Pokemon (short for Pocket Monsters) is the highest-grossing media franchise in the world, launched by Nintendo, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company in 1996. Spanning mainline video games, the long-running anime series streaming on Netflix and Pokemon TV, the mobile phenomenon Pokemon GO, and a global trading card game, Pokemon remains a constant across generations of fans. Its region-by-region starter Pokemon and elemental typing system are among the most recognizable concepts in all of pop culture.