Who created the Pokémon concept and pitched it to Nintendo?

Satoshi Tajiri created the Pokémon concept and pitched it to Nintendo.

Tajiri’s idea grew from his childhood hobby of insect collecting. He imagined a video game in which players could find, collect, raise, battle, and trade creatures. The Game Boy’s Link Cable particularly inspired him because it offered a way for players to exchange Pokémon between separate systems.

Tajiri presented the concept to Nintendo in 1990. The project was considered ambitious, but Shigeru Miyamoto supported it and advised the team to release multiple versions with different Pokémon, encouraging players to trade.

Ken Sugimori was not the original concept creator, although he played a major role as the illustrator who helped define the visual identity of the first 151 Pokémon. Junichi Masuda later became a key composer, director, and producer in the series, but he was not the person who originated Pokémon.