What television series inspired the Poké Ball concept in Pokémon?

The television series Ultraseven inspired the Poké Ball concept in Pokémon.

Satoshi Tajiri said the idea came from Capsule Monsters, a concept associated with the 1967 tokusatsu series Ultraseven. In that series, monsters could be carried in capsules and released when needed. Pokémon adapted the broad idea into a game mechanic centered on catching, storing, and training creatures.

Poké Balls became one of the franchise’s defining objects. In the games, a Trainer throws a ball at a wild Pokémon in an attempt to catch it; successful captures allow the creature to be stored and later sent into battle.

The inspiration did not make Pokémon a direct adaptation of Ultraseven. Game Freak combined the capsule idea with Tajiri’s collecting interests, Nintendo’s Game Boy link cable, and a role-playing structure involving exploration, battles, and trading.