单人问答 2018 読売新聞
[访谈翻译] 读卖新闻 × Siliconera 专访杉森建：宝可梦设计的“减法美学”与帅气/可爱的微妙平衡
杉森建 · 提问
Ken Sugimori has worked on designing Pokémon from the very beginning, and he shared a little secret on how he comes up with designs using a concept of addition by subtraction and vice-versa in an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun.
杉森建从最初就参与宝可梦的设计工作，他在接受《读卖新闻》采访时分享了一个关于设计的小秘密，即如何运用“减法即加法”及其相反的概念来构思设计。
杉森建
The technique I often use when finishing up designs for Pokémon is to “keep the balance.” I might try adding something uncool to a Pokémon that is too cool, or I might add something cheerful to a Pokémon that is too serious. I spoke about making friendly designs earlier, but what I actually do is take something cool and make it less cool. [laughs]
我在完成宝可梦设计时经常使用的技巧是“保持平衡”。我可能会给过于酷炫的宝可梦加上一些不酷的元素，或者给过于严肃的宝可梦添加一些活泼的元素。我之前提到过要设计出亲切友好的形象，但实际上我所做的是把酷的东西变得不那么酷。[笑]
提问
Huh? But Lucario and Luxray look very cool.
咦？但是路卡利欧和伦琴猫看起来非常酷啊。
杉森建
But if you were to make Luxray’s head smaller and eyes sharper, it would look cooler. “Making it cooler” is an adjustment I wouldn’t dare to do.
但如果把伦琴猫的头缩小、眼睛变得更锐利，它看起来会更酷。而“让它更酷”这种调整我是不敢做的。
提问
That is certainly a unique sensitivity of yours, Sugimori-san.
这确实是您独特的审美呢，杉森先生。
杉森建
I often tell members in charge of design to “take away from designs that are too cool,” but that is probably a sentiment that is difficult to grasp. What’s cool and what’s not is all subjective in the end. To put it extremely, my job is to get something that would look cooler if it didn’t have this or that on it, then put it in on purpose. [laughs] Basically, if it looks too cool then it takes away from what makes it memorable for the players.
我经常告诉负责设计的成员“要从过于酷炫的设计中做减法”，但这可能是一种难以理解的感觉。最终什么是酷的、什么是不酷的，都是主观的。说得极端一点，我的工作就是，对于某个如果去掉某些元素会显得更酷的东西，故意把这些元素加上去。[笑]基本上，如果看起来太酷，就会削弱它在玩家心中的记忆点。
提问
So you’re saying that it becomes kind of like a pretty landscape painting.
所以您的意思是，那样就会变成像漂亮的风景画一样吗？
杉森建
Exactly. It simply ends at “that’s cool.” After all, as Pokémon that are being sent out to the world, we want them to always remain memorable; however, I feel that in order to do so you have to add a touch to it. For example, look at Oshawott’s cheeks. It has three freckles, and if you take them away Oshawott becomes cuter. However, taking them away makes its face less memorable. Actually, a lot of people told me “I want you to get rid of the freckles,” but I strongly insisted “It is better to have them.” Going by my standards, this is the correct way to design Pokémon.
没错。那样就仅仅停留在“好酷”的层面。毕竟，作为面向世界的宝可梦，我们希望它们始终令人难忘；然而，我觉得要做到这一点，就必须加上一点“点睛之笔”。例如，看看水水獭的脸颊。它有三颗雀斑，如果去掉它们，水水獭会变得更可爱。但是，去掉它们会让它的脸不那么令人难忘。实际上，很多人跟我说“我希望你去掉雀斑”，但我强烈坚持“有雀斑更好”。按照我的标准，这才是设计宝可梦的正确方式。