Atsuko Nishida

Nishida was working at Game Freak on the game Pulseman with the art director for Pokémon, Ken Sugimori. In his initial character design, Sugimori made most of the Pokémon scary, but he realized he also wanted to have cute characters in the game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/creator-profile-the-creators-of-pikachu/|title=Creator Profile: The Creators of Pikachu {{!}} Pokemon.com|website=www.pokemon.com|access-date=2019-11-30|archive-date=2020-09-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922084958/https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/creator-profile-the-creators-of-pikachu/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.siliconera.com/pikachu-originally-second-evolution-called-gorochu-large-fangs-two-horns/|title=Pikachu Originally Had A Second Evolution Called 'Gorochu' With Large Fangs And Two Horns|date=2018-05-03|website=Siliconera|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-30}} This led to the design of Pikachu, which was originally based on a daifuku, a Japanese sweet treat.{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/6/4/17425162/pikachu-design-interview-creation|title=An inside look into the creation of Pikachu|last=Radulovic|first=Petrana|date=2018-06-04|website=Polygon|language=en|access-date=2019-11-30}} Nishida changed the design later, basing it on a squirrel, as Nishida said she was obsessed with squirrels at the time.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201805/04/WS5aebb860a3105cdcf651bed5.html|title=Pikachu inspired by a squirrel, not a mouse - World - Chinadaily.com.cn|last=李松|website=www.chinadaily.com.cn|access-date=2019-11-30}}{{Cite web | first=Matthew | last=Byrd | url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/pokemon-pikachus-original-design-was-based-on-a-squirrel/ | title=Pokemon: Pikachu's original design was based on a squirrel | website=Den of Geek | date=4 May 2018 | language=en | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126115031/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/pokemon-pikachus-original-design-was-based-on-a-squirrel/ | archive-date=26 November 2022 | url-status=dead}} Squirrels were also her inspiration for the electric cheeks, as they tend to store food in their cheeks. Pikachu was later changed to be a mouse by Satoshi Tajiri, one of the Pokémon creators.{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/pikachu-wasnt-based-on-a-mouse-but-a-squirrel-1825738117|title=Pikachu Wasn't Based On A Mouse, But A Squirrel|website=Kotaku|date=3 May 2018 |language=en-us|access-date=2019-11-30}} The original design included the Raichu evolution, as well as a third evolution, which was later abandoned.{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/6/4/17425162/pikachu-design-interview-creation|title=An inside look into the creation of Pikachu|last=Radulovic|first=Petrana|date=2018-06-04|website=Polygon|language=en|access-date=2019-11-30}}

Nishida’s other Pokémon design credits include Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. She furthermore designed some of the Eevee evolutions (or "Eeveelutions"), including Glaceon{{Cite web|url=http://www.pokemon-card.com/lab/entry/071016_180.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113053426/http://www.pokemon-card.com/lab/entry/071016_180.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-11-13|title=OK！ 「DP4」ブロック、ワンモアセッ！│ポケモンカードゲーム開発室｜ポケモンカードゲーム トレーナーズウェブサイト|date=2007-11-13|access-date=2019-11-30}} and Sylveon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-new-zygarde-form-is-a-reminder-of-how-hard-it-is-to-design-a-good-pokmon|title=The New Zygarde Form is a Reminder of How Hard it is to Design a Good Pokémon|last=Bailey|first=Kat|date=2015-09-16|website=USgamer|language=en|access-date=2019-11-30|archive-date=2019-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901023631/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-new-zygarde-form-is-a-reminder-of-how-hard-it-is-to-design-a-good-pokmon|url-status=dead}} She was also the artist on a large number of Pokémon Trading Card Game cards,{{Cite web|url=https://www.pokemon.com/uk/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-cards/?particularArtist=Atsuko%20Nishida|title=TCG Card Database {{!}} Search the Pokémon TCG Card Database|website=www.pokemon.com|access-date=2019-11-30}} including the Pikachu Illustrator card, which was sold for $195,000 in 2019,{{Cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/28/worlds-rarest-pokemon-card-sells-150000-new-york-auction-10999865/|title=World's rarest Pokémon card sells for £150,000 in New York auction|date=2019-10-28|website=Metro|language=en|access-date=2019-11-30}}{{Cite web | author=ADN | url=https://www.hln.be/nieuws/buitenland/meest-zeldzame-pokemon-kaart-ter-wereld-onder-de-hamer-voor-recordbedrag~ad32d8fe/ | title=Meest zeldzame Pokémon-kaart ter wereld onder de hamer voor recordbedrag | date=29 October 2019 | website=Het Laatste Nieuws | access-date=2019-11-30}} winning it the Guinness World Record of most expensive Pokémon trading card (at auction).{{Cite web|url=https://guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/452634-most-expensive-pokemon-trading-card-sold-at-auction/|title=Most expensive Pokémon trading card (at auction)|website=Guinness World Records|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-30}} This beat the previous record from 2016 when a card with the same design by Nishida was sold for $54,970.{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/pokemon/a814839/most-expensive-pokemon-card-sells-for-54970/|title=Most expensive Pokémon card sells for $54,970|last=|first=|date=2016-11-22|website=Digital Spy|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-30}}

Nishida also worked for the Japanese game development studio TOYBOX Inc. on Hometown Story, a Nintendo 3DS game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/5/29/4377496/natsumes-e3-2013-hometown-story-harvest-moon|title=Harvest Moon creator's Hometown Story leads Natsume's E3 slate|last=Sarkar|first=Samit|date=2013-05-29|website=Polygon|language=en|access-date=2019-11-30}}

Nishida is a very private person; she spent the entirety of a 2018 interview hidden behind a giant Pikachu plush doll.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/fukayomi/20180501-OYT8T50139/|title=ピカチュウは大福？ 初めて明かされる誕生秘話 : 深読み|date=2018-05-02|website=読売新聞オンライン|language=ja|access-date=2019-11-30}}

• [https://www.pokemon.com/uk/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-cards/?particularArtist=Atsuko%20Nishida Pokemon Trading Card Game cards designed by Nishida]

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Category:Pokémon

Category:Japanese women illustrators

Category:Japanese graphic designers

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:Nintendo people