Pokémon moved from moral panic to a unifying global hit

The article recalls 1990s moral panic — including some US Christian pastors labelling Pikachu demonic — and describes how Pokémon has grown over 30 years into a global franchise that has earned north of $100bn.

Pokémon began as Pocket Monsters Red and Green in Japan in 1996, created by Satoshi Tajiri and a small team that later became Game Freak. The games were designed around collecting creatures and trading between different cartridge versions, which encouraged social interaction. In the late 1990s the series provoked a moral panic among some commentators and religious leaders in the United States. Over three decades the property expanded into TV, films, trading cards and mobile apps and became a major global entertainment franchise. Key points: - Pokémon was created by Satoshi Tajiri and released in Japan in 1996 as Pocket Monsters Red and Green. - The game design purposely encouraged trading and social play by offering different creatures in different versions. - Early reception included moral panic in the late 1990s, with some US Christian pastors calling Pikachu demonic and critical coverage in outlets such as Time. - Pokémon Go (launched in 2016) reached about 232 million players worldwide at its peak, and the franchise has earned north of $100bn across games, TV, merchandise and related media. Summary: Pokémon moved from a contested cultural import and moral concern in the 1990s to an expansive global franchise that reaches millions through multiple forms of media. Its emphasis on social gameplay helped shape later phenomena such as Pokémon Go, and its commercial scale is now substantial; future developments are undetermined at this time.