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Pokémon controversy: Difference between revisions
→Uri Geller
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===Uri Geller=== | ===Uri Geller=== | ||
[[File:064Kadabra RG.png|thumb|200px|Kadabra's official core game artwork at the time]] | [[File:064Kadabra RG.png|thumb|200px|Kadabra's official core game artwork at the time]] | ||
In 1999, {{wp|Uri Geller}}, | In 1999, Israeli magician {{wp|Uri Geller}}, known for his attribution of spoon-bending tricks to alleged {{wp|psychic}} abilities, tried to sue Nintendo for [https://duckduckgo.com/?q=60000000+GBP+in+USD £60 million] ([http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=60000000+GBP+in+USD+on+November+2%2C+2000 $86.93 million at the time]), claiming that {{p|Kadabra}}, known as ''Yungerer'' in Japan, was an unauthorized parody of himself.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1003454.stm BBC News | ENTERTAINMENT | Geller sues Nintendo over Pokémon] ([https://archive.today/AhjVR archived copy])</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/dec/29/2 Nintendo faces £60m writ from Uri Geller | UK News | The Guardian]</ref> Besides Kadabra's use of [[TwistedSpoon|bent spoons]] to enhance its {{t|psychic}} powers, the {{wp|katakana}} for its name (ユンゲラー) is visually similar to the transliteration of his own name into Japanese (ユリゲラー). Another claim was that Kadabra's design is {{wp|Antisemitism|antisemitic}} in nature due to the star on its forehead and the lightning bolts resembling the logo of the {{wp|Waffen-SS}}. He is quoted as saying "Nintendo turned me into an evil, occult Pokémon character. Nintendo stole my identity by using my name and my signature image." The symbols themselves are taken from those used on {{wp|Zener cards}}, which have been used to conduct research into supposed psychic abilities since the 1930's. | ||
As a result, there has not been a Kadabra card in the {{pkmn|Trading Card Game}} since {{TCG|Skyridge}} in 2003, and Kadabra has not appeared in the Pokémon anime since ''[[AG146|Fear Factor Phony]]'', perhaps as a precaution against Geller's history of lawsuits. This is further hinted at by [[Masamitsu Hidaka]]'s interview with PokéBeach in July 2008,<ref>[http://pokebeach.com/2008/07/second-pokemon-interview-with-masamitsu-hidaka-many-interesting-points Second Interview with Masamitsu Hidaka – Many Interesting Points! (July 4th, 2008) « Website News « PokéBeach] ([https://archive.today/ApNJu archived copy])</ref> where he claims that usage of Kadabra on a card is not allowed until an agreement was reached and that the case would not be settled anytime soon. | As a result, there has not been a Kadabra card in the {{pkmn|Trading Card Game}} since {{TCG|Skyridge}} in 2003, and Kadabra has not appeared in the Pokémon anime since ''[[AG146|Fear Factor Phony]]'', perhaps as a precaution against Geller's history of lawsuits. This is further hinted at by [[Masamitsu Hidaka]]'s interview with PokéBeach in July 2008,<ref>[http://pokebeach.com/2008/07/second-pokemon-interview-with-masamitsu-hidaka-many-interesting-points Second Interview with Masamitsu Hidaka – Many Interesting Points! (July 4th, 2008) « Website News « PokéBeach] ([https://archive.today/ApNJu archived copy])</ref> where he claims that usage of Kadabra on a card is not allowed until an agreement was reached and that the case would not be settled anytime soon. | ||