The Pokémon franchise began in 1996 with its first video games in Japan.
Game Freak developed the original role-playing games for Nintendo's Game Boy. They were released as Pocket Monsters Red and Green, creating the foundation for a franchise that later expanded into animation, trading cards, films, manga, merchandise, and mobile games.
The year can cause confusion because Pokémon reached many international markets later. The Japanese launch came first, while the English-language versions followed in North America in 1998. The animated television series also began in Japan in 1997, one year after the games.
The 1996 starting point is why 2026 marks Pokémon's 30th anniversary. It refers to the debut of the franchise's original games, not the later arrival of the anime, trading card game, or first movie.