Simplify the following text for a Grade 13 native English-speaking person.
Original: During an interview , PokÃ mon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara stated Charizard was expected to be popular with North American audiences because of their preference for strong , powerful characters .
Simplified: During an interview , PokÃ mon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara said that they knew Charizard would be popular with North Americans , because they like strong , powerful characters .