What Introduced You to Pokemon?

[U.N. Owen]

We all started out as novice fans that were drawn to the world of creatures who can cause serious damage to civilization.

Now, what is it that brought you into Pokemon? Was it the games? Did you come during the Pokecraze? Did you read Pokespe? Anime? TCG?

 

[Nerdy McNerdface]

Well this is a unique one.

I saw gameplay of Pokemon Omega Ruby by danisnotonfire on YouTube in December 2015, and thought "hey, it actually looks like a good game". Christmas money plus saving up allowed me to buy an older make of the 3DS and a copy of Omega Ruby for myself. From there I became hooked. Here I am today.

 

[Satoshi & Touko]

Just like the protagonist for the original games, I was introduced to Pokemon upon passing my 11th birthday and receiving a Gameboy Color and Pokemon Blue version for it. I think I might have been watching the anime for a small amount of time but I can't remember for sure.

 

[Daniel31]

We all started out as novice fans that were drawn to the world of creatures who can cause serious damage to civilization.

Now, what is it that brought you into Pokemon? Was it the games? Did you come during the Pokecraze? Did you read Pokespe? Anime? TCG?

You expect some of us older fans to remember what "exactly" brought us into Pokémon almost 20 yrs ago!? I can't even remember what I had for dinner last week!

I'm pretty sure it was the games. I had a Gameboy pocket, saw one of my friends playing Pokémon Red on his, and I proceeded to buy my own because it looked like a real cool game to me (we would battle via link cable and trade Pokémon). I then started buying the trading cards as well, and started watching the Anime (which was still in its first season here, the dub), and the rest is history.

 

[Bguy7]

For as long as I can remember I've watched the show. I loved it so much that it made me love everything else Pokemon-related. I spent the first ten years of my life being jealous of anyone I saw playing Pokemon, as I had no Gameboy/DS. Then for Christmas of 2007 I finally got a DS and Pearl Version. Ever since then, I've only become more and more obsessed.

 

[Crimson Penguin]

I was introduced by some other kids at a summer camp way back in 1999. They were pretending to be Pokemon and having "battles", and it looked like fun, so I joined in. From there, I started watching the show (which was about the only thing that got me out of bed in the morning), and collecting figures and trading cards. Then I got Pokemon Yellow for Christmas and was completely hooked. Those were the days when everyone brought their Game Boys and cards to school and would play with each other at recess. Nearly eighteen years later, I'm still a huge fan, and probably will be for the rest of my life.

 

[AmethystLeslie]

Prior to being a fan, I've only heard of Pokemon in passing. I actually had a VHS tape of some of the anime episodes, namely EP043-45 (The March of the Exeggutor Squad, The Problem With Paras, and The Song of Jigglypuff) I could've sworn there was a 4th episode in there, but neither the episodes before or after looked familiar.

Later on, when i started watching Let's Plays, I stumbled upon this playthrough by who would later become my friend PlayingWithMahWii. My major complaint with it was that as someone who didn't know anything on the games, he was saying things as if everyone knew what he was talking about, and I was just left lost. Also it was a very long playthrough, so it was a slog to watch something that I had no idea what it was about, but I survived.

When I got into Chuggaaconroy's Let's plays, I avoided specifically his Pokemon LPs (except for Colesseum, cuz that LP came out when I just started watching his videos regularly) because of my experience with PlayingWithMahWii. When I finally got to them, I found them MUCH more clear and consise, I knew what was going on in terms of gameplay, I learned how things worked, made me want to get into the games for real. I've watched other LPs since then, I remember NintendoCaprisun's blind Sapphire run, that was interesting.

Then I heard about Pokemon X and Y coming out, and I thought, well, since I got a 3DS, my first console that wasn't a hand-me-down, I thought, "I've been interested in Pokemon lately, and I've actually BEEN to France (earlier that year, I went to Paris, France as a class trip) so this'll be fun to compare and just to have fun." And I did have fun, a lot of fun. Like, I practically sold my soul to Pokemon, that's how much fun I've had.

So yeah, that's my story.

 

[RedJirachi]

I was introduced to Pokemon by an old Pokemon guide shortly before moving back to New Zealand, and through playing Smash with him

 

[thexuberant1]

My brother introduced me to Pokemon in 2007. I saw him catching Pokemon and it looked very fun, so I got my own version of Diamond.

 

[mystic9899]

my cousin got me a DS and pokemon diamond for my 11th birthday. before that i saw a couple kanto episodes, but i didn't really understand what it was about. i only really got into the anime around the same time i got the games. i'm 19 now and been a fan of both mediums since (i've only recently started checking out the manga).

 

[TikTok13]

On my 8th birthday I was given an old school DS (The chunky silver one) and a fresh copy of Pokémon Pearl. I'd never played it before, never saw the anime, never touched the toys, but I was happy getting the game. I switched it on, played the tutorial, picked my Turtwig, and was hooked from the first battle. Soon I had every game before Gen4, and bought every game after (barring the 3DS games)

 

[LadyTriox]

korrina....j/k i wish that was it though

THE REAL THING:
The televisian set and kids wb XD actually...comercials....for the orrigional red and blue. LOL i think the first pokemon i ever saw was chansey too

 

[Kalosian]

I got introduced through the TCG, and partly through the anime too. It was in 1999, when I was a kid and Pokemon reached Europe. It became the big thing at my school, literally everyone was into the Pokemon TCG. I thought it seemed idiotic and overrated at first, didn't want to have anything to do with it. Then I gradually got more and more interested, before finally getting hooked. I bought TCG cards, traded and played together with others, also started watching the anime and thought it was amazing. Then I eventually got a Game Boy Color and later Blue which became my first Pokemon game.

Since then, I have bought all main series Pokemon games. I'm not into the TCG and anime anymore, and I haven't been for many years, though I really enjoyed both when I was younger. My main interest in Pokemon these days are the games, and Pokemon Adventures to an extent.

 

[Echo Nacyl]

I remember it well. When I was nine, another kid opened a pack. I wasn't paying attention, I didn't care. Then he got my attention and handed me a card, saying that he already had that one. It was a Base Set Arcanine. I was basically like "what is this??". Started watching the show out of curiosity. Started collecting the cards because I liked the show. Eventually got to play a borrowed copy of Blue just a little bit. And about 6 years later got to finally play my very own copy of Gold (which, incidentally, I found, rather than bought). I was very behind at this point, because I wasn't allowed a gaming device back then, but I caught up very quickly once I got my GBA SP. Own every main series game (including two imported ones), and still collect the cards. I like to watch occasional episodes for nostalgia's sake, and I still enjoy the movies. It kinda just took hold.

Arcanine is accorded a place of honor among my favorites for this reason.

 

[Kung Fu Ferret]

Pokémon and I go way back to when it first came out in the US. One of my classmates had a Pokémon comic book and I remember seeing Pikachu and Onix.

 

[Xenomata]

...huh. I don't remember HOW I got into pokemon, all I remember is watching and enjoying the show as a kid.

I can say I got introduced to the games whenever HG/SS were new, seen them in a Gamestop, and thought "Lugia is cool ", but I think pokemon was just a thing I was a part of growing up, even if I didn't play the games (besides Pokemon Channel, which... does that even count?)

 

[wobbanut]

I was introduced to Pokemon by the first movie in 1999. My best friend took me to see the movie. It was another few years before I got hooked on the series (about 2002), but I did walk away with a fondness for Team Rocket already. I kept looking forward to each of their scenes in the movie. I also heard about Pokemon for the first time two years earlier with news reports about the seizure incident.

I didn't get hooked on the games until 2003, though. Sapphire was my first game, and RSE are still a big nostalgia factor for me (not so much FRLG, which have aged badly).

 

[Scammel]

In 1999, the Beano ran a series of small Pokémon puzzles. The first one I remember asked which of the Pokémon pictured could manifest psychic powers by waggling their tail - after deliberating on Mankey, I incorrectly chose Caterpie.

 

[DR.gonzo]

The Anime back in 1999 was my first insight into pokemon which lead me to buy pokemon blue for a family holiday ,
with my trusty Bulbasaur i played the **** out of that game - I've been a huge fan ever since with my main fondness for the Games .

 

[Auraninja]

Brainwashing TV commercials.

I was wondering what Pokemon was all about.

Then I got into the cartoon, and I eventually got Pokemon Silver.