He's been melting our hearts since we were children. Pikachu, this little yellow Pokémon, is the ultimate emblem of the saga that bears his name. Let's answer together all the questions we've surely asked ourselves at least once about this iconic character!
To keep Pikachu close to you every day, browse our 3D Pokémon lamps.
1. Why is Pikachu the Pokémon mascot?
If you didn't know, Pikachu was not the first choice of the Pokémon creative teams when it came to choosing a mascot. In fact, it was originally the Pokémon Clefairy that was supposed to serve as the emblem! Pink, cute, and tiny, Clefairy had everything going for her… But the teams decided that the character appealed too much to the female audience and not enough to the male audience, who might have difficulty making a place for her in their hearts. The team's second choice was another Pokémon everyone loves: Eevee. This time, this choice was ultimately discarded due to the limited number of attacks the Pokémon could produce, particularly in terms of powerful attacks. Finally, a last thought about the Pokémon Poliwag was made for the following reason: it is the favorite character of Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of the franchise! Very popular in Japan, Poliwag did not achieve the same success in Europe, although it retains its charming and funny side worldwide.
After these various leads, 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 adore it, it represents the sun, joy... and he is above all very quickly recognizable, especially since he allows for excellent memorization: at the time, the only competing mascot with the same characteristics was Winnie the Pooh!
2. Why is Pikachu called that?
If we break down Pikachu's name, we first have the word "pika" which means "spark" in Japanese. The word "chu" meanwhile 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 the 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 have long been hunted from their Chinese territory as well as in Mongolia. Today, hunting has ceased, and pikas are just beginning to be protected in certain areas of the world.
4. How old is Pikachu?
If we refer to the creation date of this Pokémon, 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 first stage is Pichu, which gives it a very childlike look. Then, it evolves into Pikachu, and finally reaches its ultimate form when it transforms into Raichu. Moreover, the creation of these three Pokémon does not follow a logical order: in fact, Pikachu was the first to be created since it holds number 25 in the Pokédex. It is followed by its evolution, Raichu, which holds number 26. Finally, Pichu was added much later since it is known under number 172!
6. What are Pikachu's attacks?
If we stick to basic attacks, Pikachu can perform all the following attacks depending on its level:
- Tail Whip and Thundershock at level 1
- Growl at level 5
- Charm at level 7
- Quick Attack at level 10
- Electro Ball at level 13
- Thunder Wave at level 18
- Nasty Plot 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 it be evolved?
To evolve your Pikachu, you will absolutely need a Thunder Stone. Once you have the stone, it is advisable to wait until level 34 with the acquisition of the Discharge attack or, if you are very patient, level 42 with the Thunderbolt attack. Indeed, if you choose to evolve your Pokémon before, it will no longer learn attacks beyond the level at which the evolution was performed.
8. What are the differences between a female Pikachu and a male Pikachu?
Whether male or female, Pikachu retains the same physical characteristics in all respects. Only one difference is noticeable: 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 surely the cutest tail in the entire game...
9. Why doesn't Pikachu want to go into his Poké Ball at the beginning of the saga?
Several reasons explain why Pikachu doesn't want to go into his Poké Ball at the beginning of the anime. Indeed, the first reason concerns his trainer, Ash. Inexperienced, the iconic trainer of the saga gets off to a bad start with Pikachu. The two travel companions have trouble getting along, and it's clear at the beginning of the series that Pikachu is unhappy to have Ash as his trainer, judging him to be illegitimate and not yet ready to unleash his potential. To express his dissatisfaction, Pikachu doesn't hesitate to disobey Ash or even electrocute him while perched on his shoulder!
Once this difficult start is over, the second reason why Pikachu doesn't want to go into his Poké Ball is characterized by his thirst for freedom. When Ash first opens Pikachu's Poké Ball, we can see him emerge with lightning attacks escaping. We can therefore deduce that Pikachu was already trying to escape from his Poké Ball, especially since he looks very happy when he is finally in the open air!
Finally, the last reason is undoubtedly the most adorable... Over the course of the two companions' adventures, a very strong friendship was forged. Thus, Pikachu simply wants to stay as close to Ash as possible! Indeed, his trainer does everything to protect his beloved Pokémon: for example, in perilous situations where Pikachu is in danger, Ash does not hesitate to jump off a cliff, escape 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 against 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 he changes his mind about him. Thus, Pikachu, despite being already exhausted, launches a powerful Thunder attack, saving 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 conceived 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 a presentation example to the teams to introduce this new class.
Considered a major icon of kawaii culture, Pikachu has become the Japanese equivalent of Mickey Mouse!
This is the end of this article on the questions we all asked ourselves 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, do not hesitate to read our article on the 20 most extraordinary legendary Pokémon!
