Back in 1996, Pokémon was unleashed on the world. I remember sitting in my granny’s lounge after school, waiting for the “latest” episode on SABC 2.

Since then the Nintendo franchise has become a worldwide success, releasing video games, comic books, movies, and toys.

And, although there are hundreds of “fictional” Pocket Monsters, it is pretty obvious that Pikachu is the most iconic of all, along with his master Ash.

But Pikachu won’t be the same anymore.

In celebration of the franchise’s 20th anniversary, Nintendo announced it would be releasing a new pair of video games available in traditional and simplified Chinese.

Yay, but no. There’s quite a bit of nay, actually.

Quartz explains:

Although it sounds like good news, the new Chinese games are being criticised throughout greater China by fans who say they show no respect to their memories or language. That’s because until now Pokémon comics, animation, and movies have used different translations within the region, to reflect local language and tradition.

Pokémon in Greater China will be officially called 精靈寶可夢, or Jingling Baokemeng in Mandarin (Jinglingmeans “spirit” or “elf,” and Baokemeng is a transliteration of Pokémon).

Earlier in Hong Kong, it was 寵物小精靈, Pet Little Elves (or Spirits), while in Taiwan, it was 神奇寶貝, Magic Babies.

Fans in Hong Kong, where the official language is Cantonese, not Mandarin, are the most upset. Earlier this month, Nintendo released the Chinese-language names of the original 151 Pokémon characters.

Hong Kongers were unhappy to discover many of them were renamed in a Mandarin way. Pikachu was originally translated as 比卡超 (Bei-kaa-chyu) in Hong Kong. Now it is named 皮卡丘 (Pei-ka-yau).

Pikajooo? What is the world to do? The Hong Kongers took to the streets:

They held up banners with slogans reading “No Pei-kaa-jau, give me back Bei-kaa-chyu,” and sang the Cantonese Pokémon theme song on their route.

Unfortunately, Nintendo intends to keep the name. Bleak times.

[source: quart]