Allegations of plagiarizing Pokémon card designs has prompted a Japanese city council to stop distribution and request returns of its series of collectible cards promoting local cuisine.
Japanese City Stops Distribution of Promotional Cards Amid Pokémon Plagiarism Allegations
Certain Cards Bore Too Much of a Resemblance to Pokémon Cards
A Japanese city council put a stop to the distribution of a series of collectible cards designed to promote local cuisine after allegations of plagiarizing Pokémon card designs surfaced. The Japan Heritage Utilisation Promotion Council of Obama City and Wakasa Town introduced these cards in April to educate residents on the delicacies of the Miketsukuni region.
The series of cards, named Michokukuni Wakasa History Fudocard, featured seven characters, each representing a different dish. A total of 520 copies of each card were produced and distributed at local restaurants. However, the cards were pulled, or "recalled," following claims that their designs were rather direct copies of existing Pokémon cards.
As reported by news site Fukui Shimbun Online, two particular cards—based on Unagi, or Wakasa eel, and Heshiko (pickled mackerel)—were highlighted to bear strong resemblance to the Pokémon cards of Snivy and Reshiram. A spokesperson for Obama City acknowledged the similarities, stating, "We have to admit that they are very similar."
The card designs were outsourced to a local company, according to the report, which was responsible for creating the cards' artworks and design. Municipal officers from both Obama City and Wakasa Town failed to notice any resemblance to Pokémon cards during the review process. However, when confronted with the allegations, the design company admitted to using Pokémon as a reference but denied allegations of outright plagiarism.
In response to the controversy, the council put a stop to the circulation of all remaining cards. However, they decided not to retrieve the cards already distributed. The details of the report were shared with the Pokémon Company. However, the company declined to give comments on the matter to Fukui Shimbun.
Source:
ポケモンに酷似、福井県小浜市など製作のカード配布停止 食のキャラ2種、レシラムとツタージャ似と指摘
Japanese city pulls cards promoting local cuisine after allegations of Pokémon card plagiarism
