UTGP x Pokemon 2019 Third Place Plaque
This piece features a colored drawing and signature from Ken Sugimori, as well as a signature from Tsunekazu Ishihara.
In 2019 UNIQLO and The Pokemon Company teamed up to put on a T-shirt design contest. With submissions from over 40 countries, 25 contestants were selected to have their artwork featured as a part of a clothing line to be released that same year. From those 25, three were selected as the winners of the contest. Those three winners were flown out to Japan, where they had the chance to tour The Pokemon Company headquarters and meet both Tsunekazu Ishihara and Ken Sugimori! They also spent three days in Japan visiting the Pokémon Center, hanging out with staff and doing various other Pokémon themed activities. The prizes for winning this contest included a lump sum of cash, A three day trip to Japan, their design featured and sold worldwide, as well as a medal and custom plaque drawn on by Ken Sugimori. The drawing on each plaque is unique to each winner. They were emailed in advance, asking what their favorite Pokemon is. Once arriving and meeting Ken Sugimori, he did the colored drawing in person and on the spot. 1st place asked for a Pikachu, 2nd asked for a Mudkip and 3rd asked for a Cubone. Each Pokemon was drawn wearing the respective winners shirt design.
Unfortunately the weekend of the visit to Japan, the first place winner was disqualified for breaking contest TOS. It had come to the attention of TPCI that their design was not an original piece drawn for the contest. It was actually done previously and being sold on merchandise in China. Becasue of this they lost out on their contest prizes, one of which being a DLC for your character to wear their design in the Pokemon Sword/Shield Game. Their design ended up being pulled from the production line all together and the 1st place slot was left empty, with no one picked to fill it.
It was about three years ago when I first came across this piece and its origin. During that year I spent a lot of time, and I mean A LOT of time, scouring the internet trying to find whatever I could when it came to signatures. During one of my daily hunts, through one of my saved hashtags, I came across the Instagram page of the person who came in 3rd place, Emily. Being extremely curious about the contest, the winner and the prizes, I reached out and messaged them! The winner was extremely kind and personable. They were more than willing to share the details of the contest, their experiences and just answer any questions I had. It would take me a few weeks to build up the confidence to ask if there would ever be the possibility for me to take ownership of the plaque. Emily, being the polite person they are, declined at the time, but was not against me following up in the future and seeing if things changed.
To make a long story short, I would follow up once every six months on the dot. I would politely ask and be politely declined. Each time Emily letting me know I wasn’t a bother and that following up again wouldn’t be an issue. Bless her patience with me.
On one fateful day, three years after our first conversation, the stars must’ve aligned perfectly, because the time had finally come where I was given the oppertunity I had been waiting for. We quickly worked out a deal where both parties were happy with the transfer of ownership.The only issue being I would have to wait another six months before I would have it in hand. Personal issues arised for Emily and the deal would have to be postponed temporarily.
When the six months had passed, we reconnected, planned out a time and date for me to fly in and that was that! We sat down over coffee, chatted about our love of Pokemon, more on their experience with the contest, what it was like meeting Sugimori/Ishihara and much much more.
Wish I could say it was a walk in the park, or a lucky find getting this piece, but it took a heck of a lot of patience and time to get this into my collection. Never did I think I would own such a thing though, so for that I am forever grateful. 
Emily, their partner and Pikachu posing for a photo at TPCI headquaters in Japan.
Fun Fact: Ken Sugimori drew the Cubone wearing the winners shirt design!
As luck would have it though, this would not be the last time I would see him.
