What was the original Japanese name of the first Pokémon games?

The original Japanese name of the first Pokémon games was Pocket Monsters Red and Green.

They were released for the Game Boy in Japan on February 27, 1996. The title reflected the franchise’s Japanese name, Pocket Monsters, which was shortened to Pokémon for international branding and everyday use.

An enhanced Japanese Blue version followed later in 1996. For overseas markets, Nintendo reworked that version and released the pair as Pokémon Red and Blue. The original Japanese Green edition was therefore not the international counterpart players usually encountered.

The two-version structure was deliberate. Each version contained Pokémon unavailable in the other, encouraging players to connect their Game Boys and trade. That design turned communication between players into part of the game’s central collecting goal.