ABOUT
Born in Fukuoka, Japan in 1970, Mitsuhiro Arita is a self-taught freelance illustrator — not a Game Freak employee, which sets him apart from many of the artists who shaped the early Pokémon TCG. He has described drawing and sculpting dinosaurs in clay with his father as a child, and credits the habit with building his instinct for three-dimensional volume.
He began working on the Pokémon Trading Card Game in 1996, before the first official release, contributing from the game's prototype stage as an external freelancer. Alongside the card art, he designed the original Energy symbols used throughout the early game.
His Base Set illustrations of Charizard and Pikachu became two of the most recognisable images in the hobby — and Arita has said the work had a large effect on his own career.
Outside Pokémon, he spent eleven years building the world of Vana'diel for Final Fantasy XI, and later worked as a concept designer on the Berserk: The Golden Age film trilogy.
Reviewed 2026-08-25 · Sources: Pokémon.com — Creator Profile: Mitsuhiro Arita, Mitsuhiro Arita — Biography (the artist's own site), Bulbapedia — Mitsuhiro Arita, Bulbapedia — Keiji Kinebuchi
MOST DRAWN
120 OF 722 CARDS
Charizard
#4
Gyarados
#6
Venusaur
#15
Dragonair
#18
Charmeleon
#24
Dewgong
#25
Magikarp
#35
Nidorino
#37
Abra
#43
Bulbasaur
#44
Charmander
#46
Doduo
#48
Koffing
#51
Machop
#52
Pikachu
#58
Rattata
#61
Squirtle
#63
Tangela
#66
Weedle
#69
Clefable
#1
Electrode
#2
Kangaskhan
#5
Wigglytuff
#16
Clefable
#17
Electrode
#18
Kangaskhan
#21
Wigglytuff
#32
Dodrio
#34
Fearow
#36
Lickitung
#38
Marowak
#39
Rapidash
#44
Cubone
#50
Exeggcute
#52
Meowth
#56
Rhyhorn
#61
Spearow
#62
Venonat
#63
Rapidash
#51
Ho-oh
#52
Articuno
#2
Moltres
#12
Muk
#13
Raichu
#14
Zapdos
#15
Articuno
#17
Moltres
#27
Muk
#28
Raichu
#29
Zapdos
#30
Gastly
#33
Magmar
#39
Weezing
#45
Grimer
#48
Horsea
#49
Krabby
#51
Shellder
#54
Charizard
#4
Clefable
#5
Gyarados
#7
Venusaur
#18
Wigglytuff
#19
Dragonair
#22
Kangaskhan
#26
Charmeleon
#35
Dewgong
#36
Dodrio
#37
Fearow
#41
Lickitung
#48
Magikarp
#50
Marowak
#52
Nidorino
#54
Abra
#65
Bulbasaur
#67
Charmander
#69
Cubone
#70
Doduo
#72
Exeggcute
#74
Machop
#78
Meowth
#80
Pikachu
#87
Rattata
#89
Rhyhorn
#90
Spearow
#92
Squirtle
#93
Tangela
#96
Venonat
#97
Weedle
#100
Dark Arbok
#2
Dark Blastoise
#3
Dark Dragonite
#5
Dark Golbat
#7
Dark Machamp
#10
Dark Slowbro
#12
Dark Arbok
#19
Dark Blastoise
#20
Dark Dragonite
#22
Dark Golbat
#24
Dark Machamp
#27
Dark Slowbro
#29
Dark Flareon
#35
Dark Golduck
#37
Dark Jolteon
#38
Dark Machoke
#40
Dark Primeape
#43
Dark Vaporeon
#45
Psyduck
#65
Zubat
#70
Dark Raichu
#83
Gloom
#36
Onix
#69
Snubbull
#74
Houndoom
#8
Kingdra
#19
Skiploom
#52
Staryu
#56
Dark Scizor
#9
Dark Typhlosion
#10
Dark Ursaring
#21
Dark Forretress
#35