Interviews// Tsunekazu Ishihara: The Pokémon Interview
14 Jun 2007 16:24
by Adam Hartley
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Ishihara founded Creatures Inc back in 1995 to produce the original games which kicked off the worldwide phenomenon that is Pokémon – starting with the original Pokémon Red and Green – and in 1998 he founded The Pokémon Company.
He is 49 years old and is currently involved in the development of new Pokémon products, as well as being responsible for the overall brand management of Pokémon.
Oh, and he has a deep love for toys, which is both rare and touching for a very important: 49-year-old businessman.
Read on to find out what he had to tell me.
SPOnG: Hi, before we start to talk more about the new Pokemon games [Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl] I just wanted to ask how long you are in the UK for?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: Just for two days this time.
SPOnG: And will you take any time off to go sightseeing? Anything in particular you want to do or see while you’re here in London?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: Maybe get some nice sushi, perhaps.
SPOnG: Yeah? You’re not a fan of English roast beef?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: [laughs] Ah, roast beef! Yes, I like it very much.
SPOnG: So where else are you going in Europe while you are over?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: Just two days in the UK and then straight back to Japan.
SPOnG: Okay, well before we move on to talk specifically about Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl, I’d just like to talk a little about the history of Pokémon, particularly for those of our readers who are not so familiar with the franchise or have never played the games before. Going back to 1995, back to Pokémon Red and Green – can you tell us about the original inspiration behind the concept?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: So, the original Pokémon Red and Green were released in Japan in February 1996, based on an original idea from Satoshi Tajiri from a company called Game Freak. His idea was coming up with a design for a game for this new handheld console, the Nintendo Game Boy, by utilising the network cable that was available at the time so that you could battle against other players and trade and so on. So, this is how it all originally started.
The fact that you catch Pokémon comes from Mr. Tajiri’s childhood experiences – as he used to enjoy catching insects as a child.
SPOnG: Is that the secret of Pokémon’s success? That it’s something that’s universally understood by children worldwide?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: Yes, exactly. That’s the secret of its success!
SPOnG: The first game was out in 1996 in Japan. How long was that game in development? When did Mr Tajiri come up with the original idea for the game?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: Well, the development itself took three years. But the conception of the idea took probably around six years, so we started with the original idea in 1990, so around six years in total.
SPOnG: So, prior to that, before 1990, what’s your own personal background?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: Back then I was already producing videogames.
SPOnG: Why the move across from Creatures Inc to The Pokémon Company?
Tsunekazu Ishihara: It’s not necessarily a shift in importance or anything like that, its just that The Pokémon Company was set up to manage the Pokémon “brand” – all the other companies, Creatures Inc, Game Freak and Nintendo, of course, they all exist and they are all shareholders of The Pokémon Company. And they all play their own role. So it’s not necessarily a shift in importance. It was just necessary to create a company to manage the overall branding of Pokémon.
Comments
2/9
The newest Pokémon games are the ultimate Pokémon games. They are an excellent step up from the previous iterations, especially Ruby & Sapphire. They bring back many elements from Gold & Silver like the Day/Night feature as well as many from Ruby & Sapphire, like Natures. It is a great game, especially with Wi-Fi. I can't wait to get a Wii and Pokémon Battle Revolution so I can battle in beautiful 3D ŕ la Pokémon Colosseum and XD.
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3/9
Uhm, Tsunekazu Ishihara, I made up some pokemon myself, so can you put them in and ACTUAL game? I already did the pokedex. There are 156 of them. I'll draw them out. I'll tell you the starter pokemon: Sprout: Human leaf, Ragflint: Fire rabbit, and Aqaun: Water bear. I'll tell you their evolution later. But promise you'll write back okay? Ciao! (^0)
4/9
Adira wrote:
Uhm, Tsunekazu Ishihara, I made up some pokemon myself, so can you put them in and ACTUAL game? I already did the pokedex. There are 156 of them. I'll draw them out. I'll tell you the starter pokemon: Sprout: Human leaf, Ragflint: Fire rabbit, and Aqaun: Water bear. I'll tell you their evolution later. But promise you'll write back okay? Ciao! (^0)
Hi Adira,
Go on, tell us about them. In fact, send us pictures of them!
All the best
Tim
5/9
I'll try but it'll take quite a while. How's about sending me the address and when I'm finish them, I'd send them to you ASAP. I promise!
6/9
Adira wrote:
I'll try but it'll take quite a while. How's about sending me the address and when I'm finish them, I'd send them to you ASAP. I promise!
Er, here are the gym leaders with their pokemon and attacks:
Stonebridge City Gym badge: Gravel Badge
Sign: I’m the master of rock! ~ Steve
Pokemon:
Tyrannarock: Level 12
Attacks: rock throw
Quick attack
Defense curl
Rock slam
Roufe: Level 10
Attacks: Rock throw
Tackle
Rough edge
Stone tackle
Geodudette: level 10
Attacks: Quick attack
Defense curl
Rough edge
Skull bash
Digledude: Level 11
Attacks: Dig
Earthquake
Defense curl
Ground tackle
TM (when you win): Rough edge
Woodbridge City gym badge: Wood badge
Sign: Get your act together! Don’t let your guard down! Not even or a second! ~ Luke
Pokemon: Loggin: level 16
Attacks: Log roll
Timber
Cut
Grass knot
Sudowoodo: level 15
Attacks: Cut
Defense curl
Quick attack
Twig slap
Twiglly: level 14
Attacks: Grass knot
Grass whistle
Cut
timber
Woodoo: level 17
Attacks: Timber
Log roll
Log-o-lanche
Defense curl
TM (when you win): Log roll
Hydro City gym badge: Waterfall badge
Sign: Don’t let your spirits turn to rain! ~ Tiger
Pokemon: Oasis 20
Attack: Hydroblast
Water gun
Hydro pump
Surf
Phish 21
Attack: Brine
Sewage water
Ice water
Drip
Neptine 23
Attack: Muddy Water
Hot water
H2O
Tide
Hydrosian 25
Attack: Watery lick
Splash (does something this time)
Water slap
Dizzy punch
TM (when you win): H2O
Tumboring City: Fight badge
Sign: Fight your way to victory! ~Bruno
Pokemon: Boppity 27
Attack: Mega punch
Mega kick
Supreme skull bash
Light ball
Boppu 30
Attack: Offense curl
Wallop Punch
Mega slap
Roar
Machamp 32
Attack: Seismic toss
Rapid punch
Triple punch
Hi jump kick
Meditite 35
Attack: Psychic punch
Confusion
Amnesia
Meditate
TM (when you win): Supreme Skull Bash
Lightning City gym badge: Spark badge
Sign: I’ll put a spark in your spirit! ~ Molina!
Pokemon: Angela 40
Attack: Thundershock
Lightning
Spark
Thunder
Tunder 43
Attack: Indignation
Thunderstorm
Volt tackle
Slap
Lightenin 46
Attack: Thunderbolt
Shock
Lightning
Offense curl
Sparkim 47
Attack: Bounce
Sweet kiss
Play dead
Shock
TM (when you win): Shock
Treeleaf City gym badge: Pollen badge
Sign: I’ll burry you in leaves! ~ Yuseong
Pokemon: Sprout 50
Attack: Leaf cut
Sharp edge
Poke
Magical leaf
Twiggleaf 54
Attack: Leaf cut
Dry leaves
Magical leaf
Grass beam
Apulum 51
Attack: Bullet seed
Bite
Leaf drain
Ingrain
Autom 55
Attack: Grass tornado
Cut
Leaf blast
Leaf throw
Torterra 57
Attack: Earthquake
Leaf cut
Grass beam
Grass tornado
TM (when you win): Grass tornado
Glacierburg City gym badge: Freeze badge
Sign: I’ll cool your spirits! ~ Rwanda
Pokemon: Frosticoon 60
Ice beam
Hail
Blizzard
Avalanche
Snocoon 63
Attack: Frost bite
Dry ice
Snow blast
Frozenbolt
Icicle volt
Snorunt 62
Attack: Ice arrows
Glacier
Iceburg
Ice barrier
Abomnosno 65
Attack: Slush
Ice pellet
Ice blast
Icicle volt
TM(when you win): Dry ice
Cinderbridge City gym: Inferno badge
Sign: I’ll put a flare in your eyes! ~ Adira
Pokemon: Ragtorch 70
Attack: Fire blast
Fire spin
Blast burn
Cinder storm
Cyndaquil 75
Attack: Flame wheel
Flame barrier
Flame kick
Cinder bite
Blaziken 80
Attack: Blaze kick
Fire punch
Inferno blast
Flare
Cimchar 73
Attack: eruption
Fire wall
Flame volt
Fire beam
Ain't it crazy?! Just look at the levels! It'll be the hardest pokemon game EVER!! (Even for me!) It'll be the best game ever.
Just to let you know early, the legendary pokemon are: Yin, Yang (twin Pokemon) (like Taichi and Maichi) and Snoban (a snowman Pokemon)
7/9
Geh, hows about Pokemon: Platimun and Amethyst? Eh, Tsunekazu?? Eh, ehhhh?? ^-^ reply back to me if you have further questionnns! (sing song)
8/9
Are you going to create a new pokemon game with all the worlds (Kanto, Jotho, Hoenn and Sinnoh) in it?
9/9
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK I DONT YOU COMBINE ALL THE POKEMON GAMES INTO ONE HUGE GAME. ALL THE FOUR WORLDS U HAVE CREATED. PUT THEM ALL INTO ONE GAMES AND START FROM KANTO LIKE ASK DOES.
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I found Ruby and Sapphire annoying to play - too many Pokemon, too many HMs (to the point where most of my Pokemon's moves were HMs) and no real innovation or worthwhile improvement over the formula established previously.
How do these new games fit in? Has SPOnG reviewed them?