Who illustrated the original Pokémon species and character artwork?

Ken Sugimori illustrated the original Pokémon species and character artwork.

Sugimori was a founding member of Game Freak and worked closely with Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of the Pokémon concept. He created the distinctive official artwork used for the first games, including the original 151 Pokémon, Trainers, and important characters. His illustrations helped define how the creatures looked outside the limited graphics of the Game Boy screen.

Sugimori’s role was artistic rather than identical to Tajiri’s design and planning role. The two had collaborated on Game Freak projects before Pokémon, and Sugimori’s clean, expressive style became central to the franchise’s visual identity. He also contributed to later game artwork and promotional material.

Fans sometimes attribute every original Pokémon design to Tajiri because he is the franchise’s best-known creator. In practice, Pokémon was a team project involving concept development, programming, music, writing, and illustration. Sugimori is especially associated with the official visual designs and the artwork that appeared in manuals, packaging, and reference materials.