In the recent episode 159 of the “Kit & Krysta Podcast”, former Nintendo of America employees Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang recalled the behind-the-scenes footage of the first Pokémon Day (2016), and they did not shy away from mentioning the inside story of the “hostile relationship” between Nintendo of America and the Pokémon Company.
The two admitted that there had been long-standing tensions between the American teams on both sides, and even described the atmosphere at the time as “a hostile energy” and “competitive level.” From brand communication authority to detailed arrangements, it was like a continuous “tug of war for dominance.”
One of the dumbfounding examples was when former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé mispronounced the name of a Pokémon in the film, which angered the Pokémon Company. However, the Nintendo of America team refused to re-record the video. The reason was: “Reggie’s schedule is very full, and we can’t do it again, so you just have to make do with it.” Another dispute even involved the Pokémon ice sculptures at that time not being in line with the other party’s aesthetics, and they were asked to destroy them all.
Kit: “We really can’t underestimate the hostile atmosphere at that time. In fact, it depends on which department it is. For example, developers from Game Freak are very cordial and friendly when they visit, and the Pokémon Company at the Japanese headquarters has no problems. But the problem is the American team. They really often target each other there, and many scenes are head-to-head.”
Krysta: “What’s interesting is that some of the people on the American Pokémon team were actually former Nintendo employees. They left because the sales and marketing department was relocating, so… you know, it’s inevitable that there’s a bit of resentment. Sometimes the hostility and competition are very obvious, and there are often fights between American and European Nintendos, like brothers competing for the attention of Japan’s Nintendo father!”
“The Pokémon Team and Nintendo of America also have this kind of atmosphere. Sometimes when we are talking about games, the other party will jump out and say, ‘This is our brand’s business, so don’t get involved.’ Then we say, ‘Your games have to be sold on our console, how can we ignore it?’ The result is this back-and-forth.”
Kit: “This actually reflects the cultural changes at Nintendo of America at the time, the difference between ‘dealing with the law’ and ‘dealing with flexibility’. Sometimes we insist on being more flexible, but the Pokémon team insists on pronunciation issues. When we were making a video, Reggie mispronounced a name, and the other party said: ‘It must be re-recorded.’ We said: ‘No, Reggie is unavailable, so that’s OK.’ Then the other party exploded: ‘We hold a grudge!’ ‘We are really unhappy!'”
“There was another time when we made a very beautiful ice sculpture, but they said, ‘The otter’s toes are not in proportion’, and then… it all melted away. My ice sculpture was completely destroyed. There are many such things.”
Although there is nothing wrong with saying “healthy competition”, it seems that these grievances are really enough to trouble both sides. To be honest, we really want to see what the pile of shot ice sculptures looks like.