Makoto Imai

Makoto Imai is credited on Pokémon TCG cards from 2007–2009, appearing most often in Platinum and Rising Rivals. The work leans digital illustration with character-forward staging, balanced layouts, and vibrant, contrasting color that shifts between playful and mysterious moods.

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Main period: 2007 – 2009
Cards illustrated: 11
Most represented era: Platinum
Most valuable card: $37.63

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About the artist

Makoto Imai’s Pokémon TCG credits span 2007–2009, with work concentrated in the Platinum series, including Platinum and Rising Rivals, plus an appearance in DP Black Star Promos. Across these releases, Imai illustrates both Pokémon and Trainer cards, building a compact body of work within the Diamond & Pearl and Platinum era.

The visuals favor digital illustration with clear, character-focused staging: figures are often pushed to the foreground, framed by simple or balanced compositions that keep silhouettes readable. Color tends toward vibrant, contrasting palettes, frequently cooled by darker tones or metallic accents, supporting moods that range from mysterious to lighthearted and playful. Dynamic touches appear in select pieces, but the overall approach stays clean and functional, with background elements used sparingly to reinforce the subject. Among the most sought-after cards illustrated by Makoto Imai is Darkrai G (Platinum 3).

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