30 years after Pokémon's release, fans are still trying to catch 'em all

In the years Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green were released in 1996 for Nintendo Game Boy in Japan, marking the debut of Pokémon, the franchise has taken over the globe with its animated shows, mobile games and highly coveted trading cards

LOS ANGELES -- Benson Lu's life revolves around Pokémon.

The 26-year-old has played the mobile game Pokémon Go every day for a decade, watches the animated show every week, goes to the local card shop in his Los Angeles suburb to play the brand's trading card game every week, and has a whopping collection of cards worth more than $70,000.

“I don’t remember when was the last day I did not think about Pokémon at all,” he said.

In the 30 years since Pokémon debuted in Japan with the 1996 release of Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green for Nintendo Game Boy, the franchise has taken over the globe with its animated shows, mobile games and highly coveted trading cards. Its popularity continues with fans young and old.

Pokémon offers a masterclass in character design, which has helped make it so enduring, said Heather Cole, teaching assistant professor of game design and interactive media at West Virginia University.