs to mourn.
The rest of
the branches will continue to operate for normal purchases, but the festive
agenda was completely empty. Forget about party parties, Pokémon
Greetings shows, or Trading Card Game classes for
kids. Everything suspended. The company doesn't want a party atmosphere right
now. Official competitions do continue to operate, but with tweezers. For
example, Pokémon GO tournaments will no longer allow audiences
to crowd in front of giant screens or give gifts to spectators to avoid
unnecessary crowds. Curiously, the TCG City League did not undergo drastic
modifications and will continue its regular course.
Safety
before entertainment
Entering
the forums and reading the fans is comforting. Thousands of users are
supporting the corporate decision. Obviously it hurts to have to cancel the
family plans that many already had prepared for the holidays, but the priority
right now is for the company to review its security measures and
support those affected. We have to wait until May to see if things return to
normal in the physical entertainment industry.
