魔術師Uri Geller與日本任天堂（Nintendo）之間的肖像權法律糾紛，主要圍繞著《寶可夢》系列中的角色勇基拉（Kadabra，日文名：ユンゲラー），這場爭議長達二十多年，對《寶可夢》集換式卡牌（TCG）與遊戲內容都產生一定的影響，直到2020年才正式落幕。

這場法律糾紛的根源可以追溯到2000年，當時以超能力表演聞名的以色列魔術師Uri Geller向日本任天堂提起訴訟，指控《寶可夢》中的角色勇基拉（Kadabra）是基於他的形象設計的，並且未經授權使用與他高度相似的元素。他主要提出以下幾點理由：

名稱的相似性:勇基拉的日文名稱「ユンゲラー（Yungerer）」與他的姓「Geller」極為相似，這讓他認為任天堂是直接以他的名字來創造這個角色。

角色的設定與表現方式:勇基拉是一隻擁有強大超能力的寶可夢，並且手上持有一根彎曲的湯匙，這與Uri Geller的招牌魔術「意念折彎湯匙」極為相似。Geller認為這不僅是對他的魔術能力的直接參考，也侵犯他的形象權。

在部分《寶可夢》卡牌或周邊產品上，勇基拉的設計使用一些可能被誤解的符號，例如在部分早期印刷的勇基拉卡牌上，有類似納粹親衛隊「SS」標誌的圖樣（事實上，這是日文「サイキッカー」〈Psychic〉的簡化標示）。Uri Geller認為這讓他感到不安，並且擔心這種誤解會損害他的名譽。基於這些理由，他在美國和日本對任天堂提起訴訟，要求禁用勇基拉這個角色，並尋求賠償。

這場法律爭議導致勇基拉從2003年起在寶可夢卡牌遊戲中「消失」，即便它作為寶可夢遊戲內的一個正式角色，依然存在於遊戲當中，但在TCG的發行上卻受到嚴格限制。

在2003年後，勇基拉成為唯一「無法出現在寶可夢TCG中的寶可夢」。由於《寶可夢》卡牌系列中的胡地（Alakazam）通常需要透過勇基拉進化，因此這段時間內胡地的卡片也受到影響，後來官方只能設計一些特殊卡牌（如基礎型態胡地EX），以避免使用勇基拉作為中間進化階段。

雖然勇基拉仍然出現在《寶可夢》系列遊戲中，但在動畫和周邊產品中的露出明顯減少。《寶可夢》動畫從某個時間點後，不再特別提及勇基拉，避免讓這場法律爭議升級。

由於勇基拉卡牌在2003年後未再發行，早期的勇基拉卡片變得更加稀有，導致這些卡片在收藏市場上價格上升。許多寶可夢粉絲也對此感到遺憾，因為這意味著一個經典角色被迫淡出卡牌市場。

這場糾紛的轉折點發生在2020年，當時Uri Geller主動向任天堂道歉，並表示願意解除對勇基拉的禁令，讓這隻寶可夢可以重新回歸寶可夢卡牌遊戲。他透過社交媒體發表聲明，表示他收到許多寶可夢粉絲的來信，請求他解除對勇基拉的禁令。他說：「我為20年前阻止勇基拉發行寶可夢卡片的行為道歉。現在，是時候讓這隻寶可夢回到卡牌遊戲中了！」這代表他正式撤銷對任天堂的法律行動，讓勇基拉可以重新在寶可夢TCG中登場。

最終，在2023年6月發行的《寶可夢卡牌151》系列中，勇基拉正式回歸，這也是自2003年以來，粉絲們首次在官方寶可夢卡牌遊戲中見到勇基拉的身影。這一事件對於寶可夢社群而言，是極具象徵意義的時刻，也讓這場長達20年的糾紛正式落幕。

這場爭議雖然最終以和平方式結束，但它對寶可夢品牌和TCG市場造成一定的影響，既有負面影響，也帶來一些意想不到的正面效果。

負面影響：

限制勇基拉的發展:由於長期禁令，勇基拉在20年間幾乎沒有任何新卡牌推出，也導致胡地的卡牌發行受到影響，影響寶可夢TCG的進化系統。

法律風波影響品牌形象:雖然任天堂在此事件中並未承認任何錯誤，但這起法律糾紛仍然成為品牌歷史上的爭議事件，讓外界看到知名品牌可能會因為肖像權問題陷入法律困境。

粉絲失望與遺憾:許多寶可夢粉絲長期對勇基拉的消失感到遺憾，甚至有部分粉絲批評Uri Geller「小題大做」，認為這場官司並不必要。

正面影響：

強化寶可夢的智慧財產權保護:這場糾紛讓任天堂和寶可夢公司更加重視角色的設計與智慧財產權保護，避免類似問題再次發生。

勇基拉回歸帶來市場熱潮:在2023年《寶可夢卡牌151》發行後，勇基拉的回歸成為一大亮點，吸引許多粉絲購買此系列卡包，增加市場熱度。

Uri Geller與粉絲的關係改善:在撤銷禁令後，Uri Geller展現開放的態度，甚至與寶可夢社群進行更多交流，讓他的形象在部分粉絲心中得到轉向正面。

這場長達二十年的法律糾紛，從一起涉及肖像權的爭議，最終演變成影響寶可夢TCG發展的重要事件。然而，隨著Uri Geller的道歉與勇基拉的正式回歸，這場糾紛劃下句點，也讓這隻超能力寶可夢能夠重新出現在收藏家與玩家的卡牌之中。這件事不僅是寶可夢歷史上的一個特殊案例，也突顯智慧財產權與公眾人物形象之間的複雜關係，成為娛樂產業中值得借鑑的法律事件之一。

The legal dispute between magician Uri Geller and Nintendo of Japan revolved around the Pokémon series character Kadabra (Japanese name: ユンゲラー, Yungerer). This controversy lasted for over twenty years, impacting both the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and other game content until it was officially resolved in 2020.

Origins of the Dispute

The root of this legal battle dates back to the year 2000, when Israeli magician Uri Geller, famous for his psychic performances, filed a lawsuit against Nintendo of Japan. He claimed that the Pokémon character Kadabra was designed based on his likeness and that Nintendo had used elements highly similar to him without authorization.

Geller’s main arguments were as follows:

Similarity in Names
The Japanese name for Kadabra, "ユンゲラー (Yungerer)", closely resembles Geller’s surname, leading him to believe that Nintendo directly named the character after him.

Character Design and Representation
Kadabra is depicted as a psychic Pokémon wielding a bent spoon, which is remarkably similar to Uri Geller’s signature spoon-bending magic trick. Geller argued that this was not only a direct reference to his abilities but also an unauthorized use of his likeness.

Misinterpreted Symbols in Kadabra’s Design
Some of the early Pokémon TCG cards and merchandise featuring Kadabra included symbols that could be misinterpreted. Specifically, some early-print Kadabra cards displayed markings that resembled the Nazi SS insignia (although, in reality, these were stylized Japanese characters from "サイキッカー" (Psychic)). Geller stated that this deeply disturbed him and feared that such misinterpretations could harm his reputation.

Based on these reasons, Uri Geller filed lawsuits against Nintendo in both the United States and Japan, demanding that Kadabra be banned from Pokémon-related products and seeking compensation for damages.

Long-Term Impact

As a result of this legal dispute, Kadabra was "erased" from the Pokémon Trading Card Game starting in 2003. Although the character remained part of the Pokémon video games, its presence in the TCG was severely restricted.

Impact on Pokémon TCG
After 2003, Kadabra became the only Pokémon that could not appear in Pokémon TCG. Since Alakazam, a final-stage evolution, normally required Kadabra to evolve, this restriction also affected the release of Alakazam cards. To bypass this issue, special versions of Alakazam cards (such as Basic Alakazam EX) were introduced, allowing players to use Alakazam without needing Kadabra.

Impact on the Pokémon Franchise
While Kadabra remained a part of the main Pokémon games, its presence in the anime and merchandise was significantly reduced. At a certain point, the Pokémon anime stopped mentioning Kadabra altogether, likely to avoid escalating the legal conflict.

Effects on the Collector’s Market
Because no new Kadabra cards were released after 2003, earlier Kadabra cards became increasingly rare, causing their value to rise in the collector’s market. Many Pokémon fans were disappointed by the situation, as it meant that a classic Pokémon was essentially forced out of the trading card game.

Resolution and Kadabra’s Return

The turning point in this legal battle occurred in 2020, when Uri Geller publicly apologized to Nintendo and announced that he was lifting the ban on Kadabra, allowing the Pokémon to return to the Pokémon TCG.

Through a statement on social media, Geller explained that he had received countless messages from Pokémon fans pleading for Kadabra’s return. He expressed regret over his actions, stating:

"I apologize for preventing the release of Kadabra Pokémon cards 20 years ago. It’s time for this Pokémon to return to the game!"

With this, he officially withdrew his legal claims against Nintendo, allowing Kadabra to be reintroduced in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Finally, in June 2023, the Pokémon Card 151 set was released, marking Kadabra’s official return to the Pokémon TCG after a 20-year absence. This moment was highly symbolic for the Pokémon community, bringing an end to a legal dispute that had lasted for two decades.

Positive and Negative Impacts of the Controversy

Although the dispute ultimately ended peacefully, it had a significant impact on both the Pokémon brand and the Pokémon TCG market, bringing both negative consequences and unexpected benefits.

Negative Impacts

Kadabra’s Development Was Stunted
Due to the long-term ban, Kadabra did not receive any new trading cards for 20 years, which also affected Alakazam’s presence in the Pokémon TCG, disrupting its evolution system.

Legal Controversy Affected Brand Image
While Nintendo never admitted any wrongdoing, this legal battle became one of the most well-known disputes in Pokémon’s history, showing how even major brands can face copyright and image rights challenges.

Disappointment Among Fans
Many Pokémon fans were frustrated by Kadabra’s absence, with some even criticizing Uri Geller for "overreacting", believing that the lawsuit was unnecessary.

Positive Impacts

Strengthened Intellectual Property Protection
This case heightened awareness around character design and intellectual property rights, encouraging Nintendo and The Pokémon Company to be more cautious in avoiding similar legal conflicts in the future.

Kadabra’s Return Created Market Hype
After Kadabra returned in the Pokémon Card 151 set in 2023, it became one of the most highly anticipated cards, attracting strong sales and boosting excitement among collectors and fans.

Uri Geller’s Relationship with Fans Improved
After lifting the ban, Uri Geller adopted a more positive attitude, engaging more with the Pokémon community. This helped repair his image among certain fans who had previously criticized him.

Conclusion

This two-decade-long legal dispute, which began as a copyright controversy, eventually became a major event that influenced the development of the Pokémon TCG. However, with Uri Geller’s apology and Kadabra’s official return, the case was finally resolved, allowing this psychic Pokémon to once again appear in trading card collections and competitive play.

Beyond being a unique case in Pokémon history, this dispute also highlights the complex relationship between intellectual property and public figures, serving as an important legal lesson in the entertainment industry.

照片:產品官網