Japanese city pulls cards promoting local cuisine after allegations of Pokémon card plagiarism

A Japanese city council has recalled collectible cards designed to promote local cuisine, after it was alleged they were plagiarising Pokémon card designs.

The Japan Heritage Utilisation Promotion Council of Obama City and Wakasa Town released a series of cards in April, to make residents more familiar with the delicacies of the Miketsukuni region (which takes in three provinces).

The series, called Michokukuni Wakasa History Fudocard, consisted of seven characters, each based on a different local food. 520 copies of each card were made, and the cards were being distributed at restaurants in the area.

However, as reported by Fukui Shimbun Online, the cards have since been pulled from circulation after it was claimed that the designs plagiarised existing Pokémon cards.

Two cards in particular, based on Wakasa ell and heshiko (pickled mackerel), were accused of being lifted from Pokémon cards of Snivy and Reshiram respectively.

Taiwanese toy news site Toy People also pointed out that two of the cards bore strong resemblances to Oddish and Suicune.

According to the Fukui Shimbun report, a spokesperson for Obama City conceded: “We have to admit that they are very similar.”

They claimed that the card designs were outsourced to a local company, with the foods and written information to be included on each card.

When the completed designs were submitted, officers from two municipalities failed to notice any simmilarities to Pokémon. When the design company was asked about the claims, it admitted it used Pokémon as a reference but denied plagiarism.

Although the council has now recalled all the remaining cards, it has decided not to attempt to recall the cards that were already given away. As such, they could be considered rare in the future.