How did you get into Pokemon?

[Kai]

Tell us all about how you got into Pokemon. What got you in at first, (whether it was the anime, manga, games and such) and how it all happened.

I'll start off with myself. I remember when I was about 4 or so I watched the very first episode of the show on television. It might've been a rerun or not but I fell in love with it instantly. I would eagerly watch any episode I could catch, all the while my mom fueling my new obsession with toys from the show and the cards. I was an only child back then so she would watch the episodes with me whenever she could. It truly was a blissful time.

I had lost interest in the series at some point during the Johto season. It was only in 2007 that a friend of a friend of mine showed me his Pokemon Diamond that I immediately got hooked into the game and the series then on. Believe it or not I had no idea that the games even existed back then because I distanced myself from Pokemon so much. That made Diamond my first Pokemon game

So how about you all?