Ken Sugimori

Ken Sugimori (Japanese: 杉森 建, Hepburn: Sugimori Ken, born January 27, 1966 in Fukuoka, Japan^[1]) is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director.^[2] He is best known as the primary character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, including Pulseman.^[3] Sugimori drew and finalized all of the original 151 Pokémon.^[4] He has also worked on the various Pokémon films, trading cards, and other games like the Super Smash Bros. series.

Ken Sugimori
杉森 建
Born	(1966-01-27) January 27, 1966 (age 58) Fukuoka, Japan
Occupation(s)	Video game artist, director, game designer, illustrator
Years active	1989–present
Employer	Game Freak
Notable work	Pokémon Pulseman Drill Dozer

Career

From early 1981 until 1986, Sugimori illustrated a gaming fanzine called Game Freak, which had been started by Satoshi Tajiri.^[4] Sugimori discovered the magazine in a dōjinshi shop, and decided to get involved.^[5] Eventually, the two decided to pitch an arcade game design idea to Namco; they reworked Game Freak into a development company and produced Mendel Palace.^[6] Sugimori is best known as the character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise and designed a large majority of the first 151 Pokémon with Atsuko Nishida, Motofumi Fujiwara, Shigeki Morimoto, and Satoshi Ota. He has worked on the various Pokémon movies, trading cards, and other games.

For Pokémon Black and White, Sugimori directed a team of 17 people in designing new characters for the games, though he always drew the final designs. He drew much of his inspiration from observing animals in aquariums and zoos.^[7] Sugimori has also written and illustrated original manga, including one which was distributed with pre-orders of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness.^[8] When he begins a new character, his process normally involves making a rough sketch, then tracing it onto film paper while polishing it and making the illustration more professional looking. After that, he draws the character many times, changing its proportions until he is satisfied.^[9] When designing a new Pokémon, Sugimori stated that "I do feel that I always want to show new Pokémon that people have never seen before. To do that, I think of ways that I can surprise the players."^[10]

Works

Video games

Year	Game title	Role
1989	Mendel Palace	Character designer
1991	Smart Ball	Game designer, character designer
	Yoshi	Graphic designer
1992	Magical Taruruto-kun	Director, game designer, graphic designer
1993	Mario & Wario	Character designer
1994	Pulseman	Director, game designer, graphic designer
1996	Pokémon Red, Green and Blue	Character designer, Pokémon designer
	Bazaar de Gosāru no Game de Gosāru	Graphic designer
1997	Bushi Seiryūden: Futari no Yūsha
1998	Pokémon Yellow	Character designer, Pokémon designer
1999	Click Medic	Graphics support
	Pokémon Gold and Silver	Graphics director, Pokémon designer
2000	Pokémon Crystal
2002	Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire	Art director, Pokémon designer, graphic designer
2004	Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
	Pokémon Emerald
	Pokémon Dash	Package illustration
2005	Drill Dozer	Director, game designer
	Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Team	Package illustration
2006	Pokémon Diamond and Pearl	Art director, Pokémon designer, graphic designer
2007	Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness	Package illustration
2008	My Pokémon Ranch	Hayley character designer
	Pokémon Platinum	Art director, Pokémon designer, graphic designer
2009	Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky	Package illustration
	Pokémon Rumble	Game design advisor
	Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver	Pokémon designer, graphic supervisor
2010	Pokémon Black and White	2D art director, Pokémon designer
2012	Pokémon Conquest	Game design advisor
	Pokémon Black 2 and White 2	Pokémon designer
	HarmoKnight	Advisor
2013	Pocket Card Jockey
	Pokémon X and Y	Character art director, Pokémon design director
2014	Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
	Sega 3D Reprint Archives	Package illustration
2015	Tembo the Badass Elephant	Advisor
	Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon	Package illustration
	Sega 3D Classics Collection
2016	Pokémon Sun and Moon	Pokémon designer, lead trainer graphic designer
2017	Giga Wrecker	Advisor
	Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon	Pokémon designer, design art
2018	Pokémon Quest	Supervisor
	Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!	Creative supervisor
2019	Little Town Hero	Supervisor
	Pokémon Sword and Shield
	Sakura Wars	Peanut character designer
2022	Pokémon Legends: Arceus	Supervisor
	Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Card games

• Pokémon Trading Card Game: main card artist

Anime

• Pokémon (anime): character design
• Pokémon: The First Movie: original character design
• Pokémon: The Movie 2000: original character design
• Pokémon 3: The Movie: conceptual character artist
• Pokémon 4Ever: conceptual character artist
• Pokémon Heroes: conceptual character artist

Manga

• Quinty (Mendel Palace)
• Jerry Boy (Smart Ball)
• Valkyrie no Bōken Gaiden: Futari no Megami (The Adventure of Valkyrie Gaiden: Two Goddess)
• Screw Breaker Gōshin Dorirurero (Drill Dozer)
• Pokémon Fushigi no Danjon Toki no Tankentai Yami no Tankentai (Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness)
• Shin Maido Osawagaseshimasu

References

1. ゲームマエストロ VOL. 4 デザイナー/イラストレーター編 [Game Maestro Volume #4 Designer/Illustrator Edition]. 毎日コミュニケーションズ. 20 May 2001. ISBN 978-4839903879.
2. SATO (6 June 2014). "From Manga Artist To Game Designer: Ken Sugimori's Work Before Pokémon". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
3. Thomas, Lucas (23 July 2009). "Pulseman Review". IGN. News Corporation. Archived from the original on 12 August 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
4. Gifford, Kevin (7 April 2008). "'Game Mag Weaseling': Just Checking In". GameSetWatch. Think Services. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
5. Kohler, Chris (2004). Power-up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life. BradyGames. p. 238. ISBN 0-7440-0424-1.
6. Barnholt, Ray (30 July 2008). "25 Sorta Significant Famicom Games: #19". 1UP.com. UGO Networks. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
7. Iwata, Satoru (2010). "DSで２作目の完全新作をつくること". Iwata Asks (in Japanese). Kyoto, Japan: Nintendo. p. 2. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
8. Staff (13 March 2008). "Pokemon Pre-Order Offer". IGN. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
9. Bishop, Stuart (30 May 2003). "Nintendo Interview: Game Freak on Pokemon!". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
10. Shepperd, Chris (May 2017). "Pearls of Wisdom". Nintendo Power. No. 215. Nintendo.

External links

• Sugimori's blog (in Japanese)
• Sugimori's Twitter account (mostly Japanese)