The 30 best Pokémon episodes, scenes, and jokes from the show and movies

Pokémon isn’t just a franchise, it’s a way of life. For the past three decades, this world of evolving, battling creatures has dominated popular culture. And for many fans, it can all be traced back to Pokémon, the animated series that debuted in 1997 (one year after the first game) and is still airing new episodes today.