Japan received the first release of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
The Japanese card game debuted in October 1996, several months after Pokémon Red and Green launched for the Game Boy. Media Factory produced the original Japanese cards, with the set drawing heavily on the creatures and artwork associated with the video games.
The first Japanese expansion was the Base Set, which contained 102 cards. It established the familiar system of Pokémon cards, Energy cards, and Trainer cards. Players use those card types to build decks, attack with Pokémon, and manage effects during battles.
The English-language version followed in North America in 1999, published by Wizards of the Coast. That timing can cause confusion because many international fans encountered the trading card game after the anime had already become popular. The card game is a separate tabletop adaptation, although it uses the same Pokémon species and has become a major collectible and competitive franchise in its own right.