When did the first episode of the Pokémon anime, Pokémon, I Choose You!, first air?

The first episode of the Pokémon anime, Pokémon, I Choose You!, first aired on April 1, 1997.

The episode introduces Ash Ketchum as a beginning Pokémon Trainer. After oversleeping and missing the three usual starter Pokémon, Ash receives Pikachu from Professor Oak. Their difficult first day eventually becomes the starting point for the long-running television story.

The episode was broadcast on TV Tokyo in Japan. Its plot includes Ash and Pikachu being pursued by a flock of Spearow, a crisis that helps establish the emotional bond between the two characters. Pikachu initially refuses to cooperate, making their relationship different from a conventional trainer-and-Pokémon partnership.

The Japanese broadcast predates the international television launches. The English-language series later introduced many viewers around the world to the franchise, but April 1, 1997, remains the anime’s original premiere date. It should not be confused with the North American debut, which occurred in 1998.