Detective Pikachu: 'Gross' furry Pokemon divides fans

  • Published
  • comments
PokemonImage source, Warner Bros
Image caption,

Pikachu has thick fur in Pokemon Detective Pikachu

Pikachu has been the approachable face of the Pokemon franchise for more than 20 years, but a new film trailer has left some fans unsettled.

The preview for Pokemon Detective Pikachu shows the character covered in thick yellow fur, which some fans have called "grotesque" and "disgusting".

While Pikachu has always been described as furry, it is the first time the character has been rendered in "life-like" 3D in an official capacity.

Many fans liked the realistic fur.

Image source, The Pokemon Company/4Kids Entertainment
Image caption,

Pikachu in the first video game, in early artwork and in the first appearance in the TV series

Image source, The Pokemon Company/Nintendo
Image caption,

The forthcoming Let's Go Pikachu game shows Pikachu with a fringe

Image source, AFP
Image caption,

Pikachu has been seen with a furry texture before

Pikachu appeared in the first Pokemon game, which was released in Japan in 1996.

It quickly became a global phenomenon and has become one of the best-selling entertainment franchises of all time.

Pikachu is an electric mouse and the animation series has previously showed the character with hair, albeit in a stylised and undefined way.

The new Warner Bros film is the first official movie to integrate Pokemon characters in real-world settings with actors.

Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds provides the voice for Pikachu, which has historically been voiced by Japanese actress Ikue Otani.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post by Joshua Wittenkeller

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post by Joshua Wittenkeller
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 2 by Ollie Jameson

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 2 by Ollie Jameson
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 3 by Joe O'Connell

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 3 by Joe O'Connell

While many fans questioned the hyper-realistic art style of the film, others pointed out that it reflected what Pokemon might look like in real life.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 4 by Adamiller

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 4 by Adamiller