# Ken Sugimori

Ken Sugimori (Japanese: 杉森 建, Hepburn: Sugimori Ken, born January 27, 1966 in Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. 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. Sugimori drew and finalized all of the original 151 Pokémon. He has also worked on the various Pokémon films, trading cards, and other games like the Super Smash Bros. series.

## Career

From early 1981 until 1986, Sugimori illustrated a gaming fanzine called Game Freak, which had been started by Satoshi Tajiri. Sugimori discovered the magazine in a dōjinshi shop, and decided to get involved. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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."

## Works
### Video games

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

#### 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