Atsushi Nagashima

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Atsushi Nagashima is an executive director at Creatures, Inc. and the current game director of the TCG. Nagashima joined Creatures in 2001 and became game director of the TCG in 2007,[1] succeeding Takumi Akabane in that role.

TCG director

As game director, Nagashima oversees the design of the game's environment and systems.[2] For each expansion, this process entails interpreting the systems and world of the video games, creating the theme of the set, selecting Pokémon, designing data and illustrations for each card, and finally, printing and proofing the physical cards.[3][4][5] Mechanics and balance are refined after extensive play-testing, with the set's premier cards and Trainer cards taking particularly long to calibrate.[6][7] Work on a new expansion begins about one year before it releases.[8] The designers typically anticipate which cards will be strong and design the metagame around them, though are pleasantly surprised when players discover unexpected synergies.[9][10]

Nagashima has claimed that, as card games age, newly introduced cards must either be more complex or more powerful than previous cards, and acknowledges that the TCG has made cards more powerful over time.[11] This is because the TCG prioritizes simpliicity and accessibility to ensure that both children and their parents can enjoy the game.[12][5]

Trivia

  • Nagashima has stated that his favorite card is Machop from the Skyridge expansion, as he enjoys the card's illustration in the context of the card's evolutions and the worldview of the set.[6]
  • Nagashima has stated that Darkrai is one of his favorite Pokémon, and claims that the explains the number of strong Darkrai cards in the TCG.[11]

References