What got you into Pokemon?

I was thinking about how Pokemon is played by people of all ages. Most people will grow out of the things they liked as kids (for instance I don't care about Barbies anymore lol) but Pokemon seems to be something that people continuously love no matter how old they become.

So I was wondering what about Pokemon first got you into it and what about it makes you remain such an active fan? In my case, I first saw the cartoon when I was 4 and I liked it because I liked all the different kinds of Pokemon and theirs designs. As I got old enough to understand the show and game more, I was attracted to the idea of "collecting them all".

What about you?

My classmates! I had just moved to America at the age of 7 or 8 and couldn't speak a word of English. Noticed everyone in the class was showing off trading cards and playing the games, plus I caught TV show episodes airing too. When everyone around you loved Pokémon, it was hard not to follow suit haha. The games (as well as my classmates!) helped me learn English. =')

My auntie and there was this show I use to watch every weekend, that was presented by Ant and Dec.
I got more in to it, the more I watched the anime and played the games. I had a few friends at Primary school, where we use to pretend play out moments from the show or pretend to be trainers.

Funnily enough I saw the XY show on TV which led me to checking out Pokémon Y and I loved it.

I was born into it.

Sheep said:

My classmates! I had just moved to America at the age of 7 or 8 and couldn't speak a word of English. Noticed everyone in the class was showing off trading cards and playing the games, plus I caught TV show episodes airing too. When everyone around you loved Pokémon, it was hard not to follow suit haha. The games (as well as my classmates!) helped me learn English. =')

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Oh wow! I think it's great that the game helped you learn English!!! I never really thought about how Pokemon can impact someone's life like that. It's so cool <3

I think my aunt (who also got me into video games) indirectly got me into Pokémon. IIRC, I was flipping through the channels at my grandparents' house when she said "That's one of those Japanese cartoons!" It was Sailor Moon, and I fell in love with the art style. I was since drawn to anything anime, so when Pokémon peaked in popularity during my 4th Grade year, I had to get in on that action. I think my first Pokémon-related item was a Butterfree card from Burger King's first movie promotion, which I kind of begged a classmate for. >_>

Loved the show as a kid, But the games are what have really held my attention. I love strategy games and the pokemon games are an excellent strategy game series with a surprising amount of depth.

I think it was the anime that got me into it. I got into it at the height of Pokémania.

It was late 1998 and I was 9 years old. Had some older friends that were into it, and I started watching the anime. For my 10th birthday I got Pokemon Red. Been a fan ever since.

I always initially thought the anime did, but my mother told me that the TCG actually was my first draw when I was like three years old, so there's that!

The impetus was my family. As a four year old, I was watching the original anime on the floor, warring over a Charmander toy, dog-earring cards and scribbling in the trivia books. Hitmonlee was my favourite because he creeped the sh...sheet, out of everyone but me.

I used to play Pokemon Stadium with my kin as an anklebiter. They hogged all the good 'mon and left me with the deadbeats, then wiped me out and called be a bad sport when I screamed and jumped into lava. This franchise has given me problems, yo. And burns. But I'm 75% masochist so I like it.

My utter obsession has eroded a little but I'm still in love with Pokemon.

There was a sale on Pok?mon cards and my Mother got me some! I still remember how excited I was when I got a Glaceon.

The anime lead to a copy of Pokemon Red. Been hooked since (mostly on the games)

I've been into Pokemon so lnog, I don't even REMEMBER how i got into it. For real it was just everywhere when I was a kid - it was unavoiadable.