The Pokemon Trading Card Game, for over 20 years, has been missing a certain Pokemon. Kadabra hasn’t been seen since 2002, after illusionist Uri Geller sued Nintendo a few years earlier. Geller felt that Pokemon was based on his likeness. In fact, he first learned of Kadabra’s existence from the Japanese version of the card, where it was named “Jungerer”. Geller thought it was a clear reference to his name.
A $60 million lawsuit he filed seeking damages was dismissed in the United States in 2003, and he pursued the matter in other regions. Meanwhile, Nintendo kept quiet about it and, gradually, Kadabra disappeared from the anime and the card game.
However, Geller has since changed his mind and all attempts to sue the company have been dropped. In late 2020, he allowed Nintendo to use Kadabra again for trading cards. It was announced this week that Kadabra will be returning to the Pokemon Trading Card Game via the Pokemon Card 151 set, which features the original 151 Pokemon, set to be released this summer.
As for what made Geller change his mind, he told the PokeBeach site last August that “first of all, I did a stupid thing to sue them. I was just mad that my name appeared on a Pokemon card out of the blue without anyone asking. The most important thing is that in these 20 years I became a grandfather. I saw my grandchildren and thought, ‘Come on, you have to put the Pokemon card back into circulation'”.
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 have reached out to me over the past [few] years, including those from PokeBeach, who kept contacting me. So actually, you and my granddaughters made me change my mind. Now we all get to see Kadabra reunited with the original Pokemon in a card game this summer. I love you all. And I admit it. Completely open and honest. I was a fool. It was a terrible mistake for me to sue Pokemon. [Kadabra] it was basically a tribute to Uri Geller. But now it’s back. Forgive me. I love you all. Lots of love and energy.”
