On what date did the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s first set release in Japan?

The Pokémon Trading Card Game’s first set released in Japan on October 20, 1996.

Known in Japan as the 1st Starter & Expansion Pack, this set was published by Media Factory and formed the foundation of the Pokémon card game. Its cards depicted Pokémon from the first generation, which had launched in Japan earlier that year.

The Japanese release is often confused with the English-language Base Set release. Wizards of the Coast published the English Base Set in the United States on January 9, 1999, more than two years after the Japanese debut. A 1998 Pokémon Demo Game Plastic Pack appeared in the United States before that full release, but it was a promotional introduction rather than the regular Base Set.

The original set contained 102 cards and included early collector favorites such as Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur. Its launch helped expand Pokémon beyond video games into a major tabletop and collecting phenomenon.