What was the first Pokémon Trading Card Game set released in Japan called?

The first Pokémon Trading Card Game set released in Japan was called the 1st Starter & Expansion Pack. It launched on October 20, 1996, several months after the original Game Boy games.

The set formed the foundation of the Pokémon TCG and included cards depicting species from the first generation. In Japan, the product combined starter and expansion-pack material, while the English-language release used the name Base Set.

This naming difference creates a common mix-up. “Base Set” is the familiar English name, but the Japanese debut is generally identified as the 1st Starter & Expansion Pack. Wizards of the Coast published the early English cards in the United States, where the Base Set arrived in January 1999.

The TCG uses Pokémon, Energy, and Trainer cards in two-player battles. Players normally build 60-card decks, making deck construction and card effects central parts of the game rather than merely collecting illustrations.