Today, Pikachu is a household name and the undisputed mascot of the Pokémon franchise. But in its early days, as the series prepared for its international debut, Pikachu's iconic image almost took a wildly different path.
According to a recent re-edited compilation of old interviews by Japanese media outlet Game*Spark, Nintendo of America once proposed transforming Pikachu into a "busty tabby cat, like a character from the musical 'Cats'."
This jaw-dropping revelation comes from Tsunekazu Ishihara, CEO of The Pokémon Company, and was originally shared in a Japanese interview from 25 years ago. Ishihara recounted that during discussions with Nintendo of America about localizing Pokémon, they found the original design "too cute" and offered their own character redesign suggestions.
"They showed me their version," Ishihara stated. "I never want to show those illustrations to anyone in my life, but honestly, those designs looked like characters from the musical 'Cats.' The Pikachu among them was transformed into a character resembling a tabby cat with huge breasts."
While the Japanese term used could also refer to exaggerated male pectoral muscles, Ishihara clarified his meaning in the subsequent conversation. When asked if it was similar to some female cosplayers portraying Pikachu at anime conventions, he explicitly replied, "Yes, exactly like that. They really did propose that design."
Ishihara added that while he understood their creative approach from a cultural difference perspective, he couldn't accept entering the international market with such a character image. "I didn't want to compete with something like that," he admitted.
Furthermore, the late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata also revealed in a 2008 meeting that a "muscular Pikachu" concept had been floated, aiming to make the character appear stronger and more intimidating. This further confirms that Nintendo internally explored various bold attempts with Pokémon characters back in the day.
The global success of Pokémon today perhaps proves that retaining the original adorable design was a wise decision. If Pikachu had truly become a muscular or busty tabby cat, this cultural phenomenon might have been unrecognizable.
via： Game*Spark