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Benimaru Itoh: Difference between revisions

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'''Benimaru "Ashura" Itoh''' (Japanese: '''伊藤「アシュラ」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 [[wp:Kirby (series)|Kirby]] franchise.<br>
'''Benimaru Itoh''' is an illustrator for the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]].
Itoh is also an accomplished guitarist, and was the guest host for the [[wp:Mario & Zelda Big Band Live|Mario & Zelda Big Band Live]] concert, held at Nihon Seinenkan Hall, Tokyo on September 14, 2003. The concert featured performances based on music from [[wp:Mario (series)|Mario]] and [[wp:The Legend of Zelda|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===
{| border="1" style="border: 1px solid #88a; border-collapse: collapse;" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2"
|- style="background: #ccf;"
!Title
!Platform
!Date
!Position
|-
| [[wp:EarthBound|EarthBound]] || [[wp:Super Nintendo Entertainment Sysytem|SNES]] || 1994 || Character Design/Special Thanks
|-
| [[wp:SimTunes|SimTunes]] || [[wp:Microsoft Windows|Microsoft Windows]] || 1996 || Composer/Special Thanks
|-
| [[wp:Star Fox 64|Star Fox 64]] || [[Nintendo 64]] || 1997 || Special Thanks
|-
| [[Pokémon Stadium (Japanese)]] || Nintendo 64 || 1998 || Pokémon Modelling Director
|-
| [[Pokémon Trading Card Game (game)|Pokémon Trading Card Game]] || [[Game Boy Color]] || 1998 || Card Illustrator
|-
| [[Super Smash Bros.]] || Nintendo 64 || 1999 || Original Game Staff/Source Modelling Chief: Pokémon Stadium
|-
| [[Pokémon Snap]] || Nintendo 64 || 1999 || Super Duper Special Chief Designer
|-
| [[Pokémon Stadium (English)]] || Nintendo 64 || 1999 || Pokémon Modelling Director
|-
| [[Pokémon Stadium 2]] || Nintendo 64 || 2000 || 3D Pokémon Director
|-
| [[wp:EarthBound 64|EarthBound 64]] || Nintendo 64 || Cancelled || Art Director/Character Design
|-
| [[Super Smash Bros. Melee]] || [[Nintendo GameCube]] || 2001 || Supervisor: Creatures Staff Management
|-
| [[wp:Kirby's Adventure#Remake|Kirby: Nightmare in DreamLand]] || [[Game Boy Advance]] || 2002 || Supervisor
|-
| [[wp:Kirby Air Ride|Kirby Air Ride]] || Nintendo GameCube || 2003 || Graphic Design
|-
| [[wp:Kirby Super Star#Kirby Super Star Ultra|Kirby Super Star Ultra]] || [[Nintendo DS]] || 2008 || Design Advisor
|}


==Cards illustrated==
===Music===
==={{TCG|Gym Heroes}}===
{| border="1" style="border: 1px solid #88a; border-collapse: collapse;" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2"
* {{TCG ID|Gym Heroes|Brock's Onix|21}}
|- style="background: #ccf;"
!Title
!Album
!Date
!Label
|-
| ''Opening Theme of Mario'' || Mario & Zelda Big Band Live CD || 2003 || Sony/Columbia
|}


==={{TCG|Neo Discovery}}===
===Manga===
* {{TCG ID|Neo Discovery|Energy Ark|75}}
{| border="1" style="border: 1px solid #88a; border-collapse: collapse;" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2"
|- style="background: #ccf;"
!Title
!Date
!Publisher
|-
| Star Fox comics || 1993 || Nintendo Power issues #45-#55
|-
| Super Metroid comics || 1994 || Nintendo Power issues #57-#61
|-
| ''Ness' Great Adventure'' || 1994 || Shōgakukan, Wonder Life Comics
|-
| ''Bulbasaur's Trouble'' (Pokémon Tales #3) || 1997 || Shōgakukan
|-
| ''Onix Underground'' (Pokémon Tales {{tt|#6|#21 in English version}}) || 1997 || Shōgakukan
|-
| ''Pokémon Snap Official Nintendo Player’s Guide'' || 1999 || Nintendo
|-
| ''Totodile's One Gulp'' (Pokémon Gold & Silver Tales #3) || 2000 || Shōgakukan
|}


==={{TCG|Neo Destiny}}===
==Work for the TCG==
* {{TCG ID|Neo Destiny|Lucky Stadium|100}}
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]].


==={{TCG|Wizards Black Star Promos}}===
* {{TCG ID|Wizards Promo|Mewtwo|14}}
==={{TCG|Unnumbered Promotional cards}}===
* {{TCG ID|Trainer|Steelix|promo}}
{{Stub|TCG}}
[[Category:TCG illustrators|Itoh, Benimaru]]
[[Category:TCG illustrators|Itoh, Benimaru]]

Revision as of 14:37, 13 October 2009

Benimaru "Ashura" Itoh (Japanese: 伊藤「アシュラ」丸) is a manga artist, designer and musician who began drawing comic strips for various Nintendo franchises, including Star Fox and Metroid. Itoh then worked closely with game designer Shigesato Itoi whilst at Ape, Inc. on the 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 Kirby franchise.
Itoh is also an accomplished guitarist, and was the guest host for the Mario & Zelda Big Band Live concert, held at Nihon Seinenkan Hall, Tokyo on September 14, 2003. The concert featured performances based on music from Mario and 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.
Itoh is usually seen wearing his quirky leopard print attire, and likes to go by the nickname "Ash" (アシュ).

Works

Games

Title Platform Date Position
EarthBound SNES 1994 Character Design/Special Thanks
SimTunes Microsoft Windows 1996 Composer/Special Thanks
Star Fox 64 Nintendo 64 1997 Special Thanks
Pokémon Stadium (Japanese) Nintendo 64 1998 Pokémon Modelling Director
Pokémon Trading Card Game Game Boy Color 1998 Card Illustrator
Super Smash Bros. Nintendo 64 1999 Original Game Staff/Source Modelling Chief: Pokémon Stadium
Pokémon Snap Nintendo 64 1999 Super Duper Special Chief Designer
Pokémon Stadium (English) Nintendo 64 1999 Pokémon Modelling Director
Pokémon Stadium 2 Nintendo 64 2000 3D Pokémon Director
EarthBound 64 Nintendo 64 Cancelled Art Director/Character Design
Super Smash Bros. Melee Nintendo GameCube 2001 Supervisor: Creatures Staff Management
Kirby: Nightmare in DreamLand Game Boy Advance 2002 Supervisor
Kirby Air Ride Nintendo GameCube 2003 Graphic Design
Kirby Super Star Ultra Nintendo DS 2008 Design Advisor

Music

Title Album Date Label
Opening Theme of Mario Mario & Zelda Big Band Live CD 2003 Sony/Columbia

Manga

Title Date Publisher
Star Fox comics 1993 Nintendo Power issues #45-#55
Super Metroid comics 1994 Nintendo Power issues #57-#61
Ness' Great Adventure 1994 Shōgakukan, Wonder Life Comics
Bulbasaur's Trouble (Pokémon Tales #3) 1997 Shōgakukan
Onix Underground (Pokémon Tales #6) 1997 Shōgakukan
Pokémon Snap Official Nintendo Player’s Guide 1999 Nintendo
Totodile's One Gulp (Pokémon Gold & Silver Tales #3) 2000 Shōgakukan

Work for the TCG

Itoh has contributed art for 6 cards in the TCG. The first was a reprint of a promotional Mewtwo 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 Brock's Onix and Steelix in particular work because of their composition. For a list of cards he has illustrated, go here.

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