Ken Sugimori

Pokémon card illustrator

Ken Sugimori (born 1966) is the chief illustrator and art director of the Pokémon franchise and a longtime friend of creator Satoshi Tajiri at Game Freak. He drew the original artwork for all 151 Generation I Pokémon, defining the look of the series, and his early watercolor style was openly reminiscent of Akira Toriyama before evolving into rounder, more fluid digital work. In the TCG he is credited on more cards than any other artist, though the vast majority reuse his official game/Pokédex artwork.