When was the first Pokémon anime episode first broadcast?

The first Pokémon anime episode was first broadcast on April 1, 1997.

Titled Pokémon, I Choose You!, the episode aired on TV Tokyo and introduced Ash Ketchum, Professor Oak, and Pikachu. Ash begins his training journey after receiving Pikachu, who is initially unwilling to follow commands. Their escape from a flock of Spearow becomes the first major test of their partnership.

The date is distinct from the video-game launch date. Pokémon began as a Game Boy franchise in Japan on February 27, 1996, while the television series arrived more than a year later. The anime helped make Pikachu the best-known face of the wider brand and introduced story elements not directly found in the games.

The original Japanese broadcast also matters because international versions followed later and used different dubbing schedules. Therefore, the anime’s worldwide cultural impact did not begin on one single global date, even though April 1, 1997, is the precise first-broadcast date.