I want to be the very best,
Like no one ever was.
To catch them is my real test,
To train them is my cause!
The opening lines of a theme song that's still stuck in our brains. A fictional multiverse from our childhood that we even now connect is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the franchise release. The franchise is non-other than Pocket Monsters or better known as Pokémon.
Started by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori, the roots of the franchise came from a gaming magazine known as Game Freak in the early 1980s. At that time, the arcade scene wasn't doing well, and so Pokémon made its debut in Japan's Game Boy as well as Nintendo, the largest known electronics and video game Company in early 1996. Pocket Monsters: Red and Green the very first Pokémon game was a basic Japanese role-playing game that became the baseline for games that were released over time. Pokémon released a number of core games that not only changed the gaming experience but also introduced us to new and profound Pokémon characters from every generation. Pokémon: Sword & Shield (Gen 8) has recently been released, with a total of about 900 Pokémon’s filling up Pokédex from every region. Along with core games, there are a few sides and spin-off games they've been a resounding hit.
Pokémon world is not just about video games but has developed over the years to such an extent that it has become a social and media phenomenon. A very successful and long-running anime with more than 1000 episodes was released because of its video game success in 1997. The anime had its own spin-offs, such as Pokémon Chronicles, Pikachu's Vacations, Pokémon Origins, and more. Outside the TV, there were 24 animated movies that were filmed parallel to the original series. The protagonist of the series, a 10-year-old boy named Ash Ketchum, and his partner, Pikachu, are working on a quest to become a Pokémon Master. So he's working his way up the ranks in the Pokémon Leagues across different regions. Starting from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Karlos, Alola and now his journey continues to Galar now.
In the year 2019, even a live-action Detective Pikachu was released, which also bought a decent success for the franchise. Outside the franchise Pokémon is referred to a number of TV shows like The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory to video games like Civilization V, Grand Theft Auto V, and even Minecraft.
Outside the screens, it even boasts a long-running trading card game and seemingly endless numbers of toys and other merchandise. Pokémon theme parks or Poképarks have also been constructed in Japan and Taiwan. It's hard to find someone who hasn't at least heard of the franchise in some form.
In 2016, the franchise launched a new mobile game for both Android and IOS known as Pokémon GO. It soon became the biggest mobile game in the history of the world with more than millions of active daily users. Unlike the video games of Game Boy and Nintendo, players need to go outside and roam around to capture Pokémon and fight with multiple players and gym leaders. The game's theme held true to its origins, but new spins were introduced. In essence, Pokémon Go called out both young and old’s inner Ash Ketchum.
The most remarkable thing about the Pokémon world is that it's really as large as ever, even today, 25 years since the series started. The unbridled popularity of this role-playing game series has remained high, arguably without a single mistake, even after 2 decades. When it started, Pokémon knew exactly what it wanted to be, and since then it has only gotten bigger, better, and more adventurous while staying true to the cornerstone laid 25 years prior. Celebrating the silver jubilee this year, the franchise promises that 2021 will be a Poke-filled year for the fans. With new and exciting experience coming on the way it only states that the Pokémon series will continue to entertain and inspire for generations to come who will want to catch ‘em all.
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