RIP Eric Medalle

The Pokemon Company International Creative Design Director Eric Medalle died on Sunday during a windstorm in Seattle while taking his youngest daughter for a drive. Their car was crushed by a tree. His daughter, who’s 2, has sustained only minor injuries, thank god. He also has another daughter, aged 6.

Medalle was credited with several games in the Pokemon series according to Bulbapedia:

– Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire: English & European Graphic Design
– Pokemon X and Y: English & European Graphic Design
– Pokemon Black and White Versions 2: English Version Artwork
– Pokemon Conquest: Graphic Design
– Pokemon Black and White Versions: English Version Artwork
– Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs: English-Version Graphic Design
– Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions: English-Version Artwork
– Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia: English Version Artwork

A friend of his wife’s (they work at the same school) has created a YouCaring page to raise funds for the family.

RIP Eric Medalle.

Pokemon’s 20th Anniversary coming up!

On February 27th, Pokemon will be celebrating their 20th anniversary with a release of a new 3DS bundle, as well as a re-release of Red, Blue, and Yellow for 3DS, making popular amiibos (Charizard, Jigglypuff, Greninja, Lucario and Pikachu) available at select retailers, special trading card expansions, digitally remastered Pokemon movies, and a bunch of other stuff we might not have learned about yet.

There will also be several distribution events for Pokemon X/Y and Pokemon Omega Ruby/Sapphire at Gamestop this year; Pokemon include Mew, Celebi, and Genesect!

They also have this amazing Super Bowl ad that they released.

To the kids telling themselves affirmations to the pyrotechnics and crowds cheering, this ad is making me tear up and get excited about the biggest franchise that ruled my childhood next to Legos and Hello Kitty.