Rocket's Mission
NO. 88Team Rocket Returns
Uncommon
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Artist file
Ken Sugimori
1509Illustrated cards
1069Full-card views
156Sets indexed
1996–2026Timeline
About
Ken Sugimori is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, director, and co-founder of Game Freak. He was born on January 27, 1966, and is best known as the primary character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori illustrated and finalized most of the original 151 Pokémon and has worked on various Pokémon films, trading cards, and other games like the Super Smash Bros. series. He has also co-directed several Pokémon games, including Ruby and Sapphire, Diamond and Pearl, and Black and White. Sugimori's artistic process often involves making rough sketches and refining them until he is satisfied with the final design. He has illustrated nearly 1,000 cards for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, establishing the visual identity of the franchise's early sets with his distinctive watercolor style. Sugimori has also written and illustrated original manga, contributing significantly to the Pokémon universe.
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Gym
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Timeline
1996–2026
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Signature plate
Here Comes Team Rocket!
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Current pull
Uncommon
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