Today we have an interesting rumor surrounding Punch Out!! for the Nintendo Wii, and how a small tiny reference to an immensely influential manga may have gotten both Nintendo and developer Next Level Games into a lot of hot water.

As shared by Youtuber Shesez of Boundary Break fame, the original Wii version of Punch Out!! contains a well-hidden nod to the famous Magical Girl manga series Sailor Moon. The Easter Egg consists of two low-resolution pages from the original Sailor Moon manga, which can only be clearly seen through moving outside of the game’s boundaries.

While the developers at Next Level Games apparently thought it a cute, harmless reference at the time, the move ended up having some unforeseen consequences for those involved. According to an industry insider, this barely visible nod to Sailor Moon ended up costing both Nintendo and Next Level Games millions and may have even led to a few people getting fired.

For a full explanation of the story and rumor, check out Shesez’s video on it below:

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.