Tsunekazu Ishihara: Difference between revisions

Ishihara graduated from the {{wp|University of Tsukuba}} in 1983 with a master's degree in Art and Design.<ref name = cesa>[https://awards.cesa.or.jp/2011/en/press/pdf/110915_01.pdf Mr. Tsunekazu Ishihara wins the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award | Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association]</ref> While earning his degree, Ishihara studied various mechanisms of visual expression, gravitating toward computer-generated art.<ref>Hatakeyama, Kenji; Kubo, Masakazu (December 10, 2000). ポケモン・ストーリー ''[Pokemon Story]''. Nikkei BP. p. 79. ISBN 978-4822241995.</ref> After graduation, Ishihara worked at the advertising agency SPN, owned by the {{jwp|セゾングループ|Seibu Saison Group}}, for two years. Following this, he transferred to Sedic ('''Se'''ibu '''Di'''gital '''C'''ommunications), a film production company with a background in computer graphics also owned by the Seibu Saison Group. At Sedic, Ishihara produced shows about video games for {{wp|Fuji Television}}, including Shigesato Itoi's TV Game Museum and {{jwp|TV's TV}}.<ref>Hatakeyama & Kubo (2000), p. 80-82.</ref> During this time, Ishihara, [[Akihiko Miura]], and other Sedic staff developed {{wp|Toshio Iwai}}'s first video game {{wp|Otocky}}, which released in 1987. While making television programs, Ishihara interviewed various figures in the video game industry, including {{wp|Shigesato Itoi}}, {{wp|Koichi Sugiyama}}, and [[Satoshi Tajiri]]. Ishihara was particularly impressed by Tajiri's knowledge of video games as well as his skill in playing them, and the two became close.<ref>Hatakeyama & Kubo (2000), p. 82-83.</ref><ref>[https://lavacutcontent.com/satoshi-tajiri-ishihara-interview/ Interview: Tajiri and Ishihara on Pokemon’s Beginnings], translated from July 2000 issue of Nintendo Online Magazine</ref>

In 1988, Ishihara published ''Denshi Yuugi Taizen - TV Games'', an encyclopedia of video games, with each game documented in a phylogenetic tree map. To produce the book, Ishihara traveled across Japan, as well as to the Soviet Union and the United States, and conducted interviews with prominent video game developers. Itoi and Tajiri contributed essays to the book.<ref>Hatakeyama & Kubo (2000), p. 83-88.</ref>