Pokémon

Pokémon began not as a television sensation, but as a humble Game Boy role-playing game—one that took six years to develop. From those modest beginnings it expanded into one of the most successful merchandising empires in modern entertainment, with the television series serving as just one branch of a much larger phenomenon.

The original interactive game, its name derived from the phrase “Pocket Monster,” invited players—known as trainers—into a world of collecting and competition. Trainers roamed the game’s universe capturing an ever-expanding roster of Pokémon creatures and pitting them against rivals in strategic battles. The ultimate aim was simple but ambitious: to rise through the ranks and earn the title of “The World’s Greatest Pokémon Master.” What began as a straightforward collecting exercise quickly became more complex, as each Pokémon possessed unique abilities linked to elemental forces such as earth, wind, fire, and water. Success demanded quick reflexes, tactical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a remarkable capacity to memorise which Pokémon and strategies worked best in any given situation.

The television series translated this premise into narrative form through its young hero, Ash, a ten-year-old boy living with his mother in Pallet Town. In this world, children become eligible to own Pokémon upon reaching that age. At the local Pokémon Research Centre, Professor Oak presents Ash with his first companion: Pikachu, a small electric mouse with a volatile temperament. Despite Pikachu’s initial stubbornness, Ash’s enthusiasm and affection for Pokémon set the stage for a long journey, as he leaves home determined to become the greatest Pokémon Master of all.

In its native Japan, Ash is known as Satoshi—a deliberate nod to the franchise’s creator, Satoshi Tajiri, on whom the character was based. By the time Tajiri completed development of the game, the Game Boy itself was widely viewed as outdated technology. Tajiri later admitted that he expected Nintendo to turn the project down entirely. Although Nintendo agreed to release Pokémon, expectations were modest at best. Early sales were slow, but momentum steadily built and never faltered. Tajiri further fuelled interest with a clever programming secret: although the game officially featured 150 Pokémon, he had secretly embedded a 151st creature—Mew—unknown even to Nintendo. Obtaining Mew required player interaction and trading, reinforcing the game’s social dimension. With Pokémon becoming an undeniable hit, Nintendo moved to animate the concept. Produced in classic anime style, the television series quickly rose to become Japan’s top-rated children’s programme, capturing the attention of both boys and girls.

When Pokémon crossed international borders, it underwent extensive localisation. Japanese audiences watched Satoshi battle the villainous Musashi and Kojiro, while viewers in the UK and United States followed Ash’s encounters with Jessie and James. Pikachu alone retained the same name across all versions. Beyond character names, almost every aspect of the series was altered for Western audiences. Japanese text, food, cultural references, jokes, settings, and even story details were reworked or removed entirely. Dialogue was not only translated but painstakingly edited to match the exact mouth movements of the animated characters. Each episode required up to three months of work and cost close to £75,000 to adapt—an investment amply justified by the show’s immense popularity.

Pokémon rapidly became a textbook example of modern marketing and media synergy. Alongside the game and television series came books, music releases, videos, toys, stickers, and—most notably—trading cards, which sparked a global collecting craze that at times bordered on obsession. New merchandise appeared with relentless regularity, and at the height of the animated series’ early success, “Pokémon” ranked as the sixth most searched term on the internet.

The television series and its accompanying films also marked a turning point for anime outside Japan. Pokémon played a crucial role in introducing and normalising Japanese animation for Western audiences at the turn of the 21st century. Its success encouraged broadcasters and studios to seek out other Japanese properties suitable for localisation. Today, the anime industry comprises more than 430 production companies and is responsible for approximately 60 percent of all animated series produced worldwide.

Writing about the show back in 2000—a move that drew criticism from some observers of the then-new Television Heaven website—we concluded that only time would determine whether Pokémon would earn a lasting place alongside other beloved animated classics. What was already clear, however, was its cultural impact: Pokémon could be adored or dismissed, but it could not be ignored.

History has answered that question decisively. With over 1,200 episodes produced, numerous spin-off series such as Pokémon Chronicles, live-action variety programmes, Pokémon news shows, 23 animated feature films, and even a live-action movie, Pokémon has secured its position as one of the most successful animated franchises of all time. Its enduring appeal across generations stands as a remarkable and unquestionable triumph in the world of animation.