Biology
Pikachu's gender differences in the
animePikachu is a short, chubby rodent Pokémon. It is covered in yellow fur with two horizontal brown stripes on its back. It has a small mouth, long, pointed ears with black tips, and brown eyes. Each cheek is a red circle that contains a pouch for electricity storage. It has short forearms with five fingers on each paw, and its feet each have three toes. At the base of its lightning bolt-shaped tail is a patch of brown fur. A female will have a V-shaped notch at the end of its tail, which looks like the top of a heart. It is classified as a quadruped, but it has been known to stand and walk on its hind legs.
The anime has shown that wild Pikachu live in groups in forested areas. Pikachu communicate amongst themselves using squeaks and tail-shaking as friendly gestures. In the anime, Alolan Pikachu are known to greet each other by sniffing one another and rubbing their tails together. Electricity can be used to receive and send messages with each other, as well as other Electric Pokémon species. It raises its tail to check its surroundings and is occasionally struck by lightning in this position. When groups grow, they can inadvertently cause lightning storms. Pikachu forage for Berries, which it roasts with electricity to make them tender enough to eat. A sure sign that Pikachu inhabits a location is patches of burnt grass. It has been observed eating and sometimes destroying telephone poles, wires, and other electronic equipment. By occasion, it can get unintentionally swallowed by Cramorant. While startled, it looks for ways to escape from the latter.
Pikachu charges itself while sleeping overnight, though stress and a lack of sleep can affect this. It is able to release electric discharges of varying intensity. Pikachu has been known to build up energy in its glands, which it will need to discharge to avoid complications. It is also able to release energy through its tail, which acts as a grounding rod, as well as recharging fellow Pikachu with electric shocks. Pikachu and its evolutionary relatives are related to Pachirisu.
Pikachu has three alternate forms: the first one, Cosplay Pikachu, appeared exclusively in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. It is always female, has a black heart-shaped spot at the end of its tail, and can be dressed in any of five outfits corresponding to the five Contest conditions. The second form is Pikachu in a cap, which debuted as an event-exclusive Pokémon in Generation VII. It is always male and has eight variants, each wearing one of Ash's hats from the anime. In addition to these two forms, many other Pikachu variants have appeared in various media. The last, the partner Pikachu, is the Pokémon the player starts with in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!. This Pikachu can be either gender, has higher base stats, and has access to moves that normal Pikachu do not.
As Gigantamax Pikachu, it becomes larger and chubbier. Its tail becomes longer and becomes capable of storing all of the electricity it generates, causing it to glow a bright yellow and enabling it to become as powerful as a lightning strike. Three red clouds float around the tail. Its power is equal to that of a power plant; however, it is difficult to use it in peoples' homes since Pikachu can only remain in its Gigantamax form for a short time.[1]
Pikachu and its variants have several signature moves:
Pikachu is also the only known Pokémon capable of using the Light Ball item.
Other appearances
Pikachu Libre in Pokkén Tournament
- Main article: Pikachu (Pokkén Tournament)
- Main article: Pikachu Libre (Pokkén Tournament)
Pikachu is a playable character for the arcade fighting game. His moveset includes electrical attacks the species uses in the main games, like Thunderbolt, Electro Ball, and Thunder. In Burst form, he can use the Burst Attack Volt Shock Fist. Several of his attacks and victory poses are directly taken from Heihachi and Kazuya Mishima's movesets from the Tekken series.
Pikachu overwhelms opponents with powerful electric shocks and quick movements.[2]
Pikachu Libre was first announced alongside the Wii U port of the game. She was later released as an additional fighter on the original arcade version.
Pikachu Libre, a wrestling idol, is a small masked fighter overflowing with fighting spirit.
- Main article: Pikachu (Super Smash Bros.)
Detective Pikachu stars a Pikachu that is capable of speaking the human language, but only the player character Tim Goodman is capable of hearing him. Much like Meowth from the anime, he is incapable of using moves that most Pikachu are capable of using. This Pikachu also really loves to drink coffee. Early on in the game, a regular Pikachu also briefly appears.
Pikachu and Eliana in the Lightning Force music video
The Brazilian music video Lightning Force features a stop motion animated Pikachu. This Pikachu is also shown later as a live action actor with a full-body costume.
Celestial
Pikachu appeared in the music video for Celestial. It is also featured in the single cover for the song.
Pokédex entries
| Generation I
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Kanto
#025
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| Red(ENG)
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When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity could build and cause lightning storms.
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| Blue
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| Yellow
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It keeps its tail raised to monitor its surroundings. If you yank its tail, it will try to bite you.
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| Stadium
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Lives in forests away from people. It stores electricity in its cheeks for zapping an enemy if it is attacked.
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| Generation II
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Johto
#022
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| Gold
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This intelligent Pokémon roasts hard berries with electricity to make them tender enough to eat.
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| Silver
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It raises its tail to check its surroundings. The tail is sometimes struck by lightning in this pose.
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| Crystal
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When it is angered, it immediately discharges the energy stored in the pouches in its cheeks.
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| Stadium 2
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This intelligent Pokémon roasts hard Berries with electricity to make them tender enough to eat.
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| Generation III
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Hoenn
#156
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Kanto
#025
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| Ruby
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Whenever Pikachu comes across something new, it blasts it with a jolt of electricity. If you come across a blackened berry, it's evidence that this Pokémon mistook the intensity of its charge.
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| Sapphire
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This Pokémon has electricity-storing pouches on its cheeks. These appear to become electrically charged during the night while Pikachu sleeps. It occasionally discharges electricity when it is dozy after waking up.
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| Emerald
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It stores electricity in the electric sacs on its cheeks. When it releases pent-up energy in a burst, the electric power is equal to a lightning bolt.
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| FireRed
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It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the sacs.
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| LeafGreen
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When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity could build and cause lightning storms.
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| Generation IV
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Sinnoh
#104
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Johto
#022
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| Diamond
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It lives in forests with others. It stores electricity in the pouches on its cheeks.
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| Pearl
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If it looses crackling power from the electrical pouches on its cheeks, it is being wary.
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| Platinum
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It occasionally uses an electric shock to recharge a fellow Pikachu that is in a weakened state.
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| HeartGold
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This intelligent Pokémon roasts hard berries with electricity to make them tender enough to eat.
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| SoulSilver
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It raises its tail to check its surroundings. The tail is sometimes struck by lightning in this pose.
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| Generation V
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Unova
#—
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| Black
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It occasionally uses an electric shock to recharge a fellow Pikachu that is in a weakened state.
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| White
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| Black 2
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It occasionally uses an electric shock to recharge a fellow Pikachu that is in a weakened state.
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| White 2
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| Generation VI
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Kalos
Central #036
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Hoenn
#163
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| X
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It raises its tail to check its surroundings. The tail is sometimes struck by lightning in this pose.
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| Y
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It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the sacs.
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| Omega Ruby
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Whenever Pikachu comes across something new, it blasts it with a jolt of electricity. If you come across a blackened berry, it's evidence that this Pokémon mistook the intensity of its charge.
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| Alpha Sapphire
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This Pokémon has electricity-storing pouches on its cheeks. These appear to become electrically charged during the night while Pikachu sleeps. It occasionally discharges electricity when it is dozy after waking up.
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| Generation VII
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Alola
SM: #025
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Alola
USUM: #032
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Kanto
#025
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| Sun
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A plan was recently announced to gather many Pikachu and make an electric power plant.
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| Moon
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It's in its nature to store electricity. It feels stressed now and then if it's unable to fully discharge the electricity.
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| Ultra Sun
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Its nature is to store up electricity. Forests where nests of Pikachu live are dangerous, since the trees are so often struck by lightning.
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| Ultra Moon
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While sleeping, it generates electricity in the sacs in its cheeks. If it's not getting enough sleep, it will be able to use only weak electricity.
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| Let's Go Pikachu
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This forest-dwelling Pokémon stores electricity in its cheeks, so you'll feel a tingly shock if you touch it.
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| Let's Go Eevee
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| Pikachu in a cap
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| Sun
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This form of Pikachu is somewhat rare. It wears the hat of its Trainer, who is also its partner.
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| Moon
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This Pikachu is wearing its Trainer's cap. Since the cap's not the right size, the fit is a bit loose.
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| Ultra Sun
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This form of Pikachu is somewhat rare. It wears the hat of its Trainer, who is also its partner.
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| Ultra Moon
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This Pikachu is wearing its Trainer's cap. Since the cap's not the right size, the fit is a bit loose.
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| Generation VIII
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Galar
#194
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Galar
Isle of Armor #085
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Sinnoh
#104
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Hisui
#056
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| Sword
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Pikachu that can generate powerful electricity have cheek sacs that are extra soft and super stretchy.
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| Shield
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When Pikachu meet, they'll touch their tails together and exchange electricity through them as a form of greeting.
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| Brilliant Diamond
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It lives in forests with others. It stores electricity in the electric sacs on its cheeks.
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| Shining Pearl
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If it looses crackling power from the electric sacs on its cheeks, it is being wary.
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| Legends: Arceus
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Possesses cheek sacs in which it stores electricity. This clever forest-dweller roasts tough berries with an electric shock before consuming them.
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| Original Cap Pikachu
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| Sword
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This Pikachu wears its partner's cap, which is brimming with memories of traveling through many different regions.
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| Shield
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This Pikachu is wearing its Trainer's cap. The cap is proof that the two traveled across many regions together.
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| Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola Cap Pikachu
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| Sword
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This Pikachu wears its partner's cap, which is brimming with memories of traveling through the Hoenn/Sinnoh/Unova/Kalos/Alola region.
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| Shield
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This Pikachu is wearing its Trainer's cap. The cap is proof that the two traveled throughout the Hoenn/Sinnoh/Unova/Kalos/Alola region together.
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| Partner Cap Pikachu
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| Sword
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This Pikachu wears its partner's cap, which is brimming with memories of when they first met.
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| Shield
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This Pikachu is wearing its Trainer's cap. The cap is a precious symbol of a fateful encounter.
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| World Cap Pikachu
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| Sword
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This Pikachu wears its partner's cap, which is brimming with memories of traveling through different regions.
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| Shield
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This Pikachu is wearing its Trainer's cap. The cap is a precious symbol that travels across different regions with Pikachu.
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| Gigantamax Pikachu
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| Sword
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Its Gigantamax power expanded, forming its supersized body and towering tail.
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| Shield
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When it smashes its opponents with its bolt-shaped tail, it delivers a surge of electricity equivalent to a lightning strike.
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| Generation IX
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Paldea
#74
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| Scarlet
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When it is angered, it immediately discharges the energy stored in the pouches in its cheeks.
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| Violet
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When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity can build and cause lightning storms.
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| Original Cap Pikachu
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| Scarlet
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The cap this Pikachu wears is filled with memories of this Pokémon and its partner traveling across lots of different regions together.
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| Violet
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This Pikachu wears its partner's cap—proof of the strong bond Pikachu and its partner formed during adventures across many different regions.
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| Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola Cap Pikachu
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| Scarlet
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The cap this Pikachu wears is filled with memories of this Pokémon and its partner traveling across the Hoenn/Sinnoh/Unova/Kalos/Alola region together.
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| Violet
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This Pikachu wears its partner's cap—proof of the strong bond Pikachu and its partner formed during adventures across the Hoenn/Sinnoh/Unova/Kalos/Alola region.
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| Partner Cap Pikachu
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| Scarlet
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The cap this Pikachu wears is filled with memories of this Pokémon traveling together with its partner, whom it met in a fateful encounter.
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| Violet
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This Pikachu wears its partner's cap—proof of the strong bond Pikachu and its partner formed as the two overcame many hardships together.
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| World Cap Pikachu
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| Scarlet
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The cap this Pikachu wears is filled with memories of this Pokémon and its partner traveling across the world together.
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| Violet
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This Pikachu wears its partner's cap—proof of the strong bond Pikachu and its partner formed during adventures across the world.
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EvolutionForms
Cosplay Pikachu
Pikachu in a cap
Partner Pikachu
Gigantamax Pikachu
Sprites
Other sprites
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| FireRed/LeafGreen credits
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Trivia
$1 coin from
Niue featuring Pikachu
Pikachu in Pokémon Stadium
Pikachu in Pokémon Battle Chess
- Pikachu was designed by Atsuko Nishida, a core designer at Game Freak.[3][4]
- Pikachu originally had a short, stout design during the initial release of Pokémon Red and Green, but its design was altered for the anime and subsequent entries of the games, becoming slightly taller and skinnier. According to Ken Sugimori, Pikachu's design was altered to make animating its actions easier.[4]
- Its Gigantamax form is a reference to its original rotund appearance.[6]
- The nation of Niue released a one-dollar coin with its coat of arms on one side and Pikachu on the other to promote the Pokémon franchise.
- Pikachu and its evolved form both share their category with Rattata, Raticate, Sandshrew, Sandslash, and Pawmi. They are all known as the Mouse Pokémon, though Rattata and Raticate were originally called the Rat Pokémon prior to Generation III.
- Veronica Taylor has said Pikachu is her favorite Pokémon. Sarah Natochenny has as well, shared with Mew.
- In 2008, Japanese researchers discovered a new protein that helps carry electrical impulses from the eyes to the brain and named it pikachurin. According to them, it was so named for sharing Pikachu's "lightning-fast moves and shocking electric effects".
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has included three Pikachu balloons. "Flying Pikachu" was the first, flown from 2001 to 2005, and was used in a morning rush hour test of wind conditions in Times Square after an accident involving an M&M's balloon in the 2005 parade.[7] It was last used in the August 2006 Party of the Decade in New York City's Bryant Park. The second balloon debuted in the 2006 parade, features glowing cheeks, and chases a Poké Ball balloon. The third, introduced in the 2014 parade, wears a green scarf and holds a small, Pikachu-shaped snowman.
- Pikachu is the only core series first partner Pokémon with a pre-evolved form, though Pokémon Yellow predates Pichu and Pichu is unobtainable in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
- According to A Sneak Peek at Pokémon, Pikachu can deliver a constant current of 1000 amperes.
- Pikachu has the most event-exclusive moves available to it.
- Additionally, Pikachu is the only Pokemon with two exclusive Z-moves.
- When starting a new game in Pokémon Yellow, Pikachu's front sprite appears with a slightly different color palette (the palette index number 0x10) than usual when it is introduced by Professor Oak. This is the same red/yellow palette used for Mew, Mewtwo, and Jynx (except the Virtual Console Jynx), as well as the battle sprites of all Pokémon Trainers.
- Due to the color palette used at the start of Pokémon Yellow, Pikachu has red cheeks (in the Game Boy Color) or pink cheeks (in the Super Game Boy). However, in this game's normal gameplay, Pikachu has dark orange cheeks instead.
- In the Japanese Pokémon Stadium, Pikachu is the only usable Pokémon that is not fully evolved.
- In Pokémon Yellow and from Generation VI to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Pikachu uses its cry from the anime (voiced by Ikue Ohtani). Before Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, it was the only Pokémon to do so in core series games.
- Pikachu is the only core series first partner Pokémon that does not have a 7:1 gender ratio.
- Black, White, Black 2, and White 2 are the only core series games in which Pikachu cannot be obtained without transporting or an event.
- Pikachu was the focus of a Pokémon Center collection in June 2014.
- Pikachu is the only not fully-evolved Pokémon whose base stats increased in Generation VI, and also the only Pokémon to receive more than one stat increase: Defense and Special Defense.
- Pikachu is the only Pokémon that can be caught in all three pinball titles: Pokémon Pinball, Pokémon Pinball mini, and Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire.
- Pikachu is number 025 in both the National Pokédex and Alola Pokédex in Sun and Moon.
- Pikachu originally had a second-stage evolution named "Gorochu" (Japanese: ゴロチュウ Gorochū), which would have had two horns and fangs.[8][9] Sugimori stated that while there was nothing wrong with its appearance, it was nonetheless omitted from Pokémon Red and Green Versions, as the staff found that the game balance was better without it, and the limited game space meant that some Pokémon originally designed to evolve twice were changed to evolve only once.[4]
- Pikachu appears in Pokémon Battle Chess. It doesn't behave like any traditional piece in chess but behaves like a gold general in shogi.
Origin
Pikachu's designer, Atsuko Nishida, revealed in an interview that this Pokémon was originally a daifuku-like creature with ears sticking out. Its black ear tips are remnants of this original concept.[4][9]
Nishida named the Pokémon Pikachu "without giving it much thought", and while it wasn't originally intended to be based on a mouse, Game Freak CEO Satoshi Tajiri made the decision to base it on such. During the process of making Pikachu "cuter", as per the instructions of game designer Kōji Nishino, Nishida added cheek pouches for it to store electricity in. These were inspired by squirrels, which store food in their cheeks. Pikachu's yellow colouration and lightning bolt-shaped tail were given to express Pikachu's electrical attributes and make its type easier to recognise and understand. According to Nishida, Pikachu's stripes aren't based on anything in particular, and were added to fill the empty space on Pikachu's back, as it is always visible during battle.[4][9]
Pikachu's Gigantamax form is a reference to its earlier, more rotund design from Generations I and II.[6]
Name origin
Pikachu is a combination of ピカピカ pikapika (onomatopoeia for sparkle) and チューチュー chūchū (the sound of a mouse squeaking).[4][10]
In other languagesRelated articlesReferencesExternal links
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This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
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For other sprites and images, please see Pikachu images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
