The dark side of Pokémon

Pikachu is too cute. And so are the other Pokémon creatures. That’s why more than 21 million daily Pokémon Go users in the United States alone have been trying to catch them all, right? Not because they want to train the critters to fight each other? Eek! That’s dark—and, sadly, a reflection of real life. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recognized this years ago and made Pokémon Black & Blue, a parody of the franchise that’s taken on renewed life. It’s at http://features.peta.org/pokemon-black-and-white-parody. In other anti-animal-abuse entertainment news, the world is overdue for a vegan-lifestyle television show, and now there is one. Plant-Based by Nafsika, hosted by Nafsika Antypas, airs on A&E’s FYI network on Wednesdays beginning July 27, at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Maybe the world is ready for a vegan show—ahem, plant-based show—but that time slot says the network isn’t ready to let the West Coast wake up to it.