A recent shake-up within Creatures Inc. has many Pokemon fans wondering how it will affect the franchise. First spotted by Serebii owner Joe Merrick, Tsunekazu Ishihara and Hirokazu Tanaka have stepped down from their respective roles as CEO/President and Executive Vice President at the Japanese video game company. Many Pokemon fans know Tsunekazu Ishihara as the host of the Pokemon Presents showcases, and before coming to Pokemon, Hirokazu Tanaka was known for his classic soundtracks for Metroid, EarthBound, and Kid Icarus. Yuji Kitano will take the role of CEO/President and Tomotaka Komura as Executive Vice President.
Creatures Inc. is a known affiliate of The Pokémon Company and one of the owners of the Pokémon franchise alongside Game Freak and Nintendo. Recently, Creatures Inc. has largely been involved with 3D modeling and rigging for various Pokemon games including Pokemon Go, Pokken Tournament DX, as well as the Detective Pikachu film and its sequel.
Currently, Tsunekazu Ishihara remains President and CEO of The Pokémon Company, and it is unlikely that these changes will have any impact on his position there. The Pokémon Company. That said, his departure has still raised questions on the effect it will have on his immediate future with the company. The same can be said for Hirokazu Tanaka, whose current standing with The Pokemon Company also remains uncertain.