Pokémon started as something simple: trading cards on the playground, Game Boys passed around between friends and the dream of catching 'em all. Thirty years later, it's the highest-grossing media franchise in the world — and Pokémon cards have become big business.
In this episode, collectors, card shop owners, Pokémon Go players and lifelong fans reflect on what Pokémon means to them and how the culture around it has changed. From crowded Pokémon Go meetups at parks to local card shops struggling with scalpers and rising prices, this episode looks at how scarcity and speculation transformed Pokémon cards into valuable commodities. Along the way is a bigger question: Can a franchise built on adventure, friendship and connection hold onto those values in a billion-dollar marketplace?
Guests:
- Steven Chung, lifelong Pokémon fan
- Courtney Mifsud Intreglia, writer
- Oliver Soufi, Pokémon Master
- Jake Federicks, manager at Supreme Card Shop
- Jason Huggins, co-owner of Tito Rick's Garage
Sources:
- LIFE Pokémon: 30 Years (Courtney Mifsud Intreglia, LIFE, 2026)
- How Pokémon Conquered America (Courtney Mifsud Intreglia, TIME, 2024)
- How Pokémon became the biggest media franchise on Earth (Lucy Tobin, The Times, 2026)
- 'Kids can't buy them anywhere': how Pokémon cards became a stock market for millennials (Daniella Lucas, The Guardian, 2025)
From KPBS Public Media, The Finest is a podcast about the people, art and movements redefining culture in San Diego. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pocket Casts, Pandora, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
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