Pokemon TCG Director Gives This Surprising Pokemon Some Extra Love in Game

Atsushi Nagashima of Creatures Inc. explained how some Pokemon get extra love in the Pokemon TCG.

By Christian Hoffer

Atsushi Nagashima, Game Director of Creatures Inc., uses the Pokemon Trading Card Game to bring attention to Pokemon neglected by other franchises of the Pokemon franchise. Earlier this week, ComicBook.com had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of Creatures Inc. in Japan and learn about how the Pokemon Trading Card Game is made. During the visit, ComicBook.com and other media had the opportunity to speak with Nagashima, a Game Director at Creatures Inc., in a wide-ranging interview about the Pokemon Trading Card Game. During the interview, ComicBook.com asked about the process of choosing which Pokemon appeared in individual sets. 

"Between the pillars of the Pokemon brand, there are Pokemon that are popular in the anime or the game," Nagashima said. "So I try to make sure that I balance it out by introducing some of the Pokemons that don't get a lot of spotlight in the other pillars. For example, Pumpkaboo. So that Pokemon was something that I wanted to make sure had some spotlight because it didn't have a lot of spotlight during that time."

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Pumpkaboo has appeared four times since its first appearance in Pokemon Trading Card Game, which is on the lower end of appearances for Pokemon that debuted during the XY era. However, Pumpkaboo has gotten some rarified treatment in its most recent card – fan-favorite artist Yuka Morii was tapped to create a clay version of the Pokemon for its card in Evolving Skies, which ensures that a Pumpkaboo will be in many fans' collection. More importantly, we know that Nagashima and other designers at the Pokemon Trading Card Game are making sure that less popular Pokemon are getting some love in the game as well.

Expect more details about our visit to Creatures Inc. as our coverage of the Pokemon World Championships continues.

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