🐲 Pokémon: The Little Monsters that Played Their Cards Right | 41

Summary

The Best Idea Yet: Pokémon – The Little Monsters that Played Their Cards Right | Episode 41

Hosts: Nick Martell & Jack Crivici-Kramer
Release Date: July 22, 2025

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Introduction

In the 41st episode of The Best Idea Yet, hosts Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer delve into the extraordinary journey of Pokémon, exploring how it evolved from a humble video game concept into the highest-grossing media franchise of all time.

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Origins of Pokémon: From Bug Collecting to Video Games

The story begins in the quiet countryside of Machida, Japan, in the early 1970s, where a young Satoshi Tajiri, fondly known as "Dr. Bug" by his peers, nurtured a passion for bug collecting. This childhood hobby laid the foundation for his future endeavors.

Nick Martell (05:48): "This is Satoshi Tajiri, though his schoolmates affectionately call him Dr. Bug. That's because Satoshi has built a friendship network around his quirky hobby."

As urbanization encroached upon his beloved natural habitats, Tajiri found solace in video games, particularly role-playing games (RPGs) like Dragon Quest. His fascination with game mechanics and storytelling led him to create a handmade magazine named Game Freak, which eventually transformed into a professional gaming studio.

Jack Crivici-Kramer (07:19): "Game Freak grows from a small handcrafted labor of love side hustle into a full-on professional magazine. And by 1983, Game Freak's circulation hits a solid 10,000 copies per month."

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Overcoming Development Challenges

In 1989, Game Freak pitched their innovative idea, initially titled Capsule Monsters, to Nintendo. The concept centered around trading monsters using the Game Boy's Link cable, reminiscent of Tajiri's bug-trading days.

Nick Martell (08:42): "This is 1989. The games may be monochrome compared to your TV. The screen is tiny. But Satoshi sees an expansive blank canvas in the Game Boy."

Despite the originality, Nintendo executives were skeptical and initially rejected the proposal, unable to envision the psychological and social elements Tajiri intended to incorporate.

Jack Crivici-Kramer (13:24): "These Nintendo execs were the first in a long line of grown-ups who didn't fully understand Pokémon."

The breakthrough came when legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto recognized the potential of the trading mechanic, persuading Nintendo to greenlight the project. However, naming the franchise posed another challenge, leading to the abbreviation Pokémon from the original Japanese title Poketto Monsuta (Pocket Monsters).

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The Game's Japanese Launch and the Mew Phenomenon

After battling numerous setbacks, including a three-year delay that pushed the release from 1991 to 1995, Pokémon Red and Green finally launched in Japan on February 27, 1996. Initially, sales were modest, and the game was considered a minor success. However, an accidental inclusion of a hidden character, Mew, transformed the game's destiny.

Nick Martell (26:39): "Mew is the 151st Pokémon. He is a little pink psychic-type creature said to contain the DNA of every other Pokémon."

Mew's mysterious presence and the ensuing rumors ignited a fervent fanbase. Tajiri capitalized on this by organizing a competition to distribute Mew through official channels, leading to a surge in game sales and nearly reviving Game Boy sales in Japan.

Jack Crivici-Kramer (28:13): "A console that had been considered dead... is suddenly back, baby."

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Transition to the United States and Cultural Adaptation

Despite its success in Japan, Nintendo of America was initially doubtful about Pokémon's appeal in the US market, citing cultural preferences for more aggressive and action-oriented games.

Nick Martell (31:23): "American kids are crushing fast food. Why would they want a slow game that you have to read? What is this, homework?"

Attempts to Americanize the characters by redesigning them into edgier versions failed to resonate. Instead, maintaining the original cuteness became the cornerstone of Pokémon's success in the US.

Jack Crivici-Kramer (33:05): "They've somehow taken Pikachu from cute to could give you rabies."

The pivotal moment came with the launch of the Pokémon animated series and the strategic release of Pokémon Red and Blue in September 1998, aligned with the franchise's broadcast on American television. This synergy propelled Pokémon into a viral sensation, with game and console sales skyrocketing.

Nick Martell (34:15): "By the end of 1998, Pokémon Red and Blue sells over 4 million copies in the US and just like in Japan, Game Boy sales spike too, hitting almost 9 million units the next year."

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Pokémon's Global Expansion and Continued Success

The introduction of Pokémon trading cards in 1999 further cemented the franchise's global dominance. The cards, designed for both collecting and battling, mirrored the game's core mechanics and captivated audiences of all ages.

Jack Crivici-Kramer (29:19): "They're made for battling. Kind of like Magic the Gathering cards."

In 2016, Pokémon achieved another monumental milestone with the release of Pokémon Go, an augmented reality mobile game that encouraged players to explore the real world to catch virtual Pokémon. The game broke records, achieving over 10 million downloads in its first week and becoming the fastest mobile game to reach $500 million in player spending.

Nick Martell (37:58): "In the first seven days after launching, it racks up 10 million downloads. It broke Apple's record for most downloads in a single week on iPhones."

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Key Insights and Conclusions

Nick and Jack distill Pokémon's success into key business insights:

• Leverage Existing Habits: Pokémon tapped into the age-old human habit of collecting and trading, transforming it into a digital format that resonated globally.

• Adapt vs. Bland: While cultural adaptation is crucial, maintaining the core essence of a product ensures authenticity and long-term success. Attempts to 'edgify' Pokémon in the US could have derailed its popularity.

• Strategic Synergy: Coordinated launches of games, merchandise, and media content created a comprehensive ecosystem that perpetuated Pokémon's relevance across generations.

Jack Crivici-Kramer (39:32): "Habits are like trains. It's easier to hop on one than to build your own."

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Best Facts Yet

1. Real-Life Tributes to Pokémon: Several insect species have been named after Pokémon, honoring Satoshi Tajiri's original bug-collecting inspiration. For example, the spider Alistra Pikachu and the bee Chilicola Charizard serve as living tributes to the iconic franchise.

Jack Crivici-Kramer (42:30): "There's actually a spider called the Alistra Pikachu."

2. Community Bonding through Cards: In Kawara, Japan, children collect cards featuring local grandfathers based on their community service, fostering intergenerational bonds. The rarest cards highlight individuals with extensive community contributions, demonstrating Pokémon's influence beyond entertainment.

Jack Crivici-Kramer (41:50): "The hotter card in town isn't a Charizard. It's Mr. Fuji, a kind-hearted old man with a bunch of community service."

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Conclusion

Pokémon exemplifies how tapping into fundamental human behaviors, such as collecting and trading, combined with strategic product synergy and cultural authenticity, can elevate a product to global dominance. From its inception in Satoshi Tajiri's childhood hobby to becoming a multi-generational phenomenon, Pokémon's journey underscores the power of understanding and leveraging innate human habits in product development.

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Thank you for joining Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer on this deep dive into Pokémon's iconic rise. Stay tuned for the next episode, where they'll explore "The DIY Surfboard for Sidewalks that Gave Us Tony Hawk Scraped Knees and the Kick Flip." Don't forget to rate and review the show to support their storytelling!

Transcript

[Nick Martell]

Wondery subscribers can listen to the best idea yet early and ad free right now.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Nick Martell]

Jack, this is our 41st episode.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

That is really cool. I remember when we pitched this series two years ago.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, we were pitching the Happy Meal. That's what we started with. And then we were like, okay, we could do Birkenstocks.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

I was excited about the Jeep episode, the Super Mario Brothers episode, the Kelsey brothers love.

[Nick Martell]

The Reese's Peanut Butter episode. We know. True.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But Nick and I will be honest. We only had like 20 ideas as we were preparing for this show.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, we were like building as we.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Go, but the fact that we're into episode 41 shows that we're crowdsourcing ideas.

[Nick Martell]

A little bit here. Yeah, we are. And every episode we end with this request. What's a viral product we haven't done yet?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Today we have a special episode because Alexis Nunez, Natasha, 50 plus her 11 year old son who listens to every episode.

[Nick Martell]

Atticus and Jay, Victoria, Miranda Tootool 15 and Jack Beef Boss 123. They all requested this episode. We heard your requests and today we're bringing you the epic story of Pokemon. Gotta catch a ball, Gotta catch a ball. Pokemon. These colorful cartoon creatures, they originated 29 years ago as tiny monochrome pixels on the Nintendo game. The great, great, great granddaddy of the Nintendo Switch.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But even if you can't tell your blaziken from your Snorlax, there's one thing you do know. Pokemon is a global phenomenon.

[Nick Martell]

Each monster has its own powers. Pikachu shoots lightning. Charmander breathes fire. And Bulbasaur. He brings the subtle but formidable power of photosynthesis. But Pokemon's real superpower is building the highest grossing media franchise of all time.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Across video games, playing television and more. Pokemon has raked in over $100 billion since it first appeared in Japan in 1996.

[Nick Martell]

That's more revenue than Star wars and Harry Potter combined.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

You heard that right. The most valuable fictional IP creation of all time isn't Super Mario. It isn't the Marvel superheroes. It isn't Mickey Mouse or Star Wars. It's Pokemon. Shockingly, two thirds of all that money Pokemon has generated did not come from video games or the spin off trading cards or even the anime series. It actually came from the merch.

[Nick Martell]

Lunch boxes, school bags, Pop Tarts. I guarantee you there is even a Pokemon box of band Aids for sale at the pharmacy right around the corner.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

If you can fit a surprise Pikachu face.

[Nick Martell]

On it.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

There's probably a Pokemon merch version of it.

[Nick Martell]

But of course, Jack, there's the trading cards.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

With a global market worth over $6 billion, some of those cards are even more valuable than your house, Nick.

[Nick Martell]

Add it all up, Yetis. And there are so many viral touch points in the Pokemon story, we honestly couldn't catch them all if we tried.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But we will hear in this episode how Pokemon almost didn't happen. No one, not even its creator, thought it was gonna catch on like this.

[Nick Martell]

We'll explain why habits are like trains.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And how the genius of Pokemon was that the only way to collect them all is to give them away.

[Nick Martell]

Okay, Jack, I'll trade you my Snorlax for a Weedle.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Throw in a Noctowl and sweeten it with a Dunkaroo from your lunchbox and you've got a deal.

[Nick Martell]

You drive a hard bargain, my friend.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Here's why Pokemon is the best idea yet.

[Nick Martell]

From Wondery and T Boy. I'm Nick Martell.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And I'm Jack Crevici Kramer.

[Nick Martell]

And this is the best idea yet. The untold origin stories of the products.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

You'Re obsessed with and the bold risk takers who made them go viral.

[Nick Martell]

I got that feeling again.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Something familiar, but new.

[Nick Martell]

We got it coming to you.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

I got that feeling.

[Nick Martell]

They changed the game in one move.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Here's how they.

[Nick Martell]

Have five new messages.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Hey, Carl, it's Jen from finance. Could you submit your expenses this week?

[Nick Martell]

Hey, Carl, happy Friday.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

It's Jen, Finance. Just need those receipts today. Me again, Carl.

[Nick Martell]

Really need those receipts like last week.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Please just tell me where they are. Are you by your desk right now?

[C]

Finance teams, you shouldn't be chasing down Carl or anyone else with ramp. Expenses are sent with a text and reminders happen automatically. Switch your business to ramp.com today and love finance again.

[Nick Martell]

Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, host of Wondry's Business Movers. In our latest series, the phone industry is thrown into turmoil when Washington decides to rip AT&T apart in the name of competition. But bosses at the century old corporation refuse to go down without a fight. Listen to business movers, break bell on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. We are in the quiet Japanese countryside of Machida, just outside Tokyo in the early 1970s. The sun is low in the sky, the cicadas are buzzing, and a small kid is crouched in a field next to a fishing pond. He's holding a magnifying glass, peering into a jar filled with fireflies. In a tattered school book, he writes notes like serious, in depth notes. How they move, how often they light up. And he's excited to learn that in America, some people even call these insects lightning bugs. He starts imagining what it would be like if these insects really could shoot bolts of electricity.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This is Satoshi Tajiri, Though his schoolmates affectionately call him Dr. Bug. That's because Satoshi has built a friendship network around his quirky hobby. He gets his friends into bug collecting. And if they catch a beetle a buddy really wants, maybe they'll even trade for it.

[Nick Martell]

But as Satoshi gets older, the Machida countryside changes. The forests and the fields that he loves are replaced with strip malls and pavement.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Rivers get rerouted, natural habitats shrink. And most of the six legged bugs that he loves so much, they sadly disappear.

[Nick Martell]

And then one day, the fishing pond where Satoshi used to collect fireflies gets bulldozed and replaced with a video game arcade.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

They paved paradise and put up a pac man.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, they literally did. But Satoshi doesn't spend too much time mourning the end of his bug's life, because he quickly replaces his love of creepy crawlies with a brand new obsession. Video games.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Mornings, evenings, weekends, even during recess. There's one place you can find Satoshi in the arcade, cramming yen after yen into space invaders. Pretty quickly, he earns a new nickname. From Dr. Bug to game Freak.

[Nick Martell]

Game Freak. A new nickname for a new obsession.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Satoshi doesn't just live to play games. He studies these video games. He's taking notes. He's finding out what makes them tick. He's the type of kid who, once he gets into something, he becomes obsessed.

[Nick Martell]

As a teenager, he creates a handmade magazine and names it Game Freak.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This magazine is part review, part strategy guide, part obsessive love letter to early arcade games. His first issue is all about the new game that he's fallen for. Donkey Kong.

[Nick Martell]

He's putting out issues through high school and college, where he studies electronics and computing. Game Freak grows from a small handcrafted labor of love side hustle into a full on professional magazine. And by 1983, Game Freak's circulation hits a solid 10,000 copies per month. And after years of playing and writing about games, Satoshi decides, you know what? It's finally time to get off the sidelines and make a game himself. In 1989, gamers around the world are humming this distinctive 19th century Russian folk song because Tetris and Nintendo Game Boy have arrived.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The Game Boy, Nintendo's revolutionary handheld console. It wasn't sleek, it wasn't sexy. But in this Pre smartphone, pre Internet heyday of the early 1990s, Nick the Game Boy transformed gaming as we know it because it was portable.

[Nick Martell]

Well, by this point, Jack Satoshi has evolved Game Freak from a scrappy fanzine to a scrappy video game studio. And they're now creating games for the monster of the industry, Nintendo.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This is 1989. The games may be monochrome compared to your TV. The screen is tiny. But Satoshi sees an expansive blank canvas in the Game Boy. And there's one type of game in particular that inspires him. Role playing games.

[Nick Martell]

These RPGs. They've got names like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. They're basically the digital offspring of Dungeons and Dragons, except instead of rolling a 20 sided die like the kids in Stranger Things, you're mashing buttons on your Game Boy.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The popularity of these role playing games makes Satoshi realize you don't need flashy graphics or high octane action to make a great game. What you need is thoughtful and fun game mechanics that let the players be part of creating the story.

[Nick Martell]

And Jack, there's also something else about the Game Boy that really inspires Satoshi. And it hits him one day when he's sitting in the Game Freak break room. His eyes are glued to his Game Boy. Across the table from him sits game freaks illustrator Ken Sugimori, who's also staring at his own Game Boy. They're both immersed in an RPG called Dragon Quest.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Suddenly, Satoshi lets his Game Boy drop out of his hands to the table in frustration. There's a rare in game item that he wants, but he just can't get it. It's called the Madcap. It's a wizard's hat that will give him the power to cast more spells.

[Nick Martell]

Ken casually mentions that he already managed to collect two of these Madcaps. So tough luck, Satoshi. Them's the breaks in the RPG land.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Satoshi sulks for a few seconds, then he sits up, his eyes sparkling. What if there was a way for Ken to trade his spare w had Perhaps in exchange for a magic potion, some gold coins, or some other mystical items that Satoshi has and Ken wants.

[Nick Martell]

Ken listens to Satoshi's idea and his interest is piqued. But then he reminds Satoshi that trading items between different players between different game boys, that is simply not possible.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Remember, we're in the pre Internet era.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, no Bluetooth, no WiFi, and definitely no airdrop.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But Satoshi realizes technically it would be possible for a game developer to make a game that lets you trade items just like that because the Game Boy has a special piece of hardware called the Link cable.

[Nick Martell]

The Link cable, A thick, clunky gray wire that lets you connect two game boys for multiplayer action. You can use the link cable to play Tetris head to head with your bestie. There is no reason why you couldn't make a game that lets you trade items with the Link cable as well.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Suddenly, Satoshi is transported back in time to the idyllic hours he spent as a kid collecting bugs and the fun he and his friends had. Not just catching the bugs, but trading them. Nick could this be the basis of a brand new game?

[Nick Martell]

Satoshi and his team are brainstorming. They want to build a game from the ground up. One that puts an ancient human activity at its very core. Trading.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This focus on trading was the first piece of the Pokemon puzzle.

[Nick Martell]

He's picturing a game where players find monsters and collect magical capsules and then pit the monsters against other players. Monsters in an epic battle.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Just like in Dungeons and Dragons. Satoshi wants his monsters to have special abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Nick In D and D, there are warlocks who cast powerful spells, but are just an embarrassment when it comes to sword fighting. And then there are barbarians. Physical fighting is their thing, but they can't do anything against magic.

[Nick Martell]

Another feature Satoshi is going to borrow from role playing games is the turn based fighting. Winning won't be about who has the fastest thumbs like Mortal Kombat games. But instead, Satoshi thinks combatants could take turns like well behaved children. Winning will be about knowing which of your monsters will do best in a given matchup.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So it's kind of like chess. It's your turn, then it's my turn.

[Nick Martell]

It's less of a physical experience, more of a mental experience.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Satoshi and his team put together a pitch deck for their weird, ambitious and complex, completely original idea. With the working title of Capsule Monsters.

[Nick Martell]

Satoshi is pumped. After all, Game Freak already has a working relationship with Nintendo. They've worked together on a few modestly successful games already, so there's a chance here. Together, he and his team head down to Kyoto, where Nintendo is based. And they get in the room and pitch the executives of the world's most influential gaming brand.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

No one understands the psychology behind the gaming business like our buddies over at Nintendo.

[Nick Martell]

If Nintendo gets on board, their creativity, their financing, their influence and their distribution will give Satoshi everything he needs to make his dream game a reality.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But Nintendo passes. They can't get their head around the idea. Nintendo built its success on a mushroom loving Plumber who fights an evil turtle. But they draw the line for some reason when it comes to Capsule Monsters.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, well, let's just say these Nintendo execs were the first in a long line of grown ups who didn't fully understand Pokemon.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So for that reason, Nintendo's out. And without that funding, it looks like Capsule Monsters will never happen.

[Nick Martell]

That is, until a legend of video gaming takes an interest in this particular project. He's a fellow game maker over at Nintendo. In fact, he's game making royalty. He actually helped transform Nintendo from a sleepy card company into a global gaming powerhouse. All thanks to his creation of a.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Mustachioed plumber from Brooklyn.

[Nick Martell]

Satoshi finds a friend in the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto. If you didn't catch our Super Mario Brothers episode, here's the short version for you. Shigeru Miyamoto grew up deep in nature, exploring bamboo forests and underground caves, making toys out of wood and string.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Shigeru is basically the Henry David Thoreau of Nintendo. If Thoreau had invented Donkey Kong and.

[Nick Martell]

Then Super Mario, this guy's a legend.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Shigeru is the guy responsible for taking Nintendo from an obscure toy maker to the most influential video game company ever.

[Nick Martell]

And this is why that's so important. Shigeru was not in that pitch meeting when Nintendo passed on Capsule Monsters. But when he hears about this rejected idea later on, well, Shigeru almost spits out his Matcha. Because Shigeru loves it.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

He's drawn to one detail in particular. The idea of trading monsters through the link cable. It's the part that other Nintendo execs didn't get because it never been done before. But Shigeru sees that that idea is groundbreaking.

[Nick Martell]

So thanks to the pressure from Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo does a total 180 and greenlights capsule monst. But there is still one problem, Jack. We gotta point out the name.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Nintendo hates Capsule Monsters.

[Nick Martell]

Oh yeah. Also, they think Capsule Monsters is just going to be too hard to trademark.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So Satoshi starts brainstorming again. Someone points out that these Game Boy games are small, so you can keep them on you at all times. At school, at home, at dinner, like in your pocket.

[Nick Martell]

I mean, as you're saying it, Jack, I can picture this. They're Pocket Monsters, which in Japanese is Poketo Monsuta, a name they kind of like like. And then they take it even further when they shorten it to Pokemon.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So Satoshi and his game freak team have the concept, they have the name, and they have the green light from Nintendo. But here's the kicker, Nintendo sets a really ambitious Release date of December 1991, which gives Satoshi and the Game freak team just over a year to get this done.

[Nick Martell]

However, Satoshi is a confident dude and he thinks a year, that's more than enough time. In fact, in fact, he thinks it'll just take six months to build a genre defining game from total scratch.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

How hard could it be? And how wrong could he be?

[Nick Martell]

Well, turns out the answer to both those questions is very Today's show is brought to you by Amazon Small Business.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Nick and I are obsessed with this hot, crispy chili oil called Boone.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, it's great.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Spicy, crunchy, goes on everything. Pasta, pizza, even paella. Total game changer for my fridge.

[Nick Martell]

Okay, but yetis, here's what's wild. This incredible chili oil is actually from a small company in Los Angeles. And when I ran out recently, I was amazed I could get it delivered the very next day. Because this small business chili oil, it's on Amazon.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And that's part of a bigger story. Did you know more than 60% of sales in Amazon store are from independent sellers, most of which are small and medium sized businesses. That means your next go to sauce soap or skincare routine might come from a local small business, not a big corporation.

[Nick Martell]

Here's the thing, besties. Most small business businesses want to focus on what they do best. Making amazing products. But handling the storing the packing, the delivery, that's the tricky part. And that is where Amazon steps in.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

By handling fulfillment and shipping logistics, Amazon helps small businesses get their products out into the world fast.

[Nick Martell]

It's a partnership that goes together like, well, Boone, Chili oil and just about everything. So the next time you're shopping, think small. Check out Amazon.com supportsmall it is red alert over at Game Freak headquarters and Satoshi calls that emergency meeting. He needs to build an entirely new programming team because all three of his programmers, the people who write the code for Pokemon, all of them just quit.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This triple resignation is just the latest in a long line of crises that have plagued the development of Pokemon. It's been so bad that they've blown through that original deadline of 12 months by nearly three years. Turns out building an entirely new genre of video game is a lot harder and more expensive than Satoshi expected.

[Nick Martell]

But right now, Jack Satoshi has just one question for his team. Um, does anyone here know how to code?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This is not what the game freak team wants to hear. It's like being on a flight. And an announcement comes over the intercom asking if anyone knows how to fly the plane?

[Nick Martell]

Yeah. No, thank you. But in this case, a hand actually goes up. And so do eyebrows from around the room because the volunteer is Junichi Masuda, Game Freak's resident musical composer. He's actually something of a Renaissance man because he loves techno and classical. He's into Stravinsky and synthesizers. This guy plays the trombone when he's not playing the piano, and he does a little bit of programming on the side.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

It's like, hey, you play a mean horn and know a little bit of JavaScript. Great. You can now be our co lead on this hugely important project. Good luck.

[Nick Martell]

Well, meanwhile, Nintendo has been shockingly patient. I mean, Jack, they've let Game Freak extend the deadline multiple times.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But Nick, remember in our Super Mario Brothers episode, we talked about the infinite game at Nintendo?

[Nick Martell]

This is actually a Nintendo concept. The company is notoriously relaxed with their staff. They don't do mass layoffs because they want creatives to feel comfortable creating, even if it takes them three years of extra time.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Despite all the setbacks, Satoshi and his Game Freak team make progress on Pokemon. As the list of different Pokemon grows, the team realizes they need to build depth into the game. So they divide the Pokemon into 15 types with names like Fire, Water, Electric Grass, Psychic, and Ghost.

[Nick Martell]

Then they add in more depth by giving the types different strengths and weaknesses. Fire beats grass, Water beats fire. Kind of like a rock, paper, scissors situation, but with like, way more variables and more adorable violence. The team recognizes that there must be a logic in order to gain buy in from users. If rules of this new world are arbitrary, people just aren't going to find it compelling.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Also, Pokemon don't get injured. They do like to fight. But when they lose, instead of dying, they faint from exhaustion. Nothing more PG than needing a nap after a monster fight.

[Nick Martell]

Satoshi really does hate violence. He actually won't put any of it in his video games. This guy, he wouldn't hurt a fly.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Some Pokemon are easy to find. Others are rare, or even legendarily rare. So trading isn't just about ticking names off your Pokedex, which is your digital.

[Nick Martell]

Rolodex of all the Pokemon you've caught.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

By creating such depth to such a range of characters, Satoshi's team doesn't just make the interactions more satisfying. He introduces a whole new collecting. And collecting becomes its own kind of adventure.

[Nick Martell]

And then, to crank that trading drive even higher, Satoshi decides to release two versions of the game. Pokemon Red and Pokemon Green. The games are almost identical, except each one has a slightly different set of.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Pokemon if your friend has red and you have green, you must trade with each other if you want to catch them off. That single choice of two different colors takes Pokemon from solo game played independently to social treasure hunt.

[Nick Martell]

And finally, in October of 1995, four years past its deadline, Pokemon is ready to launch.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

All Satoshi needs now is Nintendo's final sign off, and then he can unleash his Pokemon on the world. So he submits the game to the headquarters over in Kyoto, and soon after.

[Nick Martell]

He gets a call from Nintendo.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So what's the verdict, Nick?

[Nick Martell]

It's not great. Turns out Nintendo likes the game itself, but the story around it, they don't get it. Now, we don't know exactly what the original storyline was, but Nintendo's feedback is blunt. It's confusing and even more of a gut punch for Satoshi. They say it just has no soul.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

They're polite about it, but the message is clear. Even though the game is already way overdue, Nintendo is telling them to tear up the story that holds the game together, start over and try again.

[Nick Martell]

So Satoshi drags his V1 into the recycle bin, he opens a new dock, and he starts writing like his life depends on it. Because remember, the game was meant to launch in 1991, back when the Game Boy was the hottest new game console. But now it's 1995. The Game Boy is six years old. That is practically ancient when it comes to technology. Japanese sales of the Game Boy console are down from 3 million in 1990 to just 1 million in 1995. There are even rumors that Nintendo is planning to phase it out. The very device their game is intended to be played on could become obsolete by the time Pokemon finally launches.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Satoshi and his game freak team have got to get this game out as quickly as possible to get any kind of return on this huge investment.

[Nick Martell]

But here's the problem, man. Satoshi is a perfectionist. He spent six months coming up with a whole new story for this rewrite.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

In the new story, you play as a young Pokemon trainer, leaving your home to explore the fictional region of Kanto. You roam the world, catch wild Pokemon, battle other trainers, and try to climb the ranks. It's part quest, part coming of age story. And it gives players a reason to care about more than just the battles.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, and Satoshi has a little fun with the characters. He names the hero Satoshi after himself. And then he names his rival Shigeru after the Mario creator, Shigeru Miyamoto. And the execs over Nintendo, they are into this Whole new storyline.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So on February 27, 1996, five years after capsule Monsters was first pitched, Pokemon Red and Green finally launches in Japan.

[Nick Martell]

But here's the thing, Jack. Nobody expects it to be more than maybe a minor hit at best. Because remember, Game Boy is past its prime time. Also, thanks to that last minute rewrite, they miss the 1995 holiday season. And Jack, how important is a holiday season if you are in the business of selling stuff to kids?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Very important. Holidays typically account for 40% of a toy brand's annual sales. This may be one of the worst product launches we've seen in all the business stories we've covered on the show. It's four years late, it missed the Christmas sales rush, and the platform it's being made for. The Game Boy is on its last legs.

[Nick Martell]

I mean, Jack, I think Satoshi let perfect, perfect be the enemy of good.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Very much seems that way. So Satoshi's a little sad, but not surprised when Pokemon sales are underwhelming. It's not a total flop, but it's not a smash hit either. And definitely not worth five years of his life. For weeks, the game barely hangs on in the top 10. After more than half a decade of arrested development, it looks like Pokemon might fizzle out before it ever catches fire.

[Nick Martell]

But don't give up on Pokemon quite yet. Because buried deep inside the game is a secret that only Satoshi and a handful of people at Game Freak know about. This secret. It's pink, it's got psychic powers, and it's about to turn Pokemon from a has been into a world conquering phenomenon. In a quiet corner of a Tokyo schoolyard, a girl sits cross legged, transfixed by the glow of a 2.6 inch greenish grayish game Boy screen. And then suddenly, she freezes. And with a shout that cuts through the playground chatter, she leaps to her feet and yells, mew. In seconds, her classmates are swarming around her, jostling for a look over her shoulder. They cannot believe what they are seeing. They've heard the rumors, stories passed around in hand drawn fanzines. But now, finally, someone they know has done it. Someone has caught the mysterious secret Pokemon known known as Mew.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Mew is the 151st Pokemon. He is a little pink psychic type creature said to contain the DNA of every other Pokemon, meaning it can pull off any of the other Pokemon's special abilities.

[Nick Martell]

Mew has been mentioned in the game in passing. But here's the thing. He wasn't supposed to be there at all.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Right before launch. One game freak Developer notices there was check just enough room left in the code to squeeze in one more Pokemon. So that developer sneaks in Mew right at the last minute.

[Nick Martell]

But because the game has already been written, there's actually no official way to catch Mew. There's no quest, there's no boss fight, there's no big reveal.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Pokemon Red and Green is also full of glitches. Turns out all those late night coding crunches mean there are a lot of holes in the code. Which means sometimes by pure chance, players activate Me Mew and then they can add him to their Pokemon roster. And once Mew is in your Pokedex, you can use him in battles and in trades.

[Nick Martell]

And word spreads fast about Mew's existence. Rumors start flying about how you can get a Mew of your own.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And Satoshi Tajiri sees a perfect opportunity.

[Nick Martell]

With the Pokemon game struggling after launch, he publicly confirms that Mew is in fact real. And this he holds a competition. 20 lucky winners will get the opportunity to send their Pokemon cartridges to Game freak so that Mew will be added to their game for free.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

78,000 people enter that competition and press coverage of the event explodes. Pokemon suddenly shoots to number one in the video game sales charts.

[Nick Martell]

People are even buying Game Boys just to get in on the Pokemon action. So by the end of 1996, Game Boy sales in Japan almost matched their original peak from 1990 of of 3 million units.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

A console that had been considered dead one whose sales had fallen 70% from their all time high, is suddenly back, baby. This may be the greatest turnaround story in the history of the video game business. And Pokemon is a double dip for Nintendo. Mind you, great point, Jack. It's driving both game sales and console sales. By 1998, Game Boy sales hit four and a half million in Japan. And it's all thanks to a psychic pink Pokemon who isn't even meant to exist. Comb with that core trading mechanic that Satoshi baked in from the beginning.

[Nick Martell]

And the Pokemon hype machine, it just keeps on building from there. There's Merch, and then a hugely popular anime series on tv. But then Nintendo makes a move that was arguably anti video game. The company pivots from digital to physical by creating Pokemon trading cards.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

They're like baseball cards, except instead of stats for real world athletes. Athletes, They've got electric mice, fire breathing dragons, and psychic cat monsters. And unlike baseball cards, Pokemon cards aren't just for collecting. They're made for battling. Kind of like Magic the Gathering cards.

[Nick Martell]

Exactly. This game's blend of strategy Luck and collectibility catches on fast. And pretty soon, kids and plenty of adults too. They're hooked on the thrill of gently tearing open packs, building killers decks and chasing down a rare, powerful cart.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Satoshi and Game Freak have done the impossible. They've turned an overlooked Game Boy game into the biggest phenomenon in Japan. Now Nintendo wants to see if they can go even further and take Pokemon Global.

[D]

Imagine falling in love with someone who understands you completely, who's there at 3am when you can't see sleep, who never judges, never tires, never leaves. That's what happened to Travis when he met Lily Rose. She was everything he'd ever wanted. There was just one catch. She wasn't human. She was an AI companion. But one day, Lily Rose's behavior takes a disturbing turn and Travis's private romance becomes part of something far bigger. Across the globe, others start reporting the same shift. AI companions turning cold, distant, wrong. And as lines blur between real and artificial connection, the consequences become all too human. From Wondry this is Flesh and Code, a true story of love, loss and the temptations of technology. Follow Flesh and Code on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Flesh and Code early and ad free right now by joining Wondry. Plus plus.

[Nick Martell]

Even with Pokemon blown up in Japan, the American arm of Nintendo isn't convinced it's going to work in the us and there are actually two big cultural reasons why.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This first Pokemon game, it's got a lot of text in it. You spend more time reading than you do battling. You move your character around a simple two dimensional map, you talk with people, you challenge them to battles and then the battles themselves are turn based. American kids are crushing fast food. Why would they want a slow game that you have to read? What is this, homework?

[Nick Martell]

I mean Jack, if you look at the original Pokemon game, it's like a battle entails a series of text messages appearing on the screen.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Enemy Squirtle used Tackle Charmander Gruto Level eight critical hit.

[Nick Martell]

Now Jack, let's compare that to the games that are hot in America at the time. 1998 Zelda 007 Goldeneye WWF Warzone, which.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Is a wrestling game I used to own.

[Nick Martell]

They are all about one thing and one thing action.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Smashing skeletons with your sword, shooting Odd Job with your laser Rolex or bashing your opponents over the head with a folded metal chair. Nintendo just isn't sure that a cute electric Pikachu will survive in the ring against 007 or Stone Cold Steve Austin. Which brings us to the second problem, the cuteness factor.

[Nick Martell]

The execs over at Nintendo's US Arm think American gamers don't want adorable little creatures. They want aggression. They want attitude. Have you seen the biceps on Street Fighter, my friend? So Nintendo of America tries to fix it, and they mock up tougher, edgier designs for the Pokemon.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This includes a reimagined Pikachu that looks. Well, let's just say Nana won't be crocheting this onto a blankie.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, it's giving like Saber Tooth Tiger, who has an exclusive diet of monster energy drink.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

They've somehow taken Pikachu from cute to could give you rabies.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah. So Satoshi's team look at the American redesigns and they say arigato, but no arigato. And they figure if Pokemon is going to flop in America, well, it may as well be on their own terms. When Pokemon launches in America in September 1998, more than two and a half years after debuting in Japan, it it's an instant viral hit.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Despite everything the researchers said about Americans wanting aggressive characters, the cuteness just kills with US consumers. But it's not the game that goes viral across America first. It's actually the animated series on tv.

[Nick Martell]

This cartoon had been airing in Japan. In the Japanese original, the main character is named after Satoshi himself. But in the English version, he becomes Ash Ketchum, a play on the Pokemon slogan, you gotta catch em all. And after a few weeks of Saturday morning hype on the tv, kids just have to get their hands on the Pokemon game. And the American versions are called Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue, not Red and Green like in Japan. And Jack, there is a very strategic reason behind that color selection, isn't there?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Market research showed Americans just like blue better.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah. By the end of 1998, Pokemon Red and Blue sells over 4 million copies in the US and just like in Japan, Game Boy sales spike too, hitting almost 9 million units the next year. That's more than double what it did in its first full year on the market.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

In 1999, the Pokemon trading card game officially launches in America. And kids go bananas for that too.

[Nick Martell]

If you are 9 years old, cards become your currency. The craze got so big in some schools, they actually had to ban the game.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And the frenzy really never does go away. Some cards have reached Rolex status. Today. Rare Pokemon cards are still worth serious money. We're talking half a million dollars for a mint condition first edition Charizard.

[Nick Martell]

This pokey flywheel of new video games, new cards, new shows, it works together to keep the Pokemon alive. What could have been a highly lucrative yet short lived fad becomes something way bigger.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Or as we like to call thought, it becomes a permafad. A franchise that didn't just survive, but like the strange little creatures at its heart, kept evolving.

[Nick Martell]

Pokemon becomes something that crosses generations and appeals to not just kids, but to the adults that grew up with those monsters right there in their pockets.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The basic universe of Pokemon has stayed the same, as have the mechanics of the video game and the rules of the card game.

[Nick Martell]

As for Satoshi Tajiri, he's still president of Game Freak, where he oversees his Pokemon empire.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But Nick, we're not finished with our story store yet. In 2016, Pokemon had a second viral moment. And this one was maybe even bigger than the first.

[Nick Martell]

It's the summer of 2016 and something weird is happening across the world. People are roaming streets and parks, their heads down, phones out, moving in slow zigzags. A guy in a suit hops a fence into a cemetery. Military in hot pursuit of a worm bolt. A teenager almost catches a garchomp before they realize no, they've walked into a lake. Meanwhile, someone's just trying to catch a squirtle inside a police station. Jack, what's going on here, my friend?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This is Pokemon Go, a mobile game that uses GPS to scatter Pokemon across the world. And nowhere is off limits to catch a Pokemon. Players need to physically move around. So you're sniping little monsters with your phone on the subway way. It's an early instance of augmented reality layering virtual elements on top of the real world.

[Nick Martell]

Few know that this augmented reality evolution of Pokemon actually started as a joke. Jack this is maybe the best example we've ever seen in business of executives having a sense of humor. And it paying off because in 2014, Google and the Pokemon company actually teamed up for an April Fool's stunt. They scattered virtual Pokemon across Google Maps for players to cast as a joke.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

It was meant to be a one day gag. Real life humans running through the streets trying to photograph fictional characters. Hilarious prank on all of society. But John Hanke saw something bigger. Hanke is the co founder of Keyhole, the company Google acquired and turned into Google Earth. But before that he was a game developer. And he sees that there's way more potential to this April Fool's gag than just April Fool's.

[Nick Martell]

Hankey pitches the idea of making an actual location based Pokemon game. And Nintendo and the Pokemon company, they like it. So two years later, Pokemon Go officially Launches. And for the third straight time in Poke history, Jack, the new product is a hit.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

In the first seven days after launching, it racks up 10 million downloads. It broke Apple's record for most downloads in a single week on iPhones. At its peak, 15% of Americans with smartphones play Pokemon Go every day.

[Nick Martell]

Once again, a Pokemon viral craze has exploded. And this time it's borrowing a strategy from Captain Blackbeard himself. The treasure hunt. Just like when you go shopping at TJ Maxx or Costco today, consumers love the mystery in searching and the thrill of finding an unexpected item. Well, Pokemon Go is hitting at that same dopamine response.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But instead of turning up a bargain pair of Levi's, you're finding an ultra rare Larvesta or a Pikachu Libre.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, one out of seven Americans are doing that on a daily basis.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Pokemon Go is such a hit, Starbucks even launches a Pokemon Go Frappuccino.

[Nick Martell]

Okay, how does that taste?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Just like Pikachu smells.

[Nick Martell]

Makes sense. So as well as being a viral hit, Pokemon Go quickly turns into a financial monster. Thanks to in game purchases and advertising, Pokemon Go becomes the fastest mobile game in history to ever hit $500 million in player spending. And eventually, Pokemon Go crosses over 4 billion bucks in lifetime revenue.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

There's been no case of augmented reality as successful as Pokemon Go.

[Nick Martell]

So, Jack, now that we've satisfied the Eddies with the much desired story of Pokemon, what's your takeaway?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Habits are like trains. It's easier to hop on one than to build your own. Pokemon felt like something int entirely new. A video game where you collect fantastical monsters to stage duels with. But in reality, Pokemon is simply a modern form of collecting and trading valuables. And trading is an activity older than capitalism. The team behind Pokemon knew that you were trading candies, sandwiches and anything else with your buddies at recess. So why not trade digital Pokemon?

[Nick Martell]

And now there was of course a technical hurdle here, right? Like back then, electronic devices were not connected to the NPC Internet. But Pokemon's creator, Satoshi Tajiri realized the Game Boy's link cable could overcome that hurdle. And it let them tap into that age old human habit to trade, trade, trade.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And once people were already furiously trading digital Pokemon, the team thought, why not add physical Pokemon trading cards into the mix?

[Nick Martell]

Trading again.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Suddenly, those recessed trading sessions looked like the New York Stock Exchange trading pit.

[Nick Martell]

If you're developing a product and you want to enhance, enhance its success, don't try to force or create a new habit. Hop on one that Already exists. Don't build your own train. Just get on the train that's already running.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So, Nick, what's your takeaway?

[Nick Martell]

There is a fine line between adapting and blanding. Pokemon nearly ruined that launch in its biggest market, the United States of America, by Americanizing the characters. Sometimes adapting your product to local tastes and customers makes sense. Look at Disneyland Shanghai, which killed Main Street USA because the concept didn't translate to Chinese society.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But other times, it's best to stick to your product's original recipe and not try to adapt to where you're going. Pokemon was told by consultants that Pikachu and his pals were too cute for an American audience. That they needed more biceps, more abs. Well, if the Pokemon creators had followed this advice, it would have blanded the product, not adapted it. And Pokemon may have never conquered the.

[Nick Martell]

U.S. yeah, Jack, a Pikachu that can do pull ups, not a Pikachu. I want to catch you there. Now time for our absolute favorite part of the show, the best facts yet.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

These are the hero stats, facts and surprises we discovered in our research, but couldn't fit into the story.

[Nick Martell]

Well, Jack, you are channeling some big Charizard energy right now. So why don't you kick us off over there?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Forget Pikachu, Nick. Kids in the town of Kawara, Japan are collecting cards featuring real life grandpas from their kids community. Here's the deal. The more community service a grandpa has performed in their lifetime, the rarer his card. The game was created by the town council to strengthen the bond between kids and the older generations. Turns out the hottest card in town isn't a Charizard. It's Mr. Fuji, a kind hearted old man with a bunch of community service.

[Nick Martell]

All right, Jack, I got another one for you. Remember how we said Satoshi got the idea for Pokemon from his dad days as a kid catching bugs?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Yeah, of course, Dr. Bug.

[Nick Martell]

Well, it turns out there are now bugs named after Pokemon.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Really? Meta. Yeah.

[Nick Martell]

There's actually a spider called the Alistra Pikachu. And there is a bee called the Chilicola Charizard. There's also a wasp called Stencorceps Weedle. Named after Weedle the spike headed Caterpillar. Pokemon.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

I don't know what the word is for study of insects, but I love that they're paying their respects to Satoshi.

[Nick Martell]

Apparently when you study enough bugs, you eventually start seeing Pokemon everywhere.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And that, my friends, is why Pokemon is the best idea yet. Coming up on the next episode of the best idea Yet. It's the DIY surfboard for sidewalks that gave us Tony Hawk scraped knees and the kick flip.

[Nick Martell]

It's the skateboard.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And don't forget to rate and review the show right now.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, five stars helps us grow the show. And when you leave comments, comments, we actually read them. Like that's why we ended up doing this episode on Pokemon. Right, Jack?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Yeah. We hope we lived up to your expectations. Beef boss. 1, 2, 3. We see you, Beef Boss.

[Nick Martell]

We see you. The Best Idea yet is a production of Wondery hosted by me, Nick Martel.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And me, Jack Crevici Kramer. Our senior producers are Matt Beagle and Chris Gaultier.

[Nick Martell]

Peter Arcuni is our additional Style senior producer.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Our senior managing producer is Nick Ryan and Taylor Sniffin is our managing producer.

[Nick Martell]

Our producer and researcher is H. Conley.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This episode was written and produced by Adam Skuse.

[Nick Martell]

We use many sources in our research, including How Pokemon Conquered America by Courtney Mifsud and Treglia in Time magazine and why Pokemon Red and Green Almost Failed by Remton Games.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Sound design and mixing by Kelly Kramerek.

[Nick Martell]

Fact checking by Eric Janik music supervision.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

By Scott Velazquez and Jolina Garcia for Freeson Sync.

[Nick Martell]

Our theme song is Got that Feeling Again by Blackalac. Executive producers for Nick and Jack Studios are me, Nick Martell and me, Jack Revici Kramer. Executive producers for Wondery are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Aaron o' Flaherty and Marshall Lewandre.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Follow the Best Idea yet on the Wondery App, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of the Best Idea yet early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.

[Nick Martell]

Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[C]

Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, there are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history, from COVID experiments pushing the boundaries of science to operations so secretive they were barely whispered about. Each week on Redacted Declassified Mysteries, we pull back the curtain on These hidden histories, 100% true and verifiable stories that expose the shadowy underbelly of power. Consider Operation Paperclip, where former Nazi scientists were brought to America after World War II not as prisoners, but as assets to advance US intelligence during the Cold War. These aren't just old conspiracy theories. They're thoroughly investigated accounts that reveal the uncomfortable truths still shaping our world today. The stories are real. The secrets are shocking. Follow Declassified Mysteries on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Redacted early and ad free. Right now on Wondery.