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Nintendo Have Changed Pikachu’s Name And It's Led To Protests

Nintendo Have Changed Pikachu’s Name And It's Led To Protests

It's only really affecting those in Hong Kong though.

Mel Ramsay

Mel Ramsay

Don't worry, lads. Pikachu's name is not changing in the UK. Let's just get that one out of the way first and foremost.

However, it is in Hong Kong and understandably they are PISSED OFF.

via GIPHY

So what's going on? Well, there's some slight issues with language differences. Hong Kong and mainland China have some very subtle differences in terms of language.

According to Metro, in the past Pikachu's name has always reflected regional dialects in China and Greater China. However, after the release of two new games (Pokémon Sun and Moon on 3DS) they've decided to change this to a unilateral translation using traditional and simplified Chinese. This move is presumably in no way marketing orientated. Of course.

This is where the probelms arise. In Hong Kong, Cantonese is the language that is most commonly used. In mainland China, it's Mandarin.

So what's the problem?

QZ explained: "Pikachu was originally translated as (Bei-kaa-chyu) in Hong Kong. Now it is named (Pikaqiu).

"While the name in Mandarin sounds similar to the global name Pikachu (as it was always called in China and Taiwan), it reads as Pei-kaa-jau in Cantonese, which doesn't sound the same at all."

This will affect other areas of China, but apparently there are already tensions in Hong Kong as they feel that their culture is under threat by Beijing.

Nintendo's suggestion to their Hong Kong based fans is pretty blunt, read its name as 'Pikachu' despite the fact it has changed.

Cool. Thanks, Nintendo.

Words by Mel Ramsay

Featured image credit: PA Images

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Hong Kong, Nintendo

Mel Ramsay has been a Senior Journalist for Tyla and LADbible since 2015. She started her career writing obituaries and funeral guides online. Since then, her work has been published in a wide variety of national and local news sites. She is part of the BBC's Generation project and has spoken about young people, politics and mental health on television, radio and online. Contact her - [email protected]

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