Satoshi Tajiri created the Pokémon video-game series, with Ken Sugimori assisting with the original concept and visual development.
Tajiri grew up exploring nature and collecting insects, experiences that inspired the idea of a game based on finding and collecting creatures. He proposed the concept to Nintendo, and Game Freak spent roughly six years developing it for the Game Boy. The project became Pocket Monsters, later known worldwide as Pokémon.
Ken Sugimori, a fellow Game Freak member, produced much of the original artwork and helped define the look of the creatures. Junichi Masuda later became a major composer, designer, and director in the series, but he was not its creator.
The idea also depended on the Game Boy Link Cable. Tajiri imagined players exchanging creatures between systems, turning the handheld hardware’s communication feature into a central part of Pokémon’s identity.