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SATOSHI NAKAI — signature work
SN Wailord · Vivid Voltage · 2020
Illustrator 2017 – 2023

SATOSHI NAKAI

SATOSHI NAKAI has been credited on Pokémon TCG illustrations from 2017 to 2023, spanning Sun & Moon through Sword & Shield. The work favors cartoonish, playful staging with energetic, action-forward framing, balanced layouts, and vibrant, contrasting color.

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Main period
2017 – 2023
Cards illustrated
59
Most represented era
Sun & Moon
Most valuable card
$8.75
Tyrunt · 2018
§ I

About the artist

SATOSHI NAKAI’s Pokémon TCG credits run from 2017 to 2023, with work concentrated in the Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield eras. Appearances include sets such as Unified Minds, Cosmic Eclipse, and Shining Fates Shiny Vault, reflecting a steady presence across multiple releases and a wide range of Pokémon subjects.

Across these cards, the visual approach leans cartoonish and colorful, with a playful, lighthearted mood that often reads as energetic and dynamic. Compositions tend toward balanced, focused layouts—frequently character-forward, with clear silhouettes and simple staging that supports action beats without crowding the frame. Color is typically vibrant and contrasting, shifting between warm and cool accents to keep scenes crisp and readable. A representative example is Wailord (swsh4-32). Among the most sought-after cards illustrated by SATOSHI NAKAI is Machamp (swshp-SWSH053).

§ II

Best cards by SATOSHI NAKAI

Curated reading of the corpus — composition, atmosphere, and lasting standing.

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Wailord

Vivid Voltage

Wailord 2020
Galvantula

Team Up

Galvantula 2019
Yanmega

Ultra Prism

Yanmega 2018
Gliscor

Fusion Strike

Gliscor 2021
Alolan Dugtrio

Unbroken Bonds

Alolan Dugtrio 2019
Ferrothorn

Paradox Rift

Ferrothorn 2023
§ III

Signature Pokémon

Creatures most associated with SATOSHI NAKAI’s body of work.

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§ IV

Defining sets

The sets where SATOSHI NAKAI’s work appears most often.

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§ V

Visual affinities

Recurring elemental and thematic threads across the work.

  1. Fighting
    12
  2. Water
    11
  3. Darkness
    8
  4. Psychic
    7
  5. Grass
    5
§ VI

Iconic cards

Cards that travel beyond the archive — defining works, frequently cited.

Tyrunt

Tyrunt

Forbidden Light 2018
Machamp

Machamp

SWSH Black Star Promos 2019
Swampert

Swampert

Celestial Storm 2018
Dracovish

Dracovish

Shining Fates Shiny Vault 2021
§ VII

The full archive

12 of 59 cards · every credit, every era.

Ferrothorn

Paradox Rift

Ferrothorn 2023
Diggersby

Obsidian Flames

Diggersby 2023
Klang

Silver Tempest

Klang 2022
Relicanth

Silver Tempest

Relicanth 2022
Duskull

Brilliant Stars

Duskull 2022
Galarian Darmanitan

Fusion Strike

Galarian Darmanitan 2021
Gliscor

Fusion Strike

Gliscor 2021
Braviary

Evolving Skies

Braviary 2021
Tentacool

Evolving Skies

Tentacool 2021
Galarian Yamask

Chilling Reign

Galarian Yamask 2021
Crobat

Battle Styles

Crobat 2021
Rolycoly

Battle Styles

Rolycoly 2021