The collectible cards, however, constitute the focal point of this latest craze. Beginning in 1995 as a phenomenal Japanese cartoon, Pokemon arrived in the United States as a television show and video game. Once caught, the creatures catch other Pokemon, and the trainer receives badges in hopes of becoming a Pokemon master. Interestingly, Pokemon do not die in battles. The human characters of the show all understand that capturing a Pokemon is not enough.
Some parents think the game encourages reading, critical thinking and social interaction.
It is teaching him what things cost and how to save money. And Pokemon s creators are planning 100 new characters because of their high popularity, causing what some fear to be a frightening level of obsession in acquiring more cards. The Gathering, another interactive game. That lighting effect has since been banned in Japan and is not used in the United States. The boys allegedly stole as many as 170 of the cards from several elementary schools.