Naoki Saito

Naoki Saito (Japanese: さいとうなおき Saitō Naoki, real name in kanji 齋藤直葵, born 1982 in Yamagata, Japan[1]) is a digital illustrator who has provided art for the Pokémon Trading Card Game since the HeartGold & SoulSilver expansion, as well as art for a couple of Pokémon games. Saito is a graduate of Tama Art University and previously worked at Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. before becoming freelance.[citation needed] In addition to the Pokémon TCG, he has also provided illustrations for several other trading card franchises: Duel Masters,[citation needed] Monster Hunter,[citation needed] Juushinden: Ultimate Beast Battlers,[citation needed] and Eternal Wheel..[citation needed]

Saito at an exhibition in 2022

Saito's style is vibrant and surreal, and often juxtaposes or merges the organic with the geometric. He also puts emphasis on texture to give subjects character. His work within the TCG is similar but subtler, instead using highlights and contrasting colors to make Pokémon stand out. In addition to card illustrations, Saito provided the packaging art for the Garchomp[citation needed] and Hydreigon Half Decks,[citation needed] and the box art for Everyone's Exciting Battle.[citation needed] He also illustrated the Pokémon Tales book Crustle's Moving,[citation needed] available to read on the Pokémon Daisuki Club website.

Designs

Characters

The following are a list of characters designed by Saito.

Generation VII
     
 S  M 
Sightseers[2]
 S  M 
Veterans[2]
 S  M 
Dancer and Hiker[2]

Artwork

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

There are 236 cards illustrated by Saito. For a list of cards that he illustrated, go here.

Core series games

This is a collection of core series Pokémon games that Saito has contributed artwork to.

Merchandise

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

Iono & Bellibolt
Kotobukiya ArtFx J figurine art[4]

Other artwork

This is a collection of other promotional Pokémon artwork that Saito has contributed to.

Project VOLTAGE
Weekly Famitsu cover (January 2024)[6]

Works

Games

Title Platform Release date Position
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Nintendo DS 2010-03-06 Oblivia map illustration[citation needed]
Boss Pokémon illustration[citation needed]
Pokémon Black and White Versions Nintendo DS 2010-09-18 Artwork
Pokémon Sun and Moon Nintendo 3DS 2016-11-18 Trainer Graphics Design


Manga and other published work

Role/Title Release date Publisher
Colorist for Worst 2002-05-30 Akita Shoten
Colorist for Saint Seiya: Next Dimension - The Myth of Hades 2006-04-27 Akita Shoten
Illustrations for Les Chroniques de Sillage Vol. 5 2008-04-25 Delcourt
Colorist for Baki the Grappler 2007-12-07 Akita Shoten
Colorist for Grappler Baki: Scarface 2009-05-08 Akita Shoten
Colorist for The Strongest Introduction to Philosophy in History 2010-04-14 Magazine•Magazine
Eguzamurai CG Lithograph 2010 Shueisha
Colorist for Garouden Vol. 25 2010-12-22 Kodansha
Co-author and illustrator for Contes cruels du Japon 2011-08-24 Delcourt


External links

References


  This article is part of both Project Games and Project TCG, Bulbapedia projects that, together, aim to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Games and TCG, respectively.