Talk:Imakuni?

Basis for the Rumor That Imakuni? and Tomoaki Imakuni Are the Same Person
The basis for the rumor that graphics artist Tomoaki Imakuni is Imakuni? is as follows:

All of the Imakuni? cards were illustrated by Tomoaki Imakuni. This can be verified since each card identifies the artist. In fact, this is the only credit individuals have ever been given on Pokémon cards.

[Thought: Would Pokémon card illustrators be a viable article for WikiProject: Pokémon?]

The promotional trainer card, Imakuni?, is the only pokémon card to feature the photo of a real human being.

I do not know about Tomoaki Imakuni working for Creatures, Inc. This is the first that I have heard of it. He is supposed to have been a graphics artist who worked for the now extinct Pokémon Trainers Magazine. [English translation; although I am guessing that the correct translation should have been Pocket Monster Trainers Magazine.] This should be verifiable if Japanese magazines list the editorial staff somewhere in their magazines as the American publications do, especially issues where Imakuni’s work appears. I do not know, but I have never seen or heard of any cards that Imakuni has done that are not Imakuni? cards—including other promotional cards.

Imakuni?’s only appearance in the U.S. was at a Pokémon TCG tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii. Edward “Edo” Hrzic (edo_hrzic@hotmail.com) has a Yahoo! group with photos of Imakuni? at this tournament. I do not know who took the photo. He claims to have played against him. (He wrote to me that Imakuni? played Imakuni?’s Doduo and sung White Christmas. He added that Imakuni? actually had a nice singing voice.) The Imakuni? in the photo taken at the tournament in Hawaii looks like the same Imakuni? that appears on the trainer card.

There is a Japanese website (in Japanese) that claims to be the official Imakuni? website. The illustrations there all appear to be in the same style as the promo cards. If someone who could read Japanese check out the site it may provide some information. If this is in fact a website either about Imakuni? or authored by Imakuni? perhaps Imakuni? himself could be contacted. (I do not know if he can read/speak English. I do not recall Edo stating one way or another and Edo speaks Japanese so he would not have had too much of a problem if Imakuni? could only speak Japanese.)

What would be required to verify the rumor? That is, what would be required to verify sources?

Rod Lockwood 00:43, 4 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I contacted Imakuni?-san at his email address years ago, with my rough grasp on the Japanese language. I never even got a reply (I at least got a reply from Media Factory at about that time) The S 21:48, 13 May 2007 (UTC)
 * I think he didn’t reply because maybe he ignored it 2A00:23C6:BE86:B401:C817:F634:7B06:CD42 (talk) 07:42, 4 April 2023 (UTC)

Disappearance from the public eye
One would think that with the advent of Diamond and Pearl, Imakuni? would be showing up doing another variation of Pokemon Ierukana? and challenging players to the card game. However, this does not seem to be the case. Is there any reason why he's just disappeared? The last cards I am aware of that have featured him were the Imakuni?'s Gonyonyo, Dogoumu, and Bakuong EX that were released close to Ruby and Sapphire's premiere, so it doesn't seem like he's very closely working in that section, either.... The S 21:48, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

Costumes
I'm not sure where this costumes comes from, I have seen drawings Imakuni? wears a black costume with Pokemon in katakana, and a red costume with Pokemon written in hiragana. Should this be mentioned in the article? --zzo38(&lt;font color=#7799FF face=Wingdings&gt;&#91;&#91;User_talk:Zzo38&#124;*]]&lt;/font&gt;)&#91;&#91;User:Zzo38/sand&#124;?]] 21:32, 27 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Maybe a brief reference. I don't think he's actual donned the red costume, though (I've only seen it illustrated). The S 04:16, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
 * His curly ears is doing his sussy dance 2A00:23C6:BE86:B401:99D9:D9E4:2FB0:6B2D (talk) 09:27, 2 April 2023 (UTC)