Satoshi Tajiri facts for kids

Satoshi Tajiri (Japanese: 田尻 智, Hepburn: Tajiri Satoshi, born August 28, 1965) is a famous Japanese video game designer and director. He is best known as the creator of the incredibly popular Pokémon series! He also helped start the video game company Game Freak.

When he was a kid, Satoshi loved collecting insects. This hobby later inspired him to create the world of Pokémon. He started a video game magazine called Game Freak with his friend Ken Sugimori. This magazine eventually grew into the game development company we know today. Satoshi got the idea for Pokémon when he saw two Game Boys connected by a link cable. He imagined little creatures traveling between the consoles, just like his childhood bugs. The first Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, took six years to make. They became a huge success, creating a worldwide phenomenon and helping Nintendo's handheld games. Satoshi directed the Pokémon series for many years. Today, he works as an executive producer for the games.

Satoshi Tajiri's Early Life and Inspirations

Satoshi Tajiri was born on August 28, 1965, in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan. He grew up in Machida, Tokyo, which was a mix of nature and a growing city. As a child, he loved collecting insects as a hobby. His friends even called him "Dr. Bug," and he dreamed of becoming an entomologist (a scientist who studies insects).

As cities grew and more land was paved, places to find bugs disappeared. Satoshi wanted his games to let children experience the joy of catching and collecting creatures, just like he did.

Discovering Video Games

As a teenager, Satoshi became fascinated with arcade games. His parents didn't quite understand this new hobby at first. He especially loved playing Space Invaders (1978), which made him want to create his own games. He even took apart his Famicom to learn how it worked! He won a contest for a video game idea sponsored by Sega.

Because of his passion for games, he sometimes missed school. However, he caught up on his studies and earned his high school diploma. Instead of attending a traditional university, he studied electronics and computer science at a technical college for two years.

Satoshi Tajiri's Career and the Birth of Pokémon

From 1981 to 1986, Satoshi wrote and edited a fanzine (a fan magazine) called Game Freak. It focused on arcade games and offered winning strategies and secrets. Ken Sugimori, who later drew the first 151 Pokémon, saw the magazine and became its illustrator.

Satoshi and Ken realized that many games could be better. They decided the best solution was to make their own games. Satoshi learned game programming and bought the tools needed to create games. In 1989, the magazine Game Freak became a real video game development company with the same name. Their first game was an arcade-style game called Quinty, published by Namco. Satoshi also wrote articles for other gaming magazines.

Creating the Pokémon World

The idea for Pokémon came to Satoshi in 1990. He saw the Game Boy and its link cable that connected two consoles. This reminded him of his childhood bug collecting, and he imagined creatures being traded between Game Boys. He wanted to create a game where players could collect and trade creatures, not just compete.

When he first showed his idea to Nintendo staff, they weren't sure about it. But they trusted Satoshi's talent for game design. Shigeru Miyamoto, another famous game designer, became his mentor. The first Pokémon games, Red and Green, took six long years to develop. Game Freak almost ran out of money during this time. Satoshi even worked without pay, living off his father's income. With help from another company, Creatures Inc., the games were finally finished.

Pokémon's Global Success

Before Pokémon was released, Satoshi also helped design other games like Yoshi and Mario & Wario for Nintendo. He also worked on Pulseman for Sega.

When the Pokémon games first came out, not many media outlets paid attention. Many believed the Game Boy was an old console. But sales slowly grew, especially after rumors spread about a secret Pokémon called Mew. Satoshi had secretly put Mew in the game to encourage players to trade and interact. The Pokémon series became a massive hit, helping Nintendo's sales greatly.

Satoshi deliberately made sure his games were not violent. He designed Pokémon to "faint" instead of "die" when defeated. He believed it was important for children not to connect losing a game with death. Satoshi continues to be involved in modern Pokémon games. For example, he supervised Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. He often works very long hours, sometimes 24 hours straight, then rests for 12 hours.

Influences on Satoshi Tajiri

Satoshi looks up to Shigeru Miyamoto as a major mentor. Their game design styles are quite similar. In the Japanese Pokémon TV show, the main character is named Satoshi (like Ash Ketchum in the English version). His rival is named Shigeru (like Gary Oak), honoring their real-life connection.

Satoshi also found ideas in old Japanese TV shows and movies, such as Godzilla and Ultraman. He once said that if he didn't make video games, he would probably work in anime.

Awards and Recognition for Satoshi Tajiri

IGN, a popular gaming website, named Satoshi Tajiri one of the top 100 game creators of all time. They recognized him for making Pokémon a "worldwide phenomenon." Electronic Gaming Monthly called him one of the 10 most influential people who shaped the modern video game market. The magazine Edge also included him in their list of the "Hot 100 Game Developers." In 2011, Satoshi received a Special Award from the Computer Entertainment Developers Conference. The Economist magazine has described Pokémon as "Japan's most successful export."

Satoshi Tajiri's Works

Games

See also

In Spanish: Satoshi Tajiri para niños

• Pokémon
• Game Freak
• Ash Ketchum