Ube City’s recycling mascot, Ecoha, is under a bit of criticism. It seems the leaf-eared cartoon looks just like Pikachu in costume form. Those reddish cheeks, big eyes, and a really bad choice in material colors contribute to the near-cloning of Japan’s most famous character, but Ube City officials insist that Ecoha is in no way a copycat, pointing to a comparison of 2D versions as proof:
Nearly everyone who sees pictures of the little guy thinks he’s Pikachu; after receiving 82 comments about Ecoha’s unfortunate similarity to the Pokemon character, Ube City has decided to change the costume design.