The original Pokémon Red and Green video games were released in Japan, starting the Pokémon franchise.
The Pokémon animated TV series premiered in Japan, increasing the franchise's popularity.
Pokémon: The First Movie premiered in Japan, introducing Mewtwo and expanding the Pokémon story to the big screen.
The Pokémon: The First Movie was released in the United States, marking the franchise's expansion into the western movie market.