Japanese City Blatantly Rips Off Pikachu For Mascot

[Vohn_exel]

Looks more like Pichu to me

I thought the same thing. He's obviously supposed to be one or the other, and I guess really if he's either he's technically the other.

 

[wooty]

Hmmmm, well I'm not going to say that its not suspect.

But I do like the Japanese idea of having mascots for causes, movements or even towns. My favourite is still the mascot for Hikone, love this little guy......

Spoiler

[http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/42/dscf0874.jpg/]

 

[Toriver]

"Hey kids! Pikachu can't stand there and generate power all day for you! It wants to play, too! Give it a break and save some power!"

"Remember to keep Sudowoodo's home clean! Throw away your trash, and recycle!"

"Don't waste water or else Gyarados will F***ING DEVOUR YOU!"

Yeah, great PR...

Are you being sarcastic? Because I'm not even a kid and that last one is making me reconsider ever using a toilet again.

The actual idea of licensing pokemon was not sarcastic or ironic, but yes, the examples were supposed to be sarcastic for teh lulz.

 

[Broady Brio]

It even has the EXACT same facial structure as Pikachu!

 

[Helios_(DEL)]

ahahahahahahahahah oh my fucken god!!!

 

[Baldry]

Why not just keep Pikachu?! I bet people would listen when there's a chance their ass will get zapped

 

[SinisterGehe]

Umm... It looks rather generic mascot to me anyway, so... I am not calling rip-off here, since there are so many pokemons you are bound to end up making something similar.

 

[Black Watch]

I read this on Kotaku around a week ago...

 

[Pat8u]

oh thanks escapist now Ive gone into japenese youtube Im watching japanese cat videos

OT:Hehe leaf type pickachu wow I have a new Idea for a pokemon

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Well, that wasn't entirely silly at all.

Besides, 'Ecoha' sounds like a flesh-eating virus. Lovely.

 

[Hamish Durie]

wait i got it
every city chooses a mascot that resembles a pokemon and when evera dispute pops up
I choose*pikachu in everything but name*
Go get 'em *ripped off mew*

 

[Alon Shechter]

But..
But why do people actually care that it rips off Pikachu?

 

[GeorgW]

I like the ears, and it's weird how the costume is so different from the original sketch, but what really gets to me is how they even ripped off the mouth and nose. I mean, big eyes and rosy cheeks are pretty common, but it shouldn't be that hard to come up with a different mouth and nose.
I agree with the hope to add it to the new pokémon game.

 

[AbstractStream]

Well, I think we got one of Pikachu's future evolutions here.

Captcha: Problem hed
Not at all captcha, not at all.

 

[standokan]

Well, the cartoon version doesn't look THAT much like pikachu, it's mainly the costume.

Well, I think we got one of Pikachu's future evolutions here.

Captcha: Problem hed
Not at all captcha, not at all.

Congrats on 777 posts by the way.

 

[Skeleon]

Ecoha is obviously a grass-type Pokemon. Thus, no Pikachu rip-off.

 

[lolmynamewastaken]

in fairness, i don't think that "ripping off" quite covers whats happened there... some one's just thought "That looks cool, lets do that!"

 

[samaugsch]

Well, the drawing doesn't resemble Pikachu that much (though it still looks like a pokemon) but the costume just looks like a repurposed pikachu costume.
If they made it more like the drawing - wider head, point for a nose, and a different smile shape it wouldn't be such a blatant rip-off.

Note that this is a certain drawing style widely used in Japan. There are many anime characters who look very much alike.

It wouldn't kill them to recolor it, either. :/

Also, why didn't they just name it Leafachu if they thought nobody was going to notice how much it resembles Pikachu (or Pichu, depending on which ones you're familar with)?

 

[Reman Khaar]

I like Ecoha.. WE MUST SAVE THIS AMAZING MASCOT! D: