View source for Benimaru Itoh

'''Benimaru "Ashura" Itoh''' (Japanese: '''伊藤「アシュラ」紅丸''') is a manga artist, designer and musician who began drawing comic strips for various [[Nintendo]] franchises, including {{wp|Star Fox (series)|''Star Fox''}} and {{wp|Metroid (series)|''Metroid''}}. Itoh then worked closely with game designer [[wp:Shigesato Itoi|Shigesato Itoi]] whilst at Ape, Inc. on the {{wp|EarthBound (series)|''EarthBound''}} (''Mother'' in Japan) series of games. Ape, Inc. later became known as [[Creatures, Inc.]], where Itoh became involved in the development of several Pokémon titles, and also illustrated a handful of cards for the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]]. During this time he became more involved in 3D development, serving as a chief designer and supervisor on a number of games. He eventually moved to [[HAL Laboratory, Inc.]] in 2002, where he has continued to work on the {{wk|Kirby (series)|Kirby}} franchise.<br>
Itoh is also an accomplished guitarist, and was the guest host for the {{smw|Mario & Zelda Big Band Live}} concert, held at Nihon Seinenkan Hall, Tokyo on September 14, 2003. The concert featured performances based on music from {{smw|Mario (series)|''Mario''}} and {{zw|The Legend of Zelda (Series)|''The Legend of Zelda''}}, as well as original music. The collaboration of The Big Band of Rogues, Yoshihiro Arita and his band performed jazz, Latin, country, and bluegrass arrangements – Itoh himself started the concert off with a guitar solo rendition of the Mario opening theme. The concert became the source of a CD and DVD.<br>
Itoh is usually seen wearing his quirky leopard print attire, and likes to go by the nickname "Ash" (アシュ).

==Works==
===Games===
{| align="center" class="sortable" style="background: #A0A0C4; {{roundy|10px}}; border: 5px solid #BBBBE8"
|-
! style="background: #CCCCFF; {{roundytl|5px}}" | Title
! style="background: #CCCCFF" | Platform
! style="background: #CCCCFF" | Release date
! style="background: #CCCCFF; {{roundytr|5px}}" | Position
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wb|EarthBound}}''
| [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]
| 1994-08-27
| Character Design/Special Thanks
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wp|SimTunes}}''
| {{wp|Microsoft Windows}}
| 1996-12-31
| Composer/Special Thanks
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{lw|Star Fox 64}}''
| [[Nintendo 64]]
| 1997-04-27
| Special Thanks
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Pokémon Stadium (Japanese)|Pokémon Stadium]]'' (Japanese)
| Nintendo 64
| 1998-08-01
| Pokémon Modelling Director
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Pokémon Trading Card Game (game)|Pokémon Trading Card Game]]''
| [[Game Boy Color]]
| 1998-12-18
| Card Illustrator
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''
| Nintendo 64
| 1999-01-21
| Original Game Staff/Source Modelling Chief: Pokémon Stadium
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Pokémon Snap]]''
| Nintendo 64
| 1999-03-21
| Super Duper Special Chief Designer
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Pokémon Stadium (English)|Pokémon Stadium]]'' (English)
| Nintendo 64
| 1999-04-30
| Pokémon Modelling Director
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Pokémon Stadium 2]]''
| Nintendo 64
| 2000-12-14
| 3D Pokémon Director
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wb|EarthBound 64}}''
| [[Nintendo 64DD]]
| Cancelled
| Art Director/Character Design
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''
| [[Nintendo GameCube]]
| 2001-11-21
| Supervisor: Creatures Staff Management
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wk|Kirby: Nightmare in DreamLand}}''
| [[Game Boy Advance]]
| 2002-10-25
| Supervisor
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wk|Kirby Air Ride}}''
| Nintendo GameCube
| 2003-06-09
| Graphic Design
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wk|Kirby: Canvas Curse}}''
| [[Nintendo DS]]
| 2005-03-24
| Special Thanks
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wk|Kirby Super Star Ultra}}''
| [[Nintendo DS]]
| 2008-11-06
| Design Advisor
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wp|Picross 3D}}''
| Nintendo DS
| 2009-03-12
| Art Director
|}

===Music===
{| align="center" class="sortable" style="background: #A0A0C4; {{roundy|10px}}; border: 5px solid #BBBBE8"
|-
! style="background: #CCCCFF; {{roundytl|5px}}" | Title
! style="background: #CCCCFF" | Album
! style="background: #CCCCFF" | Release date
! style="background: #CCCCFF; {{roundytr|5px}}" | Label
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''Opening Theme of Mario''
| Mario & Zelda Big Band Live CD
| 2003-12-15
| Sony/Columbia
|}

===Manga===
{| align="center" class="sortable" style="background: #A0A0C4; {{roundy|10px}}; border: 5px solid #BBBBE8"
|-
! style="background: #CCCCFF; {{roundytl|5px}}" | Title
! style="background: #CCCCFF" | Release date
! style="background: #CCCCFF; {{roundytr|5px}}" | Publisher
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''Star Fox'' comics
| 1993-02&mdash;1993-12
| Nintendo Power issues #45-#55
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''Super Metroid'' comics
| 1994-02&mdash;1994-06
| Nintendo Power issues #57-#61
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''{{wb|Ness's Adventure Chronicles|Ness's Great Adventure}}''
| 1994-09-15
| [[Shogakukan]], Wonder Life Comics
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Bulbasaur's Trouble]]'' ([[Pokémon Tales]] #3)
| 1997-06
| Shogakukan
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Onix Underground]]'' (Pokémon Tales {{tt|#6|#21 in English version}})
| 1997-07
| Shogakukan
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''Pokémon Snap Official Nintendo Player's Guide''
| 1999-03
| Nintendo
|- style="background:#FFFFFF"
| ''[[Totodile's One Gulp]]'' (Pokémon Gold & Silver Tales #3)
| 2001-11
| Shogakukan
|}

==Work for the TCG==
Itoh has contributed art for 6 cards in the TCG. The first was a reprint of a promotional {{TCG ID|Wizards Promo|Mewtwo|14}} card illustrated in the same style as his manga drawings, limiting the colors used on the character and utilizing many lines of various strokes to create areas of detail and shadow. His other cards show his transition into 3D, the Pokémon depicted reminiscent of their renders in the Pokémon Stadium games. Though not as sophisticated as current 3D illustrations, the {{TCG ID|Gym Heroes|Brock's Onix|21}} and {{TCG ID|Trainer|Steelix|promo}} in particular work because of their composition. For a list of cards he has illustrated, go [[:Category:Illus. by Benimaru Itoh|here]].

[[Category:TCG illustrators|Itoh, Benimaru]]

[[de:Benimaru Itoh]]
[[ja:伊藤紅丸]]