POCKET Monsters, or Pokémon, have gone from cult classic to household name since "Pocket Monsters Red and Green" were released in 1996. The franchise's imaginative designs and rich universe even led to a 'Pokémania' craze following its international launch.
Many Pokémon are designed around real animals and mythical beasts (for example, the avian monster Ho-Oh resembles a phoenix). As such, their original Japanese names are also based on the behaviours or appearances of their real-world counterparts.
