Pikachu and his fellow Pokemon were all the rage a decade ago.
After finding success in Japan, “Pokemon Red” and “Blue” made their way toward American shores and into the homes of future CU students.
During 1998, there was nowhere to run from Poke-mania as video games, playing cards and anime infected every part of American childhood culture. Luckily, the CU Independent has gone under cover to collect all of the Kanto Gym Badges and see what CU students need to be the World’s Greatest Pokemon Master.
The Video Games
Within the early games, Professor Oak would let the player choose between three Pokemon: the grass type Bulbasaur, the fiery Charmander and the water turtle Squirtle. Once the Pokemon were picked, infamous rival Gary Oak always seemed to pick the one that could easily beat your starter.
While working around the Kanto region, players faced the evil Team Rocket and fierce Gym Leaders like Sabrina and Blaine, caught legendary Pokemon like Moltres and Mewtwo and finally reached the end of the game to face the dreaded Elite Four and Gary once more.
As millions of copies flew off the video game shelves, CU students like Katie Collin, a 21-year-old ecology and evolutionary biology major, pulled off risks to keep playing this addicting game.
“I stayed up past my curfew playing the games on my Game Boy Color,” Collin said.
After the success of Red & Blue, Nintendo released more games including Yellow, Gold, Silver, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond and Pearl. Recently, they have also remade Red, Gold and Silver as FireRed, HeartGold and SoulSilver. Plus, coming to North America in 2011 will be Pokemon Black and White, which will introduce a new region, new trainers and even new Pokemon.
The Card Games
For those unable to catch them all on the Game Boy games, there was the next best—and arguably more popular—option: Pokemon trading cards.
All 150 original Pokemon were scattered across the world, and all players would have to do was buy them in simple card packs. The most valuable cards were the holographic foil cards that featured rare Pokemon including Charizard, Mew and Dragonite.
But that did not stop James Watt, a 19-year-old freshman physics major, from collecting one of the most powerful grass type pokemon.
“I liked the Venusaur card,” Watt said. “Because I like plants and green is my favorite color.”
Anime Fever
In 1998, Pokemon anime hit the U.S., picked up by the WB Network and now Cartoon Network.
The anime focused on the adventures of Ash Ketchum, his pokemon partner, the electric Pikachu and his friends, Gym Leaders Misty and Brock, as they traveled across Kanto to fulfill their dreams. Along the way, they met trainers and foiled the schemes of Team Rocket’s Jessie, James and Meowth who served as comic relief for the show.
Kathryn Sczekan, a 17-year-old freshman Russian Studies and Japanese major, said she has fond memories of the show that helped transition into another Poke merchandise.
“When I was a kid, I loved watching Ash and his adventures,” Sczekan said. “But I now enjoy the video games because they are strategic and a good time waster.”
Ash and Pikachu are currently finishing Season 13: “Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: Sinnoh League Champions” and will begin Season 14 on Cartoon Network sometime early 2011.
After 13 full-length feature films, numerous video games including “Pokemon Stadium One & Two,” a live tour and numerous mangas, it seems that—even today—there’s no stopping Poke-fever.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jacob Elyachar at Jacob.Elyachar@Colorado.edu.
1 comment
This was a great post about the history of Pokemon. There are so many great Pokemon fans out there.