The first Pokémon anime episode, “Pokémon, I Choose You!”, was first broadcast on 1 April 1997.
The episode premiered on TV Tokyo in Japan and introduced Ash Ketchum’s journey as a Pokémon Trainer. Professor Oak gives Ash a Pikachu, which initially refuses to cooperate. Their relationship changes after Pikachu protects Ash from a flock of angry Spearow.
The broadcast came just over a year after the Japanese release of Pokémon Red and Green. Although the video games created the franchise, the television series became a major international gateway for audiences who encountered Pokémon through animation before playing the games.
The episode is sometimes confused with the start of the English-language broadcast. The United States run began in 1998, while the original Japanese premiere occurred on 1 April 1997. The first episode also features Ho-Oh, whose Pokédex data was not available in the original games.