Pikachu[a] is a
fictional species of the Pokémon media franchise. Designed by
Atsuko Nishida and
Ken Sugimori, Pikachu first appeared in the 1996 Japanese video games Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green created by
Game Freak and
Nintendo, which were released outside of Japan in 1998 as
Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue. Pikachu is a yellow, mouse-like creature with
electrical abilities. It is a major character in the Pokémon franchise, serving as its mascot and as a major mascot for Nintendo.
Pikachu is a fictional species of Pokémon created for the
Pokémon franchise. Developed by
Game Freak and published by
Nintendo, the series began in Japan in 1996 with the release of the video games
Pokémon Red and Blue for the
Game Boy.[6] In these games, the player assumes the role of a Pokémon Trainer whose goal is to capture and train creatures called Pokémon. Players use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon, and some can transform into stronger species through a process called
evolution.[7]
During Red and Blue's development, lead designer
Ken Sugimori felt that the game needed more "cute" designs and sought the input of female Game Freak staff such as
Atsuko Nishida to join the development team. Nishida was tasked with developing the Pikachu species and its evolutionary line with specific gameplay guidelines in mind: its role as an Electric-type, that it evolved twice, and that the final form "look strong". Originally Pikachu was intended to evolve into
Raichu, and then Raichu into a Pokémon called "Gorochu."[8][9] However, Gorochu was cut due to cartridge space concerns,[1] leaving Raichu to be Pikachu's sole evolution through use of the game's "Thunder Stone" item.[10]
According to series producer
Satoshi Tajiri, the name is derived from a combination of two Japanese onomatopoeia: ピカピカ (pikapika), a sparkling sound, and チューチュー (chūchū), a sound a mouse makes.[11] Developer
Junichi Masuda noted Pikachu's name as one of the most difficult to create, due to an effort to make it appealing to both Japanese and American audiences.[12] Pikachu has resemblances to the
Pika, which has been described as its "real-life counterpart".[13]
Pikachu was designed around the concept of electricity.[14] They are creatures that have short, yellow fur with brown markings covering their backs and parts of their lightning bolt-shaped tails. They have black-tipped, pointed ears and red circular pouches on their cheeks, which can spark with electricity.[15] They attack primarily by projecting electricity from their bodies at their targets.[16] Within the context of the franchise, Pikachu can transform, or "
evolve," into a
Raichu when exposed to a "Thunder Stone."[17] In
Pokémon Gold and Silver, "
Pichu" was introduced as an evolutionary predecessor to Pikachu.[18] In
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl,
gender differences were introduced; since those games, female Pikachu have an indent at the end of their tails, giving the tail a
heart-shaped appearance.
Initially considered alongside
Clefairy as lead characters for franchise merchandising, Pikachu emerged as the mascot of the
animated series due to its popularity amongst schoolchildren and appeal to both boys and girls,[19][11] as well as their mothers. Pikachu resembled a familiar, intimate pet, and yellow is a
primary color and easier for children to recognize from a distance. Additionally, the only other competing yellow mascot at the time was
Winnie-the-Pooh.[20]
Pikachu's design has evolved from its once-pudgy body to having a slimmer waist, straighter spine, and more defined face and neck; Sugimori has stated these design changes originated in the anime, making Pikachu easier to animate, and were adopted to the games for consistency.[21] "Fat Pikachu"
was revisited in Pokémon Sword and Shield, where Pikachu received a Gigantamax Form resembling its original design.[22][23][24]
Appearances
In the video games
Pikachu has appeared in all
Pokémon video games, except
Black and White, without having to trade.[25] The game Pokémon Yellow features a Pikachu as the only available
Starter Pokémon. Based on the Pikachu from the
Pokémon anime, it refuses to stay in its
Poké Ball, and instead follows the main character around on screen. The trainer can speak to it and it displays different reactions depending on how it is treated.[26][27]
An event in
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver gave players access to a route on the
Pokéwalker, which solely contained Pikachu which knew attacks that they were not normally compatible with, Surf and Fly.[28] Seven "Cap" forms of Pikachu, wearing caps belonging to
Ash Ketchum across different seasons, were released across
Pokémon Sun and Moon as well as their Ultra versions.[29] These games also released two
Z-Crystals exclusive to Pikachu.[30][31]
Pokémon Let's Go, which is based heavily on Yellow, has Pikachu as a starter in one of its two versions.[32] This starter Pikachu has access to several secret techniques and exclusive moves.[33][34] In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Pikachu gained access to a special Gigantamax form.[35]
The
Pokémon animeseries and films feature the adventures of
Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu. Ash journeys to train and capture Pokémon while the members of the villainous organization
Team Rocket attempt to steal Ash's Pikachu.[51]
Other wild and trained Pikachu appear throughout the series, often interacting with Ash and his Pikachu. The most notable among these is
Ritchie's Pikachu, Sparky (レオン, Reon, Leon).[52] Like most other Pokémon, Pikachu communicates only by saying syllables of his own name. Ash's Pikachu is voiced by
Ikue Ōtani in all versions of the anime. In Pokémon Live!, the musical stage show adapted from the anime, Pikachu was played by Jennifer Risser.[53]
Following Pokémon Ultimate Journeys, which concludes the story of Ash and his Pikachu, another Pikachu named "Captain Pikachu" was introduced as a major character in the followup series Pokémon Horizons, also voiced by Ōtani. Taito Okiura, the vice president of marketing for
The Pokémon Company International, stated that Pikachu would "continue to have a significant presence in the animated series and remain an icon for the brand".[54]
Collectible cards featuring Pikachu have appeared since the initial Pokémon Trading Card Game released in October 1996, including
limited edition promotional cards. One of these collectible cards was "Pikachu Illustrator", limited to about 20-40 printed in 1998, and was auctioned off for about $55,000 in 2016, and then $375,000 in 2021.[59][60] For the franchise's 25th anniversary,
The Pokémon Company announced special trading cards in 2021, each featuring 25 Pikachu drawn by 25 artists.[61] The character has also been used in promotional merchandising at
fast-food chains such as
McDonald's,
Wendy's, and
Burger King.[62][63][64][65][66]
Legacy
Promotion and merchandise
As the mascot of the franchise, Pikachu has made multiple appearances in various promotional events and merchandise. In 1998, then
Topeka, Kansas Mayor
Joan Wagnon renamed the town "ToPikachu" for a day,[67] and the renaming was repeated in 2018 by Mayor
Michelle De La Isla with the release of the Pokémon Let's Go games.[68] A "
got milk?" advertisement featured Pikachu on April 25, 2000.[69] A Pikachu balloon has been featured in the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2001.[70] The original balloon was flown for the last time publicly at the Pokémon: Tenth Anniversary "Party of the Decade" on August 8, 2006, in
Bryant Park in New York City,[71][72][73][74] and a new Pikachu balloon that chases a
Poké Ball and has light-up cheeks debuted at the 2006 parade.[75] In the 2014 parade, a new Pikachu balloon was wearing a green scarf and holding a smaller Pikachu snowman.[76] As of 2021, the latest balloon is that of a Pikachu and Eevee together in a sled.[77]
Pikachu has been well-received by reviewers; it was ranked as the "second best person of the year" by Time in 1999, who called it "the most beloved animated character since
Hello Kitty". The magazine noted Pikachu as the "public face of a phenomenon that has spread from Nintendo's fastest selling video game to a trading-card empire", citing the franchise's profits for the year as "the reason for the ranking", behind singer
Ricky Martin but ahead of author
J.K. Rowling.[81]
Pikachu has ranked 20th to 4th place in anime, cartoon character, and video game character polls since 2000.[82][83][84][85][86] In 2003, Forbes ranked Pikachu as the "eighth top-earning fictional character of the year" with an income of $825 million.[87][88] In 2004, the character dropped two spots to tenth on the list, taking in $825 million for a second straight year.[89] The character has been regarded as the Japanese answer to
Mickey Mouse[90] and as being part of a movement of "
cutecapitalism".[79] Manga artist
Hiro Mashima referred to Pikachu as "the greatest mascot character of all time!" when talking about adding these types of characters to series.[91]
Zack Zwiezen of Kotaku praised the simplicity of Pikachu's design, describing it as "possibly one of the most iconic characters on the planet".[92] Dale Bishir of IGN described Pikachu as the most important Pokémon that impacted the franchise's history, and further stated that "Its irresistible cuteness, merchandising power, army of clones in every generation... if your mom calls every Pokémon 'Pikachu', then you know in your heart that it is the most important Pokémon of all time."[93] In 2019, Mitsuhiro Arita said that Pikachu and
Charizard were "fan favourites" in Pokémon's design on the trading cards.[94] Lauren Rouse of Kotaku listed Pikachu as the best animal companions that are the real MVPs of video games, stating that "Pikachu symbolises one of the best animal-human friendships in pop culture history and it makes a damn good Pokémon to have in your roster."[95]Time Magazine named Pikachu as one of the twelve most influential video game characters of all time, lauding its appearance as the "most recognizable and beloved sidekick in pop culture."[96]
Conversely, Pikachu was ranked first in AskMen's top 10 of the most irritating 1990s cartoon characters.[97] Similarly, in a poll conducted by IGN, it was voted as the 48th best Pokémon, with the staff commenting "despite being the most recognized Pokémon in the world... Pikachu ranks surprisingly low on our top 100".[98]Kotaku writer Patricia Hernandez criticized Pikachu's over-representation in Pokémon-related media, saying: "it's hard not to be barraged by Pikachu's constant presence if you're a Pokémon fan, and it sucks."[99] In 2024, a poll conducted by
BAFTA with around 4,000 respondents named Pikachu as the twelfth most iconic video-game character of all time.[100]
Cultural impact
In 2008, a
ligand believed to provide better
visual acuity was discovered by the Osaka Bioscience Institute Foundation and named "
Pikachurin", in reference to the nimbleness of Pikachu.[101] The name was inspired due to Pikachu's "lightning-fast moves and shocking electric effects".[102] In 2021, the Chilean independent politician
Giovanna Grandón famously went to many protests during the
2019–2021 Chilean protests dressed in an inflatable Pikachu suit. She went on to be elected as a member of the
Constitutional Convention of 2021-2022, and is known as Aunt Pikachu (Tía Pikachú).[103] In July 2021 during the
Group of Seven climate summit, a group of protestors dressed as Pikachus demonstrated on
Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth,[104] while in November 2021, a group of activists dressed up as Pikachu to protest Japan's refusal to reduce coal consumption at
COP26.[105]
In 2016, the Pikachu, also known as the Pokemonument,[106][107] a fiberglass sculpture depicting Pikachu by an unknown artist, was installed in
Lower Garden District, a
New Orleans neighborhood.[108] The 5-foot (1.5 m) statue of the Japanese icon was erected as an apparent tribute to Pokémon Go on July 31, 2016, in a decommissioned fountain along Terpsichore Street.[108][109] and was a fiberglass sculpture coated to look like bronze.[110] Within a few days, the sculpture was vandalized by someone with a baseball bat, but repaired.[109] Some two weeks after its placement, the "Pokemonument" was removed, and an online statement from the artist said that the artwork would be auctioned to benefit restoration of the park's fountains.[111]
^Allison, Anne (May 2006). Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination. University of California Press. pp. 192–197.
ISBN9780520938991.
^Gisquet, Vanessa; Rose, Lacey (October 19, 2004).
"Top Characters Gross $25B". Forbes. Archived from
the original on October 23, 2004. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, California: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999.
Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999.
ISBN0-439-15404-9.
Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector's Edition: Prima's Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21, 2004.
ISBN0-7615-4761-4
Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed Version & Pokémon LeafGreen Version Player's Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004.
ISBN1-930206-50-X
Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Player's Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005.
ISBN1-930206-58-5
Tobin, Joseph Jay, ed. (2004). Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Duke University Press.
ISBN978-0-8223-3287-9.
External links
Look up Pikachu in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.