The first Pokémon anime episode, “Pokémon, I Choose You!”, was broadcast in Japan on April 1, 1997.
The episode aired on TV Tokyo and introduced Ash Ketchum as he began his journey with Pikachu. Ash oversleeps, misses the chance to choose one of Professor Oak’s usual starter Pokémon, and receives Pikachu instead. Their difficult first day establishes the partnership that anchors the series.
The episode’s climax features a flock of Spearow chasing Ash and Pikachu through a storm. Pikachu’s decision to protect Ash helps transform their initially unhappy relationship into mutual trust. The final rainbow and Ho-Oh sighting also became an early mystery for viewers.
International broadcasts came later. The English-language series began in the United States in 1998, so the Japanese date is sometimes confused with the date many overseas viewers first encountered the show.