Vhayes1992

   I am {{#expr: {{#time: Y|@{{#expr:({{#time: U}} - {{#time: U|04:00 April 14, 1992}})}}}}-1970}} years old from Ontario, Canada and I have watched the anime since its Canadian debut. I became an instant Pokémon fan back in 1998 when YTV aired the [[EP001|very first]] episode.  Looking back, I now feel a little privileged to have experienced the North American introduction of the Pokémon franchise at the same time as being a kid. Being a kid made it that much more exciting! Being able to see the first episode at its debut, seeing the [[M01|first movie]] in a packed movie theater, getting the first ever Pokémon game, going to the store to get 50¢ individual Pokémon cards from a machine(do they still do that?). Thinking about it all brings back the nostalgia of my early childhood. Since those times, I have still have respect for Pokémon, and still show an interest for the anime despite my growing age.  

   It still feels like it happened yesterday. My first exposure to the big Pokémon craze started with the hype and the advertising of a revolutionary new TV show with Brock, Misty and Ash. Being a young shy kid at the time (finished kindergarten and about enter grade school), I had little to no friends at the time which led me to watching too much TV. Regardless of that fact, the advertisements had really caught my attention. I couldn’t wait for the TV show to debut despite the fact that school was just around the corner.  I still remember begging my to turn it onto YTV so I could watch the show. She finally gave in and I was able to watch it. On April 14, 1999 (my birthday), I received my first Game Boy along with Pokémon Red. At first I didn't like the game as it was all about strategy, but after a while I got hooked on it. Later in that same year, I asked my father to go see Mewtwo Strikes Back and we did near Christmas with my cousins. Only after the first movie did I ever notice that the Pokémon craze had begun dying out, but it was still very much there and still present with the loyal fans in my school. I could see it start to happen in my second grade class. Some kids started to dislike the Pokémon anime when Pokémon: The Adventures in the Orange Islands came around. Out of some of the conversations I remember, most complaints was that they didn't like the new opening and that Brock was gone. I too did not like that changes but still watched the anime to see when Ash’s progress.