After more than two decades of absence from the Pokémon TCG, Pokémon is finally making a comeback as illusionist Yuri Geller (who claimed the Pokémon was based on his likeness) seems to have a new outlook on life. Geller first sued Nintendo in 2000 after seeing an image of a Kadabra card in Japan that read "Yungerer" or "Yungerer" and demanded $60 million in damages. The lawsuit in the U.S. was dismissed in 2003, but Geller continued to sue in other parts of the world.

Nintendo remained tight-lipped about the case, but fans noted that Kadabra was used more sparingly outside of games and, in the case of cards, ultimately not at all. The Pokémon was removed from the trading card game in 2002, but is scheduled to return in this year's Pokémon Card 151.

The news was reported by the website PokéBeach (opens in new tab).

"I am delighted that Pokémon fans are excited about Kadabra's return to the card game. 'I want to thank all the Pokémon fans who have reached out to me over the past few years. They've been in touch with me all along, including the Pokebeach fans. So basically, you and my granddaughters have made me change my mind.

"Now everyone can see Kadabra reunited with the original Pokémon in a card game this summer. I love you all. And I admit that I have been completely open and honest. I was foolish. It was a devastating mistake to sue Pokémon. [Kadabra] was basically a tribute to Uri Geller. But now I'm back. Forgive me. I love you all. Much love and energy.

Geller has a history of being litigious, and he may have hit the mark a bit here as well. Kadabra was undoubtedly inspired by Geller, a world-renowned illusionist and a constant on-screen presence for the past several decades. Other alakazam pokemon are modeled after other magicians: Abra is Edgar Cayce, and alakazam is Harry Houdini.

Geller apparently wrote to Nintendo in late 2020 to let them know he had changed his mind about things, and in December 2020, Pokémon president Tsunekazu Ishihara wrote a letter of thanks (and, no doubt to give credit where credit is due, this began in 2018 on the company's forum (It appears to have originated with the Pokebeach campaign).

In August 2022, Geller basically announced that this was coming. Said Geller, "The reason I changed my mind is, first of all, I did a stupid thing by suing them." 'I was upset that my name had suddenly appeared on a Pokémon card without me asking for it. Most importantly, over the past 20 years I have become a grandfather. I looked at my granddaughters and thought, 'For God's sake, get back to distributing Pokémon cards.' ' So I wrote a letter. And what a nice letter I got back (from Ishihara). I'm really happy."

This is a very Friday story about a notoriously litigious and litigious company finally being free of the threat of litigation and being able to do nice things, because no doubt they deserve it too... I'm raising my hand. At least Nintendo knows that Houdini won't sue them.