It took a long time, indeed too much time, for Kadabra found a place in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. In the end, the Psychic-type creature made it and within a few months he will be welcomed back by all his little monster friends.
According to what was revealed by PokeBeach, Kadabra will return to the Pokémon Trading Card Game in June 2023 within the scope of new pokemon 151 expansion, which as the name hinted will propose the 151 original creatures of the first generation. The title of the set was enough to raise the antennas of the fans, but now the confirmation of Uri Geller has also arrived, the illusionist who for over two decades had prevented the little monster from appearing in the game.
In case you didn’t know, Geller is an illusionist who used to bend a spoon during his performances – his trademark – so you can well understand his amazement when, while traveling in Japan, he discovered the existence of a Pokémon who not only performed his own trick, but also had a name inspired by his. In fact, in the Rising Sun, Kadabra is known as Yungerer, an anagram of Uri Geller. In November 2000, the magician then sued Nintendo in the California court, obtaining the removal of the Pokémon from the new editions of the card game. The lawsuit was closed in 2003, but Nintendo’s explanations, which only wanted to pay homage to him, were of no avail: in the following years, Geller continued to initiate legal proceedings in the courts of other countries.
The last set Kadabra appeared in is Skyridge of 2002, after which the creators of the TCG had to develop different mechanics to allow players to evolve Abra directly into Alakazam, thus bypassing the banned Pokémon. After 2007’s Mysterious Treasures, however, The Pokémon Company began to completely ignore Abra as well, with mechanics that allowed Alakazam to appear directly as a base Pokémon. The last appearance in the anime dates back to 2005.
Over the years, however, Geller has mellowed. In 2020 he wrote to The Pokémon Company renouncing the claim to Kadabra and getting in response a letter of appreciation from President Tsunekazu Ishihara. After a few years of waiting, the company that has finally found a way to reintegrate the Pokémon into the card game.
In a voicemail sent to the PokeBeach newsroom, he has the magician apologized for filing the lawsuitadmitting that it was a mistake, for then apologize to all fans: “Hello my dear friends. I’m happy to see the excitement of Pokémon fans regarding the return of the Kadabra card to the game. I want to thank the fans who have reached out to me over the past few years, including those of PokeBeach, who have continued to write to me constantly. Basically, it’s thanks to you and my grandchildren that I finally changed my mind. This summer you will be able to see Kadabra reunite with the original Pokémon. I love you all, and I will be open and honest: i was a fool. It was a mistake to sue Pokémon Company. It was a tribute to me, Uri Geller. It’s all over now, forgive me”. All’s well that ends well.
