POKÉMON — In the Eyes of a Child
In May 1998, I created the Pokémon logo, a project that spanned four months and resulted in two final designs approved by Nintendo.
At the time, Nintendo was under pressure to compete with the growing success of PlayStation. I worked closely with Nintendo of America’s CEO, Mr. Hiroshi Yamauchi, to ensure the logo met their strategic goals and resonated with the emerging gaming market.
A key challenge was designing a logo that would work across different mediums, especially within the GameBoy's 8-bit constraints. The logo’s versatility was crucial in helping Pokémon become the highest-grossing gaming brand, with $90 billion in revenue.
The initial design was used on GameBoy packaging, card games, and TV advertising. After Nintendo requested a minor revision, the final version was released in 1999 and is still in use today.
I’m proud to have been part of this iconic project. The logo’s typography was meticulously crafted by hand, and the blue and yellow color scheme became its defining feature.
Today, I work as a designer, illustrator, and art director in Tacoma, WA. My passions are creating art, teaching, and exploring the outdoors. Contributing to Pokémon’s history has been a highlight of my career.
