When did the first Pokémon anime season, Pokémon: Indigo League, premiere in Japan?

Pokémon: Indigo League premiered in Japan on April 1, 1997.

The season was originally broadcast simply as Pokémon and was known in Japan as Pocket Monsters. It followed Ash Ketchum as he left Pallet Town, received Pikachu from Professor Oak, and began traveling through Kanto in pursuit of his goal of becoming a Pokémon Master.

The Japanese run lasted from April 1, 1997, to January 21, 1999. It contained 82 episodes in Japan, while the English version contained 80 episodes because two episodes were not included in the original English broadcast order.

The season helped transform Pokémon from a video-game success into a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. Ash traveled with Misty and Brock, and the series introduced international audiences to recurring locations, Gym battles, Team Rocket, and Pikachu’s role as the franchise’s television mascot.