The Pokémon franchise began in Japan with its first video games.
Game Freak developed Pocket Monsters Red and Green for Nintendo’s Game Boy, and the games launched in Japan on February 27, 1996. The franchise was created by Satoshi Tajiri, whose interest in collecting insects helped inspire the concept of discovering and trading creatures.
Nintendo published the games, while Game Freak handled development. The original Japanese setting was later localized for international audiences, where the games became known as Pokémon Red and Blue. The Pokémon name itself is used globally, although the Japanese franchise title is Pocket Monsters.
The anime, trading card game, merchandise, and films expanded the property after the game launch. Because those parts became internationally visible at different times, some people remember the anime as the beginning. Historically, the franchise started with the Japanese Game Boy releases, making Japan the correct country of origin.