Series: Pokémon History · Part 1/3
🐛 How Pokémon Were Born – From Bug Catching to a Global Phenomenon
When you say "Pokémon" today, most people think of Pikachu, trading cards, or Pokémon GO. But the brand's beginnings were far more humble – it started with a child who loved catching bugs in nature and dreamed of translating that feeling into video games.
Satoshi Tajiri & Game Freak
Pokémon was created by Japanese game designer Satoshi Tajiri, founder of Game Freak studio. Game Freak actually started not as a game studio, but as a video game fanzine that Tajiri wrote and illustrated with friends, including illustrator Ken Sugimori.
An Idea Born from Childhood
Tajiri grew up on the outskirts of Tokyo, spending his childhood in nature – running through fields, catching bugs, and observing them. When his neighborhood started changing from green space to urban sprawl, he looked for a way to preserve that "collecting" feeling in another world.
Around 1990, the portable Game Boy console appeared. Tajiri was particularly fascinated by the link cable that connected two consoles. He imagined "bugs crawling" through the cable – players could trade and "transfer" creatures between games. From this vision, the concept of Pocket Monsters (later shortened to Pokémon) was gradually born.
Around 1990, the portable Game Boy console appeared. Tajiri was particularly fascinated by the link cable that connected two consoles. He imagined "bugs crawling" through the cable – players could trade and "transfer" creatures between games. From this vision, the concept of Pocket Monsters (later shortened to Pokémon) was gradually born.
From Idea to First Games
When Tajiri pitched Pokémon to Nintendo, executives didn't quite get it at first, but legend Shigeru Miyamoto (creator of Mario and Zelda) saw potential and backed the project. Development took roughly six years, nearly bankrupting Game Freak.
The result was Pokémon Red and Green for Game Boy, released in Japan on February 27, 1996.
The result was Pokémon Red and Green for Game Boy, released in Japan on February 27, 1996.
Expansion into Other Media
The first games' success triggered an avalanche. Soon after came manga, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) released in Japan in 1996, and the anime series premiering in 1997, introducing the world to Ash Ketchum and Pikachu.
It was anime and TCG that made Pokémon much bigger than "just" a video game.
It was anime and TCG that made Pokémon much bigger than "just" a video game.
Birth of The Pokémon Company
To manage such a broad IP, The Pokémon Company was founded in 1998, jointly owned by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures Inc. Its mission is to manage the Pokémon brand – licensing, marketing, TCG, anime, films, merchandise. This definitively elevated Pokémon into a complex media franchise.
Why Collectors Should Care
- First generation games and cards (1996–1999) carry strong nostalgia, driving demand. → Explore editions overview
- TCG and anime launching almost simultaneously helped create a massive fan base that today's investment interest builds upon.
- Brand structure ensures long-term IP stability. → Product rankings