On what date did Pokémon Red and Green first launch in Japan for Game Boy?

Pokémon Red and Green first launched in Japan for Game Boy on February 27, 1996.

The games were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo after a lengthy development period. They introduced the central Pokémon formula: exploring a region, catching creatures, training them, battling, and trading with other players.

The Japanese releases were called Pocket Monsters Red and Green. International versions later used the names Pokémon Red and Blue, because the Japanese Blue version became the technical foundation for the overseas releases. The original Japanese Green version was not released internationally.

The launch date is often confused with the dates of the anime, trading card game, or overseas games. The Pokémon animated series began in 1997, while North American Red and Blue arrived in 1998. February 27 is now celebrated annually as Pokémon Day because it marks the franchise’s original game debut.