TV Tokyo first broadcast the Pokémon anime in Japan.
The series premiered on April 1, 1997, shortly after the original Pokémon games had become successful. Its early story followed Ash Ketchum, known in Japan as Satoshi, as he began his journey with Pikachu and traveled through the Kanto region.
TV Tokyo was the original home of the series, which was produced by Oriental Light and Magic, now commonly known as OLM. The network’s role is sometimes confused with that of The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, or the international broadcasters that later distributed the show.
The anime quickly became a major part of Pokémon’s worldwide identity. In the United States, the first season was initially syndicated beginning in September 1998 and later aired through Kids’ WB. The Japanese broadcast therefore predates the international television versions by more than a year.