Pokémon began as a pair of Game Boy role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo in 1996: Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green (Blue in the West). The concept was created by Satoshi Tajiri, who was inspired by his childhood hobby of insect collecting and the idea of trading creatures between handheld consoles.
The name “Pokémon” is a portmanteau of the Japanese brand Pocket Monsters (ポケットモンスター). The franchise was an instant hit in Japan and later spread worldwide, leading to trading card games, an anime series, movies, merchandise, and countless video game sequels.
Central to the origins are the 151 original species (in Red, Green, and Blue), including Pikachu, Charizard, and Mewtwo, many of which remain iconic and have been featured on Pokémon TCG cards since the first sets.