Catch 'em all: Pokemon hooks kids, parents and investors

Dressed up and ready for battle, around 10,000 Pokemon fans have descended on Yokohama in Japan this weekend, looking for fun but also collector's item cards potentially worth serious money.

Since the launch of Pokemon cards in 1996 following the hit computer game of the same name -- meaning "pocket monsters" –- an astounding 53 billion cards have been printed.

The Pokemon World Championships, being held this weekend in Japan for the first time ever, will see the world's best players of the video and the card game battle it out for cash prizes at an event attended by thousands.