What was the Japanese title of the first Pokémon anime series?

The Japanese title of the first Pokémon anime series was Pocket Monsters.

In Japan, the franchise is known as Pocket Monsters, written in Japanese as ポケットモンスター and romanized as Poketto Monsutā. The title refers to the creatures that trainers carry in Poké Balls. In English-speaking markets, the shortened name Pokémon became the standard brand name.

The television series premiered on TV Tokyo on April 1, 1997. Its story followed Satoshi, called Ash Ketchum in the English adaptation, and his partner Pikachu. Although the anime was based on the video games, it developed its own continuity and became the main introduction to Pokémon for many viewers outside Japan.

The term “Pokémon” itself is a shortened form of “Pocket Monsters,” using an acute accent to distinguish the pronunciation and branding. The different names can cause confusion when comparing Japanese release information with international listings, but they identify the same franchise.