Some Pokémon playing cards are extremely sought, particularly by collectors and by resellers trying to make a fast buck off of uncommon playing cards, or playing cards with distinguishing traits that make them extra priceless. For instance, a card signed by illustrator Naoki Saito reportedly bought for over $100,000 in July 2023, which has had the unlucky aspect impact of prompting of us to harass and stalk the artist in methods he lately mentioned made him concern for his life.
Saito is greatest identified for his work as a contributing artist for the Duel Masters Trading Card Game, Hatsune Miku merchandise, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Saito has drawn over 280 Pokémon playing cards, with a lot of them hitting on-line resell markets for completely ridiculous costs, notably if he emblazoned them along with his John Hancock. This has made the mixture of his artwork and his signature one thing of a collectible merchandise for admirers and fanatics, and a few of us will cease at nothing to get their palms on signed copies of his work. Now, although, Saito is so terrified by the fervor that he could by no means signal one other card once more.
Posting to Twitter in Japanese on February 24 (and translated by VGC on February 27), Saito mentioned he’s repeatedly been “systematically ambushed and surrounded” by a number of folks without delay, all vying for his autograph. The state of affairs bought so dangerous that, at a latest occasion he didn’t disclose, Saito mentioned he was “followed by a car for several minutes.” As a outcome, he gained’t personally signal something till issues—and folks—settle down.
“I have always been very happy to be asked for autographs, so I have always done my best to respond to all requests for autographs,” Saito wrote, calling the conditions through which folks ambush him in teams or whereas he’s touring “very annoying.” He acknowledged that at some occasions, folks determined for his autograph have “been making phone calls to the event management under false identities, trying to confirm my schedule.”
In a February 27 Automaton report, the editor and author Shinya Kusaka, who was reportedly with Saito on the time of the automobile stalking incident, mentioned that the pursuers have been so expert at chasing the artist that they adopted Saito into slender alleyways. Kusaka mentioned that the relentless hawking has induced Saito “severe mental distress,” with of us apparently coercing him into handing out his autograph. Some folks, based on Kusaka, even went so far as mendacity about their sick members of the family to get Saito’s signature, which simply looks like a wild low for resellers.
Kotaku has reached out to Saito for remark.
I perceive wanting a signature out of your fave celeb, whether or not that be an artist, musician, author, or no matter else. That autograph could make for a pleasant memento and a unbelievable reminiscence price retelling. However, harassing and stalking somebody to primarily pressure them to signal one thing simply so you can also make a revenue off it? That ain’t it, so hopefully, of us will be taught to depart folks alone. Saito is simply attempting to dwell.
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