Nintendo turned me into an evil, occult Pokémon character

Uri Geller

He has begun legal action in a Los Angeles federal court against Nintendo for unauthorised use of his name on Pokémon cards and related materials.

Geller is demanding that the Japanese company cease using Geller as a character on its phenomenally successful Pokémon cards.

He also wants Nintendo to pay him substantial general and punitive damages.

Geller stated: "Nintendo turned me into an evil, occult Pokémon character. Nintendo stole my identity by using my name and my signature image."

Uri Geller became famous as a "psychic entertainer", known for his "ability" to bend spoons and read people's minds.

He was born in 1946 and claims that when four years old he had a mysterious encounter with a sphere of light while in a garden near his house, in Israel.

Uri Geller: He became aware of his "powers" at five years old

He first became aware of his "unusual powers" when he was five.

He claims that during a meal his spoon curled up in his hand and broke, although he had applied no physical pressure to it.

He claims that in addition to Nintendo's alleged use of Geller's identity, name and his signature image of a bent spoon, there is also a star on the Pokémon Geller character's forehead and lighting-bolts on his chest.

The legal action claims this is a reference to the Nazi SS during World War II.

Geller added: "I want to tell the world before the start of the holiday season that I have nothing whatsoever to do with these violent characters."

Pokémon cards feature imaginary characters, who also appear in a cartoon of the same name.

Children are encouraged to swap the 100-plus number of cards to try and collect them all.

Since the launch sales of the cards and accompanying computer game have topped more than four billion dollars in Japan.