Japanese City Blatantly Rips Off Pikachu For Mascot

vansau

Mortician of Love
May 25, 2010
6,107
0
0
Japanese City Blatantly Rips Off Pikachu For Mascot


What? Who is this Pikachu you speak of? We've never heard of him, and we totally didn't rip him off for our new recycling mascot. Ok, that last bit may be a bit untrue ...

It's not too often that city mascots come under fire for ripping off popular cartoon characters. However, that's just what's happening over in Ube City, Japan, where a new recycling mascot is a pretty blatant rip-off of Pikachu.

It turns out the city created the character Ecoha to promote recycling and environmental friendliness. That said, as you can see in the video here and the photos below, Ecoha bears more than a passing resemblance to the world's most famous Pokémon. Between the rosy cheeks, enormous eyes, ear placement, and color choice, there's really no feasible argument that this character design isn't a Pikachu rip-off.

Apparently a number of citizens had a problem with the design: "The city has received 96 comments from citizens. 82 of the comments could be categorized as complaints about how Ecoha looks too much like Pikachu."

The city has now decided to change the character's design. The fact that Ube City actually went so far as to not only OK the creation of this character and then promote it is a bit mind-boggling. Did officials actually think that no one would notice?

Source: Geeks Are Sexy

[gallery=418]

Permalink
 

Xan Krieger

Completely insane
Feb 11, 2009
2,918
0
0
Leaf ears? Guess this is a grass/electric type pikachu, like if a pikachu got with a bulbasaur. Also my mind's eye made sure to ruin both those characters for me.
 

Simon Hadow

New member
Mar 12, 2009
364
0
0
They seriously thought they could get away with that? In Japan? Hell, you couldn't even pull that off as original in backwater rural Kentucky. Of course, they probably just thought nobody would care, but, here we are. Mocking them.
 

TehChuckles

New member
Jan 12, 2011
103
0
0
To be fair... with the sheer amount of pokemon these days its hard to come up with a cute mascot and not rip something of of the series.
 

Troublesome Lagomorph

The Deadliest Bunny
May 26, 2009
27,258
0
0
Its a recycling mascot? It should be fine, then, since their mascot is recycled!
Joking aside: Its Japan. If anybody would insta-recognize the most iconic Pokemon ever, it would be the Japanese. Terrible choice for a Pokemon to rip off, city.
 

CM156_v1legacy

Revelation 9:6
Mar 23, 2011
3,997
0
0
TehChuckles said:
To be fair... with the sheer amount of pokemon these days its hard to come up with a cute mascot and not rip something of of the series.
It's not just something. It's the mothaf****** Pikachu!


OT:
Did officials actually think that no one would notice?
I'm with you on that one.
 

mental_looney

New member
Apr 29, 2008
522
0
0
It's just a pichu without the black and the tail :eek:

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pichu_%28Pok%C3%A9mon%29
 

Ghengis John

New member
Dec 16, 2007
2,209
0
0
Pika Pika-- Ecoha!

I'd love to know what the person in the suit thought as they were about to don it. I wonder if the words "God, this looks so much like pikachu." ever crossed their minds.
 

mysecondlife

New member
Feb 24, 2011
2,142
0
0
sexual harassment panda -
It reminded me of it.

But hey, at least the mascot is recycled. totally keeping up with the theme.

EDIT
Troublesome Lagomorph said:
Its a recycling mascot? It should be fine, then, since their mascot is recycled!
Joking aside: Its Japan. If anybody would insta-recognize the most iconic Pokemon ever, it would be the Japanese. Terrible choice for a Pokemon to rip off, city.
oh fuck.. you just had to steal this one from me...

this makes me a SAD PANDA
 

ckam

Make America Great For Who?
Oct 8, 2008
1,618
0
0
What if this became a new evolution for Pikachu in Pokemon. That would be funny.
 

SD-Fiend

Member
Legacy
Nov 24, 2009
2,075
0
1
Country
United States
TeeBs said:
In all fairness Pokemon is really underground in Japan.
I... I'm pretty sure that that is a completely incorrect statement.
 

Ghengis John

New member
Dec 16, 2007
2,209
0
0
Titan Buttons said:
It would be pretty funny if nintendo went and used there mascot as a new pokemon
That is a hilarious idea. I would also award points to nintendo for making a unique pikachu named Ecoha. I would also be unlikely to play the game but that's besides the point.