"Before it became a phenomenon in America."

Just wanted to share my experience with Pokémon growing up, specifically a brief period in time when not many people knew about it.So when I was about 11 years old, I’d wake up every morning and take the 7am Bus. The bus stop was around the block from me, so I’d leave the house at 6:45 each morning. At that time, a little unknown cartoon called Pokémon would play at 6:30am each morning on the WB11. Usually I’d be showered and ready to go slightly before then. So I’d sit in my room, and watch the first 15 minutes of every episode each morning. In fact, when “Who’s that Pokémon” came on screen, that was my cue to head out to the bus stop.So for a year I never saw those Pokémon reveals, which is funny to me. Also, while I only ever got to see the first half of each episode, thankfully the start of the next episode always gave a brief recap of what happened, so I’d always be caught up.That’s is until episode “March of the exegguttor squad”This was the last episode to air in America for a WHILE! I think they replayed the entire run of episodes up until this point for a year or so. And this is important, because a very very special moment happens in that episode. And I had NO idea about for the entirety of that run.Flash forward about a year or so later, when finally the show/game/trading cards completely took over the hearts and minds of American children.The show was no longer on each morning, but instead moved to the prime time of kids cartoons, Saturday morning. And it was now airing weekly.THIS, WAS, AWESOME!!!They started the show from the beginning again, and while it took a lot longer for them to get to that exeggutor episode, I could finally watch the entire episodes now. Sometimes they would play 2 episodes back to back, and that was a treat. And I honestly didn’t mind! I finally got to see which Pokémon were revealed in the “who’s that Pokémon” mid commercial break! And I also got to finally watch the rest of each episode, and boy did I actually miss out on a ton of great moments!!But nothing, and I mean nothing can match my reaction and excitement to finally see the Exeguttor episode in full. I had no clue what to expect, this was truly untamed territory for me, and I had no idea where the series was going from here.So I’m sitting and watching, more excited about anything else that was going on in my life, and then it happened. Charmander evolves into Charmeleon.I was in utter and complete shock. This whole time!! THIS WHOLE DAMN TIME!! I had no idea, and since none of my friends watched the show at 6:30am, there was nobody to even tell me this is what happened!!I was both annoyed and extremely excited!!Then they played the next episode with the frightened Paras, and I knew I’d never have to be tortured like this ever again.I wonder how many of you had similar experiences like this. I know this happened to a lot of us with Dragonball Z in the morning too. via /r/pokemon https://ift.tt/2UiHNiK