The work to the right was done by Roger Shimamura. As an artist, he focuses on the experiences of Asian Americans. Growing up, Shimamura experienced the trauma of the Japanese-American internment camps during World War II and the social stigma and pariah-hood following their closure.
The original pikachu is originally a Japanese creation that has been indoctrinated by American pop culture, becoming a classic icon in our society. By superimposing his face onto the original image, Shimamura is putting a Japanese identity back onto a pop icon of Japanese origin. He reclaims 'Pikachu' from the bastardizing iron fist of American pop culture. This is my take on his work, even if it is slightly (a lot) more hardcore that its original message. Then again, art is always subject to interpretation.
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