When cutesy monster series Pokémon was being prepped for the Western market, localizers told Nintendo this: No way will adorable monsters be accepted by Americans.
In a recent interview, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata reveals, "We were sent a proposal of muscle-bound characters to use if we wanted to do well in the U.S." Nintendo didn't sign off on the beefed-up Pocket Monsters.
The-then-Nintendo-honcho Hiroshi Yamauchi viewed releasing the cute monsters in the States as a worthy challenge. The fact that these characters were different could be appealing to Western gamers.
Pokémon went on to be a hugely successful franchise in America, causing a national craze at one point. It's a shame Western gamers will never get to play titles like Pokémon: Muscle or its inevitable corresponding title Pokémon: Flab.
岩田聡・任天堂社長—日本人が面白いと思うものは世界で見ても「面白い」！ [Toyokeizai via はちま起稿] [Pic]