Cards by Naoki Saito: TCG Illustrator Guide

Naoki Saito (Japanese: さいとうなおき Saitō Naoki, real name in kanji 齋藤直葵, born 1982 in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan) is a digital illustrator who has provided art for the Pokémon Trading Card Game since the HeartGold & SoulSilver expansion, as well as art for a couple of Pokémon games. Saito is a graduate of Tama Art University and previously worked at Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. before becoming freelance. In addition to the Pokémon TCG, he has also provided illustrations for several other trading card franchises: Duel Masters, Monster Hunter, Juushinden: Ultimate Beast Battlers, and Eternal Wheel.

Saito's style is vibrant and surreal, and often juxtaposes or merges the organic with the geometric. He also puts emphasis on texture to give subjects character. His work within the TCG is similar but subtler, instead using highlights and contrasting colors to make Pokémon stand out. In addition to card illustrations, Saito provided the packaging art for the Garchomp Half Deck and Hydreigon Half Decks and the box art for Everyone's Exciting Battle. He also illustrated the Pokémon Tales book Crustle's Moving, available to read on the Pokémon Daisuki Club website.