What was the originally planned Japanese release date for Pokémon Red and Green?

The originally planned Japanese release date for Pokémon Red and Green was December 21, 1995.

Development was completed in 1995, and the games were initially scheduled to launch before the end of that year. The release was delayed because related derivative products were not yet ready for sale. The games ultimately reached Japanese stores on February 27, 1996.

That delay is significant because the later date became the recognized starting point of the Pokémon franchise. It is also the reason Pokémon Day is celebrated on February 27 rather than on the original planned date.

The planned date is easy to confuse with the actual release date, especially because some early promotional material and historical accounts mention the 1995 schedule. The finished games therefore belong to the 1996 release year, despite the original target being in 1995.