Which Japanese video-game designer is credited as the creator of Pokémon?

Satoshi Tajiri is credited as the creator of Pokémon.

Tajiri founded Game Freak and developed the concept of a video game based on collecting creatures. His childhood interest in insect collecting inspired the central idea, while the Game Boy’s Link Cable suggested a way for players to trade creatures with one another.

Ken Sugimori played a major role in the visual development of the original Pokémon, and Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto helped advise the project. Junichi Masuda was also an important Game Freak developer and composer. These collaborators are frequently mentioned alongside Tajiri, but the creator credit belongs to Tajiri.

The first Pokémon games were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. Their success expanded the concept into animation, films, cards, merchandise, and many later game generations, turning Tajiri’s collecting idea into a long-running multimedia franchise.