Ash's Pikachu: Difference between revisions

In [[SM002|the next episode]], Ash's classmates held a surprise welcome party for him, where he and Pikachu participated in several challenges. During their lunch break, Tapu Koko appeared again and stole Ash's hat, prompting Ash and his classmates to follow it. Arriving in a forest, Tapu Koko challenged Ash to a battle, which he accepted. Tapu Koko eventually tapped Ash's Z-Ring, activating it and allowing Pikachu to perform {{m|Gigavolt Havoc}}, which destroyed a large part of the area but also caused Ash's Electrium Z to shatter. Afterwards, Tapu Koko flew off again.

In ''[[SM009|To Top a Totem!]]'', Pikachu was used in Ash's first [[island challenge]] trial in [[Verdant Cavern]]. Alongside {{AP|Rowlet}}, he first fought a Yungoos and {{p|Gumshoos}}. Afterwards, they faced a {{pkmn2|Totem}} Gumshoos. Despite its extreme strength, Pikachu outwitted Gumshoos with pure strategy and finished it off with Thunderbolt. This win earned Ash a [[Normalium Z]].

[[SM101|Later]], at Dia's base, Pikachu and Ash trained and convinced Dia and Zeraora to join them. Pikachu and Zeraora engaged in another battle, which attracted the attention of Guzzlord. After the {{an|Ultra Beasts|Ultra Beast}}'s arrival, the group lured it to the [[Ultra Wormhole]] that it emerged from in the past. After trapping Guzzlord with Electroweb, Pikachu and Zeraora attacked the immobilized Ultra Beast in an attempt to send it back through the Ultra Wormhole but failed. However, after the Shiny Tapu Koko intervened, Ash and Dia were able to activate their Z-Rings and have Pikachu and Zeraora perform a double Gigavolt Havoc to successfully push Guzzlord into the wormhole. Afterwards, Pikachu and Zeraora had one more battle to create another dimensional rift, which took Pikachu and Ash back home.

In ''[[SM109|A Grand Debut!]]'', Ash used Pikachu in his [[Poni Island]] grand trial against [[Hapu]], where he went up against her {{p|Mudsdale}}. Despite the type disadvantage and Mudsdale's {{a|Stamina}} Ability, Pikachu was able to overcome the obstacles when Musdale was splashed with seawater, allowing Pikachu to knock the Draft Horse Pokémon out with Gigavolt Havoc. Afterwards, Hapu offered Ash a choice of type-specific Z-Crystals; Pikachu opted for a [[Steelium Z]], which Hapu awarded to Ash for his victory.

===Personality and characteristics===

{{bulbanews|Personality & Development: Ash's Pikachu}}

After Ash gained Pikachu's loyalty in ''[[EP001|Pokémon - I Choose You!]]'', Pikachu became extremely loyal to Ash and has maintained this loyalty, and while he is not always immediately trusting of strangers, he is generally friendly to humans and Pokémon alike. He acted as a guardian and big brother to [[Misty's Togepi]], and has been seen meditating and even breaking up fights among other Pokémon, such as in ''[[PK01|Pikachu's Vacation]]''. In ''[[M01|Mewtwo Strikes Back]]'', Pikachu, {{MTR}}, and Meowth's clone were the only Pokémon not to participate in the giant battle; Pikachu stood motionless as his [[Pikachutwo|clone]] repeatedly slapped his face. Contrary to his distrusting nature, Pikachu took a liking to Misty very early in the series, and he has retained this liking of Misty throughout the series, such as when he was very happy to see her in ''[[AG132|The Scheme Team]]'' and ''[[SM042|Alola, Kanto!]]''.

[[File:Pikachu loves ketchup.png|200px|thumb|Pikachu and his love of ketchup]]

As shown in a handful of episodes, the first being ''[[EP042|Showdown at Dark City]]'', Pikachu has a special fondness for ketchup, but he will eat and enjoy almost any other human or Pokémon food. In ''[[BW116|The Fires Of A Red-Hot Reunion]]'', Pikachu also displayed a fondness for orange juice. In ''[[SM104|That's Some Spicy Island Research!]]'', Pikachu was shown to have a distaste for [[Poni Island]] radishes. A running joke in the anime also seems to be Pikachu using Thunderbolt at the beginning of each series to accidentally destroy a female companion's bike or unintentionally shock the companion herself. This has happened to {{an|Misty}}, {{an|May}}, {{an|Dawn}}, {{an|Iris}}, and {{an|Bonnie}}.

Pikachu, like his Trainer, is always happy to battle. He often tries his very best, but when he loses, he doesn't complain or feel bad about himself, especially when Ash reassures him. Ash and Pikachu are almost identical personality-wise, and thus are the perfect match for one another. Most others agree, except for [[Burgundy]], who in ''[[BW019|A Connoisseur's Revenge!]]'' said that Ash had a terrible relationship with all of his Pokémon, though this is more due to her inexperience in determining such relationships. Though rare, the two can still butt heads at times. When they first met, Pikachu would shock Ash with electricity out of vitriol. While being zapped by Pikachu still happens regularly for poor Ash, it's usually when he angers his buddy, such as when Ash rubs and pulls Pikachu's cheeks, or by accident, when Ash grabs Pikachu's tail by mistake.

In general, Pikachu as a species is not particularly powerful, but Ash's Pikachu is an anomaly, overcoming odds in {{pkmn|battle}} numerous times. In ''[[EP002|Pokémon Emergency!]]'', {{MTR}} remarked that Pikachu's power "far exceeds its evolutionary level". In ''[[EP005|Showdown in Pewter City]]'', he defeated [[Brock's Onix]] with an {{type|Electric}} attack that triggered the sprinkler system causing Onix to be drenched in water, one of its weaknesses. Ash's Pikachu has also defeated very powerful Pokémon that Ash's other Pokémon were unable to, such as {{p|Dragonite}}, {{p|Metagross}} and [[Mega Evolution|Mega]] {{TP|Korrina|Lucario}}. He was also the second of Ash's Pokémon to defeat a legendary Pokémon, after {{AP|Charizard}}, in battle, defeating [[Brandon's Legendary titans#Regice|Brandon's Regice]] to win the Brave Symbol. He later fought {{si|Tobias}}'s Latios to a draw in [[DP189|the semi-finals]] of the [[Lily of the Valley Conference]]. He also defeated [[Gladion's Silvally]] in [[SM138]] of the [[Manalo Conference]] finals. He even defeated Tapu Koko in [[SM144]] during the exhibition match against Professor Kukui of the Manalo Conference. He has helped Ash win countless battles and [[Gym]] and {{pkmn|League}} matches.