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In 1997, an episode of the 'Pokémon' animated series used a strobe-light effect during a battle sequence. Hundreds of viewers in Japan suffered seizures and other symptoms. More than two decades later, no one is exactly sure why.

Jake Rossen








Liia Galimzianova/iStock via Getty Images

The adult novelty item has a surprisingly rich history involving organized crime, food science, and the difficulties in patenting the name "Candypants."

Jake Rossen
Amazon

The Pet Rock was the brainchild of copywriter Gary Dahl, who thought America needed a laugh during the largely humorless post-Vietnam and Watergate era.

Jake Rossen








Shadow Shifter, YouTube

The novelty shirts, shorts, and pants were one of the hottest clothing items of 1991, with a special dye that changed color in response to temperature changes. Before long, Hypercolor proved to be too popular for its own good.

Jake Rossen


JD Hancock, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

In the summer of 1989, there was no escaping Tim Burton's 'Batman.' The Caped Crusader was on everything from T-shirts to bed sheets—but the studio still claimed the film lost money.

Jake Rossen