What name was the Pokémon franchise originally marketed under in Japan?

The Pokémon franchise was originally marketed under the name “Pocket Monsters” in Japan.

The Japanese brand is written as Poketto Monsutā, commonly romanized as Pocket Monsters. The first games were titled Pocket Monsters Red and Green, and the television series and other early products also used the Pocket Monsters branding.

The shortened international name Pokémon was adopted for overseas markets. Its accent mark distinguishes the pronunciation and helps identify the brand globally. In English-speaking regions, the games became Pokémon Red and Blue rather than Pocket Monsters Red and Blue.

The name reflects the series' original concept of carrying collectible creatures in pocket-sized Game Boy adventures. The franchise later expanded far beyond games, including animation, films, cards, manga, toys, mobile titles, and live-action media. “Pocket Monsters” therefore describes the original Japanese identity, while Pokémon is the internationally recognized brand used for the modern franchise.