He's been melting our hearts since we were kids. Pikachu, this little yellow Pokémon, is the ultimate emblem of the saga of the same name. Let's answer all the questions we've surely asked ourselves at least once about this iconic character!
1. Why is Pikachu the Pokémon mascot?
If you didn't know, Pikachu wasn't the first choice of the creative teams when it came to choosing a mascot. Indeed, it was originally the Pokémon Clefairy that was supposed to be the emblem! Pink, cute, and tiny, Clefairy had everything going for it... But the teams decided that the character appealed too much to a female audience and not enough to a male audience, who might have difficulty warming to it. The team's second choice fell on another Pokémon that everyone loves: Eevee. This time, this choice was ultimately discarded due to the small number of attacks the Pokémon could perform, especially in terms of powerful attacks. Finally, a last thought about the Pokémon Poliwhirl was made for the following reason: it is the favorite character of Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of the franchise! Very popular in Japan, Poliwhirl did not achieve the same success in Europe, although it maintains its likeable and funny side all over the world.
After these various avenues, the final choice fell on Pikachu. He has the same characteristics as the previously mentioned Pokémon: he is cute, very endearing, found at the beginning of the game, quite powerful, and above all, he is yellow! His color is important because children love it, it represents the sun, cheerfulness... and he is above all very quickly recognizable, especially since he allows for excellent memorization: indeed, at the time, the only competing mascot that shared the same characteristics was Winnie the Pooh!
2. Why is Pikachu named that?
If we break down Pikachu's name, we first have the word "pika" which means "sparkle" in Japanese. The word "chu" evokes the sound a mouse makes, a kind of squeak, in Japanese. The two words combined thus give "Pikachu". This Pokémon is also the only one to keep its Japanese name all over the world, while other Pokémon names are translated according to the language of the country in question.
3. What animal does Pikachu represent?
As explained in the previous question, Pikachu is inspired by a mouse. Indeed, the pika does exist: it is a species of mouse that lives mainly in western China, on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Unfortunately, considered harmful rodents for crops and grasslands, pikas were long hunted from their Chinese territory as well as in Mongolia. Today, the hunting has stopped and pikas are just beginning to be protected in certain areas of the world.
4. How old is Pikachu?
If we take the creation date of this Pokémon as a reference, Pikachu is now no less than 25 years old! Indeed, he was created on February 27, 1996.
5. What are Pikachu's evolutions?
This Pokémon has three forms: first, its initial stage is Pichu, which gives it a very childish look. Then, it evolves into Pikachu, and finally reaches its final form when it transforms into Raichu. Interestingly, the creation of these three Pokémon does not follow a logical order: indeed, Pikachu was the first to be created, as it bears the number 25 in the Pokédex. It is followed by its evolution, Raichu, which bears the number 26. Finally, Pichu was added much later, as it is known by the number 172!
6. What are Pikachu's attacks?
Based on its basic attacks, Pikachu can perform all the following attacks depending on its level:
- Tail Whip and Thundershock at level 1
- Growl at level 5
- Nuzzle at level 7
- Quick Attack at level 10
- Electro Ball at level 13
- Thunder Wave at level 18
- Feint at level 21
- Double Team at level 23
- Spark at level 26
- Nuzzle at level 29
- Discharge at level 34
- Slam at level 37
- Thunderbolt at level 42
- Agility at level 45
- Wild Charge at level 50
- Light Screen at level 53
- Thunder at level 58
Afterward, it's up to you to customize Pikachu's attacks using the TMs and HMs you acquire throughout the games!
7. When does Pikachu evolve, or when should you evolve it?
To evolve your Pikachu, you will absolutely need a Thunder Stone. Once you have the stone, it's advisable to wait until level 34 with the learning of the move Discharge or, if you are very patient, level 42 with the move Thunderbolt. Indeed, if you choose to evolve your Pokémon before then, it will no longer learn moves above the level at which the evolution occurred.
8. What are the differences between a female and male Pikachu?
Whether male or female, Pikachu retains the exact same physical characteristics in every way. Only one difference is notable: its tail. In males, Pikachu's tail resembles a lightning bolt. In females, the tail also represents a lightning bolt, but a V-shaped notch has been added to give it the shape of a small heart! It is therefore probably the cutest tail in the entire game...
9. Why doesn't Pikachu want to go into its Poké Ball at the beginning of the saga?
Several reasons explain why Pikachu doesn't want to go into its Poké Ball at the beginning of the anime. Indeed, the first reason concerns its trainer, Ash. Inexperienced, the iconic trainer of the saga starts his friendship with Pikachu badly. The two travel companions have quite a hard time getting along, and it's clear at the beginning of the series that Pikachu is unhappy to have Ash as a trainer, as he considers him illegitimate and not yet ready to unlock his potential. To express his dissatisfaction, Pikachu doesn't hesitate to disobey Ash or even electrocute him while remaining perched on his shoulder!
Once this difficult beginning passed, the second reason why Pikachu doesn't want to go into its Poké Ball is characterized by its thirst for freedom. When Ash first opens Pikachu's Poké Ball, we can see it come out, letting out lightning attacks. We can therefore deduce that Pikachu was already trying to escape from its Poké Ball, especially since it looks very happy when it is finally out in the open!
Finally, the last reason is undoubtedly the most adorable... As the two companions' adventures progressed, a very strong friendship developed. Thus, Pikachu simply wants to stay as close to Ash as possible! Indeed, its trainer does everything to protect his beloved Pokémon: for example, in perilous situations where Pikachu is in danger, Ash doesn't hesitate to jump off a cliff, escape from a Gyarados, or even steal Misty's bike to take Pikachu to the nearest Pokémon Center.
To conclude, a decisive moment in the Pokémon adventure is when Pikachu is attacked by a horde of Spearow. Ash rushes to Pikachu's rescue and proudly stands before them, assuring them that he is not afraid and that he will become the greatest of all trainers. It is at this moment that Pikachu perceives the soul of the true trainer and friend that Ash is and changes his mind about him. Thus, Pikachu, despite already being exhausted, launches a powerful Thunder attack that saves them both. He then rushes into Ash's arms and gives him an adorable lick that definitively marks the beginning of one of the most beautiful friendships!
10. Who are the official creators of Pikachu?
Pikachu was imagined by Atsuko Nishida and Ken Sugimori, two video game creators and designers who worked on the Nintendo franchise. The two professionals developed the designs for Pikachu at the same time as those for Raichu. Pikachu is also the very first electric Pokémon and served as an example for presenting this new class to the teams.
Considered a major icon of kawaii culture, Pikachu has become the Japanese equivalent of Mickey Mouse!
This is already the end of this article on the questions we've all asked about Pikachu! We hope you enjoyed the answers provided and that you were able to enrich your knowledge of Pokémon. If you are still thirsty for knowledge, feel free to read our article on the 20 most extraordinary legendary Pokémon!
