Aya Kusube

About

Aya Kusube is a freelance illustrator born in 1966 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. She is primarily known for her work in children's illustration, contributing artwork to books, magazines, and advertising. Kusube entered the Pokémon franchise in 1998, where she authored and illustrated several Pokémon Tales picture books and produced numerous illustrations for the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG). As of recent counts, she has illustrated 138 cards in the main Pokémon TCG and 142 cards including reprints. Additionally, she has illustrated at least 171 cards according to Art of Pokémon. In the mobile game Pokémon TCG Pocket, she has illustrated 18 cards across 11 sets. Her distinctive illustration style is characterized by simple, childlike designs with limited color palettes and finely hatched pencil shadowing, making her work particularly appealing to younger audiences. Kusube has made significant contributions to the Pokémon franchise with well over 130 illustrated cards.