With the potential Kadabra return in Pokemon TCG “Original 151” set, what was the initial controversy involving Uri Geller?

A new Pokemon TCG set could release, possibly bringing back a card that fans haven't seen for 20 years. Kadabra has not been printed since 2002 due to a lawsuit brought on by illusionist Uri Geller, but that will change. In recent months, Geller has changed his mind about how he felt about the initial situation.

The illusionist, known for spoon bending, released Nintendo and the Pokemon TCG from the lawsuit restrictions, meaning the Kadabra card can now be reprinted. Could we finally see the card return to complete the Abra evolutionary line?

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The new Pokemon TCG set could herald the return of Kadabra

In Japan, the Abra line was named Casey, Yungerer, and Foodin. These names were based on famous illusionists and psychics. They were named, specifically, after Edgar Cayce, Uri Geller, and Harry Houdini. However, Uri Geller did not appreciate having a Pokemon named after him and sued. The last time fans saw a Kadabra card in Pokemon TCG was in 2002.

In a conversation with Pokebeach, Uri Geller explained what caused his initial outrage. According to the illusionist, his name appeared in Pokemon TCG without consultation. With that in mind, the last Kadabra card was in the Skyridge expansion.

"The reason I changed my mind—first of all, I did a stupid thing for suing them. I was just angry that my name appeared on a Pokemon card out of the blue without ever being asked. The most important thing is in these 20 years I became a grandfather. I saw my granddaughters and I thought, 'Come on, you gotta release the Pokemon card back into circulation again.' Hence my letter. And what a nice letter [Ishihara] sent back. I'm really happy about it."

The illusionist apologized for his actions on Twitter as well, releasing the restrictions on Pokemon TCG in the future. According to Pokebeach, Uri Geller's agent has also been in talks with The Pokemon Company in Japan, but no official word has been released.

"They're going to bring it back into circulation."

On January 15, 2023, Uri Geller tweeted about some Pokemon memorabilia he received. He briefly spoke about the lawsuit and how he rescinded the restriction on the Pokemon TCG card. Then, before he started talking about the items he received, he stated the card would return to circulation. He didn't give any further details, but it's quite exciting to hear.

Considering this information, it could very well be in Pokemon Card 151, where the Kadabra card finally returns. The set, revealed to be coming to Japan in 2023, is based on the original 151 Pokemon in Red and Green and the first iteration of the card game.

There's almost no information about this set. But it's fair to suggest that Kadabra will not only finally come back, for the first time since 2002, in Pokemon TCG, but it will be in that Pokemon Card 151 set.

Now is an exciting time for fans of the classic Pokemon card game, as there have only ever been seven prints of the second evolution of Abra. There’s no telling what will happen, but the evolutionary line for Abra will likely be restored when Kadabra/Yungeller returns to the game later this year.