Raichu is a rather small bipedal rodent. It's able to run faster on all fours. Like Pikachu, from which it evolves, Raichu has long ears and feet, and stubby arms. Also like Pikachu, Raichu has two horizontal brown stripes on its back. Its long, thin tail has a broad, lightning bolt-shaped end.
Raichu is yellow-brownish in colour, with a white belly. Its arms are halfway brown, as well as its feet. The soles of its feet are tan coloured. Its bifurcated ears are brown on the outsides and yellow on the insides, and end in a distinctive curl at their bottom-most point. Its cheek sacs are yellow.
Gender differences
A female Raichu has a smaller, blunted lightning bolt at the end of its tail.
Special abilities
Although small, Raichu is capable of storing over 100,000 volts of electricity on its body.
Stage Fight was about a stage show that featured "talking" Pokémon. Kay's Raichu was supposed be a part of these shows, but it had stage fright. Kay's Raichu is voiced in both versions by Megumi Hayashibara.
Raichu is one of the Pokémon that were affected by the crystal in As Clear As Crystal.
Raichu also made a cameo in The Legend of Thunder!. It was one of the Electric Pokémon that were lured by the "Miracle Crystal" that Attila and Hun were using. Raichu tried to be the hero by zapping the crystal, but the attack bounced back to itself.
A Raichu named Sugar appeared in Cooking Up a Sweet Story, having evolved from the restaurant owners' missing Pikachu.
If the electrical sacks become excessively charged, Raichu plants its tail in the ground and discharges. Scorched patches of ground will be found near this Pokémon's nest.
This Pokémon exudes a weak electrical charge from all over its body that makes it take on a slight glow in darkness. Raichu searches for electricity by planting its tail in the ground.
There have been rumors that Raichu may appear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. This may be true, as Pichu appeared in Melee, so it would make sense to complete the evolution line. However, since a recent video showed brief images of Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Red and Lucario, which appear to be all of the Pokémon characters in the game, it is unlikely that either it or Pichu will be included.
Origin
Raichu's legs and long tail are like those of a kangaroo rat.
Name origin
Raichu comes from the combination of 雷 rai, thunder, and ちゅうちゅう chūchū, which is Japanese onomatopoeia for squeaking.