The Comprehensive History of Pokémon: From Pixelated Origins to Global Phenomenon
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**Genesis and Cultural Explosion (1996–1998):**
The Pokémon odyssey began with the launch of Pokémon Red and Green in Japan, quickly followed by Red and Blue internationally. Created by Satoshi Tajiri and developed by Game Freak, the franchise debuted as role-playing games (RPGs) that introduced the now-iconic mechanics of catching, training, and battling Pokémon. The series rapidly evolved into a multimedia empire, spawning an animated series, movies, merchandise, and a trading card game, which combined have grossed an estimated $100 billion globally, making Pokémon the highest-grossing media franchise of all time!