Japanese city accused of plagiarizing Pokémon trading cards 

An area of Japan’s Fukui prefecture has halted the distribution of two original character cards after Pokémon fans pointed out their strong resemblance to specific Pokémon trading cards. Distributed at restaurants in the area since April, the cards in question are being pulled by the council in charge of the promotion due to concerns about copyright infringement (source: Fukui Shimbun). 

The Obama City-Wakasa Town Japanese Heritage Promotion Council has been distributing 520 copies of 7 different cards since April 2024 as part of its efforts to promote the food culture of the region. Each card features a different monster based on a particular local dish or ingredient, with elemental attributes and stats containing facts about its history, preparation and nutritional value.  

However, Pokémon enthusiasts contacted the organization to point out that two of the cards not only feature creature designs that resemble specific Pokémon but also mimic the pose and layout of official Pokémon trading cards. Unaaja (based on the freshwater eels that Wakasa is known for) was considered similar in appearance to the Pokémon Snivy, especially the distinctive head shape (pictured top). The dragon-like Heshikomu, (based on the preserved mackerel specialty heshiko) looks like a brown version of the Pokémon Reshiram (pictured below). Although the Pokémon Company has not taken any legal action, the local organization has cautiously recalled all the remaining cards with these two designs. Those who were lucky enough to pick up either Heshikomu or Unaaja on a trip to Fukui can keep them, meaning that the cards could be considered rare and collectable in the future. 

According to Obama City, the municipality chose the food and information to be featured on each card and then outsourced the design for the monsters and cards to an external contractor. The contractor admitted using Pokémon as inspiration but denied that they plagiarized the designs. Officials from Obama City and Wakasa Town checked and approved the finished card designs, but a spokesperson has since commented that they didn’t check thoroughly enough. The area will continue to use the remaining card designs in their PR campaign. 

Plagiarism and design-copying is a contentious topic often picked up by eagle-eyed Pokémon enthusiasts. Last week, some Pokémon fans were accusing Pokémon Sleep developer Select Button of copying fan-art designs for Pokémon sleep styles.