Inspirational People that have Disabilities

As part of our continuation to help inspire equality, we continue to have posts about people with disabilities that have surpassed the expectations set upon them by others. Today’s post addresses the creator of Pokémon, Satoshi Tajiri. Mr. Tajiri is an example of someone who is on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum. One of the main influences for the video game, Pokémon, was Tajiri’s autistic fixation with bugs. Here is part of an article by Susan Moffitt of the website Autism Key about the man who created one of the most popular video game franchises in the world:
“Whenever I feel nostalgic about my sons’ early years, Pokémon is always a large part of those memories. I can still see my one son, a vision of yellow, dressed as Pikachu for Halloween, or the excitement in his and his brother’s eyes when they each dug a pack of Pokémon cards from the toe of their Christmas stockings. The cards provided some of their few happy playground experiences interacting with their neurotypical peers due to the fact that all children shared the universal language of Pokémon.

I recently discovered that like my sons, the creator of Pokémon is on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum. Long thought to have Asperger’s Syndrome, Mr. Satoshi Tajiri has confirmed this information, yet does not speak of his condition in public. This reclusive and eccentric man, who is known to work twenty-four hours at a time, spawned the gaming phenomenon that took the world by storm through his special interest in insects…

Once again, we discover that the world is a richer place because of the fascinating contributions made by individuals on the autism spectrum. The fact that Satoshi Tajiri, who was both socially and emotionally challenged by his disorder, could bring such joy to so many children is both heartwarming and inspiring.”

http://www.autismkey.com/pokeman-creator-draws-creativity-from-autism/