Which artist created Pikachu among the original Pokémon designs?

Atsuko Nishida created Pikachu among the original Pokémon designs.

Nishida was a graphic artist at Game Freak during development of the first Pokémon games. She designed Pikachu, while Ken Sugimori handled the final official artwork and broader visual presentation for the original Pokémon roster.

This division of work causes a common mix-up. Sugimori is strongly associated with Pokémon artwork because he illustrated and refined the first 151 species, but Pikachu’s original creature design is credited to Nishida. The character was based on a small rodent-like animal and was originally conceived with a more rounded form.

Pikachu was not initially intended to become the sole face of the franchise. Its popularity grew through the games, merchandise, and especially the anime, where Pikachu became Ash’s partner and Pokémon’s best-known mascot.