Harambe Joining The Pokémon Franchise?
The Internet looks to get the controversial gorilla into the Pokémon franchise.
What if Harambe was to join the Pokémon lineup?
Executed yesterday, a user by the handle Eric CreamyMemes on change.org has put up a petition to incorporate Harambe, the gorilla that was shot earlier this year protecting a young child, into the popular Pokémon franchise. As stated on the change.org page:
Harambe deserves to live on forever in our hearts. Support this petition if you want Harambe to become a Pokémon.
Harambe was a 450 pound silverback gorilla that lived at Gorilla World in the Cincinnati Zoo. Earlier this year, a 3 year old climbed over the railing and fell into the exhibit holding Harambe, causing a controversial call as to whether or not Harambe needed to be put down in order to minimize the harm caused to the child. The gorilla was reportedly seen dragging the child around, however, while other accounts have said the gorilla was protecting the child like a mother caring for their own. Nonetheless, the situation was deemed “life threatening” by the zoo’s Dangerous Animal Response team and the decision was made for the gorilla to be put down in order to save the child.
The creator has sought for the petition to garner 25,000 signatures. As of 7PM ET on August 11th, the petition has raised over 19,000 signatures. Once the goal has been reached, the petition will be sent to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company in the hopes of getting the character design into the upcoming Pokémon Sun and Moon game. There has been no official response from either Nintendo nor the Pokémon Company thus far on the petition.
Social media has also been abuzz with the petition, helping spread the word of the possible inclusion of Harambe into the Pokémon franchise.
Almost 15,000 people have signed a petition to make Harambe into a Pokemon https://t.co/am6cZvFnJX pic.twitter.com/L2WZpuqaLN
— Austin Hunt (@AustinHunt) August 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/seangrandillo/status/763764069530636290
Nintendo: Make Harambe a Pokémon – Sign the Petition!
My kind of petition 😎😎😎https://t.co/nirasljNlg via @UKChange
— Louis R Michael (@Louisxmichael) August 11, 2016
Based on the background and art work for Harambe (taken from the fangame Pokémon Sage made before the Harambe incident – each form are actually called Simayan and Monkezuma), it looks as if the creator of the petition is looking to get Harambe into Pokémon Sun and Moon. These are the next installment of games in the Pokémon franchise. Pokémon Sun and Moon is slated for release on November 18th of this year for the 3DS and is to be the seventh generation in the Pokémon franchise.
What do you think? Should Harambe be made into a Pokémon? Let us know in the comments below!
Relatable Links:
Change.org Harambe Petition Page
