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Anchorwoman: Well, if you have grade-schoolers in the house,
they'll probably be interested in this next report,
and if you don't, YOU can learn about a craze that's been sweeping the nation.
NBC 12 reporter Jim Babb marched into the marketing breach today
to bring us this story of Pokemon.
Small Boy: I'll trade you thi...uh...holograph for a Japanese holograph.
Babb: You've got hundreds of these cards.
Boy: I got--yeah, some...Yeah, and I've got a lot more at home!
Babb: So, tell me, why do you like Pokemon?
Boy: I dunno. *chuckles*
Babb: You're not sure why you like it, but you do, right?
Boy: Yeah.
Babb: Like so many other fads, it got started with a kids' TV show.
And, now, Pokemon is a marketing phenomenon.
Kids and parents line up every Saturday at this Chesterfield County bookstore,
and they dig deep.
Babb: How much did all of this cost?
Mom: $30 with a discount.
Babb: Then the games begin, with byzantine rules.
Babb: How do you play the game?
Boy: I can't explain; it's too long!
CWC: I'll switch--I'll put out my Dragonair, even though it has sixty damage on it...
Oh boy!
Now it has three energy on it. Slam Attack!
Babb: So, if you had the time to tell me, I wouldn't understand it?
Boy: No.
Dad: Um--I'm watching a-and, uh...I still have no clue. *laughs*
Babb: And think about this:
this kind of thing is happening in bookstores and toy stores all around the country.
If you hadn't known it before, know it now: Pokémon is BIG.
Randy Cost: The biggest trend in kids' toy history, it's multi-multi-billion dollars.
Woman: Money. Big time money.
Babb: You wish you invested?
Woman: Yeah, that's true! *laughs*
Boy: Jolteon!
Babb: Jolteon.
Boy: Mmm-hmm!
Babb: What's special about Jolteon?
Boy: He's holographic!
Babb: In Chesterfield County, I'm Jim Babb, NBC 12.
Anchorwoman: And those little cards aren't cheap;
some merchants charge three bucks for a booster pack of--