Charmeleon first appeared in Pokemon Red and Green in Japan in 1996, released internationally as Red and Blue, as the Fire type evolution of Charmander and the form before Charizard. Its in game cry became familiar through repeated battles on Game Boy and later handhelds, then carried into the anime and countless fan projects online. As Pokemon clips spread on video and soundboard sites, the short roar was isolated as a standalone effect. It remains popular because it is instantly tied to evolution, fire power and childhood gaming memories for a whole generation of players.