Love it or hate it, you just can’t ignore it - even if you aren’t a ’90s kid. Pokemon is a force to reckon with. The names of those tiny fictional pocket monsters (like Pikachu or Bulbasaur) may not be known to you either, but you know they’re Pokemon. Their relevance and value continue to grow, even during a pandemic. And by value, we mean big money.

The Japanese media franchise is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and its worth is estimated to be around $1 million. The Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG), an integral part of the franchise, is making waves at auctions; an unopened box of first edition cards was sold for $408,000 in January. We spoke to three Indian fans and collectors of Pokemon merchandise about their collections and the franchise’s legacy.