Ash's Pikachu: Difference between revisions

In ''[[EP103|Misty Meets Her Match]]'', Pikachu participated in the first part of Ash's battle with [[Rudy]], using his Thunderbolt to blast targets. He then faced off against Rudy's {{p|Electabuzz}}, which kept shrugging off Pikachu's attacks. He was eventually defeated by a powerful {{m|Thunder Punch}}.

In [[EP104|the following episode]], Team Rocket had a plan to capture Pikachu that involved tying him up with Meowth. This succeeded at first, but Meowth and Pikachu got separated from Jessie and [[James]]. Being lost on the island, the two Pokémon had to work together to defeat powerful Pokémon and get to safety. In the end, Ash, Misty and {{Tracey}} managed to find the duo first and separated them from each other.

In [[XY006|the next episode]], they were finally able to withstand Noivern's Gust. Later, using one of Clemont's inventions, they practiced avoiding Surskit's {{m|Sticky Web}}. After it broke, they used Froakie and its Frubbles instead to practice. The next day, Pikachu was Ash's first Pokémon for his rematch against Viola, where he again went up against her Surskit and finally defeated it. Ash recalled Pikachu and substituted him for Fletchling. He was later called out again to battle Vivillon, who had beaten Fletchling. During the battle, Pikachu was nearly put to sleep by Vivillon's {{m|Sleep Powder}}, but Ash had Pikachu use Electro Ball on himself to keep himself awake. Then, Pikachu defeated the Scale Pokémon, earning Ash the {{badge|Bug}}.

In ''[[XY019|A Conspiracy to Conquer!]]'', after overhearing one of Team Rocket's conversations, [[Officer Jenny|Madame X]] and her {{an|Malamar}} captured Pikachu. After Clemont attempted to use his "Automatic Pikachu Retrieving Device" to find Pikachu, it was revealed that Malamar had hypnotized Pikachu, making him one of Madame X's subordinates. While searching for Pikachu, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena were also hypnotized by Malamar. Once Ash and Meowth finally found Pikachu, Team Rocket, and Madame X, Madame X forced Pikachu to attack Ash. Ash got through to Pikachu, who started fighting Malamar's control. Afterwards, the Automatic Pikachu Retrieving Device burst in and rammed into Malamar, causing it to lose its control over everyone. After Malamar revealed its plans through Meowth, Pikachu attempted to attack it, but Malamar managed to escape.

{{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!]]''.

During the Hoenn saga, Pikachu [[AG089|temporarily developed amnesia]] and sided with {{TRT}} for a while. On several occasions, Pikachu has developed an "electric flu" causing him to become overcharged and extremely powerful. During these instances, Pikachu will sometimes accidentally let off electric outbursts which can be set off on anyone, including Ash. In all of these cases, Pikachu did not mean harm upon anyone.

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 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 semifinals]] of the [[Lily of the Valley Conference]], and defeated {{DL|Guardian deities (anime)|Tapu Koko}} at [[Manalo Stadium]]. He has helped Ash win countless battles and [[Gym]] and {{pkmn|League}} matches.

Pikachu became the second non-legendary Pokémon to defeat a [[legendary Pokémon]] in the anime after {{AP|Charizard}}. It was able to beat {{FB|Pyramid King|Brandon}}'s {{DL|Brandon's Legendary titans|Regice}} in ''[[AG190|Pace - The Final Frontier!]]'', giving Ash his final [[Symbol|Frontier Symbol]].

Pikachu is also the only one of Ash's Pokémon to accompany him to the [[Hoenn]], [[Unova]], [[Kalos]], and [[Alola]] regions, and was intended to be the only Pokémon to accompany him to [[Sinnoh]] before {{AP|Aipom}} was discovered to have stowed away on the ship Ash was taking. Up until the capture of [[Dawn's Pachirisu]], Pikachu was the only {{type|Electric}} Pokémon in the anime owned by a main character.