Which Pokémon designer illustrated the original 151 Pokémon?

Ken Sugimori illustrated the original 151 Pokémon.

Sugimori joined Satoshi Tajiri through Game Freak’s early publishing work and became the art director for the Pokémon games. His illustrations established the clean, colorful visual style associated with the first generation.

He created official artwork for the original Pokémon and contributed to their visual development alongside other designers. Atsuko Nishida, for example, designed Pikachu, while other artists contributed individual species in later projects.

Sugimori is sometimes described as the creator of every Pokémon, but that is too broad. Tajiri originated the game concept, and Pokémon designs were produced by a team. Sugimori’s particular historical role was illustrating the original creatures and shaping the franchise’s foundational visual identity.