40 Pokemon T-Shirts: Gotta Wear ‘Em All!

The Pokemon series has been a source of delight and fun since 1996. Created by Satoshi Tajiri, the franchise has expanded to include video games, trading cards, manga, tv shows and more. The highly successful Pokemon video games series began in 1996 when Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green were released in Japan for the Game Boy system. This was renamed to Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue when the games were released in the United States. Pokemon Yellow was released for the Game Boy Color in 1998. These first generation games, along with the highly popular trading cards and the animated television show, are what made Pokemon such a smash hit in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

With the sixth generation of Pokemon games, the franchise is as successful as ever. The latest Pokemon games, Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, were released in 2013 for the Nintendo 3DS. These two games are the first in the entire series to be rendered entirely in polygonal 3D graphics. They feature the classic role-playing and adventure scenarios that have made the Pokemon games so successful. In these games, the Pokemon trainers are completely customizable, making it so that the player can make their trainer match his or her gender or appearance if they wish to do so. Players can even connect to other devices and other online players, meaning that the in-game world is even bigger than before.

In addition to video games, the Pokemon animated series and various films have been a great success both in Japan and around the world. The original series, which premièred in 1997, is probably the most well-known. It focuses on the adventures of Ash Ketchum, known as Satoshi in the Japanese version of the show, and Pikachu, his first Pokemon. Other well-known characters include Misty (Kasumi), Brock (Takeshi), and the villainous Team Rocket. However, there have been four more different series, with Advanced Generation, Diamond & Pearl, Best Wishes!, and the newly released XY series all drawing in dedicated viewers and new fans of all ages. In addition to the the television show, Pokemon movies have also been well-received by fans. Pokemon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back was released in 1998, with fifteen more films following afterwards. The latest film is Pokemon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened, which was released in Japan in 2013.

The Pokemon trading card series was one of the biggest tabletop gaming successes of the late 1990s. Released in Japan in 1996, the trading card game was revamped and released in the US by Wizards of the Coast in 1998. Each deck consists of sixty cards, and players “battle” each other using their basic Pokemon cards, as well as any energy cards they might have. Tournaments were once widely popular across the United States, and many Pokemon fans still arrange to play matches together. A highly popular Pokemon manga series has been released in Japan, and many of the titles have been translated into English. The Electric Tale of Pikachu is perhaps one of the most successful and well-known Pokemon mangas outside of Japan.

Since its inception in 1996, the Pokemon franchise has captivated audiences of all ages and nationalities. With new video games, books, toys, and other Pokemon-themed items being released all the time, it looks as though Pokemon will remain a cultural mainstay for many years to come.