The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International (often abbreviated to TPCi) is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Pokémon Company that was first established in February 2001, as Pokémon USA, Inc.Company History - The Pokémon Company (retrieved April 21, 2020) In 2009, it merged with the Pokémon UK officePokémon Merges North American, European Operations - World Screen (archived from the original April 13, 2009; retrieved April 21, 2020) to create a company that is responsible for "brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website" in markets outside of Asia,About the Pokémon Company International - The Pokémon Company International (retrieved April 21, 2020) as well as managing PokemonCenter.com in the United States. Kenji Okubo is the current President and CEO.
==History==
The Pokémon Company International was founded in February 2001 as Pokémon USA, Inc. in . It was created to manage the Pokémon franchise outside of Asia, with responsibility for "licensing, merchandising, TV animation, trading card games, theatrical releases, home video entertainment, the official Pokémon website" and other areasPokémon USA, Inc. and Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Resolve Dispute - Business Wire (retrieved April 22, 2020).
The company's first president was Tatsumi Kimishima (who would later go on to become president of Nintendo)5 Reasons Why Tatsumi Kimishima is Good for Nintendo - USgamer (retrieved April 21, 2020), and on November 16, 2001, it oversaw the opening of Pokémon Center NY at the in New YorkPokémon says “I Choose You!” To Rockefeller Center for First U.S. Store Dedicated To the Growing Worldwide Phenomenon - Pokémon USA, Inc. (archived from the original November 19, 2001; retrieved April 22, 2020). 
In 2002 Tatsumi Kimishima was succeeded by Akira Chiba as president. Following threatened litigation, the licencing agreement with Wizards of the Coast for the Pokémon Trading Card Game ended in 2003, and Pokémon USA, Inc. brought the production and distribution of the game in-house.
In March 2003, the Pokémon UK office opened in , .
On January 20, 2005, the journal published an article in which a group of researchers named a newly discovered "Pokemon"Role of the proto-oncogene Pokemon in cellular transformation and ARF repression - Nature (retrieved April 22, 2020). Pokémon USA, Inc. responded by threatening legal action, as they said that the image of Pokémon could be undermined by associating it with cancer. As a result, the gene was renamedPokémon blocks gene name - Nature (retrieved April 22, 2020).
Up until the end of 2005, the licensing and merchandising for Pokémon outside of Asia was outsourced to 4Kids Entertainment. On December 23, 2005 Pokémon USA, Inc. and 4Kids Entertainment announced that they had agreed not to renew the representation agreement set to expire on December 31 that year, and licencing was brought fully in-house by Pokémon USA, Inc.Pokémon USA Moves Licensing In-House in 2006; 4Kids Entertainment to Transition Its Representation of Pokémon - Business Wire (retrieved April 22, 2020). This led to Pokémon USA taking over English dubs of all Pokémon animation, as well as several main characters in Pokémon the Series being recast starting with its ninth season.
In 2007, Akira Chiba stepped down as president and he was replaced by Kenji Okubo, previously executive vice president and head of Pokémon USA’s office. In his new role, he was leader of Pokémon’s operations in New York, Seattle and LondonPresident of Pokémon USA, Inc. to Step Down - Business Wire (retrieved April 22, 2020).
In 2008, Pokémon USA moved production of the Pokémon the Series dub from TAJ ProductionsTAJ Productions No Longer Dubbing Pokemon - PokéBeach (retrieved April 22, 2020) to DuArt Film & Video. That year, Pokémon UK worked with design agency Red Central to create a marketing style guide for EuropePokémon launches European branding guide for a new era - creativematch (archived from the original September 11, 2018; retrieved April 22, 2020), announced a partnership with Network Distributing to distribute the Pokémon movies and anime on in the UKUK to get all Pokémon seasons on DVD? - PKMN.NET (retrieved April 22, 2020), and announced (now ) would air the anime from season 11Jetix becomes new home of Pokémon in Europe - Jetix Europe Ltd. (archived from the original November 7, 2012; retrieved April 22, 2020).
In February 2009, Pokémon USA, Inc. struck a deal with in which their stores would have a dedicated Pokémon Boutique until the end of the yearPokémon Boutique Invades Toys R Us - Kotaku (accessed April 22, 2020), and in the same month announced a DVD distribution deal with Universal Studios Home Entertainment for Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky WarriorPokémon Comes to DVD in an all-new Feature-Length Movie - PR Newswire (archived from the original February 26, 2009; retrieved April 22, 2020).
On April 9, 2009 it was announced that Pokémon USA, Inc. and Pokémon UK would be unifying their operations under the name The Pokémon Company International. Kenji Okubo said that the rationale behind the move was that the two companies had worked closely together on a day-to-day basis, and that the change in name was done to reflect the connection between the two offices and ensure their worldwide reach.
In 2020, all European (minus British) activities of the brand were transferred to a new branch located in Dublin, Ireland. This was due to the effects of .
In June 2023, The Pokémon Company International opened a new office in Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City.
==Offices==
The Pokémon Company International has its headquarters in and , .
* 10400 NE 4th Street, Suite 2800, Bellevue, WA 98004, United States
* 3rd Floor Building 10, Chiswick Park, 566 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 5XS, United Kingdom
The Pokémon Company International Ireland Limited has its headquaters in , .
* 3rd Floor, 2 Central Plaza, Dame Street, Dublin 2, D02 TOX4, Ireland
The Pokémon Company International Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. 
* Avenida Emilio Castelar 75, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11550, MX
==External links==
Official websites
* Pokémon.com Country Selector
** US website
*** US corporate website
** UK website
*** UK corporate website
Social media
* The Pokémon Company International on (English/International)
* The Pokémon Company International on (English/International)
* The Pokémon Company International on (English/International)
* Twitter
** The Pokémon Company International on (English)
** The Pokémon Company International on (UK English)
** The Pokémon Company International on (French)
** The Pokémon Company International on (German)
** The Pokémon Company International on (Italian)
** The Pokémon Company International on (Spanish)
* YouTube
** The Pokémon Company International on YouTube (English)
** The Pokémon Company International on YouTube (Dutch)
** The Pokémon Company International on YouTube (French)
** The Pokémon Company International on YouTube (German)
** The Pokémon Company International on YouTube (Italian)
** The Pokémon Company International on YouTube (Portuguese)
** The Pokémon Company International on YouTube (Russian)
** The Pokémon Company International on YouTube (Spanish)
* The Pokémon Company International on Pinterest
==References==
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Category:English dub of the Pokémon animated series
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