The Pokemon Trading Card Game, for more than 20 years, has been missing a certain Pokemon. Kadabra hasn’t been seen since 2002, after illusionist Uri Geller had sued Nintendo a few years earlier. Geller felt that the Pokemon was based on his likeness. In fact, he first learned of Kadabra’s existence from the Japanese version of the card, where it is named name “Yungerer”. Geller felt that this was a clear reference to his name.
The $60,000,000 suit that he filed for, seeking damages, was dismissed in the United States in 2003, he pursued the matter in other regions. In the meantime, Nintendo stayed silent about it and, gradually, Kadabra faded from the anime and trading card game.
However, Geller has since changed his mind and all attempts to sue the company have ended. In late 2020, he allowed Nintendo to use Kadabra for trading cards again. It has been announced this week that Kadabra will be returning to the Pokemon Trading Card Game via a Pokémon Card 151 set, featuring the original 151 Pokemon, that is supposed to release this summer.
As for what made Geller change his mind, he stated to site PokeBeach last August that “first of all, I did a stupid thing for suing them. I was just angry that my name appeared on a Pokemon card out of the blue without ever being asked. The most important thing is in these 20 years I became a grandfather. I saw my granddaughters and I thought ‘Come on, you gotta release the Pokemon card back into circulation again’”.
Following this week’s reveal of Kadabra’s return to the Pokemon Trading Card Game, Geller sent a message to PokeBeach saying that “I want to thank the Pokemon fans who reached out to me over the last [few] years, Including the ones from PokeBeach, who kept contacting me nonstop. So basically, it was you and my granddaughters that got me to change my mind. Now we can all see Kadabra reunited with the original Pokemon in the card game this summer. I love you all. And I admit. Totally open and honest. I was a fool. It was a devastating mistake for me to sue Pokemon. [Kadabra] was basically a tribute to Uri Geller. But it’s back now. Forgive me. I love you all. Much love and energy”.
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