The more Pokémon Game Freak creates, the more criticism it gets. The designs are called too outlandish, with many people who loved the original games saying the creatures should look more like real animals. Well it turns out real animals can be quite outlandish themselves, with a certain possum bearing an odd resemblance to the most famous Pokémon of all, Pikachu.
A brushtail possum was brought to the Boronia Veterinary Clinic in Melbourne, Australia earlier in November after a random passerby found it lying on the ground. The clinic shared pictures of the baby possum once she was nursed back to health, pictures that went viral after being featured by The Age.
As The Age's tweet says, the caretakers at the clinic gave the baby possum the name "Pikachu" due to her abnormal fur color.
“The golden colour occurs due to a mutation which causes a low level of the pigment melanin which gives them their normal colour,” explained the clinic on its Facebook page. So it's sort of like the real-world equivalent of a shiny Pokémon.
Unfortunately, being shiny isn't as cool for Pikachu the possum. As a Gamespot article points out, the creature's rare bright coloring makes her an easy target for predators. Combined with the fact that she was likely found on the ground because she fell off of her mother's back, and there's no safe way to return her to the wild. Instead, she'll be raised by humans and then brought to a wildlife sanctuary to live out the rest of her life in peace.
Meanwhile, the post about Pikachu the possum amused Pokémon fans all over the world. One of them couldn't resist doing a little photoshop to complete the look.
It's a pretty good time to be Pikachu. Aside from having a possum named in his honor, the part-time detective has a starring role in the latest Pokémon game. A game that sold better than any Nintendo Switch game so far. Pikachu is also gearing up to do some damage in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where early reports show him being of the best characters in the game.
Next: Let’s Go Pikachu: 25 Things Only Pokémon Masters Know How To Do