When the president of Nintendo of America unexpectedly calls, you don’t hesitate—you answer immediately.

That’s exactly what designer Chris Maple did in 1998, following advice from a colleague who predicted the call would come. Maple was accustomed to urgent requests—his firm, Media Design, specialized in rapid-turnaround projects for companies facing tight deadlines. Operating discreetly in Seattle, his team had built trust with major clients, including Boeing, the Seattle Mariners, and Holland America Line, despite rarely receiving public credit.

When Minoru Arakawa’s secretary invited him to Nintendo’s Redmond office for a mysterious project, Maple agreed without knowing he’d soon shape the visual identity of Pokémon—a franchise destined for global fame.

The Journey of Pocket Monsters

"I waited in Nintendo’s lobby, gazing at a striking crystal horse sculpture," Maple recalls of his first visit. "As a designer, I’ve learned to read rooms—it’s crucial when interpreting what clients need. That lobby set the tone."

He was eventually led to a tense meeting room, where Arakawa greeted him with commanding presence. The challenge? Rebranding Japan’s "Pocket Monsters" as "Pokémon" for Western markets—with just one month to deliver.

"They'd burned through budgets and agencies," Maple recounts. "When someone dumped a box of toys and sketches before me, Arakawa said, ‘This is Pokémon.’ My task became clear: craft an emblem that would launch a cultural phenomenon."

Given only abstract references—no gameplay footage—Maple experimented with letterforms until landing on dynamic energy. His preferred design won instant approval: "Don James stood up saying, ‘This is the one.’ Suddenly, I was shaping history."

Capturing Lightning

Six months’ work condensed into four weeks, Maple’s logo debuted at E3 1998. Limited by Game Boy’s pixel grid and lacking contextual materials, he distilled Pokémon’s essence through iterative sketches.

Early Pokémon Logo Concepts

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The chosen yellow/blue scheme resonated instinctively—perhaps influenced by the upcoming Blue and Yellow game editions. Later refinements adjusted the P and E’s contours, yielding the now-iconic mark.

A Lasting Legacy

Maple’s astonishment peaked upon seeing his logo dominate a Toys "R" Us display. Though his Nintendo collaboration ended as internal teams expanded, Pokémon’s success persists.

Now claiming rightful credit, Maple reflects: "Children I teach erupt when learning I designed Pokémon’s logo—their joy validates every careful stroke." As the franchise approaches its 30th anniversary, he hopes The Pokémon Company will honor the logo’s legacy thoughtfully.

Maple’s Contemporary Logo Presentations

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"That logo carries energy," Maple muses. "Its endurance proves we captured something timeless—a story bigger than any of us."