The Pokémon franchise was introduced in the United States in 1998.
Pokémon’s North American arrival unfolded across several connected releases rather than a single product. The animated series began broadcasting in the United States on September 7, 1998, helping establish Pikachu and Ash as familiar characters. Pokémon Red and Blue then launched in North America on September 28, 1998, bringing the original Game Boy role-playing games to American players.
That timing is why 1998 is the standard answer, even though other parts of the franchise arrived on different schedules. The trading card game was also introduced in the United States in late 1998, while Pokémon Yellow followed in 1999. The Japanese games had begun earlier, with Pokémon Red and Green released for the Game Boy in February 1996.
The American launch helped turn Pokémon into a major late-1990s cultural phenomenon. Television, games, cards, toys, and merchandising reinforced one another, creating the period often called Pokémania. Thus, 1998 refers to the franchise’s broad North American introduction, not its original Japanese debut.