It was August 27, 1998. Alyssa Buecker waits in line for Pokémon to be released in the U.S. with her mom and dad in Topeka, Kansas. She received a letter from Nintendo inviting her to a celebration at the Topeka Air Industrial Park, and as a budding anime fan and lifelong gamer, she was thrilled with excitement. The mayor changed the city’s name to Topekachu, Kansas, for the day, and 10 bright yellow Volkswagen Beetles with cartoon ears and tails lined up, ready to begin a national tour.
A skydiver in a yellow Pikachu costume descended from the air over the airfield, along with hundreds of stuffed animals with tiny parachutes attached. Alyssa watched as children and adults alike ran across the grass, desperately trying to snatch their coveted toys. Little did she know that she was witnessing the beginning of something much more than that exciting day.
It was official. Pokemon has landed in America.
It has already caused a sensation in Japan, Pokémon was a multimedia success. Pokémon Red, Green, and Blue for the Nintendo Game Boy sold more than 10 million units, millions of trading cards were in circulation, and the Pokémon anime became one of the most-watched children’s television shows in Japan. This series was more than just children’s entertainment, it was a cultural and entertainment juggernaut that was going to go global.
Pokémon Red and Blue was released in the United States on September 28, 1998. The game allowed players to collect, train, and battle Pokémon, and even linked their Game Boy with friends to exchange captured Pokémon. Everyone wanted to complete the original 151 collection.
I was young at the time, However, it was impossible to avoid the Pokémon’s reach. This anime aired on WB before school and featured key battles, characters, and locations from the Game Boy games. This created excitement for the American release of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, which was released in January 1999. The card became a phenomenon in itself. Within that year, children were showing off their collections on the school bus, negotiating during lunch, and competing in card battles during recess.
At the time, I was such a fan of Japanese anime that I would rent VHS tapes from Hollywood Video and watch them on Toonami, but I was already alienating myself by talking about it nonstop. My friends were annoyed and fed up with my obsession. It wasn’t a “cool” thing to like anime. And I quickly learned that my love for anime would only separate me from my friends over time.
But Pokemon was different. It was nerdy, but so be it. Connecting. The game’s design encourages playing with friends, finding common ground, and creating a community beyond school cliques. And the sheer scale of its marketing meant that every 90s kid had to recognize it at first sight. Nerds were still the geekiest about it, but even popular girls were collecting cards by the end of the year. Like we all experienced with so many other ’90s trends like Pogs, Beanie Babies, and Lisa Frank stickers, they’re not meant to be played with, they’re just meant to be owned and cherished.
Inspired by insect collecting, Creator of Pokemon featuring different abilities, rarities, environments, sizes, and temperaments. Plus, they were cute. It’s really cute. Part of Pokémon’s appeal was the collection itself. Filling your Pokédex or binder gives you a sense of accomplishment and accomplishment. There’s a thrill of discovery with every new card or sighting, and when you come across a rare Pokémon, you’ll soon have bragging rights on the playground. The game featured 151 original Pokémon, and “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” wasn’t just a marketing slogan, it was a mission chanted in cafeterias across the country.
Following the format of other highly successful trading card games such as Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon cards were released in starter decks and randomized booster packs, and could be found lining the aisles of Toys R Us, game stores, and even gas stations. Every child knew the thrill of tearing open a card. I was hoping that the glitter inside might be a rare holographic card. Children who weren’t even teenagers had already learned the art of negotiation, making deals based on rarity, popularity, or pure love for their favorite Pokémon.
It didn’t stop when we all became adults. Pokemon card collecting continued and expanded for nearly 30 years, eventually maturing into a full-fledged collector’s market. By 2025, rare cards will be trading for staggering amounts of money. Once the crown jewel of the ’90s playground, the first-edition holographic Charizard is now fetching tens of thousands of dollars at auction, and at least one unused, graded copy has sold for more than $1 million. Companies like PSA and Beckett grade and package cards like fine art, and collectors track cards’ listings, condition, and market value like Wall Street traders. Hobbies are no longer just nostalgia. It’s about scarcity, fame, and a lot of money.
This demand market did not emerge overnight. The rise of internet unboxing videos and Twitch streams spurred a frenzy that evolved over time. Influencers and YouTubers drew rare cards on livestreams, turning it into a shared spectacle and helping reignite the boom. Stores couldn’t keep the packs on the shelves. At one point, Target and Walmart temporarily suspended in-store sales due to uncontrollable crowds. The number of scalpers increased, and the market expanded. They may track shipping trucks, swoop in and buy the entire shipment, then list the packs at a huge markup. For longtime fans, Mania feels like the ’90s again, only this time, the entire internet is paying attention.
Looking back, Pokémon was never just a kids game or TV show. It is always a big thing, an experience shared across generations and cultures. Each game release is bigger and sells better than the last. Now that the series has expanded to mobile phones with Pokémon GO and Pokémon TCG Pocket, the collection no longer requires a shoebox under the bed. Your collection is in your pocket and always accessible. The medium may have changed and expanded over time, but the thrill has remained the same.
Because at the end of the day, whether you’re standing in Topekachu, Kansas in 1998 or opening a booster pack with your kids in 2025, the call is the same as ever. I have to catch them all.
