Just about every creature in Pokemon has some roots in a real-world concept. Many come from mythological concepts, such as Magikarp and Gyarados' roots in a Chinese story about a carp's transformation into a dragon. Others are simpler, such as Vanillish's basis in ice cream or Palossand's imitation of a sand castle. Still, some Pokemon get their roots in other foms of culture, such as Kadabra carrying a spoon in recognition of the many human psychics who claim to be able to bend spoons with their mind. Part of Pokemon's charm is that it re-imagines the real world, but sometimes that can create obstacles for the franchise.

Kadabra is a great example of that potential. While the evolution of Abra seems like a pretty unassuming Pokemon, it has a complicated history because of its basis in real-life concepts. For a decade and a half, Kadabra hasn't made appearances in the Pokemon anime or the trading card game because a famous psychic named Uri Geller went to court with The Pokemon Company, claiming it used his likeness without permission. While Kadabra's situation has changed, its journey remains an interesting piece of the Pokemon franchise's history.

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Kadabra's Disappearance and Return

Pokemon Evolutions Kadabra

For those unfamiliar with his work, Geller is an Israeli-British psychic and illusionist who has made a major impact in his industry. Geller claims to have true supernatural powers, which he uses to perform psychokinetic feats. Spoon bending is Geller's signature talent, and he's responsible for popularizing it among other psychic performers. He also has something of a history for taking legal action against people who he feels criticize or misrepresent him, which is how Nintendo landed in a legal battle with Geller.

In 2000, Geller sued Nintendo over the Pokemon Kadabra. In Japanese, Kadabra's name is Yungerer; a corruption of Uri Geller's name; and the fact that it uses a spoon to perform psychic feats is a clear nod to Geller's work. Geller also felt Kadabra had design elements giving him an "evil, occult" look, in effect twisting his image without his permission. While Geller wasn't financially compensated by Nintendo or the Pokemon Company, an agreement was made to stop using Kadabra in both the Pokemon anime and the Pokemon trading card game. The Pokemon promptly disappeared from both parts of the franchise, even as it continued showing up in core games.

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While that decision stood for a long time, everything changed in 2020 when Geller relented. Speaking out on Twitter, Geller said he realized how his litigation affected Pokemon fans everywhere, and that he regretted taking the makers of Pokemon to court. What's more, he sent a letter directly to The Pokemon Company, granting it permission to use Kadabra in Pokemon media again. Sure enough, Kadabra recently made a triumphant return to the Pokemon anime in a new episode of Pokemon Evolutions, showing its face for the first time in more than 15 years.

Pokemon's Relationship with the Real World

Kadabra

Most developers don't have to consider how their franchises might elicit reactions from famous people, but as long as Pokemon bases its monsters on real-life people, there's always a risk of criticism. The opposite could happen too. Geller might not have liked Kadabra's roots in his work at first, but KISS bassist Gene Simmons said he was flattered when Pokemon Sword and Shield added Obstagoon, whose black-and-white coloration and extended tongue are reminiscent of Simmons' stage persona.

Pokemon can be an interesting lens to look at the many sides of real-life culture. While individual human responses complicate that sometimes, it still makes for a compelling piece of history to remember.

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