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Why the plan to rename Pikachu has made Hong Kong angry Why the plan to rename Pikachu has made Hong Kong angry
(about 5 hours later)
Japanese game-maker Nintendo's move to use the Mandarin Chinese name for its hugely-popular Pokemon characters in the Hong Kong version of the game has proved controversial. The BBC looks at why. Japanese game-maker Nintendo is about to release two new games in its hugely popular Pokemon series.
But a decision to use only Mandarin Chinese names for the characters has proved controversial in Hong Kong.
The BBC looks at why fans and linguists are so riled.
1. What's in a name - Beikaciu or Pikaqiu?1. What's in a name - Beikaciu or Pikaqiu?
Nintendo made the announcement earlier this year and and it will apply to more than 100 Pokemon characters, including the hugely beloved Pikachu. Nintendo made the announcement earlier this year - it will apply to more than 100 Pokemon characters, including the hugely beloved Pikachu.
For decades, Pikachu was known in Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong as Bei-Ka-Chu, which sounds phonetically close to its name in Japanese. While players will be able to play Pokemon Sun and Moon in either Mandarin or Cantonese, the names will only be in Mandarin characters, also known as simplified characters.
Now, as a result of the renaming, the yellow cartoon rodent with magic powers has officially become, in Cantonese, Pei-Ka-Yao, which sounds nothing like the original name. While Cantonese speakers can read simplified characters, they pronounce many of them differently.
So while Pikachu has been known to Cantonese speakers for decades as Bei-Ka-Chu, his name will now be pronounced Pei-Ka-Yao.
2. It's about identity2. It's about identity
At a time when tensions over Beijing's growing influence are running high and just months after violent clashes between "localist" groups and police, this has not gone down well. More than 6,000 people signed a petition in March asking Nintendo to reverse its decision. Then on Monday dozens of people protested at the Japanese consulate.
More than 6,000 people signed a petition in March asking Nintendo to reverse its decision. Then on Monday dozens of people protested, calling for the Cantonese name to be reinstated. For a small but vocal group, the move has hit a nerve.
The small but vocal protest taps into growing fears that in Hong Kong, Cantonese -along with local culture and tradition - is being supplanted by Mandarin, says the BBC's Juliana Liu in Hong Kong. "Our main point is that the translation ignores Hong Kong's culture," said a spokesman from a Facebook group known as Petition to keep Regional Chinese Translations of Pokemons. "There's no respect for it."
"We are aware of the reasons behind Nintendo's translation, presumably to make it easier for purposes such as publicity, but the move ignores a lot of players. We hope the Hong Kong market can be taken seriously and treated sincerely."
The BBC's Juliana Liu in Hong Kong says the dispute taps into growing local fears that Cantonese - along with local culture and tradition - is being supplanted by Mandarin.
Prof Stephen Matthews of the School of Humanities, University of Hong Kong, agrees.
"It's seen in the current climate as creeping 'mainlandisation'," he said.
"In the last few years people have felt that what makes Hong Kong special is disappearing bit by bit and what is an issue of Pokemon which is fairly trivial, becomes a big one because it's very sensitive."
Just months ago, there were violent clashes between so-called "localist" anti-Beijing groups and police, in a dispute over food stalls.
3. It's about language3. It's about language
Last year, the city's Education Bureau caused an uproar when it suggested that Cantonese was not an official language, our correspondent reports. Last year, the city's Education Bureau caused an uproar when it suggested that Cantonese was not an official language, our correspondent says.
Hong Kong residents, supported by many linguists, believe Cantonese is a proper language, on a par with Mandarin. But in mainland China itself, the dizzyingly diverse range of regional forms of speech are known only as dialects, not languages in their own right. Hong Kong residents, supported by many linguists, believe Cantonese is a proper language, on par with Mandarin.
"I think language is perhaps one of the most important things that marks Hong Kong from the rest of China," said Prof Matthews.
"It's crystal clear that Mandarin speakers cannot understand Cantonese and vice versa. They are not mutually intelligible."
But in mainland China itself, the dizzyingly diverse range of regional forms of speech are known only as dialects, not languages in their own right.
Earlier in February, Hong Kong officials received more than 10,000 complaints in three days after a TV programme began using subtitles in mainland Chinese characters instead of Hong Kong's traditional script.Earlier in February, Hong Kong officials received more than 10,000 complaints in three days after a TV programme began using subtitles in mainland Chinese characters instead of Hong Kong's traditional script.
4. It's about the 'collective memory of a generation'4. It's about the 'collective memory of a generation'
Hong Kong activist group Civic Passion organised Monday's demonstration.Hong Kong activist group Civic Passion organised Monday's demonstration.
"Pikachu has been in Hong Kong for more than 20 years," said Sing Leung, one of those who took part."Pikachu has been in Hong Kong for more than 20 years," said Sing Leung, one of those who took part.
"It is not simply a game or comic book, it is the collective memory of a generation.""It is not simply a game or comic book, it is the collective memory of a generation."
"It was a good decision for them to launch a Chinese version of the game, but it has not respected the culture and language of specific places.""It was a good decision for them to launch a Chinese version of the game, but it has not respected the culture and language of specific places."