Kouki Saitou

Kouki Saitou (Japanese: 斉藤コーキ Saitō Kōki), born May 13, 1973, is a freelance illustrator who does work for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Prior to this, he did a lot of manga illustrations for popular Japanese game tie-ins under his ¼ King! label. He has also designed a number of characters and mascots that feature on his website as part of a fantasy land called "Kortlek", which showcase his quirky yet detailed drawing style. He has cited Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama and anime directed by Hayao Miyazaki as some of his biggest influences.[2][3]

Saitou in 2023.[1]

Designs

  This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Character designs from Typing Adventure

Pokémon

The following is a list of Pokémon designed by Saitou.

Other
 
Pokémon Center Pilot Pikachu[4]

Artwork

This is a collection of official Pokémon artwork drawn by Saitou.

  This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Art from Typing Adventure
BW Keldeo
HGSS Winner's Path Pokewalker
New Snap
SV Notebook
Hannari Tea Party
Christmas Toy Factory
TCG Holiday Calendar
Solaseed Jet 2023
Pokémon Center Key Art
My Special 151
Pikachu's Forest TCG

Other games

This is a collection of other Pokémon games that Saitou has contributed artwork to.

Picross
Key art[5]



Merchandise

This is a collection of official Pokémon merchandise that Saitou has contributed artwork to.

There are 685 cards illustrated by Saitou. For a list of cards he has illustrated, see here.

Pokémon Center
Pencil board
(2005)[6]
Pokémon Center
New Year Postcard
(2010)[7]
Pokémon Center
Skytree Town 1-Year Anniversary Postcard[citation needed]
Pokémon Center
Poncho Pikachu Postcard
(Hiroshima)[8]
Pokémon Center
Calendar
(2023)[9]


Other artwork

  This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: More tables to follow the above format

Staff artwork

This is a collection of unofficial Pokémon artwork drawn by Saitou.

Illustrations

Title Date Publisher
Fatal Fury 2 Anthology 1994 Kobunsha
Super Robot Wars F Final Anthology 1998 Kobunsha
Psychic Force 2012 1998 Kobunsha
The King of Fighters '98 1998 Kobunsha
Thousand Arms 1998 Kobunsha
Xenogears 1998 Movic
Xenogears Comic Anthology 1998 Movic
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Iron Maiden 1998 DNA
The King of Fighters '98 Anthology 1998 DNA
The King of Fighters '98 Short Comic 1998 DNA
Thousand Arms Anthology 1999 Kobunsha
Super Robot Wars Alpha 2000 Kobunsha
Super Robot Wars Alpha Anthology 2000 Kobunsha
Super Robot Wars Alpha: Great Combination 2000 Kobunsha
SD Gundam G Generation F 2000 Kobunsha
Grandia II Official Comic Fan Book 2000 MediaWorks
Super Robot Wars Alpha Anthology: Roar of their Hero 2001 Kobunsha
Shin Megami Tensei: DeviChil Dictionary 2001 Kobunsha
Arcadia October issue: character design planning page 2001 Enterbrain
The King of Fighters 2001 Anthology 2 2001 Enterbrain
Pokémon Trading Card Game illustration 2002— Creatures
Pokémon Trainer Magazine Volume 19 cover and promo card illustration 2002 Creatures
Mon-Colle 2 monster design and illustration 2002— Kadokawa/Fujimi Shobo
Monthly Dragon Junior December issue: Mon-Colle monster illustration 2002 Fujimi Shobo
Arcadia June issue: illustrations 2003 Enterbrain
Pokémon Exciting Tales Pichu-Pichu Staring Contest! 2003 Shogakukan
Arcadia July issue: character design planning page 2003 Enterbrain
Disgaea Anthology Collection: illustrations 2003 Jive
Arcadia November issue: corner illustration and portrait illustration 2003 Enterbrain
Arcadia December issue: corner illustration and portrait illustration 2003 Enterbrain


Other illustrations

Title
Kids Town mural illustration (Pokémon Center Osaka)
Pokémon Cracker illustration (Pokémon Center goods)
Baked polvorones illustrations (Pokémon Center goods)
"New Friends" series stationary illustration (Pokémon Center goods)
"The First Draft" series stationary illustration (Pokémon Center goods)
"Aim for Kaina City!" series stationary illustration (Pokémon Center goods)
"Adventures in the Desert Ruins" series stationary illustration (Pokémon Center goods)
"Motivate with Vigoroth" 2004 Annual illustration (Pokémon Center goods)


Work for the TCG

Saitou's images focus on realism and dynamism. Many of his illustrations are reminiscent of the style in which characters are portrayed in the anime, though he uses light and shadow effectively to give them more depth. He also uses high and low angles to enhance the feeling of movement in many of his images. Saitou's first illustrations were featured in the Aquapolis expansion and he has continued to produce work for the TCG since. He has also produced artwork used on deck kits, booster packs and many pieces of merchandise sold through Pokémon Centers. Thus far, Saitou has illustrated 685 cards. For a list of cards he has illustrated, go here.

Game credits

Title Platform Release date Position
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness Nintendo DS 2007-09-13 BG Illustration
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Nintendo DS 2008-03-20 Artwork
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky Nintendo DS 2009-04-18 BG Illustration
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Nintendo DS 2010-03-06 Artwork
Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure Nintendo DS 2011-04-21 Character Design
Pokémon Rumble Blast Nintendo 3DS 2011-08-11 Artwork
Pokémon Rumble U Nintendo Wii U 2013-04-24 Illustration
Pokémon Art Academy Nintendo 3DS 2014-06-19 Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustrators
Pokémon Rumble World Nintendo 3DS 2015-04-08 Illustration
Pokémon Picross Nintendo 3DS 2015-12-02 Illustration
Pokémon Rumble Rush iOS, Android 2019-05-22 Illustration


External links

References