Your first memory of Pokemon?

[Stef]

Saw this nice yellow character in a 1-dollar (ok, 1-Euro) chinese shop.

Asked to the owner: "What's that?"

He said "He's PICHAKU, very popular in China!"

So, I learned about Pokémon from there, before its craze arrived in the west.

And yet, due to that mispelling, I called Pikachu "Pichaku" for about three years, until I head his name called in the cartoon...

 

[Chibs]

My first memory is seeing Pikachu get kidnapped by Team Rocket.

 

[Technesis]

My godfather sent Pokemon Red & Blue with a Gameboy from America. I think I was 5 or 6 at the time. I had no idea what to expect but I fell in love immediately.

 

[Deleted member 3010]

I saw an article in a magazine in those times where it was still called Poket Monsters. It was saying that it was an RPG where you could catch the creatures you fight and level them up. Since I was crazy for RPGs I asked for it for my birthday and got the Blue Version and boy it didn't disappoint.

 

[Happy Puppy]

Watched the anime, and then when my bday came I asked my father to buy me a pack in costco that included: GBA Berry (I hated that color, made me embarressed. No one cared), Pokemon Red, Pokemon guide and GBA carry case. Was soooo happy and I think it was my first RPG.

 

[ThorHammerstein]

Seeing lines in Tokyo for the original game. I saw it when I was buying something else. "Huh? Pocket Monsters? They line up for Dorakue and now this. This probably won't be popular outside Japan either." Sure was wrong on that take.

 

[9-Volt]

An article in either Super Play or Official Nintendo Magazine UK in 1996. It was detailing how the games were crazy success in Japan and there's a chance of localization in 1997. I was really hyped, I loved my Game Boy more than anything that time but 1996 was the period of time when GB was hardly getting any new games.

 

[Happy Puppy]

It was for sure Red and Blue for the GBC, although I can't remember the exact year, I was really little. I was the youngest out of my brother and a friend, so I was last to choose a starter, but it all worked out, because Squirtle is the best (and there's no wrong choice among them three tbh).

Then I have plenty of memories of being five/six and getting up early (at 8:00 AM?) to watch the anime during the weekends. I also used to record them in VHS. I distinctly remember the day I first watched the episode in which Charmander evolves before my birthday party, one of my few early memories.

And of course, Pokémon pogs and stickers. I actually completed the latter and still have the album around somewhere in my parents' house. Both were insanely popular throughout all of my elementary school years.

Click to shrink...

Wey no mames, me pelie con un amigo por un pinche tazo.
I love those dumb tazos, they were so cute and gen 1 had a lot of my favorite pokemon like Pikachi and charmander.

 

[xyla]

It was a tiny piece of newspaper where it said that they had to adjust an episode in Japan because it triggered epilepsy attacks in children. This was before the launch in Germany so I guess 1996?

From the launch period I remember having the guide and going through town on my bike everywhere because I could not find a copy of the game on launch day. It was sold out everywhere and in a small town that is.
Super frustrating.

 

[IamPeacock]

Randomly tuned in at the start of the very first episode and I was sold the minute it ended.

It spread like wildfire here in Belgium amongst kids.

 

[Garjon]

On Pokemon Yellow, going up against Brock and wondering why none of my attacks were doing anything...

I can't imagine the number of players starting Yellow as their first game and just giving up on it because of that first Gym

 

[djinn]

Breakfast, getting ready for school. This cool new cartoon came on and it had monsters that you trained and battled against one another. It was amazing.

A couple of days later asked my best friend at school of he'd seen it too and quickly discovered we both loved it. Pokemon was our life from then on for a long time.

 

[Angie]

Grinding levels on my brother copy. That is probably why the franchise was so dear to me. That me and my brother shared that.

 

[Mushlikeahusky]

https://youtu.be/mCd8QjxapXA

One of the ones that stuck with me lol

 

[akasha]

In 1996 I've read a small article with screenshots about the Japanese Red / Green Pokemon games in a children's gaming magazine (I've just entered primary school). Directly caught my attention, waited eagerly until the released in 1998, watched the German premiere of the first TV series episode and bought Blue day 1 together with a friend who got Red.

I only really played gen 1 and 2 tho (especially gen 2 is still very playable, got Crystal for 3DS).

 

[fieldafar]

Watching the first half of the anime series when it first premiered in my country.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

A commercial for the anime before it started airing on UPN. The name confused me at first and I thought it was referencing Pac-Man.

 

[Corrie1960]

Pokémon season 1 anime and Pokémon red but I love Pokémon silver my favourite game of all time

 

[SpoonyBob]

Playing Blue and showing it off to a friend of mine back in grade school. I let him start a new game since I hadn't even got out of Viridian Forest. I remember being amazed that a game at that time seriously didn't have multiple save slots.

Edit: Oh, first memory of the franchise as a whole? Probably reading over the snippets that they put out in Nintendo Power as the game got closer and closer to release here in the states.

 

[Deleted member 4034]

My mom buying me Pokemon Blue and a Gameboy Color at Toys R Us. Weirdly enough, it took me time to decide if I should get it or Mortal Kombat for GBC. That's a sad alternate timeline I dont like to think about.

 

[Kyrios]

One person in class came in with the instruction booklet of Pokemon Blue and gave it to me to look through and I remember just being like "Wow this looks really cool" and then slowly more and more people started getting the game and then we all just fell in love with it.

It's really fun to think back since I still remember right when Pokemon started getting popular.

Catching my brother and sister watching a promo VHS for the franchise before it got localized.

Click to shrink...

I remember that and I still have it! my grandfather got it in the mail for some reason lol

 

[BlakeofT]

There was a promotional VHS tapes that Nintendo Power sent us. I thought it was incredibly stupid and kiddy. But by the time the TV show started airing, I had to watch it. I was hooked and couldn't wait to play the game. My parents bought me a Game Boy and Pokemon Red that year. Probably the best (tangible) gift I've ever received.

 

[demosthenes]

Waking up at 6.30am to watch the cartoon before school.

 

[Lexxism]

It was when I bought Pokemon Blue and Gameboy Pocket. I was supposed to get a Gameboy colour but I wouldn't be able to get Pokemn Blue. I chose the former because of it.

 

[iFirez]

It was a cold rainy morning in October 1999, I was in a comic book shop in the North of England, waiting for the Electronic Boutique to open (before they rebranded to GAME). I then went next door and bought Pokemon Red and Blue with my brother. This is also the same day I picked up first comics (all mid issues of Spider-Man, Iron Man and Doctor Strange) while my brother added to his ever growing collection of Batman comics.

I had actually been watching Pokemon on Sky1 since earlier that year as the Anime actually launched in the UK before the games ever even came out so I was familiar with it. But for me... now 20 years later, Pokemon is synonymous with the games for me which is why my first memory seems to really trigger back to that rainy day in October 1999.

 

[Deleted member 17207]

Honestly I can't remember. I can't remember if it was the cards, the games, the anime, or even some random little figurines, but when it hit...boy it hit like a fucking tidal wave.

In all likelihood it was probably Nintendo Power covering all of the above, as I was a subscriber back then.

 

[TheAggroCraig]

Someone I was friends with in elementary school had Pokemon Blue on the Game Boy and let me try it. I eventually got Red version for my birthday that November.

 

[Deleted member 20852]

I saw an ad for the anime on TV and immediately went "this is the coolest thing ever". I remember this quite vividly even though it was quite a long time ago. I had to immediately tell my brother when he got home, and it wasn't long after that that we started buying some trading cards. Everybody went completely crazy about Pokémon at school and I remember they even banned trading the cards at school, although I have no idea what the reason could have been. Thinking about this just now, it also puts the popularity of Fortnite nowadays to some perspective.

That Christmas we got a Game Boy with my brother, but Pokémon was sold out everywhere and my parents didn't find it. Maybe some time after New Year I remember going to this store over a hundred kilometers from our home, and finding Pokémon Red & Blue on the shelf. We got Blue, as we agreed that Blastoise was much cooler than Charizard. I still think that was the right choice, and always tend to go for the water starter.

 

[Zombegoast]

My cousin introduced me through the TCG, then after that I caught the very end of "Pikachu's goodbye" ,

 

[Deleted member 2809]

Friend got pokémon blue a bit before me, I got pokémon red a couple months later maybe
This sucker picked charmander and struggled the whole fucking game. Picked squirtle and I was a fuckin boss.
Water starters for life don't @ me.

I actually think I got the VHS of the first episode of the anime before owning the game. Watched that thing probably 50 times.

 

[King Alamat]

A bunch of older kids were playing their Gameboys in the cafeteria of my local Boys and Girls Club and one of them let me have a turn. Turns out they were in the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town but hadn't yet acquired the Silph Scope, so every other step I took, I was accosted by a literal fucking ghost.

 

[Deleted member 176]

Pikachu was a little weirdo in Smash 64

 

[Exellus]

I remember reading an article in a Nintendo Power about Pokemon before it had even made it to North America.

It was discussing what the game was about and had pictures of the Anime. It showed Charmander > Charmeleon > Charizard. Pikachu, Ash, Misty, and Brock. It was a break down of how popular it was over there and theorized that it might be popular over here as well.

 

[BigHatPaul]

Anime: seeing it at a friend's house
Game: playing under a lamp at my aunt's house.

 

[Wamb0wneD]

I was 7 when Blue/Red launched. Half my class played, I still remember being on a holiday in Italy and when it was time to sleep I would play for like 4 hours in bed.

Glorious times.

 

[SeZMehK]

My first memory of pokemon was when my cousin got it for his birthday. I was at his house when his father gave him the Blue version. We stayed up all night playing the game. Had to grind that Charmander to be able to beat Misty. Oh boy! The rush and difficulty at that time. Lol.

 

[Hint]

My cousin came over to my house with a promo VHS he got with his latest Nintendo Power issue. It was all about Pokemon with actors playing Ash's relatives/friends. They talked about the games, cards, and tv show that would be coming out. As soon as we could we had my mom take us down to the mall to preorder each game, I got Red and he got Blue. Easily the first game I ever preordered.

I think they actually aired the TV show in the US before the games came out. The first episode that was shown was the one where they board the SS Anne.

 

[DontHateTheBacon]

The intro "movie" in Red and Blue. I'll never forget it.

 

[SwampBastard]

Probably hearing about it on the news in the late 90s? I have never played a Pokemon game.

 

[Quiksaver]

Downloaded Pokémon Green in Japanese on NO$GMB
Also my first foray into the wonderful world of emulation

 

[Deleted member 13077]

My brother got Pokemon yellow whilst we were on holiday in the USA. I picked up red, and we had a great time with it.

Managed to get hold of a Japanese cartridge for Gold as well. Didn't make it that far but it was mind blowing at the time.

 

[RochHoch]

I legit do not know.

It must have been watching the anime, but Pokemon has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

 

[Raide]

Probably Pokemon Red/Blue. And manga for Electric Tale of Pikachu.

 

[Vic Damone Jr.]

A friend from school had it. Never even knew of it, word was sent omg father and he either sent money or the a gameboy with red and blue.

Remember picking Charmander and struggling afterwards lol

 

[mute]

I have no idea why this stuck with me but I was in a Toys R Us in 199x and they had a small little TV on a table with some pokemon merch and a loop of the TV show/game playing. First time I heard "gotta catch em all"

I really don't remember what pushed me to go out and get/ask for Blue because it was really outside my wheelhouse around then, but for some reason I did.

 

[masaa]

I remember first seeing it at my cousin. He was inside the power plant and his Pikachu ran out of PP. So... I recommended him switching Thunderbolt with something like Swift since it had ran out not knowing you could replenish them...oh boy.

Also, I drew (more like copied) all 150 mons in a notebook. I might still have it to this day.

 

[Cal]

Pokemon Diamond played through a dodgey R4 card

 

[smuf]

I saw the anime, dubbed in Dutch, before I knew about the games. Must have been around 1999.

 

[ffvorax]

Pokèmon Blue on the gameboy.
My Squirle anyway was strong enough to defeat everything on his path.
Got so many pokemons on lv.100... :D

 

[Lucas M. Thomas]