Ken Sugimori | |
|---|---|
杉森 建 | |
| Born | (1966-01-27)January 27, 1966 (age 60) Fukuoka, Japan |
| Occupations | Video game artist, director, game designer, illustrator |
| Employer | Game Freak (1989–present) |
| Known for | Pokémon series Pulseman Drill Dozer |
Ken Sugimori (Japanese:杉森 建,Hepburn:Sugimori Ken; born January 27, 1966[1]) is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator,manga artist,director[2], and co-founder ofGame Freak alongsideSatoshi Tajiri. He is best known as the primary character designer and art director for thePokémon franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, includingPulseman.[3] Sugimori drew and finalized all of the original 151 Pokémon.[4] He also co-directedRuby and Sapphire,Diamond and Pearl andBlack and White,[5] as well as worked on variousPokémon films, trading cards, and other games like theSuper Smash Bros. series.[6][7][8]
From early 1981 until 1986, Sugimori illustrated a gamingfanzine calledGame Freak, which had been started bySatoshi Tajiri.[4] Sugimori discovered the magazine in adōjinshi shop, and decided to get involved.[9] Eventually, the two decided to pitch anarcade game design idea toNamco; they reworkedGame Freak into a development company and producedMendel Palace.[10] Sugimori is best known as the character designer and art director for thePokémon franchise and designed a large majority of the first 151 Pokémon withAtsuko Nishida, Motofumi Fujiwara,Shigeki Morimoto, and Satoshi Ota. He has worked on the variousPokémon movies, trading cards, and other games.
ForPokémon Black andWhite, 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 inaquariums andzoos.[11] Sugimori has also written and illustrated originalmanga, including one which was distributed with pre-orders ofPokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time andExplorers of Darkness.[12] 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.[13] 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."[14]
| 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 andBlue | 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 andSilver | Graphics director, Pokémon designer | |
| 2000 | Pokémon Crystal | |
| 2002 | Pokémon Ruby andSapphire | Art director, Pokémon designer, graphic designer |
| 2004 | Pokémon FireRed andLeafGreen | |
| 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 andPearl | 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 andSoulSilver | Pokémon designer, graphic supervisor | |
| 2010 | Pokémon Black andWhite | 2D art director, Pokémon designer |
| 2012 | Pokémon Conquest | Game design advisor |
| Pokémon Black 2 andWhite 2 | Pokémon designer | |
| HarmoKnight | Advisor | |
| 2013 | Pocket Card Jockey | |
| Pokémon X andY | Character art director, Pokémon design director | |
| 2014 | Pokémon Omega Ruby andAlpha 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 andMoon | Pokémon designer, lead trainer graphic designer |
| 2017 | Giga Wrecker | Advisor |
| Pokémon Ultra Sun andUltra Moon | Pokémon designer, design art | |
| 2018 | Pokémon Quest | Supervisor |
| Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! andLet's Go, Eevee! | Creative supervisor | |
| 2019 | Little Town Hero | Supervisor |
| Pokémon Sword andShield | ||
| Sakura Wars | Peanut character designer | |
| 2022 | Pokémon Legends: Arceus | Supervisor |
| Pokémon Scarlet andViolet | ||
| 2025 | Pokémon Legends: Z-A |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
