Kiss' Gene Simmons: my new Pokémon lookalike is "flattering"

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons has heard about that new Pokémon which looks like him. His reaction? Well, he's actually pretty chuffed.

The tongue-waving 69-year-old rock god was alerted to new Pokémon Obstagoon's announcement this week by, of course, Twitter.

Kiss fans leapt upon similarities between the veteran rock star and the new black and white Galarian Zigzagoon family, the latter of which will debut in the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield.

"They gave Zigzagoon a new evolution looks cool also this looks like a member of the band Kiss probably with the Gene Simmons tongue," one Twitter user wrote.

"Congratulations on becoming a Pokémon," another added, linking in Gene Simmons' account.

Simmons immediately replied on Twitter with a single word: "welp".

But while fans initially suspected the I Was Made for Lovin' You singer was upset by his newfound fame as a slack-jawed badger, Simmons later told Newsweek that all was well.

"Pokémon has been a part of our household for decades, ever since our kids first discovered them," Simmons said in a statement. "And to see Pokémon pay homage to Kiss, is flattering."