Hideaki Hakozaki

Hideaki Hakozaki (箱崎秀明), born September 29, 1977, Yokohama, is a freelance painter, illustrator and 3D designer. He is a graduate of the University of Art and Design in Tokyo, having majored in oil painting, and has been living and working in the city since. In April 2001 he became a 3D designer employed at Hudson Soft. Determined not to stay within one area of expertise, he ventured into illustration. Going freelance in January 2007, he undertook commissions for various companies and developed his own unique painting style. He became an illustrator for the Pokémon Trading Card Game in 2009 with the debut of the TCG HeartGold & SoulSilver expansion. In September 2011, he founded his own design studio called PLANETA.

Work for the TCG
Hakozaki's style often mirrors what he is illustrating. His work outside the TCG displays his fluid and sometimes erratic drawing style which often correlates to the childlike or storybook material that accompanies his illustrations. He is skilled in creating various textures by applying different brushstrokes or dabbing which give his artwork character and depth. Within the TCG, Hakozaki has primarily created 3D illustrations, though some incorporate his painting style, resulting in a multi-layered image that is quite effective. This is more apparent in Trainer card illustrations, which display an oriental style that mirrors the mythology of the Johto region and its influences. For a list of cards he has illustrated, go here.