During his childhood, Satoshi Tajiri had a passion for collecting and playing with bugs in his backyard. Growing up, his love for arcade video games inspired him to merge these interests.
The result was the birth of one of the most iconic franchises globally.
“Pokemon has transcended being just a brand; it’s now a way of life,” noted Tokyo-based writer Matt Alt, the author of Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World.
As Pokemon marks its 30th anniversary this month, celebrations commenced with a Super Bowl advertisement featuring celebrities like Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Lady Gaga, Trevor Noah, Jisoo, and Lamine Yamal discussing their favorite Pokémon.
Since its inception in 1996, Pokemon has emerged as the highest-grossing media franchise, surpassing popular entities such as Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Harry Potter.
With over $100 billion in revenue to date, Pokemon’s success is attributed to its video games, trading cards, and anime series, establishing itself as an economic powerhouse and even a source of soft power, enhancing Japan’s global influence.
Origins and Growth
In 1990, Tajiri initiated work on a game for the Nintendo Game Boy that featured 150 creatures for capture, collection, and battle. After six years of development, Pokemon Red and Green were officially launched in Japan on Feb. 27, 1996.
Recognizing the game’s potential, Nintendo invested heavily in expanding the franchise, introducing comic books, a cartoon series, and trading cards, following a common marketing strategy in Japan.
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