November 27, 1999
Web posted at: 9:56 a.m. EST (1456 GMT)

LOS ANGELES(CNN) -- Just how deep are your pockets this holiday season?

If you're a parent, they should probably be big enough to hold a Japanese monster.

A pocket monster, that is.

Pokemon characters -- now showing on the big screen in their own animated movie -- don't seem to be conquering cities or capturing kids' minds quite the way Beanie Babies, Furby, Elmo and the Cabbage Patch Kids did at their respective zeniths.

Still, the rosy-cheeked yellow mutant is as close as it gets to this year's gotta-have toy.

In addition to the recently released movie, Pokemon critters are the subject of their own TV show, hand-held electronic game, candy, trading cards and more. After becoming a hit in Japan, its native country, Pokemon invaded the United States -- racking up $1 billion in sales in just a year.

Industry analysts say Pokemon products will account for 20 percent of all toy sales this holiday season.

"Pokemon. That's all my little girl talks about," said one father as he queued up at 5:45 a.m. in front of a Los Angeles Toys R Us store.

"It's just a thing that the kids want. I don't know why," added another Los Angeles toy shopper.

CNN Correspondent Greg LaMotte contributed to this report.

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