Originally known as Poketto Monstaa or Pocket Monster, the little monsters were first released in Japan. Japanese game designer Satoshi Tajiri invented Pokémon based on childhood memories of collecting bugs in jars and wishing he could make them fight like the monsters.

Pokémon ventured into the United States in 1998. According to available data, six of the industry's 10 top-selling video games in 2000 were Pokemon titles.

The Pokémon characters come in all sizes, shapes and colors but you will have to have super memory to remember their names.

Of course the yellow, tiger-stripped Pikachu is somewhat immune from the general amnesia. Pickachu Pokémon netted $825 million in 2002.

Pikachu at the Premiere of 'Pokémon the Movie' at the Village Theater, Westwood, California

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