Just four years after Pokémon was created, the popular Japanese animated characters have won the hearts of children not only in Japan and the rest of Asia but also in the United States.

Pokémon, or "pocket monsters," were originally characters from a video game, manufactured and distributed by Nintendo in February 1996. Then in April 1997, a TV animation program featuring these characters was launched, boosting sales of numerous Pokémon-related goods, from books to stationery. The secret to its popularity lies largely in the cuteness of the characters, most notably Pikachu.

Pokémon is an odyssey of a young boy named Ash (Satoshi in the Japanese version), who embarks on an adventure to collect 151 different monsters in order to become a "Pokémon master." Various hardships await Ash on his way, but by overcoming these difficulties, he and the Pokémon crew can advance to maturity.

Many Japanese parents say they support the program because it lacks violence. The TV series is now aired in about 15 different languages in nearly 30 countries and regions around the world, including Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the United States.

The characters have been winning over American children since the TV program went on the air in September 1998. And when an English version of the feature-length film Pokémon: The First Movie hit the theaters in November 1999, it become a box office sensation.

Sales of Pokémon-related products, such as cards and video games, are also booming in the United States. This prompted Time magazine to run a cover story about Pokémon in its U.S. edition and to select Pikachu as one of the "Best People of 1999" in its Asian edition, saying that Pikachu's cuteness has turned the "world's children into grinning, grabbing Pokémaniacs."

Photos: The Poket Monsters are growing more popular across the globe. (©1995 Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK Inc.)