Just in time for the 4th of July, a streamer went viral on social media after setting off a Pokémon-themed firework inside.
A streamer known as IShowSpeed, or simply Speed, went viral on social media after setting off a Pokémon firework in his bedroom. In a video shared on Twitter, Speed can be seen lighting a Pikachu firework, which has been placed on top of a cardboard box on his mattress and is also surrounded by other unlit fireworks. While it starts off with a few sparks, the firework erupts into a full-blown fountain with loud popping and a lot of smoke.
In a subsequent video, firefighters can be seen entering the streamer's bedroom. The full stream, which is almost an hour in length, was uploaded to IShowSpeed's YouTube channel with the title "4th of July." While the streamer has not officially commented on the incident, he did appear to address the matter on Twitter. "Guys Pray for me," Speed tweeted on July 4.
The Pokémon-themed firework used by Speed in the video was the Pika Pika firework, a novelty product produced by Boom Wow Fireworks. The Pika Pika lasts for about a minute and, at a certain point, will begin to spin while still spouting a fountain of sparks, which was exhibited in the video as well.
While Boom Wow Fireworks' Pika Pika product is modeled after an iconic Pokémon, it does not appear to be officially licensed Pokémon merchandise. Recently, the Pokémon Company, one of the largest manufacturers of Pokémon Trading Cards, revealed that it had printed over 9 billion new cards within the last year. This was in response to a significant shortage in the Pokémon TCG, which in recent years saw stores all over the world sell out of the cards completely. While the reason for the increased market demand and the subsequent shortage is unknown, many have attributed it to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"It's definitely a big deal and shows a reaction to the situation that happened back towards the end of 2020, in terms of the general consumer getting cards," Pokémon expert and Serebii webmaster Joe Merrick said. "Pokémon [trading cards] hit the mainstream again and people were buying up all the stock, not necessarily for the right reasons, and it was near impossible for people to get any of the new products. It was a nightmare for the general consumer."
Source: Twitter